Blastocystis is a unicellular, anaerobic, intestinal protozoan that infects humans and a variety of animals, which is widely prevalent across the world. Blastocystis infections have been detected in healthy populations, children, students, outpatients and inpatients, as well as diarrhea patients in China. High prevalence of Blastocystis infections has been reported in immunocompromised patients, and relatively high prevalence was seen in individuals living in Guangxi and Yunnan regions. Based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequence, a total of 17 subtypes (ST1 to ST17) of Blastocystis have been characterized until now, among which ST1 to ST9 and ST12 infect humans and animals, and ST10 to ST17 only infect animals. In China, ST1 to ST3 are predominant human Blastocystis subtypes, and ST1/ST3, ST1/ST2 and ST2/ST3 mixed infections have been also identified. This review mainly describes the epidemiology and genotypes of Blastocystis in humans and animals in China.
［摘要］ 芽囊原虫 (Blastocystis) 是一种可寄生于人类和多种动物的单细胞、厌氧性肠道原虫, 在全球广泛分布。芽囊原 虫感染在我国健康人群、儿童、学生、门诊及住院患者、腹泻等人群中均有报道, 免疫力低下人群感染率较高, 广西和云南 地区人群感染率相对较高。根据小亚基核糖体 RNA (small-subunit ribosomal RNA, SSU rRNA) 基因序列差异, 芽囊原虫分 为 17 种亚型 (ST1 ~ ST17), 其中 ST1 ~ ST9、ST12亚型可感染人和动物, ST10 ~ ST17 亚型仅感染动物。我国人群芽囊原虫 基因亚型以 ST1 ~ ST3 为主, 并存在ST1和ST3、ST1 和 ST2、ST2 和 ST3 等混合基因亚型感染。本文就我国人群和不同动 物感染芽囊原虫的流行病学、基因分型进行综述。.
Keywords: Blastocystis; China; Epidemiological feature; Small-subunit ribosomal RNA; Subtype.