Molecular Confirmation of Taenia crassiceps Cysticercosis in a Captive Ring-Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) in Poland

Abstract

Background: Taenia crassiceps is a cosmopolitan tapeworm endemic to the northernhemisphere with an indirect lifecycle. Its definitive hosts are carnivores, and its intermediate hostsare rodents and rabbits. Nonhuman primates in zoos appear to be highly susceptible to T. crassicepscysticercosis. The aim of this study was to confirm the presence and the molecular characterization ofT. crassiceps cysts isolated from a captive ring-tailed lemur. (2) Methods: Surgery revealed multifocal,transparent saccules containing several thin-walled tapeworm cysticerci. In some of the metacestodes,single or multiple exogenous buds from daughter cysticerci were spotted. A molecular analysis wasperformed to confirm our morphological examinations, using two protocols to obtain the partial nad1and cox1 genes of the Taenia sp. (3) Results: On the basis of morphological features and molecularanalysis, the cysticerci were identified as T. crassiceps metacestodes, and products taken from thePCRs were sequenced. With respect to interpreting the sequencing results of the obtained amplicons,we compared them with data in the GenBank database, proving that, in this case, the causative agentwas indeed T. crassiceps. (4) Conclusions: The received data can be used to supplement descriptions ofthis species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of cysticercosis caused by T. crassicepsin a nonhuman primate in Poland.