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Crudo Blackburn C, Yan SM, McCormick D, Herrera LN, Iordanov RB, Bailey MD, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Mejia R. Parasitic Contamination of Soil in the Southern United States. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2024; 111:506-514. [PMID: 39043177 PMCID: PMC11376165 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.24-0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Parasites are generally associated with lower income countries in tropical and subtropical areas. Still, they are also prevalent in low-income communities in the southern United States. Studies characterizing the epidemiology of parasites in the United States are limited, resulting in little comprehensive understanding of the problem. This study investigated the environmental contamination of parasites in the southern United States by determining each parasite's contamination rate and burden in five low-income communities. A total of 499 soil samples of approximately 50 g were collected from public parks and private residences in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. A technique using parasite floatation, filtration, and bead-beating was applied to dirt samples to concentrate and extract parasite DNA from samples and detected via multiparallel quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). qPCR detected total sample contamination of Blastocystis spp. (19.03%), Toxocara cati (6.01%), Toxocara canis (3.61%), Strongyloides stercoralis (2.00%), Trichuris trichiura (1.80%), Ancylostoma duodenale (1.42%), Giardia intestinalis (1.40%), Cryptosporidium spp. (1.01%), Entamoeba histolytica (0.20%), and Necator americanus (0.20%). The remaining samples had no parasitic contamination. Overall parasite contamination rates varied significantly between communities: western Mississippi (46.88%), southwestern Alabama (39.62%), northeastern Louisiana (27.93%), southwestern South Carolina (27.93%), and south Texas (6.93%) (P <0.0001). T. cati DNA burdens were more significant in communities with higher poverty rates, including northeastern Louisiana (50.57%) and western Mississippi (49.60%) compared with southwestern Alabama (30.05%) and southwestern South Carolina (25.01%) (P = 0.0011). This study demonstrates the environmental contamination of parasites and their relationship with high poverty rates in communities in the southern United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Crudo Blackburn
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Sally Mingshuang Yan
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - David McCormick
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Lauren Nicholas Herrera
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Roumen Borilov Iordanov
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Mark Daniel Bailey
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Peter J Hotez
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Rojelio Mejia
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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Manuel M, Amato HK, Pilotte N, Chieng B, Araka SB, Siko JEE, Harris M, Nadimpalli ML, Janagaraj V, Houngbegnon P, Rajendiran R, Thamburaj J, Kaliappan SP, Sirois AR, Walch G, Oswald WE, Asbjornsdottir KH, Galagan SR, Walson JL, Williams SA, Luty AJF, Njenga SM, Ibikounlé M, Ajjampur SSR, Pickering AJ. Soil surveillance for monitoring soil-transmitted helminths: Method development and field testing in three countries. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012416. [PMID: 39241051 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One-fifth of the global population is infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH). Mass drug administration (MDA) with deworming medication is widely implemented to control morbidity associated with STH infections. However, surveillance of human infection prevalence by collecting individual stool samples is time-consuming, costly, often stigmatized, and logistically challenging. Current methods of STH detection are poorly sensitive, particularly in low-intensity and low-prevalence populations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We aimed to develop a sensitive and specific molecular method for detecting STH DNA in large volumes of soil (20 g) by conducting laboratory and proof of concept studies across field sites in Kenya, Benin, and India. We collected human stool (n = 669) and soil (n = 478) from 322 households across the three study sites. We developed protocols for DNA extraction from 20 g of soil and qPCR to detect Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Necator americanus, and Ancylostoma duodenale. Agreement between detection of STH via qPCR, digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), and microscopy-based methods was assessed using the Cohen's Kappa statistic. Finally, we estimated associations between soil characteristics and detection of STH in soil by qPCR, as well as between STH detected in soil and STH detected in stool from matched households, adjusting for soil characteristics. The overall prevalence of STH in soil by qPCR was 31% for A. lumbricoides, 3% for T. trichiura, and 13% for any hookworm species. ddPCR and qPCR performed similarly. However, there was poor agreement between STH detected in soil by qPCR versus light microscopy. Microscopy underestimated the prevalence of A. lumbricoides and N. americanus and overestimated T. trichiura. Detection of an STH species in household soil was strongly associated with increased odds of a household member being infected with that same species. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Soil surveillance for STH has several benefits over stool-based surveillance, including lower cost and higher success rates for sample collection. Considering that delivery of MDA occurs at the community level, environmental surveillance using molecular methods could be a cost-effective alternate strategy for monitoring STH in these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malathi Manuel
- The Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory, Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Heather K Amato
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Nils Pilotte
- Department of Biological Sciences, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut, United States of America
| | | | | | - Joël Edoux Eric Siko
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin, Abomey-Calavi, Bénin
- Centre de Recherche pour la lutte contre les Maladies Infectieuses Tropicales (CReMIT/TIDRC), Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Calavi, Bénin
| | - Michael Harris
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Maya L Nadimpalli
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Venkateshprabhu Janagaraj
- The Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory, Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Rajeshkumar Rajendiran
- The Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory, Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Joel Thamburaj
- The Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory, Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Allison R Sirois
- Department of Biological Sciences, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Gretchen Walch
- Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - William E Oswald
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Global Health Division, International Development Group, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Kristjana H Asbjornsdottir
- Center of Public Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
- DeWorm3, Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Sean R Galagan
- DeWorm3, Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Judd L Walson
- DeWorm3, Departments of Global Health, Medicine, Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Departments of International Health, Medicine and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Steven A Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | | | - Moudachirou Ibikounlé
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin, Abomey-Calavi, Bénin
- Centre de Recherche pour la lutte contre les Maladies Infectieuses Tropicales (CReMIT/TIDRC), Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Calavi, Bénin
| | - Sitara S R Ajjampur
- The Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory, Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College Vellore, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Amy J Pickering
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Blum Center for Developing Economies, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Naidoo D, Archer CE. ASCARIS SUUM EGG RECOVERY FROM SLUDGE SAMPLES AFTER PHASE EXTRACTION. J Parasitol 2024; 110:295-299. [PMID: 39034040 DOI: 10.1645/22-57] [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] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Some helminth test methods for sanitation samples include a phase extraction step to reduce lipid content and final pellet size before microscopy. Hydrophilic and lipophilic solutions are used to create 2 phases, with a plug of organic material or debris in between, whilst eggs are supposedly compacted at the bottom of the test tube. We tested 10% formalin, acetoacetic buffer, and acid alcohol as the hydrophilic solutions, and ethyl acetate and diethyl ether as the lipophilic solvents for egg recoverability from water, primary sludge, and fatty sludge. Normally, the supernatant and debris plug are discarded and the sedimented pellet of eggs is microscopically examined. We, however, also collected the entire supernatant plus debris plug to determine where eggs were possibly lost. We found that eggs were lost when samples were extracted with 10% formalin + ethyl acetate, 10% formalin + diethyl ether, acetoacetic buffer + ethyl acetate, and acetoacetic buffer + diethyl ether combinations (<50% egg recovery). Acid alcohol + ethyl acetate resulted in 93.2, 89.8, and 57.3% egg recovery in the pellet of water, primary sludge, and fatty sludge, respectively; however, the size of the final pellet was not reduced, defeating the purpose of the extraction step. We thus recommend that this step be excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Naidoo
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Research and Development Centre, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
| | - C E Archer
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Research and Development Centre, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
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Nana PA, Tchakonté S, Pahane Mbiada M, Fotseu Kouam AL, Mouchili Palena RS, Bricheux G, Nola M, Sime-Ngando T. Influence of tides on the dissemination and related health risks of intestinal helminths along the Kribi beaches (Atlantic Coast, Southern Cameroon). J Helminthol 2024; 98:e10. [PMID: 38263759 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x24000026] [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] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Kribi is a seaside town that welcomes thousands of tourists each year. However, the poor sanitation condition of its beaches along the Atlantic coast is not without risk for visitors. In this study, we used the formol-ether concentration technique to identify and quantify larvae or eggs of intestinal helminths in waters of three regularly visited Kribi beaches (Mpalla, Ngoyè, and Mboamanga). Results revealed that all identified larvae and eggs were cestodes (Hymenolepis nana) and nematodes (Strongyloides sp., Ascaris sp., Ancylostoma duodenale and Trichuris trichiura). All the helminth eggs and larvae showed high abundance at low tide during rainy seasons. Ancylostoma duodenale eggs, totally absent at Mpalla, were densely present at low tide at Ngoyè (301 ± 15 eggs/L). Trichuris trichiura eggs showed the lowest abundance (0 to 62 eggs/L) at all sites. Abiotic variables indicated that waters at the various beaches were basic (pH: 8.75-9.77), generally warmer (32.44°C at Mpalla in the Short Rainy Season), more oxygenated at low tide, and moderately mineralized at high tide. Positive and significant correlations were observed at Ngoyè at low tide between Strongyloides sp. larvae and dissolved oxygen (P ˂ 0.05); and between Ancylostoma duodenale eggs and temperature (P ˂ 0.05). The overall results indicated that the beaches studied are subjected to fecal pollution. This pollution is more accentuated during low tides than during high tides. Depending on tidal movements, swimmers risk exposure to helminth eggs and larvae known to be responsible for gastroenteritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A Nana
- Department of Oceanography, Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Douala, P.O. Box 7236, Douala, Cameroon
| | - S Tchakonté
- Laboratory of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 063, Buea, Cameroon
| | - M Pahane Mbiada
- Department of Processing and Quality Control of Aquatic Products, Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Douala, P.O. Box 7236, Douala, Cameroon
| | - A L Fotseu Kouam
- Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - R S Mouchili Palena
- Department of Oceanography, Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Douala, P.O. Box 7236, Douala, Cameroon
| | - G Bricheux
- Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement (LMGE), UMR CNRS 6023, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63178Aubière, France
| | - M Nola
- Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - T Sime-Ngando
- Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement (LMGE), UMR CNRS 6023, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63178Aubière, France
- Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans (LMV), UMR CNRS 6524, UMR IRD 163, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63178Aubière, France
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Devyatov AA, Davydova EE, Luparev AR, Karseka SA, Shuryaeva AK, Zagainova AV, Shipulin GA. Design of a Protocol for Soil-Transmitted Helminths (in Light of the Nematode Toxocara canis) DNA Extraction from Feces by Combining Commercially Available Solutions. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2156. [PMID: 37443549 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13132156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the main challenges for the mass introduction of the molecular diagnostics of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) into clinical practice is the lack of a generally recognized effective method for isolating parasitic DNA from fecal samples. In the present study, we assessed the effects of various pretreatment procedures on the efficiency of removing PCR inhibitors and extracting Toxocara canis DNA from feces. We evaluated the effectiveness of four destructive methods (bead beating, the action of temperature-dependent enzymes, freeze-heat cycles, and incubation in a lysis buffer) on the integrity of T. canis eggs and the efficiency of DNA extraction. Also, we evaluated the effects of prewashes and the use of commercial concentrators on DNA extraction from fecal samples contaminated with T. canis eggs. A bead beating procedure was sufficient to destroy the T. canis eggs, while the effects of enzymes and freeze-heat cycles did not lead to a significant destruction of the eggs or the release of Toxocara DNA. Helminth DNA isolation protocols that do not include a bead beating step are not preferred. The preconcentration of STH eggs from feces using a commercial concentrator and subsequent washing can significantly increase the yield of DNA from STHs and reduce PCR inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A Devyatov
- Federal State Budgetary Institution "Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks" of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, 10 bld 1, Pogodinskaya Str., 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina E Davydova
- Federal State Budgetary Institution "Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks" of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, 10 bld 1, Pogodinskaya Str., 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey R Luparev
- Federal State Budgetary Institution "Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks" of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, 10 bld 1, Pogodinskaya Str., 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sofia A Karseka
- Federal State Budgetary Institution "Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks" of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, 10 bld 1, Pogodinskaya Str., 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna K Shuryaeva
- Federal State Budgetary Institution "Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks" of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, 10 bld 1, Pogodinskaya Str., 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - Angelica V Zagainova
- Federal State Budgetary Institution "Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks" of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, 10 bld 1, Pogodinskaya Str., 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - German A Shipulin
- Federal State Budgetary Institution "Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks" of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, 10 bld 1, Pogodinskaya Str., 119121 Moscow, Russia
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Yahia SH, Etewa SE, Al Hoot AAA, Arafa SZ, Saleh NS, Sarhan MH, Rashad SI, Hassan SS. Investigating the Occurrence of Soil-Transmitted Parasites Contaminating Soil, Vegetables, and Green Fodder in the East of Nile Delta, Egypt. J Parasitol Res 2023; 2023:6300563. [PMID: 37323295 PMCID: PMC10264710 DOI: 10.1155/2023/6300563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Food-borne parasites are major sources of human and animal illness, posing severe health risks in places with contaminated soil, poor water quality, cleanliness, and poor sanitation. The usage of untreated organic fertilizers arising from the excreta of the parasites' definitive hosts either man or animal pollutes the agricultural soil and is reflected in its products of vegetables and green fodders causing serious health problems. Therefore, to the best of our knowledge, this will be the first study that investigated the combination of parasitic contamination of the agricultural soil and its products of raw eaten vegetables and green fodder in East Nile Delta, Egypt. Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate the type and degree of contamination caused by parasites in regularly used raw vegetables, green fodder, and soil samples collected from open fields in Egypt's East Nile Delta. Study Procedures. A cross-sectional study comprised a simple random collection of 400 soil samples, 180 green fodder samples, and as well as 400 vegetable samples, including lettuce, radish, coriander, parsley, dill, watercress, tomatoes, green pepper, cucumber, and carrot, that were gathered throughout one year period from January to December 2021 to represent all seasons (winter, spring, summer, and autumn). The research locations were chosen from various open green fields and farming regions in Egypt's East Nile Delta producing ready-to-eat vegetables for human consumptions and planting green fodder for animal feeding. Concentrations, including sedimentation, and flotation, and staining techniques were used to recover the greatest number of parasitic life forms. The parasitic structures discovered were identified using biometric and imaging data and compared with known parasite morphology. Statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS software version 22 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). Data were presented in numbers and percentages. P-values equal to or less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. The difference in parasitic contamination among the different categories was compared using the chi-square test. Results In this investigation, 243 out of 400 soil samples (60.7%) confirmed positive for parasitic contamination (P < 0.05). Various parasitic life forms were significantly found in 249 out of 400 (62.25%) of the vegetable samples, with (65.1%) of them harboring one parasite species, whereas 9.2% significantly contained up to three parasites. Ascaris eggs, Trichuris eggs, and Giardia cysts were the most prevalent parasites, which were predominantly isolated from vegetables with uneven surfaces. 109 of 180 (60.0%) green fodder samples confirmed insignificantly positive for parasitic pollution. The proportion of parasite contamination in vegetable samples was insignificant although the highest was in spring (29.3%), followed by summer (27.7%), whereas it is significant in autumn (24.5%). The prevalence rate was the lowest in winter (20.1%). Conclusion and Recommendations. Our findings demonstrated a significant load of parasites notably the soil-transmitted parasitic infection in raw vegetables and green fodder cultivated in open fields as well as in their mother soil in the east of the Nile Delta, Egypt. These results confirm the urgent need to deploy strict control measures to the soil, especially during the pre-harvest period of raw eaten vegetables and green fodder, a critical step in reducing food-borne transmission of soil-transmitted parasites to man and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samah H. Yahia
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Samia E. Etewa
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | | | - Salwa Z. Arafa
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Nesreen S. Saleh
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Al-Wahat, Benghazi University, Benghazi, Libya
| | - Mohamed H. Sarhan
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Suzan I. Rashad
- Water and Soil Pollutanta Laboratory, Regional Research Center in Sharkia Governorate, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt
| | - Shimaa S. Hassan
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
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Batra AR, Cottam D, Lepesteur M, Dexter C, Zuccala K, Martino C, Khudur L, Daniel V, Ball AS, Soni SK. Development of A Rapid, Low-Cost Portable Detection Assay for Enterococci in Wastewater and Environmental Waters. Microorganisms 2023; 11:381. [PMID: 36838346 PMCID: PMC9960780 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Waterborne diseases are known as a leading cause of illness and death in both developing and developed countries. Several pathogens can be present in contaminated water, particularly waters containing faecal material; however, routine monitoring of all pathogens is not currently possible. Enterococcus faecalis, which is present in the microflora of human and animals has been used as a faecal indicator in water due to its abundance in surface water and soil. Accurate and fast detection methods are critical for the effective monitoring of E. faecalis in the environment. Although conventional and current molecular detection techniques provide sufficient sensitivity, specificity and throughput, their use is hampered by the long waiting period (1-6 days) to obtain results, the need for expensive laboratory equipment, skilled personnel, and cold-chain storage. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a detection system for E. faecalis that would be simple, rapid, and low-cost, using an isothermal DNA amplification assay called recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), integrated with a lateral flow assay (LFA). The assay was found to be 100% selective for E. faecalis and capable of detecting rates as low as 2.8 × 103 cells per 100 mL from water and wastewater, and 2.8 × 104 cells per 100 mL from saline water. The assay was completed in approximately 30 min using one constant temperature (38 °C). In addition, this study demonstrated the quantitation of E. faecalis using a lateral flow strip reader for the first time, enhancing the potential use of RPA assay for the enumeration of E. faecalis in wastewater and heavily contaminated environmental waters, surface water, and wastewater. However, the sensitivity of the RPA-LFA assay for the detection of E. faecalis in tap water, saline water and in wastewater was 10-1000 times lower than that of the Enterolert-E test, depending on the water quality. Nevertheless, with further improvements, this low-cost RPA-LFA may be suitable to be used at the point-of-need (PON) if conjugated with a rapid field-deployable DNA extraction method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alka Rani Batra
- ARC Training Centre for the Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West, VIC 3083, Australia
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Centre for Applied Sciences, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC 3085, Australia
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Darren Cottam
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Centre for Applied Sciences, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC 3085, Australia
| | - Muriel Lepesteur
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Centre for Applied Sciences, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC 3085, Australia
| | - Carina Dexter
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Centre for Applied Sciences, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC 3085, Australia
| | - Kelly Zuccala
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Centre for Applied Sciences, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC 3085, Australia
| | - Caroline Martino
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Centre for Applied Sciences, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC 3085, Australia
| | - Leadin Khudur
- ARC Training Centre for the Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Vivek Daniel
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Andrew S. Ball
- ARC Training Centre for the Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Sarvesh Kumar Soni
- ARC Training Centre for the Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West, VIC 3083, Australia
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8
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Enogiomwan IE, Offiong EE, Ukam UA. Environmental contamination by soil-transmitted helminths ova and subsequent infection in school-age children in Calabar, Nigeria. SCIENTIFIC AFRICAN 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2023.e01580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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9
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Capone D, Barker T, Cumming O, Flemister A, Geason R, Kim E, Knee J, Linden Y, Manga M, Meldrum M, Nala R, Smith S, Brown J. Persistent Ascaris Transmission Is Possible in Urban Areas Even Where Sanitation Coverage Is High. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:15969-15980. [PMID: 36288473 PMCID: PMC9671051 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In low-income, urban, informal communities lacking sewerage and solid waste services, onsite sanitation (sludges, aqueous effluent) and child feces are potential sources of human fecal contamination in living environments. Working in informal communities of urban Maputo, Mozambique, we developed a quantitative, stochastic, mass-balance approach to evaluate plausible scenarios of localized contamination that could explain why the soil-transmitted helminth Ascaris remains endemic despite nearly universal coverage of latrines that sequester most fecal wastes. We used microscopy to enumerate presumptively viable Ascaris ova in feces, fecal sludges, and soils from compounds (i.e., household clusters) and then constructed a steady-state mass-balance model to evaluate possible contamination scenarios capable of explaining observed ova counts in soils. Observed Ascaris counts (mean = -0.01 log10 ova per wet gram of soil, sd = 0.71 log10) could be explained by deposits of 1.9 grams per day (10th percentile 0.04 grams, 90th percentile 84 grams) of child feces on average, rare fecal sludge contamination events that transport 17 kg every three years (10th percentile 1.0 kg, 90th percentile 260 kg), or a daily discharge of 2.7 kg aqueous effluent from an onsite system (10th percentile 0.09 kg, 90th percentile 82 kg). Results suggest that even limited intermittent flows of fecal wastes in this setting can result in a steady-state density of Ascaris ova in soils capable of sustaining transmission, given the high prevalence of Ascaris shedding by children (prevalence = 25%; mean = 3.7 log10 per wet gram, sd = 1.1 log10), the high Ascaris ova counts in fecal sludges (prevalence = 88%; mean = 1.8 log10 per wet gram, sd = 0.95 log10), and the extended persistence and viability of Ascaris ova in soils. Even near-universal coverage of onsite sanitation may allow for sustained transmission of Ascaris under these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew Capone
- Department
of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana47401, United States
| | - Troy Barker
- Department
of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Public
Health, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina27599, United States
| | - Oliver Cumming
- Department
of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine, LondonWC1E 7HT, U.K.
