Identification of novel Cryptosporidium genotypes from avian hosts.

A total of 430 avian-derived fecal specimens were randomly collected from selected Western Australian commercial aviaries, poultry farms, hatcheries, wildlife parks, and the Perth Zoo and screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium by PCR. Of these, 27 Cryptosporidium-positive isolates were detected, characterized, and compared with 11 avian-derived isolates from the Czech Republic at the 18S rRNA and actin gene loci. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis identified four genetically distinct genotypes, avian genotypes I to IV, from various avian hosts. In addition, the host range for Cryptosporidium galli was extended. Cryptosporidium muris and Cryptosporidium andersoni were also identified in a tawny frogmouth and a quail-crested wood partridge, respectively.