Molecular detection and genotype analysis of Kudoa septempunctata from food poisoning outbreaks in Korea

Concerns about foodborne illnesses caused by Kudoa septempunctata are steadily grow-ing, but reports of K. septempunctata in clinical and food specimens related to food poi-soning in Korea are limited. This study aimed to genetically identify K. septempunctata in patients with acute diarrhea and in clinical and food samples related to food poisoning caused by sashimi consumption. Both real-time and nested polymerase chain reaction assays were performed to detect K. septempunctata 18S and 28S rDNA genes in the stools of 348 patients with acute diarrhea, 11 samples (6 stool and 5 rectal swab sam-ples) from patients with food poisoning, and 2 raw Paralichthys olivaceus samples col-lected from a restaurant where a food poisoning incident occurred. K. septempunctata was identified in 5 clinical specimens (4 stools and 1 rectal swab) and 1 P. olivaceus sashi-mi sample. All detected K. septempunctata were of genotype ST3. This is the first study identify K. septempunctata in both patients and food samples with epidemiological relevance in Korea, providing evidence that it is a pathogen that causes food poisoning. Also, this is the first study to confirm the presence of K. septempunctata genes in rectal swabs. Despite continuing suspected occurrences of Kudoa foodborne outbreaks, the rate of identification of K. septempunctata is very low. One reason for this is the limitation obtaining stool and vomit samples for the diagnosis of Kudoa infection. We strongly suggest the inclusion of rectal swabs among the diagnostic specimens for Kudoa food poisoning.