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Microsporidia in Commercially Harvested Marine Fish: A Potential Health Risk for Consumers
Samantha Moratal1, Angela Magnet2, Fernando Izquierdo2
1Servicio de Análisis, Investigación y Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/Tirant lo Blanc, Alfara del Patriarca, 46115 Valencia, Spain.
Abstract:
Microsporidia are widely spread obligate intracellular fungal pathogens from vertebrate and invertebrate organisms, mainly transmitted by contaminated food and water. This study aims to detect the presence of major human-pathogenic microsporidia, i.e., Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon hellem, and Encephalitozoon cuniculi, in the gastrointestinal tract of commercially harvested marine fish from Mediterranean coast of the Comunidad Valenciana, Eastern Spain. A total of 251 fish, 138 farmed fish and 113 wild fish from commercial fishing were tested by SYBR Green real-time PCR, enabling the simultaneous detection of the four targeted species. E. intestinalis/hellem was found in 1.45% of farmed fish and 7.96% of wild fish, while Enterocytozoonidae was detected in 2.90% and 18.58% of farmed and wild fish, respectively. E. cuniculi was not detected in any of the analyzed specimens. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of E. intestinalis/hellem in fish, particularly in marine fish. Although the role of fish in these species' epidemiology remains unknown, this finding points out a potential public health risk linked to fish consumption. Further studies are necessary to characterize these microsporidia in fish hosts better and to elucidate their epidemiological role.
Insights
Human-pathogenic microsporidia were detected in commercially harvested marine fish from Spain. This finding suggests a potential public health risk associated with consuming contaminated fish, necessitating further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Food safety
- Parasitology
Background:
- Microsporidia are obligate intracellular fungal pathogens transmitted via contaminated food and water.
- Human-pathogenic microsporidia pose a risk to public health, necessitating surveillance in food sources.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detect four major human-pathogenic microsporidia species in marine fish from the Mediterranean coast of Spain.
- To assess the prevalence of these microsporidia in both farmed and wild commercially harvested fish.
Main Methods:
- SYBR Green real-time PCR was employed for the simultaneous detection of *Enterocytozoon bieneusi*, *Encephalitozoon intestinalis*, *Encephalitozoon hellem*, and *Encephalitozoon cuniculi*.
- A total of 251 marine fish (138 farmed, 113 wild) were analyzed from commercial catches.
Main Results:
- *Encephalitozoon intestinalis/hellem* was detected in 1.45% of farmed and 7.96% of wild fish.
- Enterocytozoonidae was found in 2.90% of farmed and 18.58% of wild fish.
- *Encephalitozoon cuniculi* was not detected in any samples.
Conclusions:
- This study reports for the first time the presence of *E. intestinalis/hellem* in marine fish.
- The findings indicate a potential public health risk associated with the consumption of contaminated fish.
- Further research is required to understand the role of fish in microsporidial epidemiology and public health implications.
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