Molecular diagnosis and typing of Cryptosporidium spp. (Tyzzer, 1907) species in human stools with diarrhea

Cryptosporidium spp. are important agents causing diarrhea in developing and developed countries. The agent causes severe life-threatening diarrhea especially in immunocompromised hosts. Furthermore, transmission of Cryptosporidium spp. by of drinking water threats public health. Detection and typing of this zoonotic parasite is of great importance because it threatens both human and animal life and causes cryptosporidiosis. The aim of the study was to molecular diagnosis and genotyping of Cryptosporidium spp. in human stool specimens with diarrhea from a microbiology laboratory of private hospital in Denizli. For this purpose, specimens were investigated with direct microscopy, Kinyoun's Acid Fast Staining, PCR and Nested-PCR methods. As a results Cryptosporidium was detected at a rate of 0% by direct microscopy, 2.7% by Kinyoun's Acid Fast staining method, and 4.67% by Nested PCR in 150 human stool specimens with diarrhea collected between 2016-2020. The 4 samples found positive were sequenced with primers amplifying the 18S rRNA gene region. As a result of sequencing, it was determined that the samples were identical with C. parvum. Keywords: 18s rRNA, Cryptosporidium, Diarrhea Human Feces, Nested PCR, PCR, Sequencing