Association of Blastocystis subtype 3 and 1 with patients from an Oregon community presenting with chronic gastrointestinal illness (original) (raw)

Abstract

Chronic gastrointestinal illness of unknown etiology is a significant problem in the United States. Using a real-time LightCycler PCR assay we detected Blastocystis in nine patients from a metropolitan area of Corvallis, Oregon who presented with diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, joint pain, skin rash and psychiatric co-morbidity. Phylogenetic analysis identified six infections with Blastocystis sp. subtype 3, and one with subtype 1, using the standard Stensvold nomenclature. Most patients with subtype 3 had previously tested negative with conventional parasitological diagnostics, had been symptomatic for over 4 years, and reported antibiotic failure.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Greg Hiser for many discussions about the clinical symptoms and real-time PCR.

The work reported herein was funded and performed under United States Air Force Surgeon General-approved Clinical Investigation No. FDG20070010N. This study was also funded by the Blastocystis Research Foundation. The experiments comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed.

The views expressed in this material are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Clinical Investigation Facility, David Grant USAF Medical Center, 101 Bodin Circle, Travis AFB, Fairfield, CA, 94535, USA
   Morris S. Jones, Robert D. Ganac & N. Ryan Hudson
2. Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Nash Hall 220, Corvallis, OR, 97331-3804, USA
   Christopher M. Whipps
3. Blastocystis Research Foundation, 5060 Philomath Blvd, #202, Corvallis, OR, 97333, USA
   Kenneth Boroom

Authors

1. Morris S. Jones
2. Christopher M. Whipps
3. Robert D. Ganac
4. N. Ryan Hudson
5. Kenneth Boroom

Corresponding author

Correspondence toMorris S. Jones.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-1319-3

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Jones, M.S., Whipps, C.M., Ganac, R.D. et al. Association of Blastocystis subtype 3 and 1 with patients from an Oregon community presenting with chronic gastrointestinal illness.Parasitol Res 104, 341–345 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-1198-7

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• Received: 04 September 2008
• Accepted: 10 September 2008
• Published: 16 October 2008
• Issue date: January 2009
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-1198-7

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