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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Evolution and Genetic Diversity of Gut Protozoan Parasites
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Evolution and Genetic Diversity of Gut Protozoan Parasites

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 17248

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Christen Rune Stensvold

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, 5 Artillerivej, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark
Interests: parasite ecology; gut microbiome; host specificity; hygiene theory; one health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Anastasios D. Tsaousis

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Laboratory of Molecular and Evolutionary Parasitology, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Giles Lane, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NJ, UK
Interests: parasite cellular adaptations; organellar evolution; gut microbiome; host–parasite interactions; eukaryome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With new advances in wet and dry laboratory methods, insight into the role of gut parasites in health and disease is rapidly evolving. In this Special Issue, we welcome articles (original articles and reviews) that significantly contribute data on the genetic diversity and evolution of gut protozoan parasites. We are particularly interested in articles that use or introduce novel technologies and/or approaches to investigate these matters. We are also interested in research investigating the host specificity and geographical distribution of these parasites. Research dealing with how the extent of genetic diversity reflects host adaptation will receive special priority. Moreover, we specifically call for research that deals with gut parasites in a gut microbiome context.

We use the “broad” definition of protozoan parasites, and we therefore also welcome articles on, e.g., Blastocystis and intestinal microsporidia.

Dr. Christen Rune Stensvold
Guest Editor
Dr. Anastasios D. Tsaousis
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • genetic diversity
  • evolution
  • ecology
  • DNA
  • intestinal parasite
  • phylogeny
  • host specificity

Published Papers (6 papers)

