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Home / Equine Research Bank / Front Microbiol / Colpodella sp. (Phylum Apicomplexa) Identified in Horses She...
Frontiers in microbiology2022; 13; 857752; doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.857752

Colpodella sp. (Phylum Apicomplexa) Identified in Horses Shed Light on Its Potential Transmission and Zoonotic Pathogenicity.

Abstract: species, which mainly feed on protists and algae, are free-living close relatives of apicomplexans. Recent reports have identified sp. infections in an immunocompromised individual and a suspected case of tick-transmitted infection resulting in neurological symptoms. Our molecular examination of piroplasmosis-infected horses in China identified nearly whole 18S rRNA gene sequences that are closely related to sp. ATCC 50594 isolated from brown woodland soil at Gambrill State Park, located in Frederick, MD, shedding light on an underreported emerging zoonotic pathogen.
Copyright © 2022 Xu, Hu, Qiu, Wang and Jiang.
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Publication Date: 2022-04-18 PubMed ID: 35509316PubMed Central: PMC9058166DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.857752Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the presence of Colpodella species, a close relative of apicomplexans, in horses affected by piroplasmosis, in China. It hints at the potential for Colpodella to be a novel, underreported zoonotic pathogen.

Research Overview

  • This study scrutinizes the presence of a microorganism named Colpodella sp. This organism, like its close relatives, the apicomplexans, mostly feeds on protists and algae. The research was primarily concerned about investigating the presence and impact of these species in horses.

Previous Reports on Colpodella Sp

  • The significance of analyzing this organism arises from past records that point towards Colpodella sp. infections in an immunodeficient human. There’s also a supposed instance of a tick-mediated transmission of this organism which led to neurological symptoms.

The Study on Horses

  • The research examined horses in China that were infected by piroplasmosis, a disease caused by blood parasites. It aimed to find whether Colpodella species were also present in these horses. The molecular examination of these horses was based on identifying the presence of specific sequences in the 18S rRNA gene that may be related to Colpodella sp.

Findings and Its Implication

  • As a result of the molecular examination, sequences were discovered that were found to be closely related to the Colpodella sp. ATCC 50594 which was originally isolated from the soil in Gambrill State Park, Frederick, MD. This strongly suggests the possibility of the Colpodella infection in the horses.
  • The researchers stipulate that this could represent an oversight of an emerging zoonotic pathogen. Zoonotic pathogens are pathogens that can be transmitted from animals to humans.
  • The finding is significant as the study highlights the potential transmission and zoonotic pathogenicity of Colpodella species, stressing the need for more focused research in this field.

Cite This Article

APA
Xu M, Hu Y, Qiu H, Wang J, Jiang J. (2022). Colpodella sp. (Phylum Apicomplexa) Identified in Horses Shed Light on Its Potential Transmission and Zoonotic Pathogenicity. Front Microbiol, 13, 857752. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.857752

Publication

Frontiers in microbiology
ISSN: 1664-302X
NlmUniqueID: 101548977
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Pages: 857752
PII: 857752

Researcher Affiliations

Xu, Ming
  • School of Basic Medical, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China.
  • State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China.
Hu, Yang
  • College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China.
Qiu, Hongyu
  • College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China.
Wang, Jingyuan
  • School of Basic Medical, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China.
Jiang, Jiafu
  • State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 9 references
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Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
  1. Zhao Y, Cao Z, Li S, Du C, Jiang J. Biological characteristics and epidemiological insights into the zoonotic potential of Colpodella spp.: a scoping review. Infect Dis Poverty 2025 Aug 28;14(1):91.
    doi: 10.1186/s40249-025-01361-1pubmed: 40877989google scholar: lookup
  2. Soliman AM, Mahmoud HYAH, Amer MM, Mohamed S, Hifumi T, Tsukiyama-Kohara K, Tanaka T. First detection of Colpodella spp. in Rhipicephalus annulatus and molecular characterization of piroplasmids in southern Egypt. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1617204.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1617204pubmed: 40607339google scholar: lookup
  3. Hasapis KA, Charalambidou I, Phanis CO, Kazamia S, Kassinis N, Schou C, Karanis P. First Detection and Molecular Characterization of Colpodella in Goats, Foxes, and Birds. Acta Parasitol 2025 Jan 24;70(1):22.
    doi: 10.1007/s11686-024-00959-zpubmed: 39853532google scholar: lookup
  4. Salti MI, Sam-Yellowe TY. Are Colpodella Species Pathogenic? Nutrient Uptake and Approaches to Diagnose Infections. Pathogens 2024 Jul 21;13(7).
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  5. Wheatley MA, Shamoun J, Maggi R, Breitschwerdt EB, Sommer SL, Cullen JM, Stowe DM. Eosinophilic pericardial effusion and pericarditis in a cat. JFMS Open Rep 2023 Jul-Dec;9(2):20551169231213498.
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  6. Phetkarl T, Fungwithaya P, Udompornprasith S, Amendt J, Sontigun N. Preliminary study on prevalence of hemoprotozoan parasites harbored by Stomoxys (Diptera: Muscidae) and tabanid flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) in horse farms in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Southern Thailand. Vet World 2023 Oct;16(10):2128-2134.
    doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.2128-2134pubmed: 38023282google scholar: lookup
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