Prototheca zopfii
| Prototheca zopfii | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Viridiplantae |
| Division: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Trebouxiophyceae |
| Order: | Chlorellales |
| Family: | Chlorellaceae |
| Genus: | Prototheca |
| Species: | P. zopfii |
| Binomial name | |
|
Prototheca zopfii |
|
Prototheca zopfii is aerobic, unicellular, yeast-like, achlorophyllic (without chlorophyll) microalga.
P. zopfii is opportunistic, environmental pathogen and ubiquitous in nature. This alga is mainly associated with wet areas and places with high organic contents. It can be found in tanks, well water, teat-dip containers, and milking machines.
P. zopfii reproduce asexually by endosporulation.
Sabouraud agar is used as a cultural medium.
Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis are useful tool for rapid confirmative diagnosis.
The species can infect man and animal, causing mastitis.P. zopfii can cause bovine clinical mastitis in high milk-yielding cows. Genotypes I and III are not involved in the pathogenicity of mastitis and probably are pollutants of milk, whereas genotype II is the main cause of mastitis.
Bovine mastitis outbreaks by P. zopfii is a global problem. It is reported from Europe, Asia, North America, and South America.
P. 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.
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Wikipedia