Prototheca zopfii | |
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Photomicrograph depicting the histopathology associated with protothecosis in a dog due to Prototheca zopfii | |
Scientific classification
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(unranked): | Viridiplantae |
Division: | Chlorophyta |
Class: | Trebouxiophyceae |
Order: | Chlorellales |
Family: | Chlorellaceae |
Genus: | Prototheca |
Species: | P. zopfii
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Binomial name | |
Prototheca zopfii W.Krüger
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Prototheca zopfii is an ubiquitous achlorophyllic (without chlorophyll) green alga. [1] It is a known cause of mastitis in cattle.
The genome of this organism's mitochondrion and plastid were first sequenced in 2018. [2] Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis are useful tool for rapid confirmative diagnosis. [3]
Prototheca zopfii is ubiquitous in nature, but mainly associated with wet areas and places with high amounts of organic matter. It can be found in tanks, well water, teat-dip containers, and milking machines. [4]
Prototheca zopfii grows in aerobic conditions and reproduce asexually by endosporulation. [5] Sabouraud agar is used as a cultural medium. [6]
Prototheca zopfii is an opportunistic environmental pathogen. The species can infect man and animal, causing mastitis. [3] P. zopfii can cause bovine clinical mastitis in high milk-yielding cows. [7] Genotypes I and III, traditionally, are thought not to be involved in the pathogenicity of mastitis and to be pollutants of milk, whereas genotype II is believed the main cause of mastitis. [3] However, in 2017, three cases of human protothecosis due to P. zopfii genotype I have been reported in China. [8]
Bovine mastitis outbreaks by P. zopfii is a global problem. It is reported from Europe, [9] [10] [11] Asia, [12] North America, [13] [14] and South America. [15] [16]
Prototheca zopfii is less susceptible or completely resistant to clotrimazole, fluconazole, econazole, flucytosine, cefoperazone, cephalexin, enrofloxacin, lincomycin, oxytetracycline, miconazole, colistin, a combination of amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, enrofloxacin, amoxicillin, tetracycline, penicillin, lincomycin, and novobiocin, whereas drugs such as nystatin, ketoconazole, and amphotericin B are effective against algae isolated from milk of mastitis-affected cows. [6]