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Subtype identification of Blastocystis spp. isolated from patients in a major hospital in northeastern Thailand

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Abstract

The present study is aimed to identify the prevalence of Blastocystis subtypes isolated from patients in a major hospital in northeastern Thailand. A total of 562 stool samples were examined by culture technique, and 56 Blastocystis-positive samples were analyzed further by the combination of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) followed by polymerase chain reaction with sequence-tagged site primers (PCR-STS). By RFLP profiles, Blastocystis genotypes were categorized into four groups: group A (12, 21.4 %), group B (32, 57.1 %), group C (10, 17.9 %), and group D (2, 3.6 %). By PCR-STS, only four subtypes were identified. All 12 (21.4 %) isolates in group A were identified as subtype 1. Similarly, all 32 (57.1 %) isolates in group B were subtype 3. In group C, 10 (17.9 %) samples were all subtype 7, and two samples (3.6 %) in group D were both subtype 6. Of 56 Blastocystis-positive patients, 31 (55.4 %) were asymptomatic and 22 (39.4 %) have gastrointestinal symptoms. No significant association was observed between the Blastocystis subtypes and the clinical features. Among the Blastocystis-positive patients, the most characteristic stool samples were loose (78.6 %) and soft (17.9 %). In conclusion, the most common Blastocystis spp. in northeastern Thailand was subtype 3 followed by subtype 1. Relatively minor subtypes, subtype 6 and subtype 7 which are considered as avian subtypes, were found for the first time in humans in Thailand.

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Acknowledgments

This work was generously supported by a grant from the Graduate School of Khon Kaen University and a Khon Kaen University research grant under an incubation Researcher Project 2012. We are grateful to all the staff of the Microscopic Laboratory, Laboratory of Parasitology Department, Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, for collecting the stool samples and microscopic identification of Blastocystis. We also thank Prof. Yukifumi Nawa, Research Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, for his suggestion and critically reading the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Sarinee Jantermtor

  2. Centre for Research and Development of Medical Diagnostic Laboratories, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Sarinee Jantermtor, Porntip Pinlaor, Arunnee Sangka & Chotechana Wilailuckana

  3. Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Porntip Pinlaor & Somchai Pinlaor

  4. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Kookwan Sawadpanich

  5. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Somchai Pinlaor

  6. Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand

    Wachanan Wongsena

  7. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Nara Women’s University, Kitauoya-Nishimachi, 630-8506, Nara, Japan

    Hisao Yoshikawa

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  1. Sarinee Jantermtor
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Correspondence to Porntip Pinlaor.

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Jantermtor, S., Pinlaor, P., Sawadpanich, K. et al. Subtype identification of Blastocystis spp. isolated from patients in a major hospital in northeastern Thailand. Parasitol Res 112, 1781–1786 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-3218-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-3218-x

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