Identification of zoonotic isolates of Blastocystis by using polymorphic genomic DNA

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Since Blastocystis organisms have been widely isolated from a variety animals and extensive genetic and karyotypic heterogeneity have been demonstrated among Blastocystis isolates from humans and animals, it is difficult to clarify whether isolated organisms from animals are identical to or different from human B.hominis. In this study, therefore, we developed several sequenced-tagged site (STS) primers from random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of known strains of B.hominis. Since the STS primers only amplified the distinct subtypes which correspond to the phylogenetically different clades inferred from the small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences, the STS primers can be used as a tool to type genotypes among polymorphic Blastocystis populations. When various isolates from mammals and birds have examined with PCR amplification by using the STS primers, most of the isolates were amplified with distinct primer, suggesting a zoonotic genotypes of animal isolates. These results indicated that Blastocystis organisms isolated from animals are potential sources of human infections.