Genotyping of Cryptosporidium isolates from human clinical cases in Poland

Abstract

Cryptosporidium spp. infection is usually self-limited in immunocompetent hosts but can be severe and life threatening in children and in immunocompromised individuals including those with primary or acquired immunodeficiencies. One hundred and three faecal samples were collected from 35 hospitalised patients with different symptoms and tested for the presence of the parasite. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in four of 35 patients (11.4%) using Ziehl-Neelsen staining of faecal smears and immunofluorescence assay, whereas 12 (34.3%) samples tested positive by nested polymerase chain reaction assay. Cryptosporidium DNA was detected in one bile sample but not in a liver tissue biopsy sample collected from a patient who suffered from sclerosing cholangitis. Sequence analysis of oocyst wall protein and beta-tubulin gene fragments revealed three different parasite species (Cryptosporidium hominis, Cryptosporidium meleagridis and Cryptosporidium parvum) in children with primary immunodeficiencies, whereas only C. parvum was found in immunocompetent individuals and in those with secondary immunodeficiencies. This study has revealed a high prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in hospitalised patients in Poland and confirmed that molecular techniques enable a more sensitive detection of the parasite.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. In Patients with Colorectal Cancer

“…However, the first cases of cryptosporidiosis were not included in epidemiological reports of NIH until 2008 (16). Only few laboratories perform testing for cryptosporidiosis, therefore, knowledge on the prevalence of this parasitosis in humans is incomplete.…”

Cryptosporidium and Giardia spp. infections in humans, animals and the environment in Poland

“…Also, in this group of children, disseminated infections were noted, because jaundice was common among these patients (Turkiewicz et al 2006). Cryptosporidium infections have been found in 0.7% to 28.6% of HIV-infected patients (Grzeszczuk and Kalinowska 1998;Wiercińska-Drapało et al 1998;Wesołowska et al 2006, on-line;Majewska et al 1998aMajewska et al , 1999a and in a large proportion of patients with cancer (Table 5; Kołodziejczyk et al 2003;Bajer et al 2008). To date, few Cryptosporidium isolates from this group of patients have been genotyped, but from those that have been examined closely, so far, only C. parvum has been identified .…”

“…Parasites were identified in 5.7% of Siński et al (1988) 5.7% in 123 infants (microscopy) Śpiewak et al (1998) 42.9% of 14 children (microscopy, IFA, PCR) Bajer et al (2008) 29.5% of 122 children (microscopy, IFA) Gołąb et al (2007) 6.6% of children with chronic diarrhoea (microscopy, EIA) Wesołowska et al (2004) G. intestinalis identified in children with chronic diarrhoea (microscopy) Wesołowska et al (2004) 0% in 16 children (microscopy, EIA) Grzeszczuk and Kalinowska (1998) Immunocompetent adults 0% in 17 workers from diary farm (microscopy, EIA, PCR) Majewska et al (2004a) 6.5% of 400 soldiers in Szczecin (microscopy) 0% in 12 farm workers (microscopy, EIA) Kołodziejczyk et al (2003) 3.1% in 131 adults (PCR) Solarczyk and Majewska (2007b) Secondary immunodeficiencies 11.5% in immunodeficient children (microscopy, EIA) Wesołowska et al (2004) infants and in 0% to 43% children with diarrhoea (Table 5). Only a few Cryptosporidium isolates were genotyped, and only C. parvum (previous genotype 2 or zoonotic) was identified in this group of patients .…”

“…Low infection rates were found for Giardia in this group (0.4-0.7%; Werner et al 2001Werner et al , 2004. Cryptosporidium infections have been reported to be common in patients with primary immunodeficiencies in Poland (Table 5; Wolska-Kuśnierz et al 2007;Bajer et al 2008). In some patients, disseminated infection involving the gall bladder, accompanied by sclerosing cholangitis, was observed, and the majority of these cases were long lasting despite the treatment that was administered.…”

“…Wiercińska -Drapało et al (1998) Patients after transplantation 0 of 2 children after liver/kidney transplantation (microscopy, IFA, PCR) Bajer et al (2008) 23.3% (7 of 30) children after allo-HPCT (microscopy) Turkiewicz et al (2006) Patients with cancers 1 of 2 adults after chemotherapy (microscopy, IFA, PCR) Bajer et al (2008) 36% of patients with colon cancer (EIA) Kołodziejczyk et al (2003) 20.5% of children with cancer disease (microscopy, EIA, IFA, PCR)…”