Work

Morphologic and Molecular Characterization of New Cyclospora Species from Ethiopian Monkeys: C. cercopitheci sp.n., C. colobi sp.n., and C. papionis sp.n.

Year: 1999

Type: article

Abstract: SynopsesCyclospora cayetanensis, a coccidian parasite recently described as a human pathogen causing prolonged watery diarrhea (1), has been identified as the cause of large, multistate outbreaks of diarrhea in the United States associated with imported produce, most notably raspberries (2,3).Molecular phylogenetic analysis showed that Cyclospora is closely related to Eimeria species (4), especially to mammalian Eimeria species (5).The parasite has been reported from many geographic regions but seems to be endemic in tropical countries.Recent foodborne outbreaks in the United States and Canada have generated considerable scientific interest and numerous questions about this organism; one of the most perplexing has to do with the possible role of other animals in harboring the infection and serving as a source of contamination.In 1996, Smith and colleagues reported the presence of C. cayetanensis-like oocysts in the feces of 37 of 37 baboons and 1 of 15 chimpanzees examined from the Gombe National Park, Tanzania.Other reports have documented C. cayetanensis-like oocysts in fecal samples from chickens in Mexico (6), a duck in Peru (7), and dogs in Brazil (8).However, only the Smith report (9) suggests a true natural host.During spring 1997, we collected stool samples from free-ranging baboons (Papio anubis) and colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza) in Wollega Province in western Ethiopia.A high percentage of samples were positive for Cyclospora oocysts, but the organism, including sporulated oocysts, could not be completely described because the samples were fixed in formalin.In spring 1998, we returned to Wollega Province, collected additional stool samples from three species of primates (baboons, colobus, and African green monkeys [Cercopithecus aethiops]), and placed these samples in potassium dichromate Morphologic and Molecular Characterization of New CyclosporaSpecies from Ethiopian Monkeys: C. cercopitheci sp.n., C. colobi sp.n., and C. papionis sp.n.

Source: Emerging infectious diseases

DOI: 10.3201/eid0505.990506

Authors: Mark L. Eberhard, Alexandre J. da Silva, Bruce G. Lilley, Norman J. Pieniazek

Institutions: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria

Language: English

Topic: Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics

Subfield: Parasitology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention