Blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract The ongoing increase in wild boar populations across Europe has fostered human–wildlife conflicts, including the transmission of emerging pathogens with zoonotic importance. Blastocystis is a ubiquitous, faecal-oral transmitted protist that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses and is observ...

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Main Authors: Pamela C. Köster, Ana M. Figueiredo, Jenny G. Maloney, Alejandro Dashti, Begoña Bailo, Rita T. Torres, Carlos Fonseca, Atle Mysterud, Miguel Á. Habela, Antonio Rivero-Juarez, Joaquín Vicente, Emmanuel Serrano, Maria C. Arnal, Daniel Fernández de Luco, José A. Armenteros, Ana Balseiro, Guillermo A. Cardona, João Carvalho, Dário Hipólito, Joana Fernandes, Josman D. Palmeira, Rafael Calero-Bernal, David González-Barrio, Monica Santin, David Carmena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-10-01
Series:Veterinary Research
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-024-01385-9
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author Pamela C. Köster
Ana M. Figueiredo
Jenny G. Maloney
Alejandro Dashti
Begoña Bailo
Rita T. Torres
Carlos Fonseca
Atle Mysterud
Miguel Á. Habela
Antonio Rivero-Juarez
Joaquín Vicente
Emmanuel Serrano
Maria C. Arnal
Daniel Fernández de Luco
José A. Armenteros
Ana Balseiro
Guillermo A. Cardona
João Carvalho
Dário Hipólito
Joana Fernandes
Josman D. Palmeira
Rafael Calero-Bernal
David González-Barrio
Monica Santin
David Carmena
author_facet Pamela C. Köster
Ana M. Figueiredo
Jenny G. Maloney
Alejandro Dashti
Begoña Bailo
Rita T. Torres
Carlos Fonseca
Atle Mysterud
Miguel Á. Habela
Antonio Rivero-Juarez
Joaquín Vicente
Emmanuel Serrano
Maria C. Arnal
Daniel Fernández de Luco
José A. Armenteros
Ana Balseiro
Guillermo A. Cardona
João Carvalho
Dário Hipólito
Joana Fernandes
Josman D. Palmeira
Rafael Calero-Bernal
David González-Barrio
Monica Santin
David Carmena
author_sort Pamela C. Köster
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The ongoing increase in wild boar populations across Europe has fostered human–wildlife conflicts, including the transmission of emerging pathogens with zoonotic importance. Blastocystis is a ubiquitous, faecal-oral transmitted protist that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses and is observed in humans and animals worldwide. The role of wildlife in the epidemiology of Blastocystis is insufficiently understood. Thus, we investigated the occurrence and subtype diversity of Blastocystis in free-ranging wild boars from the Iberian Peninsula using conventional PCR and next-generation amplicon sequencing of a fragment of the ssu RNA gene. A total of 459 wild boar faecal samples were collected across Spain (n = 360) and Portugal (n = 99) between 2014 and 2021. Blastocystis was present in 15.3% (70/459; 95% CI 12.1–18.9) of the wild boars analysed, and its occurrence was significantly higher in Portugal (34.3%, 34/99; 95% CI 25.1–44.6) than in Spain (10.0%, 36/360; 95% CI 7.1–13.6). Seven Blastocystis subtypes (ST5, ST10b, ST13–ST15, ST24b, and ST43) were detected among the surveyed wild boar populations, with greater variability detected in Portuguese samples. ST5 was identified in all the Blastocystis-positive animals, whereas 14.3% of them harboured ST mixed colonisations. Our results demonstrate that Blastocystis ST5 is particularly adapted to infect wild boars. The additional identification of zoonotic STs reinforces the role of wild boars as spreaders of zoonotic infections with public health significance.
