Coccidia species screen

Test code: X0024 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of many coccidia species by real time PCR. This assay detects but does not differentiate many coccidia species including Cryptosporidium, Eimeria, Hammondia, Hepatozoon, Isospora, Neospora, Sarcocystis, and Toxoplasma.

Coccidiosis refers to diseases caused by coccidian infections. Coccidia is a diverse subclass of parasitic protozoa that includes many genera, such as Cryptosporidium, Eimeria, Hammondia, Hepatozoon, Isospora, Neospora, Sarcocystis, and Toxoplasma. These parasites usually infect the intestinal tracts of animals, causing diarrhea. In some cases, coccidia can migrate to the central nervous system and cause neurologic symptoms or death.

Coccidia usually spread from one animal to another through contact with infected feces or ingestion of infected tissues. Most infections result in asymptomatic carriers of the parasites, especially in adults. However, these carriers can continuously shed the parasites in their feces, thereby infecting other animals. Young or immunocompromised animals may suffer severe symptoms, including death.

While coccidia can infect a wide variety of animals, including humans, birds and livestock, they are usually species-specific. One well-known exception is toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii: humans may become infected with this parasite while handling infected pets, especially cats, or their feces.

In the past, diagnosis of coccidian infections relied on fecal float, a technique which is relatively insensitive and not very precise. However, molecular detection by polymerase chain reaction is rapid, highly sensitive and highly specific (Lalonde and Gajadhar, 2011).

Utilities:

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of coccidia infection
• Help ensure that animal groups are free of coccidia
• Early prevention of spread of coccidia between animals
• Minimize human exposure to coccidia

References:
Lalonde, L.F. and Gajadhar, A.A. (2011) Detection and differentiation of coccidian oocysts by real-time PCR and melting curve analysis. J. Parasitol. 97):725-730.

Specimen requirement: 0.2 ml feces, or rectal swab, or 0.2 ml soil, or 0.2 ml fresh, frozen or preserved tissue.

Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative real time PCR

Normal range: Nondetected