Diagnosis of a Trypanosoma lewisi-like (Herpetosoma) infection in a sick infant from Thailand.
Trypanosomes were observed in a peripheral blood smear from a 45-day-old Thai infant displaying fever, anaemia, cough and anorexia. Human trypanosomiasis is not endemic to Thailand, so parasite identification was undertaken to determine likely sources of the infection. Several morphological parameters of the trypanosomes were similar to those of Trypanosoma evansi and statistically different from those of Trypanosoma lewisi-like parasites from a naturally infected indigenous rat. However, duplicate PCR assays with primers flanking trypanosome rRNA internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) resulted in amplicons of approximately 623 bp that corresponded to the expected size for T. lewisi-like parasites. The ITS1 sequence from the infant's blood was 98 and 49 % identical to T. lewisi and T. evansi sequences, respectively. Based on molecular results, it was concluded that the infant was infected with a T. lewisi-like (Herpetosoma) species.
Sarataphan
Nachai
N
National Institute of Animal Health, Kaset Klang, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
Vongpakorn
Montakan
M
National Institute of Animal Health, Kaset Klang, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
Nuansrichay
Bandit
B
National Institute of Animal Health, Kaset Klang, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
Autarkool
Nonglux
N
National Institute of Animal Health, Kaset Klang, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
Keowkarnkah
Tiemjan
T
Lampang Hospital, Muang, Lampang 52000, Thailand.
Rodtian
Pranee
P
Fifth Bureau of Animal Hygiene and Sanitation, Huaykaew, Chiangmai 50300, Thailand.
Stich
Roger W
RW
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
Jittapalapong
Sathaporn
S
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
D000818:Animals; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D013785:Thailand; D014350:Trypanosoma lewisi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*
D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal