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Cryptosporidium galli and novel Cryptosporidium avian genotype VI in North American red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus)

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Abstract

Proventriculus and intestinal samples from 70 North American red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus; order Passeriformes) were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium by PCR amplification and sequence analysis of the 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA), actin, and 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) genes. Twelve birds (17.1 %) were positive for the Cryptosporidium 18S rRNA gene: six birds were positive at the proventriculus site only and six birds were positive at the proventriculus and intestinal sites. Sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA, actin and HSP70 genes showed the presence of the gastric species Cryptosporidium galli in a single proventriculus sample and a closely related genotype, which we have named Cryptosporidium avian genotype VI, in all other positive samples. These findings contribute to our understanding of Cryptosporidium diversification in passerines, the largest avian order.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge support from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (project number: 2008-35102-19260).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

    Jeba Jesudoss Chelladurai, Brianna L. S. Stenger, Catherine W. Giddings & John McEvoy

  2. Biological Sciences Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

    Mark E. Clark & Brianna L. S. Stenger

  3. Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Martin Kváč & Nikola Holubová

  4. Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech of Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Martin Kváč & Nikola Holubová

  5. Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

    Eakalak Khan

Authors
  1. Jeba Jesudoss Chelladurai
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  2. Mark E. Clark
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  3. Martin Kváč
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  4. Nikola Holubová
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  5. Eakalak Khan
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  6. Brianna L. S. Stenger
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  7. Catherine W. Giddings
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  8. John McEvoy
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Correspondence to John McEvoy.

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Chelladurai, J.J., Clark, M.E., Kváč, M. et al. Cryptosporidium galli and novel Cryptosporidium avian genotype VI in North American red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus). Parasitol Res 115, 1901–1906 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-4930-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-4930-8

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