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de Almeida Lopes C, Wang J, Liffner B, Absalon S, Gazzinelli-Guimaraes PH. Ascaris Mouse Model Protocols: Advancing Research on Larval Ascariasis Biology. Curr Protoc 2024; 4:e1074. [PMID: 38923794 PMCID: PMC11215937 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.1074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Ascariasis, caused by both Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum, is the most prevalent parasitic disease worldwide, affecting both human and porcine populations. However, due to the difficulties of assessing the early events of infection in humans, most studies of human ascariasis have been restricted to the chronic intestinal phase. Therefore, the Ascaris mouse model has become a fundamental tool for investigating the immunobiology and pathogenesis of the early infection stage referred to as larval ascariasis because of the model's practicality and ability to replicate the natural processes involved. The Ascaris mouse model has been widely used to explore factors such as infection resistance/susceptibility, liver inflammation, lung immune-mediated pathology, and co-infections and, notably, as a pivotal element in preclinical vaccine trials. Exploring the immunobiology of larval ascariasis may offer new insights into disease development and provide a substantial understanding of key components that trigger a protective immune response. This article focuses on creating a comprehensive guide for conducting Ascaris experimental infections in the laboratory as a foundation for future research efforts. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Acquisition and embryonation of Ascaris suum eggs from adult females Alternate Protocol: Cleaning and purification of Ascaris suum from female A. suum uteri Basic Protocol 2: Preparation of Ascaris suum eggs and murine infection Basic Protocol 3: Measurement of larval burden and Ascaris-larva-induced pathogenesis Basic Protocol 4: In vitro hatching and purification of Ascaris L3 larvae Support Protocol: Preparation of crude antigen from Ascaris infectious stages Basic Protocol 5: Ultrastructure-expansion microscopy (U-ExM) of Ascaris suum larval stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila de Almeida Lopes
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Parasites Control, Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jianbin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Benjamin Liffner
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Pedro H Gazzinelli-Guimaraes
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
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Wolstenholme AJ, Andersen EC, Choudhary S, Ebner F, Hartmann S, Holden-Dye L, Kashyap SS, Krücken J, Martin RJ, Midha A, Nejsum P, Neveu C, Robertson AP, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Walker R, Wang J, Whitehead BJ, Williams PDE. Getting around the roundworms: Identifying knowledge gaps and research priorities for the ascarids. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2024; 123:51-123. [PMID: 38448148 PMCID: PMC11143470 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2023.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
The ascarids are a large group of parasitic nematodes that infect a wide range of animal species. In humans, they cause neglected diseases of poverty; many animal parasites also cause zoonotic infections in people. Control measures include hygiene and anthelmintic treatments, but they are not always appropriate or effective and this creates a continuing need to search for better ways to reduce the human, welfare and economic costs of these infections. To this end, Le Studium Institute of Advanced Studies organized a two-day conference to identify major gaps in our understanding of ascarid parasites with a view to setting research priorities that would allow for improved control. The participants identified several key areas for future focus, comprising of advances in genomic analysis and the use of model organisms, especially Caenorhabditis elegans, a more thorough appreciation of the complexity of host-parasite (and parasite-parasite) communications, a search for novel anthelmintic drugs and the development of effective vaccines. The participants agreed to try and maintain informal links in the future that could form the basis for collaborative projects, and to co-operate to organize future meetings and workshops to promote ascarid research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian J Wolstenholme
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Université de Tours, ISP, Nouzilly, France.
