High diversity of Cryptosporidium subgenotypes identified in Malaysian HIV/AIDS individuals targeting gp60 gene.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is a lack of vital information in the genetic makeup of Cryptosporidium especially in developing countries. The present study aimed at determining the genotypes and subgenotypes of Cryptosporidium in hospitalized Malaysian human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, 346 faecal samples collected from Malaysian HIV positive patients were genetically analysed via PCR targeting the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene. Eighteen (5.2% of 346) isolates were determined as Cryptosporidium positive with 72.2% (of 18) identified as Cryptosporidium parvum whilst 27.7% as Cryptosporidium hominis. Further gp60 analysis revealed C. parvum belonging to subgenotypes IIaA13G1R1 (2 isolates), IIaA13G2R1 (2 isolates), IIaA14G2R1 (3 isolates), IIaA15G2R1 (5 isolates) and IIdA15G1R1 (1 isolate). C. hominis was represented by subgenotypes IaA14R1 (2 isolates), IaA18R1 (1 isolate) and IbA10G2R2 (2 isolates). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings highlighted the presence of high diversity of Cryptosporidium subgenotypes among Malaysian HIV infected individuals. The predominance of the C. parvum subgenotypes signified the possibility of zoonotic as well as anthroponotic transmissions of cryptosporidiosis in HIV infected individuals.

High prevalence of Cryptosporidium bovis and the deer-like genotype in calves compared to mature cows in beef cow-calf operations.

Recent studies have identified the novel, host adapted Cryptosporidium bovis and the deer-like genotype in dairy cattle from farms in the United States, China, India and Europe. This novel species and genotype appear to be more prevalent in older, post-weaned dairy cattle than previously thought. However, little information is available on their prevalence in beef cow-calf operations. In the present study, we determined the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in 98 calves (6-8 months old) and 114 cows (>2 years old) in seven beef cow-calf herds in western North Dakota. DNA was extracted from fecal samples and Cryptosporidium spp. were identified by amplification of the 18S rRNA gene followed by sequencing or RFLP analysis. All seven herds tested positive for Cryptosporidium. Overall, 43/212 (20.3%) animals were positive. Only five of these positives were from cows. C. bovis, the deer-like genotype and C. andersoni were identified in 9.4, 6.6 and 1.4% of animals sampled, respectively. C. parvum was not identified in any of the positive samples. C. bovis, the deer-like genotype and C. andersoni were detected in 6/7, 5/7 and 2/7 herds, respectively. C. bovis and the deer-like genotype were primarily detected in calves, while C. andersoni was only detected in cows. Six isolates could not be typed. These results show a relatively high prevalence of C. bovis and the deer-like genotype in 6-8-month-old beef calves compared to cows older than 2 years in the seven herds studied.

Criptosporidiose: uma revisão sobre a sua implicação na conservação dos mamíferos aquáticos / Cryptosporidiosis: a review about its implication in conservation of aquatic mammals

A criptosporidiose é uma doença parasitária emergente que vem sendo relatada em diversas espécies de mamíferos, incluindo os aquáticos. Esta revisão trata da epidemiologia da infecção por Cryptosporidium spp. em mamíferos aquáticos. A idade dos animais, dose infectante e o estado imunológico podem influenciar na apresentação clínica, e quando associados a outros patógenos pode levar o animal a óbito. A contaminação dos recursos hídricos constitui um dos principais meios de disseminação do parasito, que foi identificado por diferentes técnicas de análise. A adequação das estruturas de saneamento, utilização de métodos apropriados para a inativação dos oocistos e garantia das normas de higiene pessoal constituem algumas das maneiras recomendadas para minimizar a disseminação do Cryptosporidium entre os mamíferos aquáticos.

