New Entamoeba group in howler monkeys (Alouatta spp.) associated with parasites of reptiles

Abstract

Our knowledge of the parasite species present in wildlife hosts is incomplete. Protozoans such as amoebae of the genus Entamoeba infect a large variety of vertebrate species, including NHPs. However, traditionally, their identification has been accomplished through microscopic evaluation; therefore, amoeba species have not always been identified correctly. We searched for Entamoeba spp. using a fragment of the small subunit rDNA in free-ranging howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata and A. pigra) from southeast Mexico. One hundred fifty five samples were collected, with 46 from A. palliata and 109 from A. pigra and 8 of the total samples were positive. We detected a new clade of Entamoeba, which was separated from other described species but closer to E. insolita, as well as an unnamed sequence typically found in iguana species with low shared identity values (<90%). We designated this new clade as conditional lineage 8 (CL8) and we have shown that members of this group are not exclusive to reptiles.

Biodiversity of protists and nematodes in the wild nonhuman primate gut

“…bovis clade and folivorous primates, but expands known diversity. We also detected two novel Entamoeba phylotypes in Alouatta pigra, including one previously found in A. pigra [77]. Entamoeba phylotype diversity in the platyrrhine monkeys and apes is lower than in cercopithecines.…”

Novel Entamoeba Findings in Nonhuman Primates

“…Villanueva-García et al [39] recently reported SSU-rDNA sequences of an apparently novel Entamoeba in two species of Howler monkey. Because these were only partial sequences they were given a conditional lineage identifier [34] rather than a RL number.…”

“…For example, if Villanueva-García et al [39] had used species-specific primers for Entamoeba, the two novel Entamoeba species found in Howler monkeys (CL8 and RL6) would not have been identified -the samples would have been negative even though Entamoeba organisms were present. Sequencing of products amplified using genus-specific primers may seem the best way forward, but there is a catch.…”

What do we know about parasites of wildlife in high biodiversity areas with anthropogenic disturbance? The special case of Mexico

“…Blastocystis , a protozoan that recently gained medical importance (Vargas-Sanchez et al ., 2015), was detected in the two above-mentioned Mexican howler monkeys in southern Mexico (Villanueva-Garcia et al ., 2017 a ). It is also worthy of attention that a new Entamoeba clade has also recently been described in these primate species (Villanueva-Garcia et al ., 2017 b ). Finally, a study in a wild rodent community revealed Eimeria spp.…”