| | - Erik C Andersen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shivani Choudhary
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Friederike Ebner
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Susanne Hartmann
- Institute for Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lindy Holden-Dye
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sudhanva S Kashyap
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard J Martin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Ankur Midha
- Institute for Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Nejsum
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Cedric Neveu
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Université de Tours, ISP, Nouzilly, France
| | - Alan P Robertson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | | | - Robert Walker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jianbin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | | | - Paul D E Williams
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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Wu Y, Adeniyi-Ipadeola G, Adkins-Threats M, Seasock M, Suarez-Reyes C, Fujiwara R, Bottazzi ME, Song L, Mills JC, Weatherhead JE. Host gastric corpus microenvironment facilitates Ascaris suum larval hatching and infection in a murine model. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011930. [PMID: 38324590 PMCID: PMC10878500 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Ascariasis (roundworm) is the most common parasitic helminth infection globally and can lead to significant morbidity in children including chronic lung disease. Children become infected with Ascaris spp. via oral ingestion of eggs. It has long been assumed that Ascaris egg hatching and larval translocation across the gastrointestinal mucosa to initiate infection occurs in the small intestine. Here, we show that A. suum larvae hatched in the host stomach in a murine model. Larvae utilize acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase; acid chitinase; Chia) from chief cells and acid pumped by parietal cells to emerge from eggs on the surface of gastric epithelium. Furthermore, antagonizing AMCase and gastric acid in the stomach decreases parasitic burden in the liver and lungs and attenuates lung disease. Given Ascaris eggs are chitin-coated, the gastric corpus would logically be the most likely organ for egg hatching, though this is the first study directly evincing the essential role of the host gastric corpus microenvironment. These findings point towards potential novel mechanisms for therapeutic targets to prevent ascariasis and identify a new biomedical significance of AMCase in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Grace Adeniyi-Ipadeola
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Mahliyah Adkins-Threats
- Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Departments of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Matthew Seasock
- Department of Medicine, Immunology, Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Charlie Suarez-Reyes
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Ricardo Fujiwara
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Lizhen Song
- Department of Medicine, Immunology, Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jason C. Mills
- Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Departments of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jill E. Weatherhead
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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De Bock S, Duchateau L, Levecke B, Gabriël S. Performance evaluation of protocols for Taenia saginata and Ascaris suum egg recovery from the house fly's gastrointestinal tract and exoskeleton. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:459. [PMID: 38110985 PMCID: PMC10729472 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06077-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The synanthropic house fly (Musca domestica) can potentially contribute to the mechanical spread of eggs of Taenia and Ascaris spp. in the environment and between hosts. However, the absence of validated protocols to recover eggs hampers an in-depth analysis of the house fly's role in parasite egg transmission. METHODS The gastrointestinal tract and exoskeleton of euthanized house flies were spiked with Taenia saginata eggs. The performance of several recovery protocols, in terms of both the recovery rate and ease-of-use, was (microscopically) evaluated and compared. These protocols employed steps such as washing, maceration, filtration, flotation and both passive and centrifugal sedimentation. The final validated protocols were subsequently evaluated for the recovery of Ascaris suum eggs. RESULTS The final protocol validated for the recovery of T. saginata eggs from the house fly's gastrointestinal tract involved homogenization in phosphate-buffered saline and centrifugation at 2000 g for 2 min, yielding a recovery rate of 79.7%. This protocol required 6.5 min to perform (which included 1.5 min of hands-on time) and removed large debris particles that could hinder the differentiation of eggs from debris. Similarly, the final protocol validated for the recovery of T. saginata eggs from the fly's exoskeleton involved washing by vortexing for 2 min in Tween 80 (0.05%), 15 min of passive sedimentation and centrifugation at 2000 g for 2 min, yielding a recovery rate of 77.4%. This protocol required 20.5 min to perform (which included 3.5 min of hands-on time) and successfully removed debris. The same protocols yielded recovery rates of 74.2% and 91.5% for the recovery of A. suum eggs from the fly's gastrointestinal tract and exoskeleton, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Effective, simple and easy-to-use protocols were developed and validated for the recovery of T. saginata and A. suum eggs from the house fly's gastrointestinal tract and exoskeleton. These protocols can be applied to investigate the importance of flies as parasite egg transmitters in laboratory and field settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie De Bock
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
| | - Luc Duchateau
- Biometrics Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Bruno Levecke
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Sarah Gabriël
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