| | - Abeoseh Flemister
- Department
of Biology, University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina27599, United States
| | - Riley Geason
- Department
of Biology, University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina27599, United States
| | - Elizabeth Kim
- Department
of Biology, University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina27599, United States
| | - Jackie Knee
- Department
of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine, LondonWC1E 7HT, U.K.
| | - Yarrow Linden
- Department
of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Public
Health, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina27599, United States
| | - Musa Manga
- Department
of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Public
Health, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina27599, United States
| | - Mackenzie Meldrum
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia30332, United States
| | - Rassul Nala
- Ministério
da Saúde, Instituto Nacional de Saúde
Maputo, Maputo1102, Mozambique
| | - Simrill Smith
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia30332, United States
| | - Joe Brown
- Department
of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Public
Health, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina27599, United States
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Waindok P, Raulf MK, Strube C. 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.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
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11
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Shipley A, Arida J, Almeria S. Comparative Evaluation of an Easy Laboratory Method for the Concentration of Oocysts and Commercial DNA Isolation Kits for the Molecular Detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis in Silt Loam Soil Samples. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071431. [PMID: 35889150 PMCID: PMC9322252 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a protozoan parasite that causes foodborne outbreaks of diarrheal illness (cyclosporiasis) worldwide. Contact with soil may be an important mode of transmission for C. cayetanensis and could play a role in the contamination of foods. However, there is a scarcity of detection methods and studies for C. cayetanensis in soil. Traditional parasitology concentration methods can be useful for the detection of C. cayetanensis, as found for other protozoa parasites of similar size. The present study evaluated a concentration method using flotation in saturated sucrose solution, subsequent DNA template preparation and qPCR following the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) Chapter 19b method. The proposed flotation method was compared to three commercial DNA isolation kits (Fast DNATM 50 mL SPIN kit for soil (MP Biomedicals, Irvine, CA, USA), Quick-DNATM Fecal/Soil Microbe Midiprep kit (Zymo Research, Irvine, CA, USA) and DNeasy® PowerMax® Soil Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany)) for the isolation and detection of DNA from experimentally seeded C. cayetanensis soil samples (5−10 g with 100 oocysts). Control unseeded samples were all negative in all methods. Significantly lower cycle threshold values (CT) were observed in the 100 oocyst C. cayetanensis samples processed via the flotation method than those processed with each of the commercial DNA isolation kits evaluated (p < 0.05), indicating higher recovery of the target DNA with flotation. All samples seeded with 100 oocysts (n = 5) were positive to the presence of the parasite by the flotation method, and no inhibition was observed in any of the processed samples. Linearity of detection of the flotation method was observed in samples seeded with different levels of oocysts, and the method was able to detect as few as 10 oocysts in 10 g of soil samples (limit of detection 1 oocyst/g). This comparative study showed that the concentration of oocysts in soil samples by flotation in high-density sucrose solutions is an easy, low-cost, and sensitive method that could be implemented for the detection of C. cayetanensis in environmental soil samples. The flotation method would be useful to identify environmental sources of C. cayetanensis contamination, persistence of the parasite in the soil and the role of soil in the transmission of C. cayetanensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Shipley
- Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment (OARSA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Food and Drug Administration, 8301 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (A.S.); (J.A.)
| | - Joseph Arida
- Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment (OARSA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Food and Drug Administration, 8301 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (A.S.); (J.A.)
- Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN), University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Sonia Almeria
- Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment (OARSA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Food and Drug Administration, 8301 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (A.S.); (J.A.)
- Correspondence:
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Amahmid O, Asmama S, Bouhoum K. Pathogenic parasites in sewage irrigated crops and soil: pattern of occurrence and health implications. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:1594-1608. [PMID: 33722120 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1898551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The current study aimed to determine the contamination level by human parasite eggs and cysts of sewage-irrigated soil, food crops and fodder crops. Field trials were conducted on spray-irrigated lettuce and flood-irrigated crops using raw wastewater and fresh water. Findings showed that irrigation by raw wastewater led to crops contamination with parasite eggs and cysts in varying levels. Lettuce samples were positive (27.7%) for one or more helminth eggs including the pathogens Ascaris and Trichuris with an average of 4.7 eggs/kg. Wastewater application caused an increase in lettuce contamination, followed by a decreasing phase. Cessation of irrigation resulted in helminth eggs disappearance within a week. Flood-irrigated crops were contaminated with helminth eggs in levels ranging from 1.5 eggs/kg in alfalfa to 4.75 eggs/kg in coriander. The pathogenic Giardia,Entamoeba histolytica/dispar and commensal amoeba cysts were highly detected reaching 9.97x103 cysts/kg in alfalfa. Parasites highly concentrated in soil, with levels up to 159 eggs/100gdw and 1.3x103 cysts/gdw. Ascaris and Trichuris eggs developed in soil and crops attaining the infective stage. Crops and soil irrigated with fresh water were free from parasite eggs and cysts. The occurrence of pathogens in soil and crops implies health risks for farmers, produce handlers and consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Amahmid
- Department of Biology and Earth Sciences, Section Biology, Regional Centre for Careers in Education and Training CRMEF Marrakech-Safi, Ibn Rochd, Marrakesh 40 000, Morocco
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change, Parasitology and Aquatic Biodiversity, Faculty of Sciences-Semlalia, University Cadi Ayyad Marrakesh , Morocco
| | - Souad Asmama
- Laboratory of Biological Analyses, Department of Parasitology, University Hospital Centre Mohammad VI, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Khadija Bouhoum
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change, Parasitology and Aquatic Biodiversity, Faculty of Sciences-Semlalia, University Cadi Ayyad Marrakesh , Morocco
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Tadege B, Mekonnen Z, Dana D, Sharew B, Dereje E, Loha E, Verweij JJ, Casaert S, Vlaminck J, Ayana M, Levecke B. Assessment of environmental contamination with soil-transmitted helminths life stages at school compounds, households and open markets in Jimma Town, Ethiopia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010307. [PMID: 35377880 PMCID: PMC9009776 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010307] [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: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It remains largely unknown where and how infections with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs; Ascaris, Trichuris, Necator and Ancylostoma) occur. We therefore aimed to identify possible sources of infection by assessing the environmental contamination in an STH-endemic area. Methods We first performed a series of laboratory experiments designed to optimize a soil straining-flotation method to detect and quantify Ascaris and Trichuris eggs in soil, and to validate the diagnostic performance of the optimized method when followed by microscopy and qPCR. In a second phase, we applied this method to assess the level of STH contamination in 399 environmental samples collected from 10 school compounds, 50 households and 9 open markets in Jimma Town (Ethiopia). Subsequently, we explored associations between the environmental contamination and both the corresponding STH epidemiology at the level of the schools and the household characteristics. Finally, we assessed the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards STHs in school children. Principal findings Our soil straining-flotation method has an analytical sensitivity of 50 eggs per 100 grams of soil and egg recovery rate of 36.0% (Ascaris) and 8.0% (Trichuris). The analysis of field samples with both microscopy and qPCR revealed the presence of 8 different helminth species of medical importance, including but not limited to the human STHs. There was a significant association between the environmental contamination and prevalence of any STH infections at the school level only. The KAP indicated a lack of knowledge and awareness of STHs. Conclusions/Significance Our optimized straining-flotation method has a moderate diagnostic performance and revealed that life stages of helminths are ubiquitous in the environment, which might be due to the poor sanitary facilities at both the schools and the households, and a poor level of KAP towards STHs. Further research is required to gain more insights into the contribution of these life stages to transmission. The recent strategies to control the morbidity caused by intestinal worms have mainly been focusing on large scale deworming programs during which drugs are administered to at-risk populations. Although these large-scale deworming programs have been successful in reducing the disease burden, re-infection in the absence of other intervention measures is unavoidable. Although there is a consensus on how infections with intestinal worms are transmitted, it remains unclear where hot spots of infectious life stages can be found in endemic communities, which in turn impedes both the design and the validation of interventions that prevent (re-)infection. We optimized a laboratory method to detect life stages in soil samples and applied this method to examine soil contamination at school compounds, households and open markets in Jimma Town (Ethiopia). Finally, we assessed the household characteristics, and the knowledge, attitude, and practice towards intestinal worms among school children. Generally, our results indicated (i) a moderate performance of our laboratory method, (ii) the ubiquitous presence of life stages in the environment, (iii) a poor level of sanitary facilities at both the schools and the households and (iv) a poor level of knowledge, attitude and practices towards intestinal worms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bamlaku Tadege
- School of Medicine, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
- School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- * E-mail: (BT); (BL)
| | - Zeleke Mekonnen
- School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- Molecular Biology and NTDs Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Daniel Dana
- School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- Molecular Biology and NTDs Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Bizuwarek Sharew
- School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Eden Dereje
- Molecular Biology and NTDs Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Eskindir Loha
- Chr. Michelsen Institute, Bergen, Norway
- Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jaco J. Verweij
- Microvida, Laboratory for Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Stijn Casaert
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Johnny Vlaminck
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Mio Ayana
- School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Molecular Biology and NTDs Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Bruno Levecke
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- * E-mail: (BT); (BL)
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Serra E, Masu G, Chisu V, Cappai S, Masala G, Loi F, Piseddu T. Environmental Contamination by Echinococcus spp. Eggs as a Risk for Human Health in Educational Farms of Sardinia, Italy. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9030143. [PMID: 35324871 PMCID: PMC8953574 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9030143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is a severe zoonosis caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. These parasites are naturally transmitted between canid definitive hosts that harbour the adult stage in the intestine, and mainly ungulate intermediate hosts, with larval cysts developing in their internal organs. The close coexistence between dog and sheep with incorrect hygiene management are the most important factors for the persistence of this parasitic pathology. The Educational Farms (EF) are farms and agritourisms suitably equipped to carry out training activities for people interested in farm practices and agricultural processing, in particular student groups. Public attendance of farms represents a new potential risk factor for the zoonoses transmission. Consumption of contaminated food and water in combination with contact or playing with domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) are possible routes of zoonoses human infection. In fact, Echinococcus spp. eggs may persist in the environment up to several months at low temperatures and moist conditions, having the chance of contaminating different matrices and surfaces. The aim of this investigation was to study environmental contamination by parasitic elements as a risk for zoonoses, such as Echinococcus spp. A total of 116 samples (35 of water, 33 of soil, 23 of vegetables, 25 of dog faeces) were collected in 30 EF in Sardinia. Samples were subjected to biomolecular investigation for the research of specific gene sequences of Echinococcus granulosus, Echinococcus multilocularis and Taenia spp. The study allowed to identify eight positive EF due to the presence of Echinococcusgranulosus in eight dog faeces samples and one positive EF due to the presence of Taenia spp. in a water sample. The work has allowed to develop and harmonise the diagnostic methods and operating protocols essential for controlling the spread of the CE to create “One Health” intervention plans in high endemic areas through the implementation of SOP (standard operating procedures) for monitoring the pathology in animals, humans and environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Serra
- OIE-National Reference Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Via Vienna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.S.); (G.M.); (G.M.); (T.P.)
| | - Gabriella Masu
- OIE-National Reference Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Via Vienna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.S.); (G.M.); (G.M.); (T.P.)
| | - Valentina Chisu
- OIE-National Reference Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Via Vienna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.S.); (G.M.); (G.M.); (T.P.)
