title: Genetic analysis of Blastocystis hominis isolated from symptomatic and asymptomatic human hosts in Egypt.
abstract: Extensive genomic polymorphism was demonstrated among morphologically identical B. hominis isolates. A genetic diversity would be a powerful tool for identification or classification of B. hominis subtypes. In this study, 14 Egyptian B. hominis isolates were collected, 5 of them were isolated from asymptomatic people whose infections were detected during routine medical check-up and 9 were isolated from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of PCR amplified small-subunit rDNA (SSU rDNA) was used to study genetic diversity of B. hominis isolates by 3 different restriction enzymes (Hin-fI, RsaI & Sau3AI). Cluster analysis of the riboprint patterns showed 7 distinct genotypes out of 14 B. hominis isolates, 4 were previously reported riboprints and 3 were new ones. The frequency of intestinal symptoms was 64% in Blastocystis cases. Abdominal pain was the most frequent symptom 78% (7/9). There was no definite correlation between RFLP-banding pattern or genetically distinct genotypes and pathogenecity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hala S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Elwakil
authors.forename: Roba M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Talaat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D016776:Blastocystis Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D016845:Blastocystis hominis / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length