First report of Enterocytozoon bieneusi from dairy cattle in Argentina

Fecal specimens were obtained from a total of 70 dairy calves less than two months old on 11 municipalities in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After removal of fecal debris by sieving and sucrose flotation, specimens were subjected to PCR to detect the presence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi. PCR revealed a 14.3% of prevalence for E. bieneusi with 10 positive calves from 7 municipalities. Gene sequence analysis conducted in all samples positives by PCR revealed the presence of six genotypes; four previously reported in cattle as well as humans (D, I, J, and BEB4), one never reported in cattle before but previously reported in humans (EbpC), and one novel genotype (BEB10). These results constitute the first molecular characterization of E. bieneusi in Argentina, and suggest a potential risk of zoonotic transmission in this area.Fil: del Coco, Valeria Fernanda. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Cs.médicas. Departamento de Articulación de Cs Basicas y Clinicas. Cátedra de Microbiología y Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Córdoba, Maria Alejandra. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Cs.médicas. Departamento de Articulación de Cs Basicas y Clinicas. Cátedra de Microbiología y Parasitología; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Bilbao, Gladys Noemí. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Pinto Ameida Castro Castro, Aldana. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Basualdo, Juan Angel. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Cs.médicas. Departamento de Articulación de Cs Basicas y Clinicas. Cátedra de Microbiología y Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Santín, Monica. United States Department of Agriculture; Estados Unido