Korean J Parasitol.  2010 Mar;48(1):9-13. 10.3347/kjp.2010.48.1.9.

PCR Detection and Molecular Characterization of Pentatrichomonas hominis from Feces of Dogs with Diarrhea in the Republic of Korea

• Kim YA
• Kim HY
• Cho SH
• Cheun HI
• Yu JR
• Lee SE

• KMID: 1102781
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2010.48.1.9

Abstract

Pentatrichomonas hominis is considered a commensal protozoan in the large intestine of a number of mammalian hosts, such as cats, dogs, and non-human primates. The resulting infections, which can induce diarrhea, have been attributed to opportunistic overgrowth of P. hominis. This study was performed to confirm the P. hominis infection and its molecular characterization from the feces of puppies with diarrhea. Fecal samples were obtained from 14 German shepherd puppies with diarrhea over 1 week (7 females and 7 males, 2-9 months of age) residing on a dog farm in August 2007. Species-specific PCR assay identified P. hominis 18S rRNA genes in 3 of the 14 puppies (1 female and 2 males; 1 aged 2 months and 2 aged 9 months). This phylogenetic analysis established that P. hominis belonged to the 1st clade, which is comprised of Bos taurus and Felines.

Keyword

Pentatrichomonas hominis; dog; phylogenetic analysis; 18S rRNA

MeSH Terms

Animals
Base Sequence
Cluster Analysis
DNA, Protozoan/chemistry/genetics
DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry/genetics
Diarrhea/parasitology/*veterinary
Dog Diseases/*parasitology
Dogs
Feces/*parasitology
Female
Genes, rRNA
Male
Molecular Sequence Data
Phylogeny
Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods
Protozoan Infections, Animal/*parasitology
RNA, Protozoan/genetics
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics
Republic of Korea
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sequence Homology
Trichomonadida/*classification/genetics/*isolation & purification