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

J G Mattsson1, M Insulander, M Lebbad

  • 1Department of Parasitology (SWEPAR), National Veterinary Institute and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.

Epidemiology and Infection
|October 27, 2007
PubMed

Insights

An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis linked to an outdoor swimming pool infected 800-1000 people. Molecular subtyping identified distinct Cryptosporidium parvum strains from both outdoor and indoor pool exposures, confirming separate transmission events.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cryptosporidiosis outbreaks can occur in recreational water settings.
  • Accurate identification of pathogen sources is crucial for outbreak control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the source of a large cryptosporidiosis outbreak.
  • To evaluate the utility of molecular subtyping for differentiating Cryptosporidium parvum strains in outbreak investigations.

Main Methods:

  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were used to identify Cryptosporidium parvum.
  • Subgenotyping of Cryptosporidium parvum isolates was performed using mini- and microsatellite loci (MS1, TP14, GP15).

Main Results:

  • All 30 tested individuals were infected with Cryptosporidium parvum.
  • Molecular subtyping identified two distinct C. parvum subtypes.
  • One subtype was linked to the outdoor swimming pool, and another to an indoor pool, indicating separate exposure sources.

Conclusions:

  • Mini- and microsatellite loci are valuable markers for molecular fingerprinting of C. parvum.
  • This technique aids in the epidemiological investigation of cryptosporidiosis outbreaks by identifying distinct sources of infection.

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