Occurrence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in exotic pets

• Grant number: 11/12003-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2011
• End date: July 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Vasconcelos Meireles
• Grantee: Henrique Guimarães Riva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FMVA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araçatuba. Araçatuba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The infection with some species or genotypes of Cryptosporidium represents a significant risk to public health, mainly because of morbidity and mortality in children aged zero to five years old and in immunosuppressed patients. With the increasing use of hamsters, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pig and chinchilla as pets, the potential of these pets as reservoirs and transmitters of human parasitosis, particularly children. In addition, the literature on this topic is still rather sparse. The objective of this study is to determine the presence and conduct molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in fecal samples from hamsters (Mesocricetusauratus and Phodopus spp.) ferrets (Mustela putorius), guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) and chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) by polymerase chain reaction of nested type. A total of 200 fecal samples will be collected from rabbits different ages, according to availability, from commercial breeders, pet shops, veterinary clinics and at residencies, in the cities of Araçatuba, Votuporanga and São Paulo. The determination of the species or genotype of the parasite will be carried out using nested polymerase chain reaction to amplify fragments of the 18S subunit of the ribosomal RNA of Cryptosporidium spp.