- Correspondence: (V.C.); (F.L.)
| | - Stefano Cappai
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale della Sardegna, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Via XX Settembre, 09125 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Giovanna Masala
- OIE-National Reference Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Via Vienna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.S.); (G.M.); (G.M.); (T.P.)
| | - Federica Loi
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale della Sardegna, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Via XX Settembre, 09125 Cagliari, Italy;
- Correspondence: (V.C.); (F.L.)
| | - Toni Piseddu
- OIE-National Reference Laboratory of Echinococcosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Via Vienna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (E.S.); (G.M.); (G.M.); (T.P.)
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15
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Morley NJ. Vertebrates as uninfected disseminators of helminth eggs and larvae. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2022; 115:45-170. [PMID: 35249663 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2021.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The passive dispersal of non-mobile organisms by vertebrates (zoochory) is a common mechanism used to explain their often widespread distribution. Transport occurs either internally via the vertebrate digestive tract (endozoochory), or externally be adhering to skin, feathers or fur (ectozoochory), and its success is due to both physiological and ecological factors associated with the disseminating 'hosting' animal. Helminth eggs and larvae are generally non-mobile stages that are largely dependent on the movement of another animal, typically a host, for geographical dissemination. Studies on the zoochory of helminths by vertebrates are extensive and particularly long-standing, stretching back to the 19th century, although this literature is often overlooked when considering the biogeography of parasites. This review assesses the potential of helminths to be dispersed passively by zoochory examining evidence from both laboratory and field studies. The physiological dynamics of the vertebrate intestines and skin surface as hostile environments, as well as the characteristics of eggs and larvae which may facilitate successful transport are evaluated. The various mechanisms of helminth endo- and ectozoochory are presented and the likelihood of long-distance dispersal determined. It is concluded that zoochory is a potentially important means of disseminating parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil J Morley
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom.
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16
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Global incidence of helminthic contamination of vegetables, cucurbits and fruits: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Food Control 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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17
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Parasitological Assessment of Sewage Sludge Samples for Potential Agricultural Reuse in Tunisia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031657. [PMID: 35162680 PMCID: PMC8835308 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater sludge represents an important resource for reuse in agriculture. However, potentially harmful pathogens are a main threat in this context. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the presence of helminth ova and protozoan cysts in dried sewage sludge samples collected from ten wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in eight governorates in Tunisia. Based on morphological criteria, protozoan cysts of Giardia spp., Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii, and Entamoeba coli, were detected in all dried sludge composite samples (N = 116) from the investigated WWTPs. The mean concentration ranged from 1.4 to 10.7 cysts per 100 g dry matter (DM). The identified helminth eggs were Ascaris spp., Strongyles, Taeniid eggs, Hymenolepis nana, Enterobius vermicularis, and hookworm species. Ascaris spp. and Taeniid eggs were detected in 56.9 and 74.1% of analyzed samples, respectively. The presence of Trichuris spp., Hymenolepis diminuta, and Toxocara spp. eggs in dried sewage sludge samples was low (0.9, 1.7, and 2.6%, respectively). The mean concentration of helminth eggs during the three-year study was less than 1 egg/100 g DM. All examined dried sewage sludge sample contents were below the WHO (2006) and US EPA (2003) recommendations, and thus, the sludge can potentially be reused in agriculture.
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García-Rodríguez JJ, Köster PC, Ponce-Gordo F. Cyst detection and viability assessment of Balantioides coli in environmental samples: Current status and future needs. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2022; 26:e00143. [PMID: 35146143 PMCID: PMC8802839 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2021.e00143] [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: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ciliate Balantioides coli is a human enteric parasite that can cause life-threatening infections. It is a food- and waterborne parasite, with cysts being the infective stage. Despite its importance as a potential pathogen, few reports have investigated its presence in environmental samples, and some issues need attention including i) The accuracy of B. coli identification. In most cases, the protozoa is identified only by its morphological traits, which can be identical to those from other parasitic ciliates of animals. Genetic analysis of cysts recovered from environmental samples is necessary for species confirmation. In addition, genetic methods used with faecal samples need to be adequately validated with environmental matrices. ii) The methodology for searching this parasite in environmental samples. The protocols include an initial phase to isolate the cysts from the matrix followed by a second phase in which concentration procedures are usually applied. The methods may be valid but are not standardised and differences between studies could affect the results obtained. iii) The areas that needs further research. The development of genetic identification methods and standardised analytical protocols in environmental samples are required, as well as the assessment of viability and infectivity of B. coli cysts. The development of axenic culture systems will boost research on this parasite. Balantioides coli is mainly considered a foodborne parasite for humans. Detection methods in environmental samples are not standardised. Correct identification should be made by genetic analysis. Methods for B. coli cyst viability and infectivity assessment are to be developed.
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19
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Mello CCSD, Nizoli LQ, Ferraz A, Chagas BC, Azario WJD, Motta SPD, Villela MM. Soil contamination by Ancylostoma spp. and Toxocara spp. eggs in elementary school playgrounds in the extreme south of Brazil. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2022; 31:e019121. [PMID: 35019029 PMCID: PMC9901864 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612022003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Millions of people worldwide, and especially schoolchildren, may be infected by geohelminths due to their exposure to a contaminated environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate soil contamination by Ancylostoma spp. and Toxocara spp. eggs in recreation areas at elementary schools in Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Sand samples were collected from 22 schools and were processed using the centrifugal flotation method. Helminth eggs with zoonotic potential were found in 12 out of the 22 schools (54.5%). Contamination by Ancylostoma spp. and Toxocara spp. was observed in 36.4% (8/22) and 27.3% (6/22) of the soil samples collected at these schools, respectively. These findings of eggs show that the school communities are exposed to risks of zoonotic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catia Cilene Santos de Mello
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - Leandro Quintana Nizoli
- Departamento de Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - Alexsander Ferraz
- Departamento de Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - Bruno Cabral Chagas
- Departamento de Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - William James Domingues Azario
- Setor de Saúde Pública Escolar, Secretaria Municipal de Educação e Desporto, Prefeitura Municipal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - Sara Patron da Motta
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - Marcos Marreiro Villela
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
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Soares FA, Martins Dos Santos B, Rosa SL, Loiola SHN, Suzuki CTN, Sabadini E, Bresciani KDS, Falcão AX, Gomes JF. Dissolved air flotation as potential new mechanism for intestinal parasite diagnosis in feces. Acta Trop 2021; 224:106137. [PMID: 34562419 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The parasitological examination of feces is recommended for the laboratory diagnosis of intestinal parasites due to its practicality, low-cost, and moderate diagnostic sensitivity. Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) is an efficient technical principle used in other areas to separate dispersed solids. This study sought the preliminary evaluation of a proof-of-concept prototype as a tool for detecting species of parasites by adjusting DAF. Two DAF prototype units were developed to evaluate microbubbles' generation amidst fecal suspension and parasites' capture. For this evaluation, samples were screened and processed by the TF-Test technique (Control) and simultaneously by DAF device. The dimensional and attachment characteristics in the formation of the microbubbles were evaluated, and the percentage of parasitic recovery in floated and not-floated regions compared by Student's t-test. The second prototype unit proved to be more efficient in forming microbubbles with diameters between 34 and 170µm. The flotation tests showed a recovery of 73.27%, 58.12%, 37.85%, and 91.89% for Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis diminuta, Giardia duodenalis, and Strongyloides stercoralis, respectively. This study confirmed the selective interaction between microbubbles and parasite eggs and larvae during the flotation process using the DAF principle for the first time through imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Augusto Soares
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Bianca Martins Dos Santos
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Stefany Laryssa Rosa
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Saulo Hudson Nery Loiola
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Celso Tetsuo Nagase Suzuki
- Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; ImmunoCamp Science and Technology, Vinhedo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edvaldo Sabadini
- Department of Physical-Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre Xavier Falcão
- Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-889, Brazil; Laboratory of Image Data Science (LIDS), Institute of Computing (IC), University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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21
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Da Silva AM, Bastien M, Umhang G, Boué F, Bastid V, Boucher JM, Caillot C, de Garam CP, Renault C, Faisse M, Courquet S, Scalabrino V, Millon L, Knapp J, Poulle ML. Soil contamination by Echinococcus multilocularis in rural and urban vegetable gardens in relation to fox, cat and dog faecal deposits. Parasite 2021; 28:74. [PMID: 34723788 PMCID: PMC8559720 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2021073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Echinococcus multilocularis eggs are deposited on the ground with the faeces of the carnivore definitive hosts. A reliable assessment of the spatial distribution of E. multilocularis eggs in environments used by humans is crucial for the prevention of alveolar echinococcosis (AE). This study was conducted in 192 rural and 71 urban vegetable gardens in AE endemic areas of north-eastern France. Its objective was to explore the relationship between the spatial distribution of E. multilocularis estimated from the collection and molecular analysis of two types of samples: faeces and soil. A total of 1024 carnivore faeces and 463 soil samples were collected and analysed by real-time PCR. No fox droppings and no positive soil samples were collected from the urban gardens. Positive soil samples, positive carnivore faeces, or both, were found in 42%, 24% and 6% of the sampled rural gardens, respectively. No significant association was found between the detection of E. multilocularis in soil samples collected from 50 gardens during a single sampling session and the extent and frequency of deposits of fox and cat faeces collected during repeated sampling sessions conducted in the previous months. In 19/50 gardens, E. multilocularis was detected in the soil while no positive faeces had been collected in the previous 12 months. Conversely, in 8/50 gardens, no soil samples were positive although positive faeces had been collected in the previous months. Collecting and analysing faeces provide information on soil contamination at a given time, while analysing soil samples provides an overview of long-term contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdou Malik Da Silva