Cryptosporidiosis is an emerging parasitic disease that has been related in several mammal species, including the aquatic ones. This review covers the epidemiology infection by Cryptosporidium spp. in aquatic mammals. The age of the animal, infecting dose and immunological state can influence on the clinical presentation, and when associated with other pathogen, can lead the animal to death. The water supply contamination is water supply is one of the major ways of the pathogen dissemination, which was being identified by different techniques of laboratorial analysis. The adequacy of sanitation structures, the use of appropriate method to inactivate the oocysts and the assurance of personal hygiene norms are some of the recommended way to minimize the dissemination of Cryptosporidium among aquatic mammals.

[Evaluation of usefulness of different methods for detection of Cryptosporidium in human and animal stool samples]. / Ocena uzytecznosci metod wykrywania Cryptosporidium w kale ludzi i zwierzat.

There are many methods for detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts. Most of them (more than 20) enable the microscopic detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts in faecal smears. Such a great variability of diagnostic methods may lead to confusion as far as the choice of an appropriate technique by a given laboratory is concerned. This study evaluated the diagnostic usefulness of Cryptosporidium oocysts and coproantigen detection methods in the diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis in human (266 stool specimen) and animals (205 from cattle, 160 from sheep, 30 from horses, 80 from cats, 227 from dogs and 11 from wild animals). The total number of human and animal stool specimens processed was 266 and 713, respectively. In this study the usefulness of several diagnostic methods was compared. The following techniques were taken into account: wet mounts, hematoxylin staining, four different specific methods (modified Zeihl-Neelsen, Kinyoun's, safranin-methylene blue, as well as carbol-methyl violet and tartrazyne) and commercially available kit based on enzyme-linked immunoassay (ProspecT(r) Cryptosporidium Microplate Assay). The final number of positive specimens was 123. Out of them 77 were positive in all specific methods. The oocysts found in stool specimens were measured. Humans were infected with C. parvum and animals with C. parvum, C. andersoni or C. felis. The statistical analysis has shown that EIA test was a better than microscopy method for identification of Cryptosporidium in faecal samples in human and wild animal. Sensitivity and specificity are important factors for the choice of a proper diagnostic method for Cryptosporidium detection, however other factors such as cost, simplicity and ease of interpretation of results are also important considerations.

Cost of illness in the 1993 waterborne Cryptosporidium outbreak, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

To assess the total medical costs and productivity losses associated with the 1993 waterborne outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, including the average cost per person with mild, moderate, and severe illness, we conducted a retrospective cost-of-illness analysis using data from 11 hospitals in the greater Milwaukee area and epidemiologic data collected during the outbreak. The total cost of outbreak-associated illness was 96.2 million US dollars: 31.7 million US dollars in medical costs and 64.6 million US dollars in productivity losses. The average total costs for persons with mild, moderate, and severe illness were 116 US dollars, 47 US dollars, and 7,808 US dollars, respectively. The potentially high cost of waterborne disease outbreaks should be considered in economic decisions regarding the safety of public drinking water supplies.

Criptosporidiosis gastrointestinal: presentación de tres casos / Criptosporidiosis in the gastrointestinal tract: report of three cases

Se informan tres casos de criptosporidiosis gastrointestinal en tres pacientes, edad promedio 41 años, pertenecientes todos al sexo masculino, en dos de ellos el criptosporidium se localizó en la mucosa gástrica y en el tercero en el apéndice cecal. Los tres casos mostraron numerosos microorganismos en el epitelio gástrico y del apéndice. El primer caso resultó positivo para VIH (Test de Elisa y para el Western Blot); este paciente falleció 10 meses después del diagnóstico de SIDA: El segundo caso resultó negativo al test de determinación de VIH para el momento de esta publicación y se encuentra en buenas condiciones. El tercer caso se determinó el VIH posterior a la intervención quirúrgica y falleció 13 meses después. La criptoporidiosis una enfermedad poco frecuente que afecta a inmunocompetentes e inmunocomprometidos y actualmente se demuestra la importancia de la identificación histológica de seguir conducta terapéutica