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First molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium in Yemen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2013

N. A. ALYOUSEFI ,
M. A. K. MAHDY ,
Y. A. L. LIM ,
L. XIAO  and
R. MAHMUD
N. A. ALYOUSEFI*
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
M. A. K. MAHDY*
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen
Y. A. L. LIM
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
L. XIAO
Affiliation:
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
R. MAHMUD
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
*
*Corresponding author: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. E-mail: alsharaby9@yahoo.com
*Corresponding author: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. E-mail: alsharaby9@yahoo.com
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Summary

Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite of humans and animals and has a worldwide distribution. The parasite has a unique epidemiology in Middle Eastern countries where the IId subtype family of Cryptosporidium parvum dominates. However, there has been no information on Cryptosporidium species in Yemen. Thus, this study was conducted in Yemen to examine the distribution of Cryptosporidium species and subtype families. Fecal samples were collected from 335 patients who attended hospitals in Sana'a city. Cryptosporidium species were determined by PCR and sequence analysis of the 18 s rRNA gene. Cryptosporidium parvum and C. hominis subtypes were identified based on sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene. Out of 335 samples, 33 (9·9%) were positive for Cryptosporidium. Of them, 97% were identified as C. parvum whilst 1 case (3%) was caused by C. hominis. All 7 C. parvum isolates subtyped belonged to the IIaA15G2R1 subtype. The common occurrence of the zoonotic IIa subtype family of C. parvum highlights the potential occurrence of zoonotic transmission of cryptosporidiosis in Yemen. However, this postulation needs confirmation with future molecular epidemiological studies of cryptosporidiosis in both humans and animals in Yemen.

Keywords

CryptosporidiumgenotypingsubtypingYemen

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 140 , Issue 6 , May 2013 , pp. 729 - 734
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

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