- Chrono-Environnement, UMR UBFC/CNRS 6249 Aff. INRA, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 25030 Besançon, France - Department of Parasitology-Mycology, National Reference Centre for Echinococcoses, University Hospital of Besançon, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Matthieu Bastien
- Entente for the Control of Zoonoses, Malzéville, 54220 Nancy, France - Epidémio-Surveillance et Circulation des Parasites dans les Environnements (ESCAPE), EA 7510, CAP SANTE, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, 51095 Reims Cedex, France
| | - Gérald Umhang
- ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-Epidemiology Unit, Technopole Agricole et Vétérinaire, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Franck Boué
- ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-Epidemiology Unit, Technopole Agricole et Vétérinaire, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Vanessa Bastid
- ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-Epidemiology Unit, Technopole Agricole et Vétérinaire, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Jean-Marc Boucher
- ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-Epidemiology Unit, Technopole Agricole et Vétérinaire, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Christophe Caillot
- ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-Epidemiology Unit, Technopole Agricole et Vétérinaire, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Carine Peytavin de Garam
- ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-Epidemiology Unit, Technopole Agricole et Vétérinaire, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Camille Renault
- ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-Epidemiology Unit, Technopole Agricole et Vétérinaire, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Marine Faisse
- Entente for the Control of Zoonoses, Malzéville, 54220 Nancy, France - ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-Epidemiology Unit, Technopole Agricole et Vétérinaire, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Sandra Courquet
- Chrono-Environnement, UMR UBFC/CNRS 6249 Aff. INRA, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 25030 Besançon, France - Department of Parasitology-Mycology, National Reference Centre for Echinococcoses, University Hospital of Besançon, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Vincent Scalabrino
- Chrono-Environnement, UMR UBFC/CNRS 6249 Aff. INRA, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Laurence Millon
- Chrono-Environnement, UMR UBFC/CNRS 6249 Aff. INRA, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 25030 Besançon, France - Department of Parasitology-Mycology, National Reference Centre for Echinococcoses, University Hospital of Besançon, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Jenny Knapp
- Chrono-Environnement, UMR UBFC/CNRS 6249 Aff. INRA, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 25030 Besançon, France - Department of Parasitology-Mycology, National Reference Centre for Echinococcoses, University Hospital of Besançon, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Marie-Lazarine Poulle
- Epidémio-Surveillance et Circulation des Parasites dans les Environnements (ESCAPE), EA 7510, CAP SANTE, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, 51095 Reims Cedex, France - CERFE, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 08240 Boult-aux-Bois, France
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22
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Kwong LH, Sen D, Islam S, Shahriar S, Benjamin-Chung J, Arnold BF, Hubbard A, Parvez SM, Islam M, Unicomb L, Rahman MM, Nelson K, Colford JM, Luby SP, Ercumen A. Effect of sanitation improvements on soil-transmitted helminth eggs in courtyard soil from rural Bangladesh: Evidence from a cluster-randomized controlled trial. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0008815. [PMID: 34319986 PMCID: PMC8351931 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008815] [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: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Improved sanitation has been hypothesized to reduce soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections by reducing the prevalence and concentration of STH eggs/larvae in soil. We evaluated the effect of a randomized sanitation program (providing households with an improved dual-pit latrine, tools for child/animal feces management, and behavioral messaging) on reducing the prevalence and concentration of STH eggs in soil from household courtyards. We collected soil samples from 1405 households enrolled in the sanitation intervention (n = 419) and control (n = 914) groups of a cluster-randomized controlled trial (WASH Benefits) in rural Bangladesh approximately 2 years after the initiation of the interventions. We analyzed samples for Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm eggs by microscopy. We estimated prevalence ratios (PR) and egg count ratio (ECR) to compare the prevalence of STH eggs and arithmetic and geometric mean egg counts for STH eggs per gram of soil in the sanitation and control arms. Among intervention households, latrines achieved high and sustained user uptake by adults while child open defecation remained common and most households did not dispose of child feces hygienically. In courtyard soil from control households, the prevalence of any STH eggs was 75.7% and the prevalence of any larvated STH eggs was 67.3%. A. lumbricoides was detected in 63.0% of control samples and T. trichiura in 55.7% of control samples; hookworm was not detected in any sample. In the control arm, the arithmetic mean egg count for any STH was 3.96 eggs/dry gram, while the geometric mean was 1.58 eggs/dry gram. There was no difference between the intervention and control groups in the prevalence of any STH eggs (PR = 0.98 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.05)) or mean egg counts (ECR = 0.08 (95% CI: -0.10, 0.26) for geometric mean and 0.07 (95% CI: -0.22, 0.37) for arithmetic mean). Adjusted models gave similar results. A compound-level sanitation intervention that provided improved latrines and tools for disposal of child and animal feces did not have an impact on STH eggs in soil. In order to effectively reduce the prevalence and concentration of STH eggs in the environment, sustained, widespread use of sanitation strategies to isolate and hygienically dispose of child and animal feces may need to complement traditional strategies for containment of adult human feces. Trial Registration: NCT01590095.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura H. Kwong
- Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Debashis Sen
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sharmin Islam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sunny Shahriar
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Jade Benjamin-Chung
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Benjamin F. Arnold
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Alan Hubbard
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Sarker Masud Parvez
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mahfuza Islam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Leanne Unicomb
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Mahbubur Rahman
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kara Nelson
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - John M. Colford
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Stephen P. Luby
- Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Ayse Ercumen
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
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23
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Shusterman L, Marsh AE, Joyner PH, Habing G. Detection of Trichuris eggs in feces and soil from giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis) and other hoofstock enclosures under human care in the USA. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2021; 15:208-213. [PMID: 34141568 PMCID: PMC8187158 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Trichuris spp. are nematode parasites infecting wild ruminants in zoological institutions worldwide. These helminths cause significant morbidity in giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) and other hoofstock located in zoological institutions throughout the United States. Historically, studies and institutions have used a variety of nematode detection methods with various flotation solutions. Optimization of Trichuris egg detection is necessary for monitoring collections. Fecal and soil optimized protocols were generated in this study using samples containing Trichuris eggs from multiple semi free-ranging zoological institutions. First, Sheather's sugar (specific gravity (SG) 1.27), sucrose (SG 1.40), magnesium sulfate (SG 1.26), and zinc sulfate (SG 1.18) were compared as flotation solutions by quantitative eggs per gram using a modified Stoll method. Then a soil recovery method was optimized comparing Tween 20, sodium hydroxide, Dawn™ (Procter and Gamble) detergent, and sodium chloride as liberating solutions to free eggs from the soil. We found that Sheather's sugar and sucrose solutions were the most effective for Trichuris egg detection, and either sodium hydroxide or sodium chloride liberated eggs from soil. Optimization of giraffe Trichuris egg detection. Soil Trichuris recovery methods analysis. Multi-institutional giraffe Trichuris evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Shusterman
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Rd, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Antoinette E. Marsh
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Rd, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Rd, Columbus, OH 43212, USA.
| | | | - Greg Habing
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Rd, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
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24
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In vitro anthelmintic activity of Chenopodium album and in-silico prediction of mechanistic role on Eisenia foetida. Heliyon 2021; 7:e05917. [PMID: 33553723 PMCID: PMC7848649 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e05917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Helminths born diseases are related to pitiable management practices and improper control strategies. The medicinal plants contain various phytoconstituents that are liable for their anthelmintic activity. The aerial parts of the Chenopodium album were successively extracted with microwaves assisted extraction using petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol, hydroalcoholic and aqueous solvents to get respective extracts (CAPE, CAEE, CAME, CAHE, and CAAE). All the extracts were analyzed for preliminary phytochemical screening for the identification of phytoconstituents. The anthelmintic activity was analyzed on Indian adult earthworms Eisenia foetida using piperazine citrate (PCT) as a standard drug. All the extracts (apart from CAAE) lead to paralysis and fatality of the earthworms. CAEE extract exhibits highly significant anthelmintic activity at a 10 mg/ml concentration by causing paralysis and fatality of earthworms and was more potent than PCT suspension. At a concentration of 10 mg/ml, paralysis and death time for CAEE was recorded as (10.08 ± 1.11) and (65.28 ± 2.09) respectively, while for standard piperazine citrate, it was recorded as (22.96 ± 1.12) and (65.09 ± 1.23). The CAEE exhibits two major compounds by LC-MS, i.e., NG and DG, that are mainly accountable for the Chenopodium album anthelmintic activity. The plant possesses GABA-mimetic action and thereby leads to flaccid, reversible paralysis of the body wall muscle.
