Genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium hominis in humans and sheep in central southern Iraq.

Cryptosporidium is an diarrhoeal obligate intracellular parasite. It is a common cause of waterborne outbreaks in infected animals and humans. To identify genetic variants linked to different hosts, DNA samples were analysed using genotyping platforms and sequencing technologies. This study included genotyping Cryptosporidium spp. from humans and sheep. Cryptosporidium spp. was performed molecularly based on the glycoprotein gene (GP60) by using a nested PCR reaction. Twenty-seven positive samples for Cryptosporidium spp. were amplified with the GP60 primer. The first cycle revealed 8 samples (5 human and 3 sheep) with C. hominis. However, all 7 samples were successfully sequenced. The nucleotide sequence demonstrated that the prevailing subtype of C. hominis was the IbA21G2 family. The sequences were enriched with sequences deposited in the GenBank at the National Centre for Biotechnology (NCBI) using the NCBI BLAST tool. This analysis indicated the presence of new and distinct Iraqi isolates. The new sequences were deposited in GenBank with private accession numbers.