Use of mobile genetic elements as tools for molecular epidemiology

Trypanosomiasis is a complex zoonotic disease where human-infective and non -human-infective strains of Trypanosoma brucei interact in the same transmi ssion cycles. Differentiating these strains is paramount to understanding d isease epidemiology. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of r epetitive DNA has provided such a method for distinguishing human and non-h uman isolates. Unfortunately, this approach requires large amounts of mater ial and a more rapid approach is required. We have developed a novel techni que, mobile genetic element-PCR, for assaying for positional variation of t he mobile genetic element, RIME. The trypanosome genome contains up to 400 copies of RIME. Using this approach we have observed considerable variation between strains of T. brucei. Such a technique may offer potential as a me thod for differentiating non-human- and human-infective trypanosomes and sh ows promise as a rapid sensitive tool for investigating the epidemiology of sleeping sickness. (C) 2001 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Publi shed by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.