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25
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Pineda CO, Leal DAG, de Lima R, Ribeiro PP, Rodrigues A, Martini MH, Stancari RCA, Matosinhos FCL, Miné JC, Greinert-Goulart JA, Grott SC, Diefenbach LMG, Araújo B, Franco RMB. Parasites in Fresh Produce: a Brazilian Inter-laboratory Evaluation of a Standardized Methodology for the Detection of Ascaris sp. in Leafy Vegetables. FOOD ANAL METHOD 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12161-020-01925-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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26
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Castro-Seriche S, Fernández Í, Landaeta-Aqueveque C. Factors associated with the presence of helminth eggs in the soil of public areas in Concepción, Chile. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 29:e003120. [PMID: 32965393 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612020054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the association between the distance to the nearest feces, the type of substrate to be studied (feces, soil, grass), and whether a given area was licensed or not with the presence of helminth eggs in Concepción, Chile. A total of 256 samples taken from feces and either from soil or grass at 10 cm, 50 cm, and 100 cm from feces (including 16 public areas), were examined for the presence of parasites using the ZnSO4 technique. The association between variables with the presence of eggs was assessed with multifactorial logistic regressions. 24.21% of samples presented at least one egg. The higher odds of Toxocara egg presence was positively associated with the licensed 'area type' and the soil 'sample type' (when compared with feces). The odds of Ancylostomatidae egg presence was positively associated with the licensed 'area type', but negatively associated with the soil 'sample type' (compared with feces). The results suggest that finding eggs must be interpreted differently based on the parasite species and substrate to be analyzed, and that the presence of parasitized dogs is a more important contributing factor than the frequency with which the ground is cleaned of feces.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ítalo Fernández
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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27
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Soares FA, Benitez ADN, dos Santos BM, Loiola SHN, Rosa SL, Nagata WB, Inácio SV, Suzuki CTN, Bresciani KDS, Falcão AX, Gomes JF. A historical review of the techniques of recovery of parasites for their detection in human stools. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2020; 53:e20190535. [PMID: 32491097 PMCID: PMC7269538 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0535-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the early 20th century, the detection of intestinal parasites has improved with the development of several techniques for parasitic structures recovery and identification, which differ in sensitivity, specificity, practicality, cost, and infrastructure demand. This study aims to review, in chronological order, the stool examination techniques and discuss their advantages, limitations, and perspectives, and to provide professionals and specialists in this field with data that lays a foundation for critical analysis on the use of such procedures. The concentration procedures that constitute the main techniques applied in routine research and in parasitological kits are a) spontaneous sedimentation; b) centrifugation-sedimentation with formalin-ethyl acetate; and c) flotation with zinc sulfate solution. While selecting a technique, one should consider the purpose of its application and the technical-operational, biological, and physicochemical factors inherent in the procedures used in stool processing, which may restrict its use. These intrinsic limitations may have undergone procedural changes driven by scientific and technological development and by development of alternative methods, which now contribute to the improvement of diagnostic accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Augusto Soares
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | | | | | | | - Stefany Laryssa Rosa
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | - Walter Bertequini Nagata
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Departamento de Apoio, Produção e Saúde Animal, Araçatuba, SP, Brasil
| | - Sandra Valéria Inácio
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Departamento de Apoio, Produção e Saúde Animal, Araçatuba, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Katia Denise Saraiva Bresciani
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Departamento de Apoio, Produção e Saúde Animal, Araçatuba, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Campinas, SP, Brasil
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Computação, Campinas, SP, Brasil
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28
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Detection of Helminth Ova in Wastewater Using Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Coupled to Lateral Flow Strips. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12030691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Ascaris lumbricoides is a major soil-transmitted helminth that is highly infective to humans. The ova of A. lumbricoides are able to survive wastewater treatment, thus making it an indicator organism for effective water treatment and sanitation. Hence, Ascaris ova must be removed from wastewater matrices for the safe use of recycled water. Current microscopic techniques for identification and enumeration of Ascaris ova are laborious and cumbersome. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based techniques are sensitive and specific, however, major constraints lie in having to transport samples to a centralised laboratory, the requirement for sophisticated instrumentation and skilled personnel. To address this issue, a rapid, highly specific, sensitive, and affordable method for the detection of helminth ova was developed utilising recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) coupled with lateral flow (LF) strips. In this study, Ascaris suum ova were used to demonstrate the potential use of the RPA-LF assay. The method was faster (< 30 min) with optimal temperature at 37 °C and greater sensitivity than PCR-based approaches with detection as low as 2 femtograms of DNA. Furthermore, ova from two different helminth genera were able to be detected as a multiplex assay using a single lateral flow strip, which could significantly reduce the time and the cost of helminth identification. The RPA-LF system represents an accurate, rapid, and cost-effective technology that could replace the existing detection methods, which are technically challenged and not ideal for on-site detection in wastewater treatment plants.
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29
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Nijsse R, Overgaauw P, Ploeger H, Mughini-Gras L. Sources of environmental contamination with Toxocara spp.: An omnipresent parasite. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2020; 109:585-614. [PMID: 32381219 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2020.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Embryonated Toxocara eggs in the environment are considered to be the most important source of human toxocariasis. These eggs, however, are also a source of infection for the definitive and paratenic hosts. Most available literature focuses on Toxocara canis in dogs, or other canids. There are, however, other Toxocara species with their accompanying definitive hosts. Results from studies that modelled patent infections in dogs, cats and foxes show that although dogs are a very important source for environmental contamination with Toxocara eggs, other sources cannot be ignored. For a good understanding of the relative contributions of different definitive hosts to environmental contamination with Toxocara eggs, computational models should be built and fed with data from different fields of expertise as is discussed in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolf Nijsse
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Paul Overgaauw
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Harm Ploeger
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lapo Mughini-Gras
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
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Vaz Nery S, Traub RJ, McCarthy JS, Clarke NE, Amaral S, Llewellyn S, Weking E, Richardson A, Campbell SJ, Gray DJ, Vallely AJ, Williams GM, Andrews RM, Clements ACA. WASH for WORMS: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial of the Impact of a Community Integrated Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene and Deworming Intervention on Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 100:750-761. [PMID: 30628573 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions have been proposed as an important complement to deworming programs for sustainable control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections. We aimed to determine whether a community-based WASH program had additional benefits in reducing STH infections compared with community deworming alone. We conducted the WASH for WORMS cluster-randomized controlled trial in 18 rural communities in Timor-Leste. Intervention communities received a WASH intervention that provided access to an improved water source, promoted improved household sanitation, and encouraged handwashing with soap. All eligible community members in intervention and control arms received albendazole every 6 months for 2 years. The primary outcomes were infection with each STH, measured using multiplex real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We compared outcomes between study arms using generalized linear mixed models, accounting for clustering at community, household, and individual levels. At study completion, the integrated WASH and deworming intervention did not have an effect on infection with Ascaris spp. (relative risk [RR] 2.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66-12.48, P = 0.159) or Necator americanus (RR 0.99, 95% CI: 0.52-1.89, P = 0.987), compared with deworming alone. At the last follow-up, open defecation was practiced by 66.1% (95% CI: 54.2-80.2) of respondents in the control arm versus 40.2% (95% CI: 25.3-52.6) of respondents in the intervention arm (P = 0.005). We found no evidence that the WASH intervention resulted in additional reductions in STH infections beyond that achieved with deworming alone over the 2-year trial period. The role of WASH on STH infections over a longer period of time and in the absence of deworming remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Vaz Nery
- The Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Rebecca J Traub
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - James S McCarthy
- Clinical Tropical Medicine Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Naomi E Clarke
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Salvador Amaral
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Stacey Llewellyn
- Clinical Tropical Medicine Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Alice Richardson
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Suzy J Campbell
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Darren J Gray
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Andrew J Vallely
- The Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Gail M Williams
- School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ross M Andrews
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.,Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Archie C A Clements
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.,Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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Baihaqi ZA, Widiyono I, Nurcahyo W. Prevalence of gastrointestinal worms in Wonosobo and thin-tailed sheep on the slope of Mount Sumbing, Central Java, Indonesia. Vet World 2019; 12:1866-1871. [PMID: 32009768 PMCID: PMC6925045 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2019.1866-1871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) worms in Wonosobo and thin-tailed sheep from the slope of Mount Sumbing. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fecal samples (n=305) were collected directly from the rectum of Wonosobo and thin-tailed sheep during the dry and rainy seasons in Wonosobo Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia. The presence of GI helminth eggs in the fecal samples was assessed using the modified McMaster egg counting technique. The identification of the eggs or oocysts was done on the basis of their morphology and size. RESULTS The highest prevalence of GI worms was observed in male thin-tailed sheep (76.47%) during the rainy season, whereas the lowest prevalence was observed in female Wonosobo sheep (47.36%) during the dry season. The types of GI nematodes observed in these two types of sheep were Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia spp., Trichostrongylus spp., Bunostomumspp., Trichuris spp., and Moniezia spp. The GI worms with the highest prevalence were of Haemonchus spp. and were observed in male thin-tailed sheep. The prevalences of the two types of sheep assessed at an altitude of 1150 m above sea level were higher than those observed at the altitude of 1586 m. The prevalence of clinical and sub-clinical parasites infestation in Wonosobo and thin-tailed sheep in Kwadungan village was significantly different (p<0.05). CONCLUSION This study showed that two types of local sheep on the slope of Mount Sumbing are infected with various GI worms during the dry and rainy seasons. The highest prevalence of GI worms was found in thin-tailed sheep at an altitude of 1150 m above sea level during the rainy season, with H. contortus being the most prevalent GI parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zein Ahmad Baihaqi
- Student of Postgraduate Program of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Irkham Widiyono
- Department of Internal Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Wisnu Nurcahyo
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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Ravindran VB, Shahsavari E, Soni SK, Ball AS. Viability determination of Ascaris ova in raw wastewater: a comparative evaluation of culture-based, BacLight Live/Dead staining and PMA-qPCR methods. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2019; 80:817-826. [PMID: 31746788 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2019.286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Accurate evaluation of viable Ascaris ova in wastewater is the key to mitigating Ascaris reinfections in endemic regions. In this study, the viability of Ascaris ova in raw wastewater was determined using three different detection methods: culture-based, BacLight Live/Dead staining and propidium monoazide-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PMA-qPCR). Furthermore, comparative assessment of viability utilising the aforementioned detection methods was performed using seeded experiments in wastewater. The percentage of viability was: culture-based (82%), BacLight Live/Dead staining (87%) and PMA-qPCR (85%) respectively. Despite the fact that no statistical difference was shown in the viability determination among the three methods, PMA-qPCR-based viability determination would be preferable over the other two methods for evaluating potential public health risks with A. suum ova due to its accuracy, being least subjective and its rapid reaction time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek B Ravindran
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West, Victoria 3083, Australia E-mail:
| | - Esmaeil Shahsavari
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West, Victoria 3083, Australia E-mail:
| | - Sarvesh K Soni
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West, Victoria 3083, Australia E-mail:
| | - Andrew S Ball
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West, Victoria 3083, Australia E-mail:
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Abstract
A central and critical step in the molecular detection of soil-transmitted helminths from environmental sources is the extraction of DNA from the eggs. In this study, we investigated the yield of DNA extracted from known quantities (500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5) of Ascaris suum eggs, as well as directly from wastewater and sludge samples containing Ascaris spp. eggs, using six commercial DNA extraction kits. The amount of DNA extracted was quantified with NanoDrop, Qubit and Ct values from quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay using CFX96 Touch™ real-time PCR equipment. The PowerLyzer Ultraclean Microbial DNA isolation kit and PowerSoil DNA isolation kit gave the highest yield of DNA based on the NanoDrop, Qubit and Ct values. However, the qPCR results indicate that in some of the kits, PCR inhibitors may have been carried over to the PCR reaction. DNA extraction kits that incorporate a bead-beating step as well as other mechanical eggshell disruption steps were superior in extracting DNA from Ascaris spp. eggs. Additionally, for the accurate quantification of extracted DNA, the use of Ct values from qPCR and Qubit readings gives better results compared to the NanoDrop readings. For efficient downstream applications, the use of DNA extraction kits with superior inhibitor removal technology is essential, in addition to a high yield of DNA.
