Molecular detection and genotyping of cryptosporidium (apicomplexa: cryptosporidiidae) infecting peri-domestic rodents in Selangor, Malaysia

Martin, Naomi (2020) Molecular detection and genotyping of cryptosporidium (apicomplexa: cryptosporidiidae) infecting peri-domestic rodents in Selangor, Malaysia. [Project Paper] (Submitted)

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Abstract

Rodents are known to harbor many zoonotic pathogens of which can be transmitted to humans. The close association of rodents with the human environment increases the likelihood of transmission for Cryptosporidium causing cryptosporidiosis in humans, especially where water insufficiency and contamination is prevalent in developing countries such as Malaysia. The high density of peri-domestic rodents in urban regions of Malaysia and the paucity of literature on the prevalence of rodent-borne Cryptosporidium in this country stimulated the present investigation, which aims to determine the species diversity, molecular prevalence and genotypes of Cryptosporidium spp. infecting peri-domestic rodents in Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 58 rodents were collected using mesh wire traps, from several areas in Selangor, focusing on residential and commercial areas, and taking into account the presence of secondary forest within 250 metres from the study sites. The rodents were sedated with diethyl ether, euthanized with pentobarbital sodium and dissected to reveal the contents of the colon and rectum. Faecal samples were collected and DNA was extracted for nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (18SSUrRNA) gene fragment of Cryptosporidium. The molecular prevalence of Cryptosporidium among the rodents was 37.8% (22/58). The infection was more prevalent in Rattus rattus (37.0%) compared to R. norvegicus (25.8%). Bioinformatic and phylogenetic analyses of the 18SSUrRNA gene locus of 16 positive amplicons using maximum parsimony (MP) and neighbor-joining (NJ) algorithms revealed distinct clustering of the Malaysian isolates, with closest affinities to Cryptosporidium occultus, C. parvum, C. suis, C. muris and C. andersoni isolates. This study constitutes the first attempt to detect and genotype rodent-borne Cryptosporidium in Malaysia. The present findings have shown that peri-domestic rodents in the country have high infection rates with various Cryptosporidium species, and may serve as potential reservoirs for human transmission of this potentially zoonotic enteric protozoa.

Item Type:	Project Paper
Faculty:	Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Depositing User:	Ms Nurhaznita Mahmood
Date Deposited:	09 Nov 2023 02:58
Last Modified:	09 Nov 2023 02:58
URI:	http://psaspb.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/1517

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