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Molecular typing of Cryptosporidium parvum associated with a diarrhoea outbreak identifies two sources of exposure

  • Jens Mattsson
  • , Mona Insulander
  • , Marianne Lebbad
  • , Camilla Björkman
  • , Elisabet Svenungsson

    Publication: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

    Abstract

    An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis associated with exposure to outdoor swimming-pool water affected an estimated 800-1000 individuals. PCR products were obtained from faecal specimens from 30 individuals who tested positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts. RFLP and sequencing analyses showed that all individuals were infected with Cryptosporidium parvum. Among the infected individuals, five had just swum in an adjacent indoor pool during the same period, and had no identified contact with individuals linked to the outdoor pool. With the use of subgenotyping based on analysis of three mini- and microsatellite loci, MS1, TP14, and GP15, we could identify two sources of exposure. One subtype was associated with the outdoor pool and another with the indoor pool. These data demonstrate that the use of mini- and microsatellite loci as markers for molecular fingerprinting of C. parvum isolates are valuable in the epidemiological investigation of outbreaks.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1147-1152
    Number of pages6
    JournalEpidemiology and Infection
    Volume136
    Issue number8
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2008

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