Person:
Mateo Barrientos, Marta

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First Name
Marta
Last Name
Mateo Barrientos
Affiliation
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Faculty / Institute
Farmacia
Department
Microbiología y Parasitología
Area
Parasitología
Identifiers
UCM identifierORCIDScopus Author IDDialnet ID

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Detection and Molecular Diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in the Endangered Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus), Spain
    (Animals, 2024) Matas Méndez, Pablo; Ávalos, Gabriel; Caballero Gómez, Javier; Dashti, Alejandro; Castro-Scholten, Sabrina; Jiménez Martín, Débora; González Barrio, David; Muñoz de Mier, Gemma J.; Bailo Barroso, Begoña; Cano-Terriza, David; Mateo Barrientos, Marta; Nájera, Fernando; Xiao, Lihua; Köster, Pamela C.; García Bocanegra, Ignacio; Carmena, David
    Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis are the main non-viral causes of diarrhoea in humans and domestic animals globally. Comparatively, much less information is currently available in free-ranging carnivore species in general and in the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) in particular. Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis were investigated with molecular (PCR and Sanger sequencing) methods in individual faecal DNA samples of free-ranging and captive Iberian lynxes from the main population nuclei in Spain. Overall, Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis were detected in 2.4% (6/251) and 27.9% (70/251) of the animals examined, respectively. Positive animals to at least one of them were detected in each of the analysed population nuclei. The analysis of partial ssu rRNA gene sequences revealed the presence of rodent-adapted C. alticolis (n = 1) and C. occultus (n = 1), leporid-adapted C. cuniculus (n = 2), and zoonotic C. parvum (n = 2) within Cryptosporidium, and zoonotic assemblages A (n = 5) and B (n = 3) within G. duodenalis. Subgenotyping analyses allowed for the identification of genotype VaA19 in C. cuniculus (gp60 locus) and sub-assemblages AI and BIII/BIV in G. duodenalis (gdh, bg, and tpi loci). This study represents the first molecular description of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis in the Iberian lynx in Spain. The presence of rodent/leporid-adapted Cryptosporidium species in the surveyed animals suggests spurious infections associated to the Iberian lynx’s diet. The Iberian lynx seems a suitable host for zoonotic genetic variants of Cryptosporidium (C. parvum) and G. duodenalis (assemblages A and B), although the potential risk of human transmission is regarded as limited due to light parasite burdens and suspected low excretion of infective (oo)cysts to the environment by infected animals. More research should be conducted to ascertain the true impact of these protozoan parasites in the health status of the endangered Iberian lynx.
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    Prevalence and public health relevance of enteric parasites in domestic dogs and cats in the region of Madrid (Spain) with an emphasis on Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium sp.
    (Veterinary Medicine and Science, 2023) Mateo Barrientos, Marta; Montoya Matute, Ana; Bailo Barroso, Begoña; Köster, Pamela C.; Dashti, Alejandro; Hernández Castro, Carolina; Saugar, José M.; Matas, Pablo; Xiao, Lihua; Carmena, David
    Background: Pet dogs and cats exert an unquestionable beneficial effect in the well-being of their owners, but can also act as a source of zoonotic infections if improperly cared. Objectives: We investigated the occurrence, risk factors, genetic variability and zoonotic potential of intestinal parasites in dogs and cats attended in a clinical veterinary setting in Spain. Methods: Canine (n = 252) and feline (n = 35) faecal samples were collected during 2017–2019 and analysed by coproparasitological methods. A rapid lateral immunochromatographic test (ICT) was used for detecting Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium sp. Samples positive at microscopy examination and/or ICT were reassessed by molecular methods. Results: Overall, 48.8% (123/252) of dogs and 48.6% (17/35) of cats were infected by enteric parasites. In dogs, G. duodenalis was the most prevalent species (40.9%), followed by Cystoisospora sp. (7.1%), and Toxocara canis (5.2%). In cats, Joyeuxiella sp. and Toxocara cati were the dominant species (20.0% each), followed by G. duodenalis (14.3%), D. caninum (5.7%) and Cystoisospora felis and Toxascaris leonina (2.9% each). Pups and kittens were more likely to harbour intestinal parasites and develop clinical signs. Sequence analyses of dog isolates revealed the presence of assemblages A (n = 1), C (n = 4), D (n = 4) and C+D (n = 1) within G. duodenalis; C. parvum (n = 1) and C. canis (n = 4) within Cryptosporidium and PtEb IX (n = 1) in Enterocytozoon bieneusi. A novel C. canis subtype family, named XXi, is reported. Conclusions: Our results highlight that (i) well-cared dogs carry zoonotic enteric protozoan parasites of public health relevance, (ii) proper hygiene practices and routine veterinary treatment are essential to prevent zoonotic infections, (iii) vulnerable populations should avoid contact with pups/kittens with diarrhoea and (iv) infected dogs might be major contributors to the environmental contamination with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) eggs.
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    Molecular Characterization of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Wild Carnivores in Spain
    (Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 2017) Santín, Mónica; Calero Bernal, Rafael; Carmena, David; Mateo Barrientos, Marta; Balseiro, Ana; Barral, Marta; Lima Barbero, José Francisco; Habela, Miguel Ángel
    Microsporidia comprises a diverse group of obligate intracellular parasites that infect a broad range of invertebrates and vertebrates. Among Microsporidia, Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most frequently detected species in humans and animals worldwide bringing into question the possible role of animal reservoirs in the epidemiology of this pathogen. Although E. bieneusi is an emerging zoonotic pathogen able to infect many domestic and wild mammals that could act as reservoir of infection for humans and other animals, only few studies have documented its occurrence in wild carnivores. To determine the occurrence of E. bieneusi in wild carnivores, we examined 190 wild carnivores collected from different locations in Spain. Twenty-five fecal samples (13.2%) from three host species (European badger, beech marten, and red fox) were E. bieneusi-positive by PCR. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the ITS region revealed a high degree of genetic diversity with a total of eight distinct genotypes including four known (PtEbIX, S5, S9, and WildBoar3) and four novel (EbCar1-EbCar4) genotypes identified. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the four novel genotypes (EbCar1-EbCar4), S5, S9, and WildBoar3 clustered within the previously designated zoonotic Group 1. Our results demonstrate that human-pathogenic genotypes are present in wild carnivores, corroborating their potential role as a source of human infection and environmental contamination.