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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2009, p. 3608-3616, Vol. 47, No. 11
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JCM.00938-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
The EmsB Tandemly Repeated Multilocus Microsatellite: a New Tool To Investigate Genetic Diversity of Echinococcus granulosus Sensu Lato
S. Maillard,1,2*
B. Gottstein,2
K. L. Haag,3
S. Ma,4
I. Colovic,5
M. C. Benchikh-Elfegoun,6
J. Knapp,1 and
R. Piarroux1,7
UMR6249 CNRS/UFC Chrono-Environnement, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France,1 Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland,2 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil,3 Institute of Parasitology, Medical College of Qinghai University, Xining City, Qinghai Province, China,4 Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia,5 Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Mentouri, Constantine, Algeria,6 Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Hôpital la Timone, Marseille, France7
Received 12 May 2009/ Returned for modification 29 June 2009/ Accepted 30 August 2009
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a widespread and severe zoonotic disease caused by infection with the larval stage of the eucestode Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. The polymorphism exhibited by nuclear and mitochondrial markers conventionally used for the genotyping of different parasite species and strains does not reach the level necessary for the identification of genetic variants linked to restricted geographical areas. EmsB is a tandemly repeated multilocus microsatellite that proved its usefulness for the study of genetic polymorphisms within the species E. multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis. In the present study, EmsB was used to characterize E. granulosus sensu lato samples collected from different host species (sheep, cattle, dromedaries, dogs, and human patients) originating from six different countries (Algeria, Mauritania, Romania, Serbia, Brazil, and the People's Republic of China). The conventional mitochondrial cox1 and nad1 markers identified genotypes G1, G3, G5, G6, and G7, which are clustered into three groups corresponding to the species E. granulosus sensu stricto, E. ortleppi, and E. canadensis. With the same samples, EmsB provided a higher degree of genetic discrimination and identified variations that correlated with the relatively small-scale geographic origins of the samples. In addition, one of the Brazilian single hydatid cysts presented a hybrid genotypic profile that suggested genetic exchanges between E. granulosus sensu stricto and E. ortleppi. In summary, the EmsB microsatellite exhibits an interesting potential for the elaboration of a detailed map of the distribution of genetic variants and therefore for the determination and tracking of the source of CE.
* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland. Phone: 41 316312396. Fax: 41 316312622. E-mail: maillard_steph{at}yahoo.com
Published ahead of print on 9 September 2009.
Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2009, p. 3608-3616, Vol. 47, No. 11
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JCM.00938-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
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