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Bacelar PAA, Santos JPD, Calegar DA, Silva DDAE, Leal DN, Evangelista BBC, Reis ERCD, Mallet JRDS, Carvalho-Costa FA, Jaeger LH, Monteiro KJL. A molecular and morphological study of Ascaris suum in a human-pig contact scenario in northeastern Brazil. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2023; 32:e005623. [PMID: 37851714 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612023057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to assess morphologic and genetic data on ascariasis in swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) and humans in low-resource rural and periurban communities in the state of Piauí, Brazil. Our cross-sectional survey included 100 fecal samples obtained from swine and 682 samples from humans. Fifteen pigs were necropsied. Human and porcine fecal samples were examined to identify Ascaris eggs. Parasites obtained in the swine necropsies were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the mitochondrial gene encoding the cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) enzyme was partially amplified and sequenced for molecular taxonomy and phylogenetic analyses. The overall prevalence of Ascaris eggs in the swine fecal samples was 16/100 (16%). No Ascaris eggs were identified in the human fecal samples. SEM of six worms recovered from pigs demonstrated morphological characteristics of A. suum. Cox1 sequences were compatible with A. suum reference sequences. Original and reference (GenBank) nucleotide sequences were organized into clusters that did not segregate the parasites by host species or and region. The largest haplogroups were dominated by haplotypes H01, H02 and H31. In the communities studied, there was no epidemiological evidence of the zoonotic transmission of ascariasis at the human-swine interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polyanna Araújo Alves Bacelar
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia e Sistemática Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Escritório Regional Fiocruz Piauí, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Teresina, PI, Brasil
| | - Jéssica Pereira Dos Santos
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Escritório Regional Fiocruz Piauí, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Teresina, PI, Brasil
| | - Deiviane Aparecida Calegar
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia e Sistemática Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Denilson de Araújo E Silva
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Escritório Regional Fiocruz Piauí, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Teresina, PI, Brasil
| | - Daniella Nobre Leal
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Escritório Regional Fiocruz Piauí, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Teresina, PI, Brasil
| | - Brenda Bulsara Costa Evangelista
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Escritório Regional Fiocruz Piauí, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Teresina, PI, Brasil
| | | | - Jacenir Reis Dos Santos Mallet
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Escritório Regional Fiocruz Piauí, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Teresina, PI, Brasil
- Laboratório de Vigilância Entomológica em Díptera e Hemíptera, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Filipe Anibal Carvalho-Costa
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia e Sistemática Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Lauren Hubert Jaeger
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora - UFJF, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Kerla Joeline Lima Monteiro
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Escritório Regional Fiocruz Piauí, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Teresina, PI, Brasil
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England JC, Wyrosdick HM, Baker EL, Stiver WH, Williamson RH, Gerhold RW. Parasite Prevalence in Feral Swine (Sus scrofa) from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. J Wildl Dis 2023; 59:515-519. [PMID: 37151148 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-22-00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are an introduced species to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), US, and serve as carriers of several diseases that are considered a threat to other wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. During 2013 and 2015, fecal samples from 67 feral swine from the GSMNP within both Tennessee and North Carolina, US, were opportunistically collected as part of a feral swine removal program and submitted to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, Tennessee, for parasite screening by centrifugal sugar flotation. Ten taxa from the phyla Acanthocephala, Apicomplexa, and Nematoda were identified: Ascaris spp., Strongylid-type spp., Capillaria spp., Trichuris suis, Metastrongylus spp., Macracanthorhynchus spp., Coccidia, Sarcocystis spp., and Cryptosporidium spp. In 98.5% of samples, at least one parasite was found. No differences in parasite prevalence or species diversity were noted based on state of collection (Tennessee or North Carolina), sex, or age. The high prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in these feral swine, some of which are zoonotic, represents a potential public health risk as well as a concern for free-range swine farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Conner England
- Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Room A233, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
- Gifford Pinchot National Forest, 987 McClellan Road, Vancouver, Washington 98661, USA
| | - Heidi M Wyrosdick
- Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Room A233, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
| | - Eliza L Baker
- Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Room A233, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
| | - William H Stiver
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738, USA
| | - Ryan H Williamson
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738, USA
| | - Richard W Gerhold
- Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Room A233, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
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Wong MTJ, Anuar NS, Noordin R, Tye GJ. Soil-transmitted helminthic vaccines: Where are we now? Acta Trop 2023; 239:106796. [PMID: 36586174 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
