title: Molecular characterization of Echinococcus granulosus in south-eastern Romania: evidence of G1-G3 and G6-G10 complexes in humans.
abstract: Clin Microbiol Infect
  Echinococcus granulosus is the aetiological agent of cystic echinococcosis (CE), which is a public health problem in many eastern European countries, particularly in Romania, where the infection causes a high number of human and animal cases. To shed light on the transmission patterns of the parasite, we performed a genotyping analysis on 60 cyst samples obtained from patients who live in south-eastern Romania and who underwent surgery for liver or lung CE. DNA was extracted from the endocysts or the cyst fluids, and fragments of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 mitochondrial genes (cox1 and nd1, respectively) were amplified by PCR and sequenced. We found that most of the samples analysed (59/60) belonged to the G1-G3 complex (E. granulosus sensu stricto), which contains the most widespread and infective strains of the parasite. We also identified the first human patient infected by a non-G1-G3 genotype of E. granulosus in this country. As the DNA sequence of this cyst sample showed maximum homology with the G6-G10 complex (Echinococcus canadensis), this is, in all likelihood, a G7 genotype, which is often found in pigs and dogs in most countries of eastern and south-eastern Europe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Matteo Hospital Foundation, WHO Collaborating Centre for Clinical Management of Cystic Echinococcosis, University of Pavia, Pavia, Pavia, Italy. luca.piccoli01@universitadipavia.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piccoli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bazzocchi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mihailescu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bandi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mastalier
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cordos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beuran
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Popa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Meroni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Genco
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cretu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000601:surgery; D004445:Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000601:surgery; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial; D005838:Genotype; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015995:Prevalence; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult