Klossiella is a genus of parasitic alveolates of the phylum Apicomplexa. Species in this genus infect the renal tract of mammals and intestinal tract of snakes.

Klossiella
Klossiella equi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Alveolata
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Conoidasida
Order: Eucoccidiorida
Suborder: Adeleorina
Family: Klossiellidae
Smith & Johnson, 1902
Genus: Klossiella
Smith & Johnson, 1902
Species

Klossiella bettongiae
Klossiella beveridgei
Klossiella boae
Klossiella callitris
Klossiella cobayae
Klossiella equi
Klossiella hydromyos
Klossiella killicki
Klossiella mabokensis
Klossiella muris
Klossiella quimrensis
Klossiella rufogrisei
Klossiella rufi
Klossiella schoinobatis
Klossiella serendipensis
Klossiella tejerai
Klossiella thylogale

The type species is Klossiella muris.

History

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The first member of this genus was identified by Smith in 1889 in the kidney of a white mouse. An expanded study of this parasite was later published by Smith and Johnson in 1902 where they suggested the name Klossiella muris.[1]

Taxonomy

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Currently there are 17 species recognised in this genus. All except one (Klossiella boae) infect the renal tracts of mammals.

Description

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This genus is unusual in having only a single host in its life cycle.

The parasite is ingested and within the gut sporozoites escape from the sporocyst and invade the blood stream. Upon reaching the kidney, within the epithelium of the kidney the sporozoite undergoes merogony followed by gametogony and sporogony. It produces polysporocystic oocysts without a resistant oocyst wall. The resistant sporocysts are then shed in the urine.

The oocysts are subspherical, smooth and measure 22-24 μm by 20-21 μm.

Clinical

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K. boae occurs both in the intestine and the kidney of the boa constrictor.[2] It may cause anorexia, restlessness, hemorrhagic enteritis and intussusception.

Host records

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Note

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This genus has also been found in the kidneys of bats but the species was not identified.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Smith T & Johnson HP (1902) On a coccidium (Klossiella muris, gen. et spec. nov.) parasitic in the renal epithelium of the mouse. J Exp Med; 6(3): 303–316
  2. ^ Zwart P (1964) Intraepithelial protozoon, Klossiella boae n. sp. in the kidneys of a Boa constrictor. J Euk Microbiol 11 (2) 261–263
  3. ^ Maria Arciada; Mark D. Bennett; Andres Montesinos; Carles Juan-Salles; Mario Soriano-Navarro (1 June 2016). "Klossiella dulcis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Klossiellidae) in the kidneys of Petaurus breviceps (Marsupialia: Petauridae)". Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. 47 (2): 622–627. doi:10.1638/2015-0258.1. PMID 27468038.
  4. ^ Kusewitt DF, Wagner JE, Harris PD (1977) Klossiella sp. in the kidneys of two bats (Myotis sodalis). Vet Parasitol 3 (4), 365-369