Abstract
Fecal specimens were obtained from 12–24-month-old dairy heifers on farms in Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. PCR positive specimens for Enterocytozoon bieneusi were found in 131 of 571 heifers examined (23%) and on all the farms visited. The prevalence of E. bieneusi varied considerably across farms, with the lowest prevalence (4.7%) on MD-2 and the highest prevalence (37.8%) on NY-2. All PCR positive specimens that amplified the ITS region as well as a portion of the flanking large and small subunit ribosomal RNA genes were sequenced to determine the genotype(s) of the E. bieneusi present and six genotypes were identified. Most were identified as cattle-specific genotypes, previously reported from cattle as BEB1, BEB2, BEB3, and BEB4. Two isolates were genetically identical or similar to E. bienesusi reported as the human pathogens Peru 6 and Peru 9 (or D) genotypes. Although our data demonstrate the presence of zoonotic genotypes in cattle, most genotypes found in cattle were host specific.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Breitenmoser A, Mathis A, Burgi E, Weber R, Deplazes P (1999) High prevalence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in swine with four genotypes that differ from those identified in humans. Parasitology 118:447–453
Buckholt MA, Lee JH, Tzipori S (2002) Prevalence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in swine: an 18-month survey at a slaughterhouse in Massachusetts. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:2595–2599
Chalifoux LV, Carville A, Pauley D, Thompson B, Lackner AA, Mansfield KG (2000) Enterocytozoon bieneusi as a cause of proliferative serositis in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected immunodeficient macaques (Macaca mulatta). Arch Pathol Lab Med 124:1480–1484
Cotte L, Rabodonirina M, Chapuis F, Bailly F, Bissuel F, Raynal C, Gelas P, Persat F, Piens MA, Trepo C (1999) Waterborne outbreak of intestinal microsporidiosis in persons with and without human immunodeficiency virus infection. J Infect Dis 180:2003–2008
del Aguila C, Izquierdo F, Navajas R, Pieniazek NJ, Miro G, Alonso AI, da Silva AJ, Fenoy S (1999) Enterocytozoon bieneusi in animals: rabbits and dogs as new hosts. J Eukaryot Microbiol 46:S8–S9
Dengjel B, Zahler M, Hermanns W, Heinritzi K, Spillmann T, Thomschke A, Loscher T, Gothe R, Rinder H (2001) Zoonotic potential of Enterocytozoon bieneusi. J Clin Microbiol 39:4495–4499
Desportes I, Charpentier Y, Galian A, Bernard F, Cochand-Priollet B, Lavergne A, Ravisse P, Modigliani R (1985) Occurrence of a new microsporidian: Enterocytozoon bieneusi n. g., n. sp., in the enterocytes of a human patient with AIDS. J Protozool 32:250–254
Didier ES, Stovall ME, Green LC, Brindley PJ, Sestak K, Didier PJ (2004) Epidemiology of microsporidiosis: sources and modes of transmission. Vet Parasitol 126:145–166
Dowd S, Gerba C, Pepper I (1998) Confirmation of the human pathogenic Microsporidia Enterocytozoon bieneusi,Encephalitozoon intestinalis, and Vittaforma corneae in water. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:3332–3335
Fayer R, Santín M, Trout JM (2003) First detection of microsporidia in dairy calves in North America. Parasitol Res 90:383–386
Fournier S, Liguory O, Santillana-Hayat M, Guillot E, Sarfati C, Dumoutier N, Molina JM, Derouin F (2000) Detection of microsporidia in surface water: a one-year follow-up study. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol 29:95–100
Liguory O, David F, Sarfati C, Derouin F, Molina J (1998) Determination of types of Enterocytozoon bieneusi strains isolated from patients with intestinal microsporidiosis. J Clin Microbiol 36:1882–1885
Mansfield KG, Carville A, Shvetz D, MacKey J, Tzipori S, Lackner AA (1997) Identification of an Enterocytozoon bieneusi-like microsporidian parasite in simian-immunodeficiency-virus-inoculated macaques with hepatobiliary disease. Am J Pathol 150:1395–1405
Reetz J, Rinder H, Thomschke A, Manke H, Schwebs M, Bruderek A (2002) First detection of the microsporidium Enterocytozoon bieneusi in non-mammalian hosts (chickens). Int J Parasitol 32:785–787
Rinder H, Katzwinkel-Wladarsch S, Loscher T (1997) Evidence for the existence of genetically distinct strains of Enterocytozoon bieneusi. Parasitol Res 83:670–672
Rinder H, Thomschke A, Essig A, Heinritzi K, Gothe R, Zahler M (1999) Microsporidia in pigs with life-threatening diarrhoea. Tierarztl Prax 27:231–234
Rinder H, Thomschke A, Dengjel B, Gothe R, Loscher T, Zahler M (2000) Close genotypic relationship between Enterocytozoon bieneusi from humans and pigs and first detection in cattle. J Parasitol 86:185–188
Santín M, Trout JM, Fayer R (2004) Prevalence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in post-weaned dairy calves in the eastern United States. Parasitol Res 93:287–289
Sulaiman IM, Bern C, Gilman R, Cama V, Kawal V, Vargas D, Ticona E, Vivar A, Xiao L (2003a) A molecular biologic study of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in HIV-infected patients in Lima, Peru. J Eukaryot Microbiol 50:591–596
Sulaiman IM, Fayer R, Lal AA, Trout JM, Schaefer FW III, Xiao L (2003b) Molecular characterization of Microsporidia indicates that wild mammals harbor host-adapted Enterocytozoon spp. as well as human-pathogenic Enterocytozoon bieneusi. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:4495–4501
Sulaiman IM, Fayer R, Yang C, Santín M, Matos O, Xiao L (2004) Molecular characterization of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in cattle indicates that only some isolates have zoonotic potential. Parasitol Res 92:328–334
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Robert Palmer, Kristie Ludwig, Kristin Cameron, and Brooke Reich for technical services in support of this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Santín, M., Trout, J.M. & Fayer, R. Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotypes in dairy cattle in the eastern United States. Parasitol Res 97, 535–538 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-1482-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-1482-8