Higher National Veterinary School, Rue Issad Abbes, El Alia, 1600, Algiers, Algeria.
Laboratory of Exploration and Valorization of Steppic Ecosystems, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, University of Djelfa, Moudjbara Road, BP 3117, Djelfa, Algeria.
Acta Parasitol. 2022 Sep;67(3):1152-1161. doi: 10.1007/s11686-022-00560-2. Epub 2022 May 11.
The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in six different fish species both from marine and freshwater environments.
During a period of 2 years (2018-2020), a total of 415 fecal samples and 565 intestinal scrapings were collected in seven provinces from the central and eastern Algeria. From those, 860 fish belonged to six different species, two of which are cultured marine and four are wild freshwater fish. All samples were screened for Cryptosporidium spp. presence using molecular techniques. Nested PCR approach was performed to amplify partial sequences of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and 60-kDa glycoprotein (GP60) genes for Cryptosporidium genotyping and subtyping. Detailed statistical analysis was performed to assess the prevalence variation of Cryptosporidium infection according to different risk factors.
Nested PCR analysis of SSU gene revealed 173 Cryptosporidium positive fish, giving an overall prevalence of 20.11% (17.5-23.0). Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 8.93% (42/470) of cultured marine fish and 33.58% (131/390) of wild freshwater fish. Overall, the prevalence was affected by all studied risk factors, except the gender. Molecular characterization and subtyping of Cryptosporidium isolates showed occurrence of IIaA16G2R1 and IIaA17G2R1 subtypes of C. parvum in the fish species Sparus aurata.
The present study provides the first epidemiological data on the prevalence and associated risk factors of Cryptosporidium spp. in farmed marine and wild freshwater fish and the first molecular data on the occurrence of zoonotic C. parvum in fish from North Africa (Algeria).
本研究旨在估计来自海洋和淡水环境的六种不同鱼类中隐孢子虫属的流行率和分子特征。
在 2 年（2018-2020 年）期间，从阿尔及利亚中部和东部的七个省份共采集了 415 份粪便样本和 565 份肠刮样本。其中，860 条鱼属于六种不同的物种，其中两种是养殖的海洋鱼类，四种是野生淡水鱼类。所有样本均采用分子技术筛查隐孢子虫属的存在。巢式 PCR 方法用于扩增小亚基核糖体 RNA (SSU rRNA)和 60-kDa 糖蛋白 (GP60)基因的部分序列，用于隐孢子虫属的基因分型和亚型分型。详细的统计分析用于评估不同危险因素下隐孢子虫感染的流行率变化。
SSU 基因的巢式 PCR 分析显示，173 条隐孢子虫阳性鱼，总流行率为 20.11%（17.5-23.0）。在养殖的海洋鱼类中，有 8.93%（42/470）和野生淡水鱼类中 33.58%（131/390）检测到隐孢子虫属。总体而言，除性别外，所有研究的危险因素均影响流行率。隐孢子虫分离株的分子特征和亚型分析显示，在 Sparus aurata 等鱼类中存在 C. parvum 的 IIaA16G2R1 和 IIaA17G2R1 亚型。
本研究提供了有关养殖海洋和野生淡水鱼类中隐孢子虫属流行率及相关危险因素的首次流行病学数据，以及北非（阿尔及利亚）鱼类中发生的人畜共患 C. parvum 的首次分子数据。