It has been tested and proven that vaccination is still the best strategy to combat infectious diseases. However, to date, there are still no vaccines against human soil-transmitted helminthic diseases, despite their high prevalence globally, particularly in developing countries and rural areas with tropical climates and poor sanitation. The development of vaccines against helminths is riddled with obstacles. Helminths have a complex life cycle, multiple stages within the same host with stage-specific antigen expression, and the ability to regulate host immune reactions to evade the immune response. These elements contribute to the main challenge of helminthic vaccines: the identification of effective vaccine candidates. Therefore, this article reviews the current progress and potential future direction of soil-transmitted helminthic vaccines, particularly against Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, Strongyloides stercoralis, Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. The study design employed was a systematic review, using qualitative meta-summary synthesis. Preclinical studies and clinical trials on the development of protein subunit vaccines against the five soil-transmitted helminths were searched on PubMed and Scopus. Effectiveness was indicated by a reduction in worm burden or larval output, an increase in specific IgG levels, or an increase in cytokine production. Our findings show that only the hookworm vaccine against N. americanus is in the clinical trial phase, while the rest is still in exploratory research and pre-clinical development phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Tze Jian Wong
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Nor Suhada Anuar
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Rahmah Noordin
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Gee Jun Tye
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
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Roose S, Leta GT, Vlaminck J, Getachew B, Mekete K, Peelaers I, Geldhof P, Levecke B. Comparison of coproprevalence and seroprevalence to guide decision-making in national soil-transmitted helminthiasis control programs: Ethiopia as a case study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010824. [PMID: 36197895 PMCID: PMC9534397 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND WHO recommends periodical assessment of the prevalence of any soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections to adapt the frequency of mass drug administration targeting STHs. Today, detection of eggs in stool smears (Kato-Katz thick smear) remains the diagnostic standard. However, stool examination (coprology) has important operational drawbacks and impedes integrated surveys of multiple neglected tropical diseases. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the potential of applying serology instead of coprology in STH control program decision-making. METHODOLOGY An antibody-ELISA based on extract of Ascaris lung stage larvae (AsLungL3-ELISA) was applied in ongoing monitoring activities of the Ethiopian national control program against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Blood and stool samples were collected from over 6,700 students (median age: 11) from 63 schools in 33 woredas (districts) across the country. Stool samples of two consecutive days were analyzed applying duplicate Kato-Katz thick smear. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS On woreda level, qualitative (seroprevalence) and quantitative (mean optical density ratio) serology results were highly correlated, and hence seroprevalence was chosen as parameter. For 85% of the woredas, prevalence based on serology was higher than those based on coprology. The results suggested cross-reactivity of the AsLungL3-ELISA with Trichuris. When extrapolating the WHO coproprevalence thresholds, there was a moderate agreement (weighted κ = 0.43) in program decision-making. Using the same threshold values would predominantly lead to a higher frequency of drug administration. SIGNIFICANCE This is the first time that serology for soil-transmitted helminthiasis is applied on such large scale, thereby embedded in a control program context. The results underscore that serology holds promise as a tool to monitor STH control programs. Further research should focus on the optimization of the diagnostic assay and the refinement of serology-specific program decision-making thresholds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Roose
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- * E-mail: (SR); (BL)
| | - Gemechu Tadesse Leta
- Bacterial, Parasitic and Zoonotic Diseases Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Johnny Vlaminck
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Birhanu Getachew
- Bacterial, Parasitic and Zoonotic Diseases Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Kalkidan Mekete
- Bacterial, Parasitic and Zoonotic Diseases Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Iris Peelaers
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Peter Geldhof
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Bruno Levecke
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- * E-mail: (SR); (BL)
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Potentials and challenges in the isolation and detection of ascarid eggs in complex environmental matrices. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2022; 28:e00174. [PMID: 36017135 PMCID: PMC9396397 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2022.e00174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ascarid infections constitute a major concern for both human and animal health risk assessment. Although being effectively transmitted by soil, water and contaminated food, reliable detection of ascarid eggs in environmental media often remains challenging. However, contamination of the environment with ascarid ova has gained more attention as a decisive part of proper risk assessment in recent years. Due to various factors, such as sample matrices, dissociation detergents and flotation solutions, defined and standardised protocols for the isolation of eggs from complex environmental matrices are difficult to establish and therefore limited. Thus, this study reviews common techniques used for the recovery of ascarid eggs from environmental media with special emphasis on sampling strategies, purification procedures and microscopic as well as molecular detection of egg contamination. Despite various advancements, mainly in the field of molecular methods leading to more reliable and sensitive detection, it can be concluded that there is still a need for unified guidelines for sampling and recovery of ascarid eggs derived from complex environmental matrices. Standardised methods to assess environmental ascarid egg contamination are needed. The environmental sampling strategy has to be adapted to the study hypothesis. Egg detection mostly relies on matrix homogenisation, filtration, sedimentation and flotation. Microscopic detection is still frequently applied. Molecular methods enable more reliable and sensitive detection.
