Identification of protozoa in alpaca calves and their potential zoonotic risk

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the presence of protozoa with potential zoonotic risk in alpacas. Faecal samples were taken from 16 Suri alpaca calves from the UNA Experimental Centre “La Raya” – Puno, Peru, located at 4100 m above sea level. Groups were formed according to age and health condition: G1 (n=8) 1 month old (4 with diarrhoea and 4 without diarrhoea); G2 (n=8) 2 months old (4 with diarrhoea and 4 without diarrhoea). The samples were evaluated by routine faecal parasitological tests (direct microscopic examination, flotation concentration, modified McMaster and Ziehl-Neelsen) and by molecular diagnosis using the genetic marker 18S rRNA subregion V4, sequencing on the NOVASEQ 6000 platform (Illumina, USA). On this, whose readings were analysed using bioinformatics programs. The results show that the 4 1-month-old alpacas with diarrhoea presented Giardia spp. and three had an abundance of Entodinium spp. and Eudiplodinium spp., while in one healthy alpaca Cryptosporidium spp. was found. In the 4 2-month-old alpacas with diarrhoea, a large presence of Eimeria lamae (>12750 OPG) and in three of them high abundance of Blastocystis spp. was observed, while in one healthy alpaca Entamoeba spp. was identified. It is concluded that Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Blastocystis spp. and Entamoeba spp. are of zoonotic risk since they are described in both humans and animals.