The identification and characterisation of
Cryptosporidium genotypes and subtypes are fundamental to the
study of cryptosporidiosis epidemiology, aiding in prevention and control strategies. The objective was to determine
the genetic diversity of
Cryptosporidium in samples obtained from hospitals of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Buenos
Aires, Argentina. Samples were analysed by microscopy and TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for
Cryptosporidium detection, genotyped by nested-PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of
the 18S rRNA gene and subtyped by DNA sequencing of the
gp60 gene. Among the 89 samples from Rio de Janeiro,
Cryptosporidium spp were detected in 26 by microscopy/TaqMan PCR. In samples from Buenos Aires,
Cryptosporidium
was diagnosed in 15 patients of the 132 studied. The TaqMan PCR and the nested-PCR-RFLP detected
Cryptosporidium parvum
,
Cryptosporidium hominis
, and co-infections of both species. In Brazilian samples, the subtypes
IbA10G2 and IIcA5G3 were observed. The subtypes found in Argentinean samples were IbA10G2, IaA10G1R4,
IaA11G1R4, and IeA11G3T3, and mixed subtypes of Ia and IIa families were detected in the co-infections.
C. hominis
was the species more frequently detected, and subtype family Ib was reported in both countries. Subtype diversity
was higher in Buenos Aires than in Rio de Janeiro and two new subtypes were described for the first time.