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10
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Helminth species dependent effects on Th1 and Th17 cytokines in active tuberculosis patients and healthy community controls. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010721. [PMID: 35976976 PMCID: PMC9423606 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite that the impact of different helminth species is not well explored, the current dogma states that helminths affect the Th1/Th2 balance which in turn affects the risk of tuberculosis (TB) reactivation and severity of disease. We investigated the influence of helminth species on cytokine profiles including IL-17A in TB patients and healthy community controls (CCs). In total, 104 newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients and 70 HIV negative and QuantiFERON negative CCs in Gondar, Ethiopia were included following helminth screening by stool microscopy. Plasma samples and ex vivo stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with purified protein derivative (PPD) and Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) was used to determine cytokine profiles by cytometric bead array. In CCs, Ascaris lumbricoides or Schistosoma mansoni infections were associated with an impaired Th1-type response (IFN-gamma, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) in PBMCs mainly with SEB stimulations, whereas in TB patients only hookworm infection showed a similar pattern. Among CCs, the IL-17A response in PBMCs stimulated with SEB was higher only for S. mansoni, whereas in TB patients, the elevated systemic IL-17A plasma level was significantly suppressed in hookworm infected TB patients compared to patients without helminth coinfection. Following treatment of TB and helminth infection there was a general decrease in ex vivio IL-10 and TNF-alpha production in unstimulated, PPD or SEB stimulated PBMCs that was the most pronounced and significant in TB patients infected with S. mansoni, whereas the follow-up levels of IFN-gamma and IL-17A was significantly increased only in TB patients without helminth coinfection from PBMCs stimulated mainly with SEB. In summary, in addition to confirming helminth specific effects on the Th1/Th2 response before and after TB treatment, our novel finding is that IL-17A was impaired in helminth infected TB patients especially for hookworm, indicating a helminth species-specific immunoregulatory effect on IL-17A which needs to be further investigated.
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Development of allele-specific PCR methodology (AS-PCR) to screening A. lumbricoides and A. suum. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2389-2397. [PMID: 35710846 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07572-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum are described as helminths that infect humans and pigs, respectively. It is estimated that infection by A. lumbricoides affects about 447 million individuals living in tropical regions of developing countries. However, there is an increasing number of cases of human ascariasis in countries with no recent history of autochthonous infection by A. lumbricoides. In these places, pigs have been incriminated as the main source of human infection. Conventional parasitological diagnosis does not allow species-specific identification, and the real epidemiological scenario of human and swine ascariasis is still uncertain. Therefore, this work presents the application of a species-specific molecular diagnosis, based on the allele-specific PCR methodology (AS-PCR), using the Internal Transcript Space 1 (ITS-1) of the ribosomal DNA, as a target for differentiating between the two species, using DNA obtained from eggs. To validate the methodology, stool samples positive for Ascaris spp, were obtained from 68 humans from seven Brazilian states and from six pigs from the state of Minas Gerais. All samples obtained from humans were genotyped as A. lumbricoides and all samples obtained from swine were genotyped as A. suum. These results are in agreement with the literature, which demonstrates that in most endemic regions, transmission cycles are separate. Therefore, the execution of this work allowed the availability of a useful methodology for the differential diagnosis of the species, which may contribute to the characterization of the real epidemiological profile of human and swine ascariasis, and to the implementation of future control strategies.
