A single genotype of Encephalitozoon intestinalis infects free-ranging gorillas and people sharing their habitats in Uganda

Microsporidian spores have been detected by Chromotrope 2R and calcofluor stains in fecal samples of three free-ranging human-habituated mountain gorillas in Uganda and in two people who share gorilla habitats. All spore isolates have been identified by PCR with species-specific primers and fluoresc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Parasitology research (1987) 2002-10, Vol.88 (10), p.926-931
Main Authors: GRACZYK, Thaddeus K, BOSCO-NIZEYI, John, SILVA, Alexandre J, MOURA, Iaci N. S, PIENIAZEK, Norman J, CRANFIELD, Michael R, LINDQUIST, H. D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Ape Diseases - epidemiology
Ape Diseases - parasitology
Ape Diseases - transmission
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
DNA, Protozoan - analysis
Encephalitozoon - genetics
Encephalitozoon - isolation & purification
Encephalitozoon - pathogenicity
Encephalitozoonosis - parasitology
Encephalitozoonosis - transmission
Encephalitozoonosis - veterinary
Environment
Feces - parasitology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genotype
Gorilla gorilla - parasitology
Humans
In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
Mammalia
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
RNA, Ribosomal - analysis
RNA, Ribosomal - genetics
Spores, Protozoan - isolation & purification
Uganda - epidemiology
Vertebrata
Zoonoses - epidemiology
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Summary:Microsporidian spores have been detected by Chromotrope 2R and calcofluor stains in fecal samples of three free-ranging human-habituated mountain gorillas in Uganda and in two people who share gorilla habitats. All spore isolates have been identified by PCR with species-specific primers and fluorescent in situ hybridization with a species-specific oligonucleotide probe to be Encephalitozoon intestinalis. Sequencing analyses of the full length SSUrRNA amplified from all spore isolates were identical with Enc. intestinalis SSUrRNA GenBank SIU09929. Sequences generated from a fragment containing the internal transcribed spacer of these isolates were identical to GenBank sequence Y11611, i.e., Enc. intestinalis of anthroponotic origin. A single pathogen genotype in two genetically distant but geographically united host groups indicates anthropozoonotic transmission of Enc. intestinalis. It is highly unlikely that these two identical Enc. intestinalis genotypes were acquired independently by gorillas and people; it is much more probable that one group initiated infection of the other.
ISSN:0932-0113
1432-1955
DOI:10.1007/s00436-002-0693-5