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14 pages, 3357 KiB  
Article
Genotypic and Epidemiologic Profiles of Giardia duodenalis in Four Brazilian Biogeographic Regions
by Deiviane A. Calegar, Beatriz C. Nunes, Kerla J. L. Monteiro, Polyanna A. A. Bacelar, Brenda B. C. Evangelista, Mayron M. Almeida, Jurecir Silva, Jéssica P. Santos, Márcio N. Boia, Lauren H. Jaeger and Filipe A. Carvalho-Costa
Microorganisms 2022, 10(5), 940; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10050940 - 30 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1415
Abstract
Human infections with gut protozoan parasites are neglected and not targeted by specific control initiatives, leading to a knowledge gap concerning their regional diversity and epidemiology. The present study aims to explore Giardia duodenalis genetic diversity and assess the epidemiologic scenario of [...] Read more.
Human infections with gut protozoan parasites are neglected and not targeted by specific control initiatives, leading to a knowledge gap concerning their regional diversity and epidemiology. The present study aims to explore Giardia duodenalis genetic diversity and assess the epidemiologic scenario of subclinical infections in different Brazilian biogeographic regions. Cross-sectional surveys (n = 1334 subjects) were conducted in four municipalities in order to obtain fecal samples and socioenvironmental data. Microscopy of non-diarrheal feces and nucleotide sequencing of a β-giardin gene fragment were performed. From a total of 51 samples that could be sequenced, 27 (52.9%) β-giardin sequences were characterized as assemblage A and 24 (47.1%) as assemblage B. In the Amazon, assemblage B was the most frequently detected, predominantly BIII, and with two novel sub-assemblages. Assemblage A predominated in the extra-Amazon region, with five novel sub-assemblages. Prevalence reached 17.8% (64/360) in the Amazon, 8.8% (48/544) in the Atlantic Forest, 7.4% (22/299) in Cerrado and 2.3% (3/131) in the Semiarid. People living in poverty and extreme poverty presented significantly higher positivity rates. In conclusion, subclinical giardiasis is endemic in Brazilian communities in different biogeographic regions, presenting high genetic diversity and a heterogeneous genotypic distribution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution and Genetic Diversity of Gut Protozoan Parasites)
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22 pages, 4075 KiB  
Article
RNA Sequencing Reveals Widespread Transcription of Natural Antisense RNAs in Entamoeba Species
by Damien Mornico, Chung-Chau Hon, Mikael Koutero, Christian Weber, Jean-Yves Coppée, C Graham Clark, Marie-Agnes Dillies and Nancy Guillen
Microorganisms 2022, 10(2), 396; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10020396 - 08 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1645
Abstract
Entamoeba is a genus of Amoebozoa that includes the intestine-colonizing pathogenic species Entamoeba histolytica. To understand the basis of gene regulation in E. histolytica from an evolutionary perspective, we have profiled the transcriptomes of its closely related species E. dispar, E. [...] Read more.
Entamoeba is a genus of Amoebozoa that includes the intestine-colonizing pathogenic species Entamoeba histolytica. To understand the basis of gene regulation in E. histolytica from an evolutionary perspective, we have profiled the transcriptomes of its closely related species E. dispar, E. moshkovskii and E. invadens. Genome-wide identification of transcription start sites (TSS) and polyadenylation sites (PAS) revealed the similarities and differences of their gene regulatory sequences. In particular, we found the widespread initiation of antisense transcription from within the gene coding sequences is a common feature among all Entamoeba species. Interestingly, we observed the enrichment of antisense transcription in genes involved in several processes that are common to species infecting the human intestine, e.g., the metabolism of phospholipids. These results suggest a potentially conserved and compact gene regulatory system in Entamoeba. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution and Genetic Diversity of Gut Protozoan Parasites)
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19 pages, 1851 KiB  
Article
Cross-Border Investigations on the Prevalence and Transmission Dynamics of Cryptosporidium Species in Dairy Cattle Farms in Western Mainland Europe
by Pedro Pinto, Cláudia A. Ribeiro, Sumaiya Hoque, Ourida Hammouma, Hélène Leruste, Sébastien Détriché, Evi Canniere, Yvonne Daandels, Martine Dellevoet, Janine Roemen, Anne Barbier Bourgeois, Martin Kváč, Jérôme Follet and Anastasios D. Tsaousis
Microorganisms 2021, 9(11), 2394; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9112394 - 20 Nov 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3747
Abstract
Cryptosporidium is an apicomplexan parasitic protist, which infects a wide range of hosts, causing cryptosporidiosis disease. In farms, the incidence of this disease is high in animals such as cows, leading to extensive economic loss in the livestock industry. Infected cows may also [...] Read more.
Cryptosporidium is an apicomplexan parasitic protist, which infects a wide range of hosts, causing cryptosporidiosis disease. In farms, the incidence of this disease is high in animals such as cows, leading to extensive economic loss in the livestock industry. Infected cows may also act as a major reservoir of Cryptosporidium spp., in particular C. parvum, the most common cause of cryptosporidiosis in these animals. This poses a risk to the trading of livestock, to other farms via breeding centres, and to human health. This study is a part of a global project aimed at strategies to tackle cryptosporidiosis. To reach this target, it was essential to determine whether prevalence was dependent on the studied countries or if the issue was borderless. Indeed, C. parvum occurrence was assessed across dairy farms in certain regions of Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. At the same time, the animal-to-animal transmission of the circulating C. parvum subtypes was studied. To accomplish this, we analysed 1084 faecal samples, corresponding to 57 dairy farms from all three countries. To this end, 18S rRNA and gp60 genes fragments were amplified, followed by DNA sequencing, which was subsequently used for detection and subtyping C. parvum. Bioinformatic and phylogenetic methods were integrated to analyse and characterise the obtained DNA sequences. Our results show 25.7%, 24.9% and 20.8% prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands respectively. Overall, 93% of the farms were Cryptosporidium positive. The gp60 subtyping demonstrated a significant number of the C. parvum positives belonged to the IIa allelic family, which has been also identified in humans. Therefore, this study highlights how prevalent C. parvum is in dairy farms and further suggests cattle as a possible carrier of zoonotic C. parvum subtypes, which could pose a threat to human health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution and Genetic Diversity of Gut Protozoan Parasites)
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16 pages, 782 KiB  
Article
Parasitic Intestinal Protists of Zoonotic Relevance Detected in Pigs by Metabarcoding and Real-Time PCR
by Christen Rune Stensvold, Kateřina Jirků-Pomajbíková, Katrine Wegener Tams, Pikka Jokelainen, Rebecca P. K. D. Berg, Ellinor Marving, Randi Føns Petersen, Lee O’Brien Andersen, Øystein Angen and Henrik Vedel Nielsen