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Human-type and pig-type Ascaris hybrids found in pigs. Vet Parasitol 2022; 302:109646. [PMID: 34999317 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of hybrids between Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum has complicated our understanding of the relationship between the two species. We examined the same Ascaris specimens (48 from humans and 48 from pigs) using two methods: microsatellite markers combined with Bayesian clustering and PCR-RFLP of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer region. The results obtained by the two methods were inconsistent but showed that hybrid Ascaris identified through both approaches could infect pigs. The results of this study suggest that PCR-RFLP of ITS alone is not suitable for molecular identification of human-type and pig-type Ascaris hybrids. Use of multiple SSR markers combined with Bayesian analysis was the most reliable method in our study. Our results indicate that, in addition to host-specific Ascaris types, there may be some that do not show host specificity. Our results show for the first time that hybrid individuals can infect pigs as well as humans. This study has important theoretical and practical implications, including suggesting the need to re-evaluate long-term ascariasis control strategies.
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Chis Ster I, Niaz HF, Chico ME, Oviedo Y, Vaca M, Cooper PJ. The epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminth infections in children up to 8 years of age: Findings from an Ecuadorian birth cohort. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009972. [PMID: 34797823 PMCID: PMC8641893 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There are few prospective longitudinal studies of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections during early childhood. We studied the epidemiology of and risk factors for soil-transmitted helminth infections from birth to 8 years of age in tropical Ecuador. Methods 2,404 newborns were followed to 8 years of age with periodic stool sample collections. Stool samples were collected also from household members at the time of the child’s birth and examined by microscopy. Data on social, environmental, and demographic characteristics were collected by maternal questionnaire. Associations between potential risk factors and STH infections were estimated using generalized estimated equations applied to longitudinal binary outcomes for presence or absence of infections at collection times. Results Of 2,404 children, 1,120 (46.6%) were infected with at least one STH infection during the first 8 years of life. The risk of A. lumbricoides (16.2%) was greatest at 3 years, while risks of any STH (25.1%) and T. trichiura (16.5%) peaked at 5 years. Factors significantly associated with any STH infection in multivariable analyses included age, day-care (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.03–1.73), maternal Afro-Ecuadorian ethnicity (non-Afro vs. Afro, OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.43–0.70) and lower educational level (secondary vs. illiterate, OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.22–0.45)), household overcrowding (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.21–1.94)), having a latrine rather than a water closet (WC vs. latrine, OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.62–0.95)), and STH infections among household members (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.59–2.58)). T. trichiura was more associated with poverty (high vs. low socioeconomic status, OR, 0.63, 95% CI 0.40–0.99)] and presence of infected siblings in the household (OR 3.42, 95% CI 2.24–5.22). Conclusion STH infections, principally with A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura, peaked between 3 and 5 years in this cohort of children in tropical Ecuador. STH infections among household members were an important determinant of infection risk and could be targeted for control and elimination strategies. Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) cause significant morbidity among children in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). We followed a birth cohort to 8 years of age in a rural area of coastal Ecuador and showed almost half acquired STH infections during childhood. The dominant STH parasites in this setting in children were Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura and infections peaked in frequency between 3 and 5 years of age. Risk of infection during childhood was associated with markers of marginalisation (Afro-Ecuadorian ethnicity and low educational level), household poverty (overcrowding and poor sanitation), and STH infections among other household members. There was evidence of a reduction in STH infection risk across all ages in study households over the calendar time course of this longitudinal study in parallel with improvements in living conditions, a period of economic growth, and increased government support for those living in extreme poverty. Our data indicate that targeting anthelmintic treatment at members of STH-infected households is likely to reduce the risk of infection in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Chis Ster
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hamzah F. Niaz
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martha E. Chico
- Fundacion Ecuatoriana Para La Investigacion en Salud, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Yisela Oviedo
- Fundacion Ecuatoriana Para La Investigacion en Salud, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Maritza Vaca
- Fundacion Ecuatoriana Para La Investigacion en Salud, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Philip J. Cooper
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Fundacion Ecuatoriana Para La Investigacion en Salud, Quito, Ecuador
- School of Medicine, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- * E-mail:
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