Rafiei Abdollah, Rashno Zahra, Samarbafzadeh Alireza, Khademvatan Shahram
Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
Jundishapur J Microbiol. 2014 Apr;7(4):e9183. doi: 10.5812/jjm.9183. Epub 2014 Apr 1.
Cryptosporidium is known to be one of the most important causes of diarrhea in children and immunocompromised patients. Genotype characterization of Cryptosporidium species in each region would help in the treatment of this disease, as well as to locate the source of infection and to prevent the disease.
This current research was conducted in order to analyze the molecular characterization of isolated Cryptosporidium spp. in the Southwest of Iran.
In this survey, 390 fecal samples were collected from immunocompromised individuals and children under five-years-of-age. Parasitic infection was evaluated using wet mount preparation, formalin ether, a modified acid fast staining method and microscopic examination. Finally, a PCR-RFLP assay was performed on the extracted DNA collected from fecal samples that were positive for Cryptosporidium by the acid fast method.
Among the 390 fecal samples, 16 cases (4.1%) were infected with Cryptosporidium. Molecular and genotype characterization found the following protozoan species; 11 Cryptosporidium parvum (68.8%), 4 C. hominis (25%), and one case of C. meleagridis (6.2%).
The present study emphasized the public health importance of Cryptosporidium spp. in the study area. In addition, it seems that zoonotic species are the most important causes of infection in the region. As far as we are aware this the first report of a C. meleagridis infection in Iran.
隐孢子虫是已知导致儿童和免疫功能低下患者腹泻的最重要病因之一。对每个地区隐孢子虫物种进行基因型特征分析将有助于该疾病的治疗，以及确定感染源和预防该疾病。
开展本研究以分析伊朗西南部分离出的隐孢子虫属的分子特征。
在本次调查中，从免疫功能低下个体和5岁以下儿童中收集了390份粪便样本。使用湿片制备、福尔马林乙醚法、改良抗酸染色法和显微镜检查评估寄生虫感染情况。最后，对通过抗酸法检测出隐孢子虫呈阳性的粪便样本所提取的DNA进行聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性分析（PCR-RFLP分析）。
在390份粪便样本中，16例（4.1%）感染了隐孢子虫。分子和基因型特征分析发现了以下原生动物物种：11例微小隐孢子虫（68.8%）、4例人隐孢子虫（25%）和1例火鸡隐孢子虫（6.2%）。
本研究强调了隐孢子虫属在研究区域的公共卫生重要性。此外，人畜共患物种似乎是该地区感染的最重要原因。据我们所知，这是伊朗首次报告火鸡隐孢子虫感染。