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A Review on the Current Knowledge and Prospects for the Development of Improved Detection Methods for Soil-Transmitted Helminth Ova for the Safe Reuse of Wastewater and Mitigation of Public Health Risks. WATER 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/w11061212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Climate change, increase in population and scarcity of freshwater have led to a global demand for wastewater reuse in irrigation. However, wastewater has to be treated in order to minimize the presence of pathogens, in particular, the ova of soil-transmitted helminthes (STHs). Limiting the transmission via removal of STH ova, accurate assessment of risks and minimizing the exposure to the public have been recommended by health regulators. The World Health Organization (WHO) guideline specifies a limit of ≤1 ova/L for safe wastewater reuse. Additionally, the Australian Guidelines for Water recycling (AGWR) recommend a hydraulic retention time of over 25 days in a lagoon or stabilization pond to ensure a 4 log reduction value of helminth ova and to mitigate soil-transmitted helminths associated risks to humans. However, the lack of fast and sensitive methods for assessing the concentration of STH ova in wastewater poses a considerable challenge for an accurate risk assessment. Consequently, it has been difficult to control soil-transmitted helminthiasis despite effective mass drug administration. This limitation can be overcome with the advent of novel techniques for the detection of helminth ova. Therefore, this review presents an assessment of the current methods to detect the viable ova of soil-transmitted helminths in wastewater. Furthermore, the review focuses on the perspectives for the emerging state-of-the-art research and developments that have the potential to replace currently available conventional and polymerase chain reaction based methods and achieve the guidelines of the WHO in order to allow the safe reuse of wastewater for non-potable applications, thereby minimizing public health risks.
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Vaz Nery S, Pickering AJ, Abate E, Asmare A, Barrett L, Benjamin-Chung J, Bundy DAP, Clasen T, Clements ACA, Colford JM, Ercumen A, Crowley S, Cumming O, Freeman MC, Haque R, Mengistu B, Oswald WE, Pullan RL, Oliveira RG, Einterz Owen K, Walson JL, Youya A, Brooker SJ. The role of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions in reducing soil-transmitted helminths: interpreting the evidence and identifying next steps. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:273. [PMID: 31138266 PMCID: PMC6540378 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3532-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The transmission soil transmitted helminths (STH) occurs via ingestion of or contact with infective stages present in soil contaminated with human faeces. It follows therefore that efforts to reduce faecal contamination of the environment should help to reduce risk of parasite exposure and improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are seen as essential for the long-term, sustainable control of STH. However, the link between WASH and STH is not always supported by the available evidence from randomised controlled trials, which report mixed effects of WASH intervention on infection risk. This review critically summarises the available trial evidence and offers an interpretation of the observed heterogeneity in findings. The review also discusses the implications of findings for control programmes and highlights three main issues which merit further consideration: intervention design, exposure assessment, and intervention fidelity assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Vaz Nery
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Amy J. Pickering
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, USA
| | - Ebba Abate
- Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | | | - Jade Benjamin-Chung
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Donald A. P. Bundy
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Thomas Clasen
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | | | - John M. Colford
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Ayse Ercumen
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA USA
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC USA
| | | | - Oliver Cumming
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Matthew C. Freeman
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Rashidul Haque
- International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Birhan Mengistu
- Neglected Tropical Diseases, Federal Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - William E. Oswald
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Rachel L. Pullan
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | | | - Judd L. Walson
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Ashrafedin Youya
- Environmental Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Simon J. Brooker
- Global Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
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Ercumen A, Benjamin-Chung J, Arnold BF, Lin A, Hubbard AE, Stewart C, Rahman Z, Parvez SM, Unicomb L, Rahman M, Haque R, Colford JM, Luby SP. Effects of water, sanitation, handwashing and nutritional interventions on soil-transmitted helminth infections in young children: A cluster-randomized controlled trial in rural Bangladesh. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007323. [PMID: 31050672 PMCID: PMC6519840 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soil transmitted helminths (STH) infect >1.5 billion people. Mass drug administration (MDA) effectively reduces infection; however, there is evidence for rapid reinfection and risk of potential drug resistance. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Bangladesh (WASH Benefits, NCT01590095) to assess whether water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition interventions, alone and combined, reduce STH in a setting with ongoing MDA. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In 2012-2013, we randomized 720 clusters of 5551 pregnant women into water treatment, sanitation, handwashing, combined water+sanitation+handwashing (WSH), nutrition, nutrition+WSH (N+WSH) or control arms. In 2015-2016, we enrolled 7795 children, aged 2-12 years, of 4102 available women for STH follow-up and collected stool from 7187. We enumerated STH infections with Kato-Katz. We estimated intention-to-treat intervention effects on infection prevalence and intensity. Participants and field staff were not blinded; laboratory technicians and data analysts were blinded. Prevalence among controls was 36.8% for A. lumbricoides, 9.2% for hookworm and 7.5% for T. trichiura. Most infections were low-intensity. Compared to controls, the water intervention reduced hookworm by 31% (prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.69 (0.50,0.95), prevalence difference [PD] = -2.83 (-5.16,-0.50)) but did not affect other STH. Sanitation improvements reduced T. trichiura by 29% (PR = 0.71 (0.52,0.98), PD = -2.17 (-4.03,-0.38)), had a similar borderline effect on hookworm and no effect on A. lumbricoides. Handwashing and nutrition interventions did not reduce any STH. WSH and N+WSH reduced hookworm prevalence by 29-33% (WSH: PR = 0.71 (0.52,0.99), PD = -2.63 (-4.95,-0.31); N+WSH: PR = 0.67 (0.50,0.91), PD = -3.00 (-5.14,-0.85)) and marginally reduced A. lumbricoides. Effects on infection intensity were similar. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE In a low-intensity infection setting with MDA, we found modest but sustained hookworm reduction from water treatment and combined WSH interventions. Impacts were more pronounced on STH species with short vs. long-term environmental survival. Our findings suggest possible waterborne transmission for hookworm. Water treatment and sanitation improvements can augment MDA to interrupt STH transmission. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT01590095.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayse Ercumen
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Jade Benjamin-Chung
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Benjamin F. Arnold
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Audrie Lin
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Alan E. Hubbard
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Christine Stewart
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Zahidur Rahman
- Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sarker Masud Parvez
- Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Leanne Unicomb
- Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rashidul Haque
- Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - John M. Colford
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Stephen P. Luby
- Infectious Diseases & Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
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Ravindran VB, Surapaneni A, Crosbie ND, Schmidt J, Shahsavari E, Haleyur N, Soni SK, Ball AS. A modified approach to recover and enumerate Ascaris ova in wastewater and sludge. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007020. [PMID: 30789908 PMCID: PMC6383862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vivek B. Ravindran
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Sarvesh K. Soni
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew S. Ball
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Bucur I, Gabriël S, Van Damme I, Dorny P, Vang Johansen M. Survival of Taenia saginata eggs under different environmental conditions. Vet Parasitol 2019; 266:88-95. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Oyebamiji D, Ebisike A, Egede J, Hassan A. Knowledge, attitude and practice with respect to soil contamination by Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria. Parasite Epidemiol Control 2018; 3:e00075. [PMID: 30306146 PMCID: PMC6171486 DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2018.e00075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ancylostoma duodenale, Necator americanus, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura, the four major Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and also Strongyloides stercoralis infect humans worldwide. Most studies on Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) carried out in Ibadan were faecal examination based while relatively few soil examination based studies were carried out mostly around school premises using limited number of sampling locations. This study was therefore designed to assess the level of soil contamination with STH and associated risk factors in the eleven local government areas of Ibadan. A total of 1980 soil samples were purposively collected monthly, between January and December 2017, from toilet areas, refuse dump sites, house vicinities, playgrounds, roadsides/walk ways, and examined for the presence of parasite eggs or larvae using automated analysis of light microscopy images by computer. Well-structured questionnaires were administered to 620 consenting participants to obtain information on the Knowledge of STH infections, Attitudes and Practices towards the infections. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, Chi-square and ANOVA were used in the analysis at p < 0.05. Out of soil samples examined, 1087 (54.9%) had at least one species of parasite. The prevalence of hookworm was 74.5% followed by 50.2% and 37.2% for Strongyloides species larvae and adult respectively, and 25.1% for Ascaris species. The highest prevalence was observed in the refuse dump (74.2%) followed by toilet area (36.5%) while the lowest was at house vicinities (1.6%). Fifty-seven percent of the respondents use pit latrine while 20.6% still practice open defecation. A high transmission risk was observed as large percentage (66.8%) of the respondents showed inadequate knowledge of how to avoid STH infections. Moreover, 64.0% and 25.2% reported that they often walk barefooted and suck fingers respectively. The high prevalence of parasitic contamination of soil observed in the present study and the high proportion of respondent with inadequate knowledge of how to prevent transmission of STH pose a high risk of re-infections in the study area even after treatment. Therefore there is a need for proper education on parasite transmission in the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- D.A. Oyebamiji
- Parasitology Unit, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
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Chaiyos J, Suwannatrai K, Thinkhamrop K, Pratumchart K, Sereewong C, Tesana S, Kaewkes S, Sripa B, Wongsaroj T, Suwannatrai AT. MaxEnt modeling of soil-transmitted helminth infection distributions in Thailand. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:3507-3517. [PMID: 30120589 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-6048-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Infections due to soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), i.e. Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, hookworms, and Strongyloides stercoralis, are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas in which approximately 1.5 billion people are infected. A clear understanding of the epidemiology and distribution of diseases is an important aid for control and prevention. The aim of our study was to identify the effects of environmental and climatic factors on distribution patterns of STHs and to develop a risk map for STH infections under current environmental and climate regimes in Thailand. Geographical information systems (GIS), remote sensing, and Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) algorithm software were used to determine the significant factors and to create predictive risk maps for STH infections in Thailand. The disease data from Thailand covered the years from 1969 to 2014, while environmental and climatic data were compiled from the Worldclim database, MODIS satellite imagery, Soilgrids and ISCGM. The models predicted that STHs occur mainly in southern Thailand. Mean annual precipitation was the factor most affecting the current distribution of A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura, and S. stercoralis. Land cover class was the main predictor for distribution of S. stercoralis and important for hookworms. Altitude was the dominant factor affecting the distribution of hookworms, and mean temperature of the wettest quarter was significantly associated with A. lumbricoides distribution. A predicted distribution map of STHs to identify environmental risk factors in Thailand is presented. This work provides a model for use in STH monitoring and health planning not only in Thailand but also in other countries with similar disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Chaiyos
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - K Suwannatrai
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University, Sakon Nakhon, 47000, Thailand
| | - K Thinkhamrop
- Data Management and Statistical Analysis Center, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - K Pratumchart
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - C Sereewong
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - S Tesana
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - S Kaewkes
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - B Sripa