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spelling doaj-art-0b760eb0d6fe4b99a416a325f6a561ff2024-11-17T12:42:23ZengBMCVeterinary Research1297-97162024-10-0155111210.1186/s13567-024-01385-9Blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Iberian PeninsulaPamela C. Köster0Ana M. Figueiredo1Jenny G. Maloney2Alejandro Dashti3Begoña Bailo4Rita T. Torres5Carlos Fonseca6Atle Mysterud7Miguel Á. Habela8Antonio Rivero-Juarez9Joaquín Vicente10Emmanuel Serrano11Maria C. Arnal12Daniel Fernández de Luco13José A. Armenteros14Ana Balseiro15Guillermo A. Cardona16João Carvalho17Dário Hipólito18Joana Fernandes19Josman D. Palmeira20Rafael Calero-Bernal21David González-Barrio22Monica Santin23David Carmena24Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos IIIDepartment of Biology and CESAM, University of AveiroEnvironmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of AgricultureParasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos IIIParasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos IIIDepartment of Biology and CESAM, University of AveiroDepartment of Biology and CESAM, University of AveiroCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Bioscience, University of OsloDepartment of Animal Health, Veterinary Sciences Faculty, Extremadura UniversityInfectious Diseases Unit, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIBIC), University Hospital Reina Sofía, University of CórdobaSaBio Group, Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM)Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Wildlife Environmental Pathology Service (SEFaS), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Autonomous University of BarcelonaDepartment of Animal Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of ZaragozaDepartment of Animal Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of ZaragozaCouncil of Development, Territory Planning and the Environment of the Principado de AsturiasAnimal Health Department, Veterinary School, University of LeónLivestock Laboratory, Regional Government of ÁlavaDepartment of Biology and CESAM, University of AveiroDepartment of Biology and CESAM, University of AveiroDepartment of Biology and CESAM, University of AveiroDepartment of Biology and CESAM, University of AveiroSALUVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of MadridParasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos IIIEnvironmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of AgricultureParasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos IIIAbstract The ongoing increase in wild boar populations across Europe has fostered human–wildlife conflicts, including the transmission of emerging pathogens with zoonotic importance. Blastocystis is a ubiquitous, faecal-oral transmitted protist that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses and is observed in humans and animals worldwide. The role of wildlife in the epidemiology of Blastocystis is insufficiently understood. Thus, we investigated the occurrence and subtype diversity of Blastocystis in free-ranging wild boars from the Iberian Peninsula using conventional PCR and next-generation amplicon sequencing of a fragment of the ssu RNA gene. A total of 459 wild boar faecal samples were collected across Spain (n = 360) and Portugal (n = 99) between 2014 and 2021. Blastocystis was present in 15.3% (70/459; 95% CI 12.1–18.9) of the wild boars analysed, and its occurrence was significantly higher in Portugal (34.3%, 34/99; 95% CI 25.1–44.6) than in Spain (10.0%, 36/360; 95% CI 7.1–13.6). Seven Blastocystis subtypes (ST5, ST10b, ST13–ST15, ST24b, and ST43) were detected among the surveyed wild boar populations, with greater variability detected in Portuguese samples. ST5 was identified in all the Blastocystis-positive animals, whereas 14.3% of them harboured ST mixed colonisations. Our results demonstrate that Blastocystis ST5 is particularly adapted to infect wild boars. The additional identification of zoonotic STs reinforces the role of wild boars as spreaders of zoonotic infections with public health significance.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-024-01385-9EpidemiologyNGSsubtype diversity wildlifezoonosesSpainPortugal
spellingShingle Pamela C. Köster
Ana M. Figueiredo
Jenny G. Maloney
Alejandro Dashti
Begoña Bailo
Rita T. Torres
Carlos Fonseca
Atle Mysterud
Miguel Á. Habela
Antonio Rivero-Juarez
Joaquín Vicente
Emmanuel Serrano
Maria C. Arnal
Daniel Fernández de Luco
José A. Armenteros
Ana Balseiro
Guillermo A. Cardona
João Carvalho
Dário Hipólito
Joana Fernandes
Josman D. Palmeira
Rafael Calero-Bernal
David González-Barrio
Monica Santin
David Carmena
Blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Iberian Peninsula
Veterinary Research
Epidemiology
NGS
subtype diversity wildlife
zoonoses
Spain
Portugal
title Blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Iberian Peninsula
title_full Blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Iberian Peninsula
title_fullStr Blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Iberian Peninsula
title_full_unstemmed Blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Iberian Peninsula
title_short Blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Iberian Peninsula
title_sort blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in european wild boar sus scrofa from the iberian peninsula
topic Epidemiology
NGS
subtype diversity wildlife
zoonoses
Spain
Portugal
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-024-01385-9
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