RESUMO
Two zoonotic protozoan pathogens, Giardia duodenalis and Toxoplasma gondii, are important causes of waterborne infections in the Quindío region in Colombia. No previous data exist on how contamination occurs at the source for drinking water consumed by the human population in this region. Our aim was to describe the frequency of G. duodenalis and T. gondii DNA in 11 sampling points during a five-month period in water and adjacent soil at the Quindío River basin (Andean region in the central western part of Colombia). The study employed nested PCR for T. gondii, using the B1 gene as the amplification target, and single-round PCR for G. duodenalis assemblage A and assemblage B, amplifying the gdh gene, followed by DNA sequencing. In 50 soil samples, 28% (14/50) were positive for T. gondii. For G. duodenalis, distribution was in equal parts for assemblage A (8%; 4/50) and assemblage B (8%, 4/50). Genotyping of T. gondii sequences showed two soil samples with type I strain, another two samples of soil with type III strain, but most samples were of unidentified strains. In water samples, T. gondii was detected in 9.1% (5/55), G. duodenalis assemblage A in 34.5% (19/55), and G. duodenalis assemblage B in 12.7% (7/55). T. gondii DNA positivity was associated with lower soil temperature (p = 0.0239). Presence of G. duodenalis and T. gondii was evidenced in soil and water samples in the Quindío River basin, indicating soil as the potential source of contamination for the river that it is destined for human consumption. Monitoring these protozoa in drinking water is necessary to prevent public health risks in human populations.
RESUMO
Las enfermedades de origen zoonótico han sido gravemente descuidadas en países en vía de desarrollo, sin tener en cuenta que esto puede tener graves implicaciones a nivel de salud pública, particularmente para Colombia, en las últimas décadas se han dado fuertes cambios sociales que han implicado, entre otras cosas, el aumento de la tendencia a la posesión de animales de compañía incluyendo a Equus ferus caballus, para el cual, la microbiota asociada ha sido mal estudiada en comparación con otros animales. Por lo anterior, se planteó como objetivo identificar la microbiota bacteriana y parasitaria asociada a la materia fecal de Equus ferus caballus, para cumplir dicho objetivo, se tomaron muestras independientes para cada uno de los fines, realizando la concentración de parásitos mediante la técnica de Ritchie y cultivo de bacterias para su posterior identificación mediante el Kit BD BBL CRYSTAL E/NF y GP. Para el análisis de los datos se realizó regresión logística mediante Statgraphics. Se lograron aislar 19 bacterias de las cuales seis fueron explicadas por al menos uno de las variables tenidas en cuenta. Nueve de las bacterias aisladas no se habían reportado con anterioridad para equinos. Se reportan tres géneros de parásitos nuevos para la especie (Balantidium sp, Cyclospora sp. y Taenia sp.) y cuatro nuevos para el país (Allantosoma sp, Blepharocorys sp, Cycloposthium sp. y Bundleia sp.) Se concluye que las variables tenidas en cuenta si tienen influencia en la incidencia de algunos microorganismos aislados, de igual manera se reportan nuevas especies de bacterias para Equus ferus caballus así como de parásitos.
Diseases of zoonotic origin have been seriously neglected in developing countries, without taking into account that this may have serious public health implications, particularly for Colombia, in recent decades there have been strong social changes that have involved, among other things, the increase of the tendency to the possession of companion animals including Equus ferus caballus, for which, the associated microbiota has been poorly studied in comparison with other animals. Therefore, we set ourselves the objective of identifying the bacterial and parasitic diversity associated with fecal matter of Equus ferus caballus. For this, independent samples were taken for each of the purposes, making the concentration of parasites using the Ritchie technique; Samples for bacterial isolation were processed and identified with the BD BBL CRYSTAL E / NF and GP Kit. For the analysis of the data, logistic regression was performed using Statgraphics. We were able to isolate 19 bacteria, of which six were explained by at least one of the variables taken into account. Nine of the isolated bacteria had not been previously reported for equines. Three genera of new parasites are reported for the species (Balantidium sp, Cyclospora sp and Taenia sp.) And four new for the country (Allantosoma sp, Blepharocorys sp, Cycloposthium sp. and Bundleia sp.) It is concluded that the variables taken into if they have influence on the incidence of some isolated microorganisms, in the same way new species of bacteria for Equus ferus caballus as well as parasites are reported.
