Parasitological and molecular investigation of the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in carrier pigeons (Columba livia)

• Grant number: 17/05295-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2017
• End date: June 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Katia Denise Saraiva Bresciani
• Grantee: Amália Genete dos Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FMVA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araçatuba. Araçatuba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection by parasitologic and molecular methods. We will collect 100 samples total, 50 of a carrier pigeons breeder from Formiga, Minas Gerais state and 50 of a carrier pigeons breeder from Araçatuba, São Paulo state. Stool analysis for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts will be performed by negative machite green staining and Ziehl-Nielsen modified. Posteriorly, all the samples will have their DNA extracted to use it in molecular characterization by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)for 18S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing of amplified fragments. When a sequencing of a positive sample will be Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium hominis or Cryptosporidium meleagridis, we will perform a PCR for subtyping using gp60gene and sequencing of positives. The sequences obtained will be analyzed by phylogenetic positioning. The results will be analysed by descriptive statistics, inferential analysis to evaluate the association between presence and ausence of the pathogen with each variable studied by questionnaires. The weighted Kappa will be calculated to analyse the agreement index between the results of diagnosis methods and the McNemartest to compare proportion of positive results for used diagnosis techniques. (AU)