Large-Scale Molecular Epidemiological Survey of Blastocystis sp. among Herbivores in Egypt and Assessment of Potential Zoonotic Risk

Doaa Naguib ^1,2, Nausicaa Gantois ¹, Jeremy Desramaut ¹

¹CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France.
²Department of Hygiene and Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
³Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, CSIC, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
⁴Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
⁵Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
⁶Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid P.O. Box 3030, Jordan.
⁷GD Biotech-Gènes Diffusion, F-59000 Lille, France.
⁸PEGASE-Biosciences (Plateforme d'Expertises Génomiques Appliquées aux Sciences Expérimentales), Institut Pasteur de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France.
⁹Délégation à la Recherche Clinique et à l'Innovation, Groupement des Hôpitaux de l'Institut Catholique de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France.

⁰CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France.

Microorganisms +

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July 27, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Blastocystis sp. is a zoonotic parasite found in Egyptian herbivores, with ruminants showing higher infection rates and genetic diversity. Many isolates are potentially zoonotic, highlighting transmission risks to humans.

Area Of Science

Veterinary Parasitology
Zoonotic Diseases
Molecular Epidemiology

Background

Blastocystis sp. is an intestinal protozoan with known zoonotic potential.
Identifying animal reservoirs is crucial for understanding parasite transmission.
Limited epidemiological data exists for Blastocystis sp. in Egyptian farmed animals.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate the prevalence, genetic diversity, and zoonotic potential of Blastocystis sp. in Egyptian herbivores.
To identify potential animal reservoirs for Blastocystis sp. transmission in Egypt.

Main Methods

Fecal samples were collected from 1089 herbivores (sheep, goats, camels, horses, rabbits) across six Egyptian governorates.
Real-time PCR was used to screen for Blastocystis sp., followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis for subtyping.
Prevalence and subtype distribution were analyzed across different animal groups.

Main Results

Blastocystis sp. was detected in 37.6% of samples, with significantly higher prevalence in sheep (65.5%), camels (62.2%), and goats (36.0%) compared to rabbits (10.1%) and horses (3.3%).
Mixed infections occurred in 35.7% of positive samples.
Ruminants harbored a wide genetic diversity of Blastocystis sp. subtypes (STs), many of which overlapped and were potentially zoonotic (66.3% of all isolates).

Conclusions

Herbivores, particularly ruminants, are significant reservoirs of Blastocystis sp. in Egypt.
Dietary habits likely influence Blastocystis sp. colonization and subtype preference in different herbivores.
The high prevalence and genetic diversity of potentially zoonotic Blastocystis sp. in these animals underscore the risk of human transmission.

Keywords:

Africa Blastocystis sp. Egypt herbivores intestinal protozoa molecular epidemiology transmission zoonosis