https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.15212/ZOONOSES-2026-0048
Announcing a new article publication for
Zoonoses journal.
Helicobacter pylori is a major cause of gastritis and gastric cancer. Coinfection with
Cryptosporidium spp. may worsen clinical outcomes but has been understudied in Iraq. This study assessed the prevalence of
H. pylori–
Cryptosporidium coinfection and performed phylogenetic analysis of local isolates.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 420 gastrointestinal patients in Thi Qar, Iraq.
Cryptosporidium was detected through modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining and nested PCR (SSU rRNA).
H. pylori was identified through stool antigen testing and PCR (16S rRNA). Nine
H. pylori isolates (479 bp) and coinfecting
Cryptosporidium isolates were sequenced. SNPs were analyzed, and a UPGMA tree (1,000 bootstraps) Results:
The prevalence was 51.4% for
H. pylori, 70.5% for
Cryptosporidium, and 37.6% for coinfection. The sequence identity with respect to the reference strain was 99.10%–99.74%. The 16S rRNA alignment revealed nine polymorphic sites with a conserved G→A transition at position 200, and seven haplotypes. A putative novel A→T transversion at position 146 of the
Cryptosporidium SSU rRNA gene was detected in a coinfected isolate (IQN.CO1). GenBank accessions:
H. pylori PZ245395–PZ245403;
Cryptosporidium PZ245405–PZ245413 (SUB16104315).
High coinfection prevalence suggested epidemiological overlap. Both
C. hominis and
C. parvum were identified, thus indicating diverse transmission routes. Integrated diagnostic and treatment strategies are warranted.
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eISSN 2737-7474
ISSN 2737-7466
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Sukaina Rahman Neamah and Bassad A. Al-Aboody. Molecular and Phylogenetic Characterization of Helicobacter pylori and Cryptosporidium spp. Coinfection in Iraqi Patients with Gastrointestinal Disorders.
Zoonoses. 2026. Vol. 6(1). DOI: 10.15212/ZOONOSES-2026-0048