''Klossiella'' is a genus of parasitic alveolates of the

phylum In biology, a phylum (; plural: phyla) is a level of classification or taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class. Traditionally, in botany the term division has been used instead of phylum, although the International Code of Nomenclature f ...

Apicomplexa. Species in this genus infect the renal tract of

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

s and intestinal tract of snakes. The type species is ''Klossiella muris''.

History

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''.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

Taxonomy

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

Description

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 Apicomplexans, a group of intracellular parasites, have life cycle stages that allow them to survive the wide variety of environments they are exposed to during their complex life cycle. Each stage in the life cycle of an apicomplexan organism i ...

and sporogony. It produces polysporocystic

oocyst Apicomplexans, a group of intracellular parasites, have life cycle stages that allow them to survive the wide variety of environments they are exposed to during their complex life cycle. Each stage in the life cycle of an apicomplexan organism i ...

s without a resistant oocyst wall. The resistant sporocysts are then shed in the urine. The oocysts are subspherical, smooth and measure 22-24

µm The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...

by 20-21 µm.

Clinical

''K. boae'' occurs both in the intestine and the kidney of the boa constrictor.Zwart P (1964) Intraepithelial protozoon, ''Klossiella boae'' n. sp. in the kidneys of a ''Boa constrictor''. J Euk Microbiol 11 (2) 261–263 It may cause anorexia, restlessness, hemorrhagic enteritis and intussusception.

Host records

*''K. bettongiae'' - Tasmanian bettong (''

Bettongia gaimardi The eastern bettong (''Bettongia gaimardi''), also known as the southern or Tasmanian bettong, is a small, hopping, rat-like mammal native to grassy forests of southeastern Australia and Tasmania. A member of the rat-kangaroo family (Potoroidae), ...

'') *''K. beveridgei'' - spectacled hare-wallaby ('' Lagorchestes conspicillatus'') *''K. boae'' - boa constrictor ('' Boa constrictor'') *''K. callitris'' - western grey kangaroo (''

Macropus fuliginosus The western grey kangaroo (''Macropus fuliginosus''), also referred to as a western grey giant kangaroo, black-faced kangaroo, mallee kangaroo, sooty kangaroo and (when referring to the Kangaroo Island subspecies) Kangaroo Island grey kangaroo, is ...

'') *''K. cobayae'' - guinea pig ('' Cavia porcellus'') *''K. dulcis n.sp. - sugar glider (''

Petaurus breviceps The sugar glider (''Petaurus breviceps'') is a small, omnivorous, arboreal, and nocturnal gliding possum belonging to the marsupial infraclass. The common name refers to its predilection for sugary foods such as sap and nectar and its abili ...

'') *''K. equi'' - horse ('' Equus ferus caballus'') *''K. hydromyos'' - Australian water rat (''

Hydromys chrysogaster The rakali (''Hydromys chrysogaster)'', also known as the rabe or water-rat, is an Australian native rodent first described in 1804. Adoption of the Aboriginal name Rakali is intended to foster a positive public attitude by Environment Australia ...

'') *''K. mabokensis'' - African murid ('' Praomys jsoni'') *''K. muris'' - mouse ('' Mus musculus'') *'' K. quimrensis'' - western barred bandicoot (''

Perameles bougainville The Western barred bandicoot (''Perameles bougainville''), also known as the Marl, is a small species of bandicoot; now extinct across most of its former range, the western barred bandicoot only survives on offshore islands and in fenced sanctuar ...

'') *''K. rufi'' - red kangaroo (''

Macropus rufus The red kangaroo (''Osphranter rufus'') is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest terrestrial mammal native to Australia, and the largest extant marsupial. It is found across mainland Australia, except for the more fertile areas, such as ...

'') *''K. rufogrisei'' - Bennett's wallaby (''

Macropus rufogriseus The red-necked wallaby or Bennett's wallaby (''Notamacropus rufogriseus'') is a medium-sized macropod marsupial (wallaby), common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Red-necked wallabies have been i ...

'') *''K. schoinobatis'' - petaurid greater glider (''

Petauroides volans The southern greater glider (''Petauroides volans''), also known as the southern and central greater glider, is a species of large gliding marsupial native to the forests of southeastern Australia. It is a vulnerable species per the IUCN Red Li ...

'') *''K. serendipensis'' - swamp wallaby (''

Wallabia bicolor The swamp wallaby (''Wallabia bicolor'') is a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia. This wallaby is also commonly known as the black wallaby, with other names including black-tailed wallaby, fern wallaby, black pademelon, stinker (in Qu ...

'') *''K. tejerai'' - opossum (''

Didelphis marsupialis The common opossum (''Didelphis marsupialis''), also called the southern or black-eared opossum or gambá, and sometimes called a possum, is a marsupial species living from the northeast of Mexico to Bolivia (reaching the coast of the South Paci ...

'') *''K. thylogale'' - Tasmanian pademelon (''

Thylogale billardierii The Tasmanian pademelon (''Thylogale billardierii''), also known as the rufous-bellied pademelon or red-bellied pademelon, is the sole species of pademelon found in Tasmania, and was formerly found throughout southeastern Australia. This pademelo ...

'')

Note

This genus has also been found in the kidneys of bats but the species was not identified.Kusewitt DF, Wagner JE, Harris PD (1977) ''Klossiella'' sp. in the kidneys of two bats (''Myotis sodalis''). Vet Parasitol 3 (4), 365-369

References

Apicomplexa genera Veterinary protozoology {{Apicomplexa-stub