*1,[1]Kadaura, M. U., 1Abubakar, J., 2Baba, A. S., 3Askira, M. U., 2Ali, K. B., 4Yakubu, Y. M., 4Daggash, B. B., 4Baba, S. A., 5Mohammed, Y., 2Gadzama, G. B., and 4Zailani, S. B.
1Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, Federal University of Health Sciences Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria
2Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
3Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
4Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria 5Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria
*Correspondence to: Umulsan4maryam@gmail.com, Mairo.kadaura@fuhsa.edu.ng,.
Abstract:
Background: Cryptosporidium is an important cause of diarrhea in immuno-compromised individuals including children. Recent advances in molecular techniques have led to the discovery of different species that are more commonly associated with diarrhea. This study aimed at isolating and characterizing the Cryptosporidium spp among HIV patients with diarrhea in Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Methodology: Stool samples were collected from 269 adult HIV patients with diarrhea at the antiretroviral clinic of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. The stool samples were first screened for Cryptosporidium using nested PCR after DNA extraction with QIAamp DNA stool mini-extraction kit following the manufacturer’s protocol. The identified Cryptospodium parasites were further characterized into different species using resyriction fragment polymorphism (RFLP) analysis that targets the amplified small subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA and glycoprotein 60 (gp60) genes.
Results: From the 269 HIV patients studied, 52 (19.6%) were positive for Cryptosporidium by the nested PCR assay. RFLP analysis characterized the Cryptosporidium species into C. hominis (40.4%, n=20) and C. parvum (59.6%, n=32).
Conclusion: Majority of the Cryptosporidium species in this study were C. parvum, supporting the notion that zoonotic transmission is the main route of cryptosporidiosis transmission. Nonetheless, the observation of C. hominis in some patients suggests that anthroponotic transmission is also an important contributor to Cryptosporidium pathogenesis in Maiduguri.
Keywords: Cryptosporidium, HIV, immuno-compromised, diarrhea, PCR-RFLP, gp60; SSU
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