Microorganisms 2021, 9(6), 1189; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9061189 - 31 May 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3441
Abstract
Several parasite species are shared between humans and pigs. We explored the application of next-generation sequencing-based metabarcoding supplemented with real-time PCR to fecal DNAs from 259 samples from 116 pigs in Denmark to detect and differentiate single-celled intestinal parasites of zoonotic relevance. Enterocytozoon [...] Read more.
Several parasite species are shared between humans and pigs. We explored the application of next-generation sequencing-based metabarcoding supplemented with real-time PCR to fecal DNAs from 259 samples from 116 pigs in Denmark to detect and differentiate single-celled intestinal parasites of zoonotic relevance. Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Balantioides coli, and Giardia duodenalis were observed in 34/37 (92%), 148/259 (57%), and 86/259 (33%) samples, respectively. Entamoeba polecki ST1, E. polecki ST3, and Entamoeba hartmanni were detected in 104/259 (40%), 161/259 (62%), and 8/259 (3%) samples, respectively. Metabarcoding and real-time PCR detected Cryptosporidium in 90/259 (35%) and 239/259 (92%) of the samples, respectively, with Cryptosporidium suis and Cryptosporidium scrofarum observed in nearly equal proportions. Blastocystis subtypes 1, 3, 5, and 15 were found in 72 (28%), 6 (2%), 176 (68%), and 36 (14%) of 259 samples, respectively. Iodamoeba was identified in 1/259 samples (<1%), while none of 37 tested samples was positive for Dientamoeba fragilis. Our results illustrate how metabarcoding exemplifies a ‘one-fits-many’ approach to detecting intestinal single-celled parasites in feces supplemented with real-time PCR for selected parasites. Using metabarcoding with pathogen-specific assays may help detect emerging and previously underdetected pathogens and further elucidate the role of micro-eukaryotic parasites in human and animal health and disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution and Genetic Diversity of Gut Protozoan Parasites)
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12 pages, 1036 KiB  
Brief Report
High Occurrence of Zoonotic Subtypes of Cryptosporidiumparvum in Cypriot Dairy Farms
by Sumaiya Hoque, Daphne E. Mavrides, Pedro Pinto, Silvia Costas, Nisa Begum, Claudia Azevedo-Ribeiro, Maria Liapi, Martin Kváč, Stavros Malas, Eleni Gentekaki and Anastasios D. Tsaousis
Microorganisms 2022, 10(3), 531; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10030531 - 28 Feb 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2848
Abstract
Cryptosporidium parvum is one of the major causes of neonatal calf diarrhoea resulting in reduced farm productivity and compromised animal welfare worldwide. Livestock act as a major reservoir of this parasite, which can be transmitted to humans directly and/or indirectly, posing a public [...] Read more.
Cryptosporidium parvum is one of the major causes of neonatal calf diarrhoea resulting in reduced farm productivity and compromised animal welfare worldwide. Livestock act as a major reservoir of this parasite, which can be transmitted to humans directly and/or indirectly, posing a public health risk. Research reports on the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in ruminants from east Mediterranean countries, including Cyprus, are limited. This study is the first to explore the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in cattle up to 24 months old on the island of Cyprus. A total of 242 faecal samples were collected from 10 dairy cattle farms in Cyprus, all of which were screened for Cryptosporidium spp. using nested-PCR amplification targeting the small subunit of the ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene. The 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene was also sequenced for the samples identified as Cryptosporidium parvum-positive to determine the subtypes present. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium was 43.8% (106/242) with at least one positive isolate in each farm sampled. Cryptosporidium bovis, Cryptosporidium ryanae and C. parvum were the only species identified, while the prevalence per farm ranged from 20–64%. Amongst these, the latter was the predominant species, representing 51.8% of all positive samples, followed by C. bovis (21.7%) and C. ryanae (31.1%). Five C. parvum subtypes were identified, four of which are zoonotic—IIaA14G1R1, IIaA15G1R1, IIaA15G2R1 and IIaA18G2R1. IIaA14G1R1 was the most abundant, representing 48.2% of all C. parvum positive samples, and was also the most widespread. This is the first report of zoonotic subtypes of C. parvum circulating in Cyprus. These results highlight the need for further research into the parasite focusing on its diversity, prevalence, host range and transmission dynamics on the island. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution and Genetic Diversity of Gut Protozoan Parasites)
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9 pages, 3448 KiB  
Brief Report
Gut Microbiome Profiles in Colonizations with the Enteric Protozoa Blastocystis in Korean Populations
by Moon-Ju Kim, Yu Jeong Lee, Tae-Jong Kim and Eun Jeong Won
Microorganisms 2022, 10(1), 34; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10010034 - 24 Dec 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2628
Abstract
The influence of unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms on human gut health and disease is largely unexplored. Blastocystis species commonly colonize the gut, but their clinical significance and ecological role are unclear. We evaluated the effect of Blastocystis colonization on the fecal microbiota of Koreans. [...] Read more.
The influence of unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms on human gut health and disease is largely unexplored. Blastocystis species commonly colonize the gut, but their clinical significance and ecological role are unclear. We evaluated the effect of Blastocystis colonization on the fecal microbiota of Koreans. In total, 39 Blastocystis-positive and -negative fecal samples were analyzed. The fecal microbiome was assessed by targeting the V3–V4 region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal gene. Bacterial diversity was greater in the Blastocystis-positive than in the Blastocystis-negative group. The bacterial community structure and phylogenetic diversity differed according to the presence of Blastocystis. The mean proportions of Faecalibacterium species and Ruminococcaceae were larger in the Blastocystis-positive group, and that of Enterococcus species was larger in the Blastocystis-negative group. Linear discriminant analysis showed that Faecalibacterium, Prevotella 9, Ruminococcaceae UCG-002, Muribaculaceae, Rikenellaceae, Acidaminococcaceae, Phascolarctobacterium, and Ruminococcaceae UCG-005 were highly enriched in the Blastocystis-positive group, whereas Enterococcus hirae, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcaceae, Lactobacillales, and Bacilli were highly abundant in the Blastocystis-negative group. Overall, our results enlighten the notion that Blastocystis colonization is associated with a healthy gut microbiota. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution and Genetic Diversity of Gut Protozoan Parasites)
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