title: Molecular subtyping of Blastocystis sp. isolates from symptomatic patients in Italy.
abstract: Blastocystis sp. is the most common eukaryotic parasite in the intestinal tract of humans. Due to its potential impact in public health, we determined the Blastocystis sp. subtypes (STs) and their relative frequency in symptomatic patients living in or in the vicinity of two Italian cities (Rome and Sassari). A total of 34 Blastocystis sp. isolates corresponding to 26 single and 4 mixed infections were subtyped using partial small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. From this molecular approach, the ST distribution in the present Italian population was as follows: ST3 (47.1%), ST2 (20.6%), ST4 (17.7%), ST1 (8.8%), and ST7, and ST8 (2.9%). As in almost all countries worldwide, ST3 was the most common ST reinforcing the hypothesis of its human origin. Together with a previous preliminary report, a total of seven STs (with the addition of ST5) have been found in Italian symptomatic patients. The wide range of STs identified in the Italian population suggest that Blastocystis sp. infection is not associated with specific STs even if some STs (ST1-ST4) are predominant as reported in all other countries. Since most of the STs identified in Italian patients are zoonotic, our data raise crucial questions concerning the identification of animal reservoirs for Blastocystis sp. and the potential risks of transmission to humans.
authors.affiliation: Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Institut Pasteur of Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, University Lille Nord de France, Biology and Diversity of Emerging Eukaryotic Pathogens (BDEEP), 1 rue du Professeur Calmette, BP 245, 59019 Lille Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Dionigia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanciu
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: Hicham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El Alaoui
authors.forename: Magali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chabé
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Delhaes
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dei-Cas
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Delbac
authors.forename: Pier
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Luigi Fiori
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Cave
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viscogliosi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D016844:Blastocystis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D016776:Blastocystis Infections / Q000469:parasitology*; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D058889:Molecular Typing; D010802:Phylogeny; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S