1. Genotyping of Entamoeba species in South Africa: diversity, stability, and transmission patterns within families.
- Author
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Zaki M, Reddy SG, Jackson TF, Ravdin JI, and Clark CG
- Subjects
- Adult, Animals, Child, Dysentery, Amebic epidemiology, Dysentery, Amebic parasitology, Entamoebiasis epidemiology, Family Health, Female, Genotype, Humans, Male, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Polymorphism, Genetic genetics, South Africa epidemiology, Species Specificity, Entamoeba genetics, Entamoeba isolation & purification, Entamoebiasis parasitology, Entamoebiasis transmission, Genetic Variation
- Abstract
Using a recently described polymerase chain reaction-based DNA typing method for Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar, we investigated the genetic diversity of these species in a geographically restricted region of South Africa. Patterns were stable over time in the same infection, and, with few exceptions, infected family members carried the same strain. However, both species exhibited remarkable variation, with no 2 family groups being infected with the same strain of E. histolytica. Mixed infections were rare. The results indicate that this typing method will be useful in identifying epidemiological linkage between infections.
- Published
- 2003
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