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- Title
Outbreak of Diarrhea Caused by a Novel Cryptosporidium hominis Subtype During British Military Training in Kenya.
- Authors
Toriro, Romeo; Pallett, Scott; Woolley, Stephen; Bennett, Charlie; Hale, Isra; Heylings, Jennifer; Wilkins, Daniel; Connelly, Thomas; Muia, Kennedy; Avery, Patrick; Stuart, Andrew; Morgan, Laura; Davies, Mark; Nevin, William; Quantick, Oliver; Robinson, Guy; Elwin, Kristin; Chalmers, Rachel; Burns, Daniel; Beeching, Nicholas
- 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.
- Subjects
KENYA; CRYPTOSPORIDIUM; BRITISH military; MILITARY education; DIARRHEA; POLYMERASE chain reaction; SHIGELLOSIS; DIAGNOSTIC use of polymerase chain reaction; Q fever
- Publication
Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 2024, Vol 11, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
2328-8957
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/ofid/ofae001