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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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Essendi WM, Muleke C, Miheso M, Otachi E. Genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium species in Njoro Sub County, Nakuru, Kenya. J Parasit Dis 2022; 46:262-271. [PMID: 35299918 PMCID: PMC8901856 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-021-01444-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidium spp. cause cryptosporidiosis in humans through zoonotic and anthroponotic transmission. Previous studies illustrated the significance of domestic animals as reservoirs of this parasite. Cryptosporidium occurs in Njoro River; a main source of water to humans and animals. However, there is no information on the Cryptosporidium spp. and genotypes circulating in Njoro Sub County. A total of 2174 samples from humans, cattle, chickens, sheep and goats were assessed for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. Thirty-three positive samples were subsequently successfully sequenced and compared to Cryptosporidium sequences in the GenBank repository using NCBI's (National Center for Biotechnology Information) online BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) algorithmic program. Sequence alignment was done using the Clustal W program and phylogenetic analysis was executed in MEGA X (Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis version X). The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in Njoro Sub County is 6.99%. Cryptosporidium spp. present in the watershed showed great genetic diversity and nine Cryptosporidium species were recorded: Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium hominis, Cryptosporidium ubiquitum, Cryptosporidium meleagridis, Cryptosporidium andersoni, Cryptosporidium baileyi, Cryptosporidium muris, Cryptosporidium xiaoi and Cryptosporidium viatorum. This is the first study to report the presence of C. viatorum in Kenya. Cattle is the major reservoir of zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp. while goats harbored the lowest number of species. Humans and domestic animals drink the contaminated water from Njoro River, humans are therefore, exposed to a high cryptosporidiosis risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charles Muleke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya
| | - Manfred Miheso
- Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Food Crops Research Centre Njoro, Njoro, Kenya
| | - Elick Otachi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya
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