title: Identification of 5 types of Cryptosporidium parasites in children in Lima, Peru.
abstract: Cryptosporidium parvum is usually considered to be the pathogen responsible for human cryptosporidiosis. We genotyped Cryptosporidium in 132 stool specimens from 80 Peruvian children, representing 85 infection episodes, using techniques that differentiate Cryptosporidium species and C. parvum genotypes. Five types of Cryptosporidium were identified: C. parvum human (67), bovine (8), and dog (2) genotypes, C. meleagridis (7), and C. felis (1). Twenty-five (29%) of the 85 infection episodes were associated with diarrhea. There was no significant difference in age, antecedent stunting, percentage with diarrhea, or duration of diarrhea for episodes with human genotype, compared with those of zoonotic Cryptosporidium. Duration of oocyst shedding was longer for human genotype than for zoonotic Cryptosporidium (mean, 13.9 days and 6.4 days, respectively; P=.004). Serum samples from 8 children with C. meleagridis, C. felis, or C. parvum dog genotype were tested for anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 antibodies; all were found to be negative. Contrary to common belief, novel Cryptosporidium species and C. parvum genotypes can infect HIV-negative children.
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717, USA. lax0@cdc.gov
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bern
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Limor
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Checkley
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cabrera
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gilman
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan