Common occurrence of Cryptosporidium hominis in children attending day-care centers in Medellin, Colombia

Cryptosporidium spp. are apicomplexan protozoa associated with chronic diarrhea in AIDS and other immunocompromised patients, and one of the commonest causes of childhood diarrhea and malnutrition, particularly in low-income settings. In Colombia, there are few molecular epidemiological studies on Cryptosporidium spp.; thereby, the transmission dynamics of this parasite in the country is poorly known. This study evaluated the diversity of Cryptosporidium at species, subtype family, and subtype level in children attending various day-care centers in Medellin, Colombia. Two hundred and ninety stool samples from children < 5 years of age were collected from April to November of 2015. All samples were processed by PCR and sequence analysis of the ssu RNA gene and the gp60 gene. An infection rate of 2.4% was observed, with only two Cryptosporidium species identified: C. hominis (6/7) and C. meleagridis (1/7). Cryptosporidium hominis isolates belonged to the subtypes IbA10G2, IaA13R6 and IaA13R7; IIIbA26G1R1 C. meleagridis subtype was also detected. There is a C. hominis predominance in the children evaluated, suggesting an important role of the anthroponotic transmission cycle in the day-care centers analyzed. Further investigation is required to determine infection sources and susceptible hosts in order to define appropriate management of cryptosporidiosis.