title: Molecular Characterization and Subtyping of Blastocystis Species in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients from North India.
abstract: Blastocystis species has been extensively studied in recent few years to establish its pathogenecity. Present study was designed to identify and examine the association of Blastocystis sp. and its subtypes with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).Blastocystis sp. detected using wet-mount microscopy, trichrome staining, in-vitro culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay in a cohort of IBS patients (n = 150) and healthy controls (n = 100). Isolates of Blastocystis sp.were subtyped using Sequence Tagged Site and representative samples were sequenced at SSUrRNA locus.A total of sixty five isolates of Blastocystis sp. were identified [IBS (n = 50); Controls (n = 15)] of which 91% belonged to ST3 and 9% belonged to ST1. No other subtypes could be identified. Statistically significant association was observed between Blastocystis sp. and IBS patients; however no particular subtype could be ascertained to any particular clinical type of IBS.The frequency of occurrence of Blastocystis sp. was more in IBS patients as compared to the controls and ST3 being the most prevalent subtype. The genetic polymorphism of SSU-rRNA gene amongst the different Blastocystis sp.isolates found in this study reinforces the fact that these organisms are genetically highly divergent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology,All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Rojaleen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology,All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Shehla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology,All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Mirdha
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Govind K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Makharia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Siddharta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dattagupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology,All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Rama
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016844:Blastocystis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016776:Blastocystis Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors