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Shcherbakov OV, Aghayan SA, Gevorgyan HS, Abgaryan TA, Gevorgyan RH, Jiménez-Meléndez A, Robertson LJ. Preliminary investigations of parasite contamination of water sources in Armenia. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2024; 34:e00221. [PMID: 38318240 PMCID: PMC10840316 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2024.e00221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The intestinal protozoan parasites, Cryptosporidium and Giardia, are known to have a global distribution, infecting and causing disease in a range of hosts, including people, livestock, pets, and wildlife. However, data from some regions is very sparse. In Armenia, in the Caucasus region of West Asia, only scanty data are available, with just a few surveys on Cryptosporidium infections in livestock, and no available data on human infections or environmental contamination. As part of implementation of water analysis methods for these parasites in Armenia, 24 raw water samples and two sediment samples were analysed for these parasites using a range of approaches, including modified Ziehl-Neelsen, Lugol stain, immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), qPCR and, on sediment samples, immunomagnetic separation and IFAT. Results suggest substantial contamination of raw water sources and indicate the need for further targeted studies using appropriate methods and collecting data on host infections in catchment areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg V. Shcherbakov
- Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology, NAS RA. 7 P. Sevak str., 0014 Yerevan, Armenia
- Armenian National Agrarian University, 74 Teryan str., 0009 Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Sargis A. Aghayan
- Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology, NAS RA. 7 P. Sevak str., 0014 Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Hasmik Sh. Gevorgyan
- Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology, NAS RA. 7 P. Sevak str., 0014 Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Tigran A. Abgaryan
- Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology, NAS RA. 7 P. Sevak str., 0014 Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Ruzanna H. Gevorgyan
- Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology, NAS RA. 7 P. Sevak str., 0014 Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Alejandro Jiménez-Meléndez
- Parasitology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Lucy J. Robertson
- Parasitology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
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Toriro R, Pallett S, Woolley S, Bennett C, Hale I, Heylings J, Wilkins D, Connelly T, Muia K, Avery P, Stuart A, Morgan L, Davies M, Nevin W, Quantick O, Robinson G, Elwin K, Chalmers R, Burns D, Beeching N, Fletcher T, O’Shea M. Outbreak of Diarrhea Caused by a Novel Cryptosporidium hominis Subtype During British Military Training in Kenya. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofae001. [PMID: 38250201 PMCID: PMC10798851 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background We report clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory features of a large diarrhea outbreak caused by a novel Cryptosporidium hominis subtype during British military training in Kenya between February and April 2022. Methods Data were collated from diarrhea cases, and fecal samples were analyzed on site using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) BioFire FilmArray. Water was tested using Colilert kits (IDEXX, UK). DNA was extracted from feces for molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium A135, Lib13, ssu rRNA, and gp60 genes. Results One hundred seventy-two of 1200 (14.3%) personnel at risk developed diarrhea over 69 days. One hundred six primary fecal samples were tested, and 63/106 (59.4%; 95% CI, 0.49%-0.69%) were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. Thirty-eight had Cryptosporidium spp. alone, and 25 had Cryptosporidium spp. with ≥1 other pathogen. A further 27/106 (25.5%; 95% CI, 0.18%-0.35%) had non-Cryptosporidium pathogens only, and 16/106 (15.1%; 95% CI, 0.09%-0.23%) were negative. C. hominis was detected in 58/63 (92.1%) Cryptosporidium spp.-positive primary samples, but the others were not genotypable. Twenty-seven C. hominis specimens were subtypable; 1 was gp60 subtype IeA11G3T3, and 26 were an unusual subtype, ImA13G1 (GenBank accession OP699729), supporting epidemiological evidence suggesting a point source outbreak from contaminated swimming water. Diarrhea persisted for a mean (SD) of 7.6 (4.6) days in Cryptosporidium spp. cases compared with 2.3 (0.9) days in non-Cryptosporidium cases (P = .001). Conclusions Real-time multiplex PCR fecal testing was vital in managing this large cryptosporidiosis outbreak. The etiology of a rare C. hominis gp60 subtype emphasizes the need for more genotypic surveillance to identify widening host and geographic ranges of novel C. hominis subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romeo Toriro
- Army Medical Services, Robertson House, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey, UK
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK
| | - Scott Pallett
- Centre of Defence Pathology, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Stephen Woolley
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK
- Centre of Defence Pathology, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Charlie Bennett
- Centre of Defence Pathology, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Isra Hale
- 3 Medical Regiment, Fulwood Barracks, Preston, Lancashire, UK
| | - Jennifer Heylings
- 28 (C-CBRN) Engineer Regiment, Rock Barracks, Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK
| | - Daniel Wilkins
- 2nd Battalion the Rifles, Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, UK
| | - Thomas Connelly
- 29 Public Health Division Medical Group, HQ 3 (UK) Division, Bulford, Wiltshire, UK
| | - Kennedy Muia
- British Army Training Unit (Kenya), Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Patrick Avery
- Defence Primary Healthcare, Medical Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Andrew Stuart
- Defence Primary Healthcare, Medical Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Laura Morgan
- HQ 1st (UK) Division, Imphal Barracks, York, Yorkshire, UK
| | - Mark Davies
- British Army Training Unit (Kenya), Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - William Nevin
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK
| | | | - Guy Robinson
- Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Public Health Wales Microbiology, Singleton Hospital, Sketty, Swansea, Wales, UK
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, Wales, UK
| | - Kristin Elwin
- Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Public Health Wales Microbiology, Singleton Hospital, Sketty, Swansea, Wales, UK
| | - Rachel Chalmers
- Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Public Health Wales Microbiology, Singleton Hospital, Sketty, Swansea, Wales, UK
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, Wales, UK
| | - Daniel Burns
- Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK
| | - Nicholas Beeching
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK
| | - Thomas Fletcher
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK
- Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK
| | - Matthew O’Shea
- Centre of Defence Pathology, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical & Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Robinson G, Elwin K, Jones M, Chalmers RM. A comparison of qPCR and microscopy for the detection and enumeration of Cryptosporidium oocysts from drinking water. J Med Microbiol 2023; 72. [PMID: 37335085 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Cryptosporidium presents one of the main waterborne public health threats due to its resistance to chlorine disinfection and ability to cause large-scale outbreaks. The standard method used in the UK water industry for detection and enumeration of Cryptosporidium is based on fluorescence microscopy and is laborious and expensive. Molecular methods such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) can be more amenable to streamlining through automation, improving workflows and standardizing procedures.Hypothesis. The null hypothesis was that there was no difference in the detection or enumeration between the standard method and a qPCR.Aim. We aimed to develop and evaluate a qPCR for the detection and enumeration of Cryptosporidium in drinking water, and to compare the assay with the standard method used in the UK.Methodology. We first developed and evaluated a qPCR method by incorporating an internal amplification control and calibration curve into a real-time PCR currently used for Cryptosporidium genotyping. Then we compared the qPCR assay with the standard method of immunofluorescent microscopy for the detection and enumeration of 10 and 100 Cryptosporidium oocysts in 10 l of artificially contaminated drinking water.Results. The results demonstrated that detection of Cryptosporidium by this qPCR was reliable at low numbers of oocysts; however, enumeration was less reliable and more variable than immunofluorescence microscopy.Conclusions. Despite these results, qPCR offers practical advantages over microscopy. There is potential for the use of PCR-based methods for Cryptosporidium analysis if parts of the upstream sample preparation are revised, and alternative technologies for enumeration (such as digital PCR) are also explored to improve analytical sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Robinson
- Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Public Health Wales, Swansea, UK
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK
| | - Kristin Elwin
- Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Public Health Wales, Swansea, UK
| | - Matthew Jones
- Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Glaslyn, The Avenue, Coedkernew, Duffryn, Newport, UK
- Present address: Wessex Water Operations Centre, Claverton Down, Bath, UK
| | - Rachel M Chalmers
- Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Public Health Wales, Swansea, UK
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK
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