Kateřina Pomajbíková

The Occurrence and Ape-to-Ape Transmission of the Entodiniomorphid Ciliate Troglodytella abrassarti in Captive Gorillas

ABSTRACT. Entodiniomorphid ciliates are often present in the colons of wild apes. In captive apes the infection tends to gradually disappear, with the exception of Troglodytella abrassarti. We used fecal examinations to screen the gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in European (Czech Republic, UK) and Australian Zoos to explore the ape‐to‐ape transmission pattern of T. abrassarti. Gorillas from two out of three European Zoos were positive for T. abrassarti, while gorillas from the Australian Zoo were negative. We documented a horizontal transmission of T. abrassarti to a non‐infected adult gorilla introduced into a Troglodytella‐positive group in the Prague Zoo and traced the origin of the ciliate infection to the Paignton Zoo (UK) using serial fecal examinations. During this study, two infant gorillas born in the Prague Zoo (CZ) first became positive for T. abrassarti at the age of 9 mo. Ciliate morphology and the sequencing of the small subunit rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer rDNA spacer region revealed that T. abrassarti affects both captive gorillas and chimpanzees. We conclude that zoo transport plays a major role in the distribution of T. abrassarti among captive gorillas.

Novel Insights into the Genetic Diversity of Balantidium and Balantidium-like Cyst-forming Ciliates

Balantidiasis is considered a neglected zoonotic disease with pigs serving as reservoir hosts. However, Balantidium coli has been recorded in many other mammalian species, including primates. Here, we evaluated the genetic diversity of B. coli in non-human primates using two gene markers (SSrDNA and ITS1-5.8SDNA-ITS2). We analyzed 49 isolates of ciliates from fecal samples originating from 11 species of captive and wild primates, domestic pigs and wild boar. The phylogenetic trees were computed using Bayesian inference and Maximum likelihood. Balantidium entozoon from edible frog and Buxtonella sulcata from cattle were included in the analyses as the closest relatives of B. coli, as well as reference sequences of vestibuliferids. The SSrDNA tree showed the same phylogenetic diversification of B. coli at genus level as the tree constructed based on the ITS region. Based on the polymorphism of SSrDNA sequences, the type species of the genus, namely B. entozoon, appeared to be phylogenetically distinct from B. coli. Thus, we propose a new genus Neobalantidium for the homeothermic clade. Moreover, several isolates from both captive and wild primates (excluding great apes) clustered with B. sulcata with high support, suggesting the existence of a new species within this genus. The cysts of Buxtonella and Neobalantidium are morphologically indistinguishable and the presence of Buxtonella-like ciliates in primates opens the question about possible occurrence of these pathogens in humans.

A new entodiniomorphid ciliate, Troglocorys cava n. g., n. sp., from the wild eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) from Uganda.

ABSTRACT. Troglocorys cava n. g., n. sp. is described from the feces of wild eastern chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii, in Uganda. This new species has a spherical body with a frontal lobe, a long vestibulum, a cytoproct located at the posterior dorsal side of the body, an ovoid macronucleus, a contractile vacuole near the cytoproct, and a large concavity on the left surface of the body. Buccal ciliature is non‐retractable and consists of three ciliary zones: an adoral zone surrounding the vestibular opening, a dorso‐adoral zone extending transversely at the basis of the frontal lobe, and a vestibular zone longitudinally extending in a gently spiral curve to line the surface of the vestibulum. Two non‐retractable somatic ciliary zones comprise arches over the body surface: a short dorsal ciliary arch extending transversely at the basis of the frontal lobe and a wide C‐shaped left ciliary arch in the left concavity. Because of the presence of three ciliary zones in the non‐retractable buccal ciliature, the present genus might be a member of the family Blepharocorythidae, but the large left concavity and the C‐shaped left ciliary arch are unique, such structures have never been described from other blepharocorythids.

Gastrointestinal symbionts of chimpanzees in Cantanhez National Park, Guinea-Bissau with respect to habitat fragmentation

One of the major factors threatening chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Guinea‐Bissau is habitat fragmentation. Such fragmentation may cause changes in symbiont dynamics resulting in increased susceptibility to infection, changes in host specificity and virulence. We monitored gastrointestinal symbiotic fauna of three chimpanzee subpopulations living within Cantanhez National Park (CNP) in Guinea Bissau in the areas with different levels of anthropogenic fragmentation. Using standard coproscopical methods (merthiolate‐iodine formalin concentration and Sheathers flotation) we examined 102 fecal samples and identified at least 13 different symbiotic genera (Troglodytella abrassarti, Troglocorys cava, Blastocystis spp., Entamoeba spp., Iodamoeba butschlii, Giardia intestinalis, Chilomastix mesnili, Bertiella sp., Probstmayria gombensis, unidentified strongylids, Strongyloides stercoralis, Strongyloides fuelleborni, and Trichuris sp.). The symbiotic fauna of the CNP chimpanzees is comparable to that reported for other wild chimpanzee populations, although CNP chimpanzees have a higher prevalence of Trichuris sp. Symbiont richness was higher in chimpanzee subpopulations living in fragmented forests compared to the community inhabiting continuous forest area. We reported significantly higher prevalence of G. intestinalis in chimpanzees from fragmented areas, which could be attributed to increased contact with humans and livestock. Am. J. Primatol. 75:1032–1041, 2013.

(Self-) infections with parasites: re-interpretations for the present

Previously, scientists sometimes resorted to infecting themselves or colleagues with parasites, usually to assess the pathogenicity and obtain insight into the life cycles of the parasites, host specificity, and epidemiology. However, with recent research addressing the possible beneficial impact of intestinal helminths on a range of immune-mediated diseases in humans, these studies offer valuable information, although many are now considered unethical owing to a lack of experimental oversight and informed consent. Here, we critically review cases in which humans were deliberately infected with parasites. Moreover, we summarize the contribution of (self-) infections and propose protist and helminth candidates, chosen on the basis of several criteria, to test as possible therapy for selected human diseases.

