First detection and molecular characterization of Alistipes onderdonkii in ruminants
Kyriacos A. Hasapis,
Iris Charalambidou,
Catherine O.’Dowd Phanis,
Stefanie Kazamia,
Nicolaos Kassinis,
Chad Schou,
Panagiotis Karanis
Affiliations
Kyriacos A. Hasapis
University of Nicosia Medical School, Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Nicosia 24005, Cyprus
Iris Charalambidou
Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
Catherine O.’Dowd Phanis
University of Nicosia Medical School, Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Nicosia 24005, Cyprus
Stefanie Kazamia
University of Nicosia Medical School, Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Nicosia 24005, Cyprus
Nicolaos Kassinis
Game and Fauna Service, Nicosia, Cyprus
Chad Schou
University of Nicosia Medical School, Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Nicosia 24005, Cyprus
Panagiotis Karanis
University of Nicosia Medical School, Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Nicosia 24005, Cyprus; Medical Faculty and University Hospital, The University of Cologne, Cologne 50923, Germany; Correspondence to: University of Nicosia Medical School, Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, 2414 Engomi, P.O. Box 24005, Nicosia CY-1700, Cyprus.
Alistipes onderdonkii (A. onderdonkii) is a newly characterised species of bacteria that has been extensively studied in humans as a part of the normal gut microbiota; its role in gastrointestinal diseases and some types of cancer is under debate. In this study A. onderdonkii is detected in animal stools using PCR and sequencing of the PCR products. A total of 146 faecal samples from ruminants, precisely 32 domestic sheep (Ovis aries), 10 domestic and 34 free-ranging goats (Capra hircus) and 70 wild mouflons (Ovis gmelini ophion) were examined, and 2 of them were positive for A. ondendonkii (2/146=1.4 %), both belonging to goats (2/44=4.5 %), one belonging to a domestic goat and the second belonging to a free-ranging goat. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. onderdonkii in ruminants. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of A. onderdonkii in domestic and wild small ruminants in Cyprus. More research is required to elucidate the role of A. onderdonkii in animal health.
