Prevalence and molecular analysis of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in Chin State, Myanmar.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is caused by X-linked recessive disorderliness. It induces severe anemia when a patient with G6PD deficiency is exposed to oxidative stress that occurs with administration of an antimalarial drug, primaquine. The distribution of G6PD deficiency remains unknown while primaquine has been used for malaria treatment in Myanmar. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of G6PD deficiency and its variants in Chin State, Myanmar. Among 322 participants, 18 (11 males and 7 females) demonstrated a G6PD deficiency. Orissa variant was dominant in the molecular analysis. This would be related to neighboring Indian and Bangladeshi population, in which Orissa variant was also reported as the main mutation type. The screening test for G6PD deficiency before primaquine treatment appears to be important in Myanmar.

Ten Cases of Taenia saginata Infection Confirmed by Analysis of the Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 rDNA Region in the Republic of Korea.

From October 2015 to August 2018, tapeworm proglottids were obtained from 10 patients who were residents of Daegu and Gyeongbuk provinces and had a history of raw beef consumption. Most of them had no overseas travel experience. The gravid proglottids obtained from the 10 cases had 15-20 lateral uterine branches. A part of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) DNA of the 10 cases, amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and digested with AleI restriction enzyme, produced the same band pattern of Taenia saginata, which differentiated from T. asiatica and T. solium. Sequences of ITS1 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) showed higher homology to T. saginata than to T. asiatica and T. solium. Collectively, these 10 cases were identified as T. saginata human infections. As taeniasis is one of the important parasitic diseases in humans, it is necessary to maintain hygienic conditions during livestock farming to avoid public health concerns.

First molecular detection and genetic analysis of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in shelter cats in Seoul, Korea.

Here, we report the molecular detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in shelter cats in Korea and the relationships between A. phagocytophilum gene sequences and the pathogenicity, region, and host specificity of this bacterium. Two (0.9%) out of 222 shelter cats from Seoul, Korea, yielded positive results for the A. phagocytophilum 16S rRNA, groEL, and msp2 genes. Phylogenetic analysis divided groEL gene sequences into two groups (alanine and serine), based on their nucleotide and amino acid sequences. A. phagocytophilum msp2 gene sequences were grouped per the region of isolation (Europe vs. USA, including Korea). Some nucleotide and amino acid sequences of groEL and msp2 showed distinctive patterns according to the region of isolation, which helped in distinguishing A. phagocytophilum gene sequences detected in Korea from those detected in the USA and Europe. Although the limited number of clinical anaplasmosis cases caused by A. phagocytophilum belonging to the alanine group prevents any firm conclusions, the results of the present study tend to refute the previous view that the pathogenicity of A. phagocytophilum is associated with the serine group. Moreover, our results suggest that genetic analyses of groEL and msp2 can be used to obtain a regional fingerprint of A. phagocytophilum.

Multilocus typing of Cryptosporidium spp. in young calves with diarrhea in Korea.

We assessed the prevalence and performed molecular analysis of Cryptosporidium spp. in diarrheal feces of calves in Korea. Diarrheal fecal samples were collected from 951 young calves (<3months) on 425 farms. Cryptosporidium prevalence was assessed by PCR and ELISA, and molecular characterization was performed by targeting the 18S rRNA, heat-shock protein 70 (hsp70), and glycoprotein 60 (gp60) genes. Data were analyzed according to the sex, type of cattle, region, season, and type of diarrhea. PCR analysis revealed Cryptosporidium spp. in 9.9% (94/951) of diarrheal fecal samples. C. parvum and C. bovis/ryanae were present in 6.1% (58/951) and 4.1% (39/951) of diarrheal fecal samples, respectively. In addition, ELISA showed positive results for C. parvum in 9.7% (92/951) samples. Statistical analysis of the PCR and ELISA results revealed a lower prevalence of C. parvum in the hemorrhagic diarrheal samples (P<0.05). For C. bovis/ryanae, seasonality and high prevalence in hemorrhagic diarrhea were observed (P<0.05). Of the 951 samples tested for C. parvum, 903 samples showed agreement with a κ value of 0.65, indicating good agreement between the two tests. Although C. bovis and C. ryanae share highly similar 18S rRNA sequences, PCR based on hsp70 successfully distinguished C. bovis from C. ryanae. Sequence analysis of gp60 revealed that C. parvum belonged to the IIa families and was further subtyped as IIaA18G3R1 and IIaA16G3R1, which have not been previously reported in Asia. These findings indicate that Cryptosporidium spp. play an important role in diarrhea in young calves in Korea. Considering the zoonotic significance of C. parvum IIa subtype and dense rearing system of cattle in Korea, prevention and continuous monitoring of Cryptosporidium are required.

Detection and Genotyping of Coxiella burnetii and Coxiella-Like Bacteria in Horses in South Korea.

Coxiella burnetii and Coxiella-like bacteria (CLB) are genetically and ecologically distinct despite some genetic similarities. Furthermore, CLB are exceptionally diverse and widespread in ticks, but rarely detected in domestic animals. Since Coxiella bacteria can be transmitted from infected horses by inhalation or by coming in contact with ticks during activities such as horseback riding, it is necessary to study their prevalence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first large-scale nationwide investigation of the prevalence of C. burnetii and CLB among horses reared in South Korea. Of 816 blood samples collected between 2007 and 2013, 11 (1.3%) were identified as C. burnetii by ELISA, and six (0.7%) as CLB by 16S rRNA sequencing. While a sequence from Jeju Island was similar (97.9-100%) to those within clade B, five sequences obtained from the northern region were categorized into a new clade, indicating the sequence diversity of the genus Coxiella. Studies until date had detected CLB only in ticks; here, we describe their detection in mammals. Given their zoonotic potential, strategic monitoring and appropriate control programs for Coxiella species need to be established.

First molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in shelter dogs in Seoul, Korea.

In this study, the status of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection was assessed in shelter dogs in Seoul, Korea, with PCR and phylogenetic analyses. Nested PCR on 1058 collected blood samples revealed only one A. phagocytophilum positive sample (female, age <1year, mixed breed, collected from the north of the Han River). The genetic variability of A. phagocytophilum was evaluated by genotyping, using the 16S rRNA, groEL, and msp2 gene sequences of the positive sample. BLASTn analysis revealed that the 16S rRNA, groEL, and msp2 genes had 99.6%, 99.9%, and 100% identity with the following sequences deposited in GenBank: a cat 16S rRNA sequence from Korea (KR021166), a rat groEL sequence from Korea (KT220194), and a water deer msp2 sequence from Korea (HM752099), respectively. Phylogenetic analyses classified the groEL gene into two distinct groups (serine and alanine), whereas the msp2 gene showed a general classification into two groups (USA and Europe) that were further subgrouped according to region. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to describe the molecular diagnosis of A. phagocytophilum in dogs reared in Korea. In addition, the high genetic identity of the 16S rRNA and groEL sequences between humans and dogs from the same region suggests a possible epidemiological relation. Given the conditions of climate change, tick ecology, and recent incidence of human granulocytic anaplasmosis in Korea, the findings of this study underscore the need to establish appropriate control programs for tick-borne diseases in Korea.