Diversity of microsporidia, Cryptosporidium and Giardia in mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.

Background Infectious diseases represent the greatest threats to endangered species, and transmission from humans to wildlife under increased anthropogenic pressure has been always stated as a major risk of habituation. Aims To evaluate the impact of close contact with humans on the occurrence of potentially zoonotic protists in great apes, one hundred mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) from seven groups habituated either for tourism or for research in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda were screened for the presence of microsporidia, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. using molecular diagnostics. Results The most frequently detected parasites were Enterocytozoon bieneusi found in 18 samples (including genotype EbpA, D, C, gorilla 2 and five novel genotypes gorilla 4–8) and Encephalitozoon cuniculi with genotype II being more prevalent (10 cases) compared to genotype I (1 case). Cryptosporidium muris (2 cases) and C. meleagridis (2 cases) were documented in great apes for the first time. Cryptosporidium sp. infections were identified only in research groups and occurrence of E. cuniculi in research groups was significantly higher in comparison to tourist groups. No difference in prevalence of E. bieneusi was observed between research and tourist groups. Conclusion Although our data showed the presence and diversity of important opportunistic protists in Volcanoes gorillas, the source and the routes of the circulation remain unknown. Repeated individual sampling, broad sampling of other hosts sharing the habitat with gorillas and quantification of studied protists would be necessary to acquire more complex data.

Detection of Plasmodium spp. in human feces.

Comparison of diagnostic methods for Plasmodium spp. in humans from Uganda and the Central African Republic showed that parasites can be efficiently detected by PCR in fecal samples. These results, which rely solely on PCR-based examination of feces, validate numerous estimates of the prevalence of malaria in great apes.

Molecular phylogenetics of the elephant schistosome Bivitellobilharzia loxodontae (Trematoda: Schistosomatidae) from the Central African Republic.

One of the most poorly known of all schistosomes infecting mammals is Bivitellobilharzia loxodontae. Nearly all of our available information about this species comes from the original description of worms that were obtained from an animal park-maintained elephant in Germany, probably a forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis, originating from the present-day Democratic Republic of Congo. We obtained schistosome eggs from faecal samples from wild forest elephants from the Central African Republic. The eggs, which were similar in size and shape to those of described B. loxodontae, were sequenced for the 28S nuclear ribosomal gene and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (cox1) gene. In a phylogenetic analysis of 28S sequences, our specimens grouped closely with B. nairi, the schistosome from the Indian elephant Elephas maximus, to the exclusion of schistosomes from other genera. However, the eggs were genetically distinct (12% distance cox1) from those of B. nairi. We conclude the specimens we recovered were of B. loxodontae and confirm this is a distinct Bivitellobilharzia species. In addition to providing the first sequence data for B. loxodontae, this report also supports Bivitellobilharzia as a monophyletic group and gives the relative phylogenetic position of the genus within the Schistosomatidae. We also provide a review of the biology of this poorly known schistosome genus.

Extensive diversity of intestinal trichomonads of non-human primates

Despite the fact that the non-human primates are our closest relatives and represent a species-rich mammalian group, little is known about their intestinal protistan parasites/commensals. Particularly, the intestinal trichomonads represent a neglected part of the fauna of the primate digestive system. We have established 30 trichomonad strains isolated from feces of 11 primate species kept in 3 Czech zoos and performed an analysis of their SSU rDNA and ITS1-5·8S rDNA-ITS2. Our results showed that intestinal trichomonads are rather common among non-human primates. Molecular phylogenetic analysis showed that the strains are unexpectedly diversified, belonging to 8 or 9 distinct species. Interestingly, the vast majority of the strains from non-human primates belonged to the genus Tetratrichomonas while no member of this genus has been found in the human intestine so far. In addition, hominoid and non-hominoid primates differed in their intestinal trichomonads. Our results suggest that captive primates possibly may be infected by intestinal trichomonads of other vertebrates such as pigs, cattle, birds, tortoises and lizards.

Gastrointestinal Parasites of Savanna Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in Ugalla, Tanzania

Understanding variability in patterns of parasite infections requires studies of multiple populations inhabiting a variety of habitats. Gastrointestinal parasites of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) have been studied extensively at several forested sites, but the parasite fauna of chimpanzees living in dry, open habitats is less well known. We studied the parasites of savanna chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) living in the Issa Valley, Ugalla (Tanzania). We examined 119 fresh fecal samples using standard coproscopical methods. We detected protozoans including Blastocystis sp., Entamoeba coli, E. histolytica/dispar, Iodamoeba buetschlii, Troglodytella abrassarti, and Troglocorys cava, but only two types of spirurid nematodes among the helminths. The parasites of the Ugalla chimpanzees differ from those of forest chimpanzees in the absence of Strongyloides sp. and strongylid nematodes and a high prevalence of spirurids. Strongylids and Strongyloides sp. have thin-shelled eggs and larvae, which develop in the external environment; thus they may not be able to survive for prolonged periods in the extreme environment of Ugalla. The Ugalla chimpanzees also live at a lower population density and exhibit a larger home range than forest chimpanzees, factors that may lead to lower exposure to infective nematode larvae. Spirurid eggs, however, have thick shells and a life cycle dependent on intermediary hosts, making their survival and transmission in such extreme conditions more feasible. These differences between parasite fauna of closed and open forest chimpanzees contribute to our understanding of the ecology of infectious disease, and have the potential to contribute to conservation policies and practices.