Prevalence and molecular characterisation of Calyptospora parasites Overstreet, Hawkins and Fournié, 1984 (Apicomplexa: Calyptosporidae) in fishes from the eastern Amazon, Brazil

This work reports the occurrence of coccidia of the genus Calyptospora in fishes from the eastern Amazon. Fish were collected on flood plains in the municipality of Macapa, State of Amapa, Brazil. Fresh squash preparations of liver, heart and gallbladder were examined under light microscope. Positive samples of Geophagus proximus and Hoplias malabaricus were used to detect parasites by PCR with Calyptospora-specific primers mRF and mrR, which amplify a region of the 18S rRNA gene. Oocysts were observed in 55% of 130 fishes examined. Parasite prevalence varied according to feeding habits, and was 100% in carnivores, 74% in omnivores (invertivores and detritivores) and 0% in herbivores. Variation in the frequency of parasitized organs showed 100% in the liver, 30% in the gallbladder, and 9% in the heart. The sequences obtained from G. proximus and H. malabaricus were identical and showed 99% similarity to Calyptospora serrasalmi. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence of Calyptospora in 10 new species of fish from the region of the eastern Brazilian Amazon. The results demonstrate the occurrence of C. serrasalmi in the region and the research provides new primers for the diagnosis of Calyptospora spp.