Polymorphisms in the beta-tubulin gene of Cryptosporidium parvum differentiate between isolates based on animal host but not geographic origin.

Polymerase chain reaction primers were designed to target a region of the Cryptosporidium parvum beta-tubulin gene spanning an intron. Amplification products contained 11 polymorphic positions, representing a sequence divergence of 1.8%, which discriminated between isolates of C. parvum found solely in humans (genotype 1) and those found in humans and animals (genotype 2). Seven of the polymorphic sites were located outside of the intron and the polymorphism between isolates was readily demonstrated by HaeIII restriction digestion. However, all of the sequences from genotype 1 human-derived oocysts isolated in the United States and Australia were conserved. Also, there were no sequence differences between bovine isolates obtained from both continents. Therefore, isolates could not be differentiated based on geographic source of origin.