Genotype and animal infectivity of a human isolate of Cryptosporidium parvum in the Republic of Korea

Korean J Parasitol. 2004 Jun;42(2):85-9. doi: 10.3347/kjp.2004.42.2.85.

Abstract

Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were isolated from a child suffering from acute gastroenteritis and successfully passaged in a calf and mice (designated hereafter SNU-H1) in the Republic of Korea; its molecular genotype has been analyzed. The GAG microsatellite region was amplified by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with a 238 base pair product, which is commonly displayed in C. parvum. The isolate was shown to be a mixture of the genotypes 1 (anthroponotic) and 2 (zoonotic). To study its infectivity in animals, 2 calves and 3 strains of mice were infected with the SNU-H1; in these animals, the propagation of both genotypes was successful. In immunosuppressed (ImSP) BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice the number of oocysts decreased after day 10 post-infection (PI); but in ImSP ICR mice, they remained constant until day 27 PI. The results show that both the C. parvum genotypes 1 and 2 can be propagated in calves and ImSP mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Child
  • Cryptosporidiosis / microbiology
  • Cryptosporidium parvum / genetics*
  • Cryptosporidium parvum / immunology
  • Diarrhea / parasitology
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Korea
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Oocysts
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Zoonoses / parasitology