RT Journal Article
T1 Zoonotic Microsporidia in Wild Lagomorphs in Southern Spain.
A1 Martinez-Padilla, Anabel
A1 Caballero-Gomez, Javier
A1 Magnet, Angela
A1 Gomez-Guillamon, Felix
A1 Izquierdo, Fernando
A1 Camacho-Sillero, Leonor
A1 Jimenez-Ruiz, Saul
A1 Del Aguila, Carmen
A1 Garcia-Bocanegra, Ignacio
K1 E. cuniculi
K1 E. hellem
K1 Enterocytozoon bieneusi
K1 European wild rabbit
K1 Iberian hare
K1 Foodborne
K1 Zoonotic
AB Microsporidia are obligate intracellular protist-like fungal pathogens that infect a broad range of animal species, including humans. This study aimed to assess the presence of zoonotic microsporidia (Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon hellem, and Encephalitozoon cuniculi) in organ meats of European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) consumed by humans in Spain. Between July 2015 and December 2018, kidney samples from 383 wild rabbits and kidney and brain tissues from 79 Iberian hares in southern Spain were tested by species-specific PCR for the detection of microsporidia DNA. Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection was confirmed in three wild rabbits (0.8%; 95% CI: 0.0-1.7%) but not in hares (0.0%; 95% CI: 0.0-4.6%), whereas E. intestinalis DNA was found in one wild rabbit (0.3%; 95% CI: 0.0-0.8%) and three Iberian hares (3.8%; 95% CI: 0.0-8.0%). Neither E. hellem nor E. cuniculi infection were detected in the 462 (0.0%; 95% CI: 0.0-0.8%) lagomorphs analyzed. The absence of E. hellem and E. cuniculi infection suggests a low risk of zoonotic foodborne transmission from these wild lagomorph species in southern Spain. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of E. intestinalis infection in wild rabbits and Iberian hares. The presence of E. bieneusi and E. intestinalis in organ meats from wild lagomorphs can be of public health concern. Additional studies are required to determine the real prevalence of these parasites in European wild rabbit and Iberian hare.
PB MDPI
SN 2076-2615
YR 2020
FD 2020-11-23
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10668/16700
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10668/16700
LA en
NO Martínez-Padilla A, Caballero-Gómez J, Magnet Á, Gómez-Guillamón F, Izquierdo F, Camacho-Sillero L, et al. Zoonotic Microsporidia in Wild Lagomorphs in Southern Spain. Animals (Basel). 2020 Nov 26;10(12):2218
DS RISalud
RD Apr 7, 2025