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Geographical segregation of Cryptosporidium parvum multilocus genotypes in Europe

Simone M Cacciò1, Valerie de Waele2, Giovanni Widmer3

  • 1Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome 00161, Italy.

Infection, Genetics and Evolution : Journal of Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics in Infectious Diseases
|February 18, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Cryptosporidium parvum, a livestock pathogen, shows distinct genetic populations across Italy, Ireland, and Scotland. This study reveals geographical segregation, suggesting limited parasite mixing between countries.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Parasitology
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Population Genetics

Background:

  • Cryptosporidium parvum is a significant enteric protozoan pathogen affecting humans and livestock globally.
  • Multilocus genotyping using simple sequence repeat (SSR) polymorphisms is crucial for understanding Cryptosporidium population structure and transmission dynamics.
  • Previous studies faced challenges comparing Cryptosporidium genotypes across different laboratories due to varied genetic markers, hindering broad epidemiological insights.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To perform a genotypic analysis of a large collection of Cryptosporidium parvum isolates from livestock in Italy, Ireland, and Scotland.
  • To investigate the population structure and geographical distribution of Cryptosporidium parvum using consistent genotyping markers.
  • To assess the degree of genetic exchange and geographical segregation within and between national Cryptosporidium parvum populations.

Main Methods:

  • Collected and genotyped 692 Cryptosporidium parvum isolates from cattle and other ruminants across Italy, Ireland, and Scotland.
  • Employed multilocus genotyping based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) polymorphisms for consistent genetic marker analysis.
  • Merged and analyzed data from the three countries to enable direct comparison of parasite populations.

Main Results:

  • Significant geographical segregation of Cryptosporidium parvum genotypes was observed across the studied countries.
  • A positive correlation between genetic and geographic distance was found, supporting an isolation-by-distance model.
  • Strong Linkage Disequilibrium (LD) and positive Index of Association (IA(S)) values indicated a departure from random mating (panmixia), with distinct population structures in each country.

Conclusions:

  • Cryptosporidium parvum populations in cattle and ruminants exhibit significant geographical structuring across Italy, Ireland, and Scotland.
  • The findings suggest limited genetic exchange between national parasite populations, consistent with geographical barriers.
  • The study highlights the importance of standardized genotyping methods for robust epidemiological comparisons of Cryptosporidium parvum.
Keywords:
Cryptosporidium parvumLinkage disequilibriumMultilocus genotypesPopulation structurePrincipal coordinate analysis

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