RESEARCH PAPER
First detection of microsporidia in raised pigeons in Poland
1
Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
2
Biology and Environmental Science, Northern Arizona University, Yuma Branch Campus, Yuma, USA
3
Department of Systematic Zoology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
Corresponding author
Anna Słodkowicz-Kowalska
Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2013;20(1):13–15
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Microsporidia are single-celled intracellular parasites which occur in a number of animals, both vertebrates and invertebrates. Several species of microsporidia can cause disease in humans in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. However, the sources of human infection and the routes of transmission of microsporidia have not yet been fully determined, although more and more researchers are of the opinion that microsporidia in humans is zoonotic. The aim of the presented study was to identify the most common microsporidial species in the droppings of raised and wild pigeons in Poland. A total of 139 collective samples of droppings (33 samples of droppings from feral pigeons and 106 samples from raised pigeons) were examined using conventional staining and molecular techniques. Using chromotrope staining and multiplex FISH techniques, the microsporidial spores were found in 12 (8.6%) of the 139 samples of droppings. The spores of Encephalitozoon hellem were detected in five samples of pigeon droppings (3.6%), spores of E. intestinalis in four samples of droppings (2.9%), while spores of E. cuniculi and E. bieneusi were only detected in two samples (1.4%). Furthermore, a mixed infection of E. bieneusi and E. cuniculi was found in a single sample of droppings (0.7%). The presence of microsporidial spores in droppings collected from raised pigeons indicates a risk of infection to humans, mainly pigeon fanciers.
REFERENCES (22)
1.
Nkinin SW, Asonganyi T, Didier ES, Kaneshiro ES. Microsporidian infection is prevalent in Cameroon. J Clin Microbiol. 2007; 45: 2841-2846.
2.
Teachey DT, Russo P, Orenstein JM, Didier ES, Bowers C, Bunin N. Pulmonary infection with microsporidia after allogenic bone marrow transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2004; 33: 299-302.
3.
Wichro E, Hoelzl D, Krause R, Bertha G, Reinthaler F, Wenisch C. Microsporidiosis in travel-associated chronic diarrhea in immune-competent patients. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2005; 73: 285-287.
4.
Mathis A, Weber R, Deplazes P. Zoonotic potential of the microsporidia. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2005; 18: 423–445.
5.
Bart A, Wentink-Bonnema EM, Heddema ER, Buijs J, van Gool T. Frequent occurrence of human-associated microsporidia in fecal droppings of urban pigeons in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2008; 74: 7056-7058.
6.
Graczyk TK, Sunderland D, Rule AM, Da Silva AJ, Moura INS, Tamang L, et al. Urban feral pigeons (Columbia livia) as a source for air-and-waterborne contamination with Enterocytozoon bieneusi spores. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2007; 73: 4357-4358.
7.
Haro M, Izquierdo F, Henriques-Gil N, Andres I, Alonso F, Fenoy S, et al. First detection and genotyping of human-associated microsporidia in pigeons from urban parks. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005; 71: 3153-3157.
8.
Lobo ML, Xiao L, Cama V, Magalha˜es N, Antunes F, Matos O. Identification of potentially human-pathogenic Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotypes in various birds. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2006; 72: 7380-7382.
9.
Weber R, Bryan RT, Owen RL, Wilcox CM, Gorelkin L, Visvesvara GS. Improved light-microscopical detection of microsporidia spores in stool and duodenal aspirates. N Engl J Med. 1992; 326: 161-166.
10.
Graczyk TK, Bosco-Nizeyi J, Da Silva AJ, Moura INS, Pieniazek NJ, Cranfield MR, et al. A single genotype of Encephalitozoon intestinalis infects free-ranging gorillas and people sparing their habitats in Uganda. Parasitol Res. 2002; 88: 926-931.
11.
Slodkowicz-Kowalska A, Graczyk TK, Tamang L, Jedrzejewski Sz, Nowosad A, Zduniak P, et al. Microsporidian species known to infect humans are present in aquatic birds: implications for transmission via water? Appl Environ Microbiol. 2006; 72: 4540-4544.
12.
Barton C E, Phalen D N, Snowden KF. Prevalence of microsporidian spores shed by asymptomatic lovebirds: evidence for a potential emerging zoonosis. J Avian Med Surg. 2004; 17: 197-202.
13.
Phalen DN, Logan KS, Snowden KF. Encephalitozoon hellem infection as the cause of a unilateral chronic keratoconjunctivitis in an umbrella cockatoo (Cacatua alba). Vet Ophthalmol. 2006; 9: 59-63.
14.
Snowden K, Phalen DN. Encephalitozoon infection in birds. Semin Avian Exotic Pet Med. 2004; 13: 94-99.
15.
Snowden K, Daft B, Nordhausen RW. Morphological and molecular characterization of Encephalitozoon hellem in hummingbirds. Avian Pathol. 2001; 30: 251-255.
16.
Del Aguila C, Izquierdo F, Haro M, Bernardo R, Rueda C, Andres I, et al. Zoonotic potential of microsporidiosis in Spain. In: Emergent pathogens in the 21 st century: first united workshop on microsporidia from invertebrate and vertebrate hosts, 12-15 July 2004, 26. České Budejovice, 2004.
17.
Haro M, Henriques-Gil N, Fenoy S, Izquierdo F, Alonso F, del Aguila C. Detection and genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in pigeons. J Eukaryot Microbiol. 2006; 53: 58-60.
18.
Reetz J, Rinder H, Thomschke A, Manke H, Schwebs M, Bruderek A. First detection of the microsporidium Enterocytozoon bieneusi in nonmammalian hosts (chickens). Int J Parasitol. 2002; 32: 785-787.
19.
Müller MG, Kinne J, Schuster RK, Walochnik J. Outbreak of microsporidiosis caused by Enterocytozoon bieneusi in falcons. Vet Parasitol. 2008; 152: 67-78.
20.
Kašičková D, Sak B, Kváč M, Ditrich O: Detection of Encephalitozoon cuniculi in a new host – cockateel (Nymphicus hollandicus) using molecular methods. Parasitol Res. 2007; 101: 1685-1688.
21.
Reetz J. Naturally-acquired microsporidia (Encephalitozoon cuniculi) infections in hens. Tierarztl Prax. 1993; 21: 429-435.
22.
Reetz J. Natural transmission of microsporidia (Encephalitozoon cuniculi) by way of the chicken egg. Tierarztl Prax. 1999; 22: 147-150.
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
Improvement of visual identification of the journal - task financed under the agreement No. 618/P-DUN/2019 by the Minister of Science and Higher Education allocated to the activities of disseminating science.
Generation of the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) - task financed under the agreement No. 618/P-DUN/2019 by the Minister of Science and Higher
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.