Prototheca zopfii
Species of alga
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prototheca zopfii is a ubiquitous achlorophyllic (without chlorophyll) green alga.[1] It is a known cause of mastitis in cattle.
| Prototheca zopfii | |
|---|---|
| |
| Photomicrograph depicting the histopathology associated with protothecosis in a dog due to Prototheca zopfii | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Trebouxiophyceae |
| Order: | Chlorellales |
| Family: | Chlorellaceae |
| Genus: | Prototheca |
| Species: | P. zopfii |
| Binomial name | |
| Prototheca zopfii W.Krüger | |
Taxonomy
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]
Biology
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]
Pathogenicity
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]
Outbreaks
Antimicrobial therapy
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]