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Control of Opisthorchiasis, Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - T Wongsaroj
- Department of Disease Control, Bureau of General Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, 11000, Thailand
| | - A T Suwannatrai
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
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McCallum H, Fenton A, Hudson PJ, Lee B, Levick B, Norman R, Perkins SE, Viney M, Wilson AJ, Lello J. Breaking beta: deconstructing the parasite transmission function. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 372:rstb.2016.0084. [PMID: 28289252 PMCID: PMC5352811 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmission is a fundamental step in the life cycle of every parasite but it is also one of the most challenging processes to model and quantify. In most host–parasite models, the transmission process is encapsulated by a single parameter β. Many different biological processes and interactions, acting on both hosts and infectious organisms, are subsumed in this single term. There are, however, at least two undesirable consequences of this high level of abstraction. First, nonlinearities and heterogeneities that can be critical to the dynamic behaviour of infections are poorly represented; second, estimating the transmission coefficient β from field data is often very difficult. In this paper, we present a conceptual model, which breaks the transmission process into its component parts. This deconstruction enables us to identify circumstances that generate nonlinearities in transmission, with potential implications for emergent transmission behaviour at individual and population scales. Such behaviour cannot be explained by the traditional linear transmission frameworks. The deconstruction also provides a clearer link to the empirical estimation of key components of transmission and enables the construction of flexible models that produce a unified understanding of the spread of both micro- and macro-parasite infectious disease agents. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Opening the black box: re-examining the ecology and evolution of parasite transmission’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamish McCallum
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andy Fenton
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Peter J Hudson
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Brian Lee
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Beth Levick
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Rachel Norman
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Sarah E Perkins
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK.,Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, 38010 S. Michele all'Adige, Trentino, Italy
| | - Mark Viney
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Anthony J Wilson
- Vector-borne Viral Diseases Programme, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking GU24 0NF, UK
| | - Joanne Lello
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK .,Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, 38010 S. Michele all'Adige, Trentino, Italy
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Amoah ID, Reddy P, Stenström TA. Effect of reagents used during detection and quantification of Ascaris suum in environmental samples on egg viability. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2017; 76:2389-2400. [PMID: 29144297 PMCID: PMC7797636 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2017.324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are a major health concern globally. Infection is mostly through contact with contaminated water, food or soil. Therefore to break the cycle of viable transmission STH eggs must be quantitatively detected in the environment. The effect of different reagents on the viability of Ascaris suum eggs during laboratory detection and quantification was assessed and different incubation solutions compared. Sulphuric acid gave a slightly higher recovery percentage of viable eggs (91.2%) than distilled water (90.0%) and 0.5% formalin (87.6%), although the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Acetoacetic acid, ethyl acetate, ammonium bicarbonate, zinc sulphate, magnesium sulphate and Tween 80, are reagents widely used in test protocols for the detection and quantification of STH eggs. Eggs were exposed to these reagents for different time durations. Acetoacetic acid resulted in the highest loss of viability (3.4 ± 0.7% viable), while magnesium sulphate resulted in the least effect (88.5 ± 1.2% viable). In conclusion the use of the selected reagents in the detection of these eggs was found to affect the viability of exposed eggs, especially during prolonged exposures. Therefore we recommended that eggs be exposed for ≤5 minutes, to reduce the risk of viability loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Dennis Amoah
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa E-mail: ; Department of Community Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Poovendhree Reddy
- Department of Community Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Thor Axel Stenström
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa E-mail:
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Rudko SP, Ruecker NJ, Ashbolt NJ, Neumann NF, Hanington PC. Enterobius vermicularis as a Novel Surrogate for the Presence of Helminth Ova in Tertiary Wastewater Treatment Plants. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:e00547-17. [PMID: 28341675 PMCID: PMC5440721 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00547-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Significant effort has gone into assessing the fate and removal of viruses, bacteria, and protozoan parasites during wastewater treatment to provide data addressing potential health risks associated with reuse options. Comparatively less is known about the fate of parasitic worm species ova in these complex systems. It is largely assumed that these helminths settle, are removed with the sludge, and consequently represent a relatively low risk for wastewater reuse applications. However, helminths are a highly diverse group of organisms that display a wide range of physical properties that complicate the application of a single treatment for helminth reduction during wastewater treatment. Moreover, their diverse biological and physical properties make some ova highly resistant to both disinfection (i.e., with chlorine or UV treatment) and physical removal (settling) through the wastewater treatment train, indicating that there may be reason to broaden the scope of our investigations into whether parasitic worm eggs can be identified in treated wastewater. The ubiquitous human parasitic nematode Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm) produces small, buoyant ova. Utilizing a novel diagnostic quantitative PCR (qPCR), this study monitored E. vermicularis presence at two full-scale wastewater treatment plants over the course of 8 months and demonstrated incomplete physical removal of E. vermicularis ova through tertiary treatment, with removal efficiencies approximating only 0.5 and 1.6 log10 at the two wastewater treatment plants based on qPCR. These findings demonstrate the need for more-diverse surrogates of helminthic ova to fully assess treatment performance with respect to reclaimed wastewaters.IMPORTANCE Helminths, despite being a diverse and environmentally resistant class of pathogens, are often underestimated and ignored when treatment performance at modern wastewater treatment plants is considered. A one-size-fits-all surrogate for removal of helminth ova may be inappropriate to adequately assess risk and ensure public safety when treated and partially treated wastewaters are encountered. This study argues for the use of human pinworm as a conservative indicator of the presence of helminth ova due to its small size, buoyancy, prevalence in humans, and environmental resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney P Rudko
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Nicholas J Ashbolt
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Environmental Microbiology Program, Alberta Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Norman F Neumann
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Environmental Microbiology Program, Alberta Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Oja R, Velström K, Moks E, Jokelainen P, Lassen B. How does supplementary feeding affect endoparasite infection in wild boar? Parasitol Res 2017; 116:2131-2137. [PMID: 28526990 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5512-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Supplementary feeding is widely used in game management but may aid the transmission of parasites. Firstly, feeding sites attract animals and may be regarded as high-risk areas for parasite transmission. Secondly, high host population densities resulting from and supported by supplementary feeding, as well as accumulation of parasites in the environment, may increase parasite prevalence. Our aim was to investigate whether host density or the number of feeding sites drives endoparasite infection in an Estonian wild boar (Sus scrofa) population. For this, we collected wild boar faeces from forests, and soil samples from supplementary feeding sites in central and south-eastern Estonia. The role of host density and number of feeding sites on both the risk and mean abundance of endoparasite infection was modelled using generalized linear models (GLM). The presence of biohelminths in faecal samples was associated with both wild boar and feeding site density, whereas the presence of Eimeria sp. oocysts in faecal samples was only associated with wild boar density. Helminth eggs were found more often from the soil of active and abandoned feeding sites than from control areas. This could reflect parasitic contamination or indicate that supplementary feeding sites are suitable habitat for soil-dwelling nematodes. These results suggest that the effects of supplementary feeding on parasite prevalence in wild boar are mediated by the characteristics of parasite life cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kaisa Velström
- Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences and Population Medicine, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Epp Moks
- University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Pikka Jokelainen
- Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences and Population Medicine, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brian Lassen
- Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences and Population Medicine, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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Detection and quantification of soil-transmitted helminths in environmental samples: A review of current state-of-the-art and future perspectives. Acta Trop 2017; 169:187-201. [PMID: 28214519 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
It is estimated that over a billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) globally with majority occurring in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), and hookworms (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus) are the main species infecting people. These infections are mostly gained through exposure to faecally contaminated water, soil or contaminated food and with an increase in the risk of infections due to wastewater and sludge reuse in agriculture. Different methods have been developed for the detection and quantification of STHs eggs in environmental samples. However, there is a lack of a universally accepted technique which creates a challenge for comparative assessments of helminths egg concentrations both in different samples matrices as well as between locations. This review presents a comparison of reported methodologies for the detection of STHs eggs, an assessment of the relative performance of available detection methods and a discussion of new emerging techniques that could be applied for detection and quantification. It is based on a literature search using PubMed and Science Direct considering all geographical locations. Original research articles were selected based on their methodology and results sections. Methods reported in these articles were grouped into conventional, molecular and emerging techniques, the main steps in each method were then compared and discussed. The inclusion of a dissociation step aimed at detaching helminth eggs from particulate matter was found to improve the recovery of eggs. Additionally the selection and application of flotation solutions that take into account the relative densities of the eggs of different species of STHs also results in higher egg recovery. Generally the use of conventional methods was shown to be laborious and time consuming and prone to human error. The alternate use of nucleic acid-based techniques has improved the sensitivity of detection and made species specific identification possible. However, these nucleic acid based methods are expensive and less suitable in regions with limited resources and skill. The loop mediated isothermal amplification method shows promise for application in these settings due to its simplicity and use of basic equipment. In addition, the development of imaging soft-ware for the detection and quantification of STHs shows promise to further reduce human error associated with the analysis of environmental samples. It may be concluded that there is a need to comparatively assess the performance of different methods to determine their applicability in different settings as well as for use with different sample matrices (wastewater, sludge, compost, soil, vegetables etc.).
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Steinbaum L, Kwong LH, Ercumen A, Negash MS, Lovely AJ, Njenga SM, Boehm AB, Pickering AJ, Nelson KL. Detecting and enumerating soil-transmitted helminth eggs in soil: New method development and results from field testing in Kenya and Bangladesh. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005522. [PMID: 28379956 PMCID: PMC5393894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, about 1.5 billion people are infected with at least one species of soil-transmitted helminth (STH). Soil is a critical environmental reservoir of STH, yet there is no standard method for detecting STH eggs in soil. We developed a field method for enumerating STH eggs in soil and tested the method in Bangladesh and Kenya. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) method for enumerating Ascaris eggs in biosolids was modified through a series of recovery efficiency experiments; we seeded soil samples with a known number of Ascaris suum eggs and assessed the effect of protocol modifications on egg recovery. We found the use of 1% 7X as a surfactant compared to 0.1% Tween 80 significantly improved recovery efficiency (two-sided t-test, t = 5.03, p = 0.007) while other protocol modifications—including different agitation and flotation methods—did not have a significant impact. Soil texture affected the egg recovery efficiency; sandy samples resulted in higher recovery compared to loamy samples processed using the same method (two-sided t-test, t = 2.56, p = 0.083). We documented a recovery efficiency of 73% for the final improved method using loamy soil in the lab. To field test the improved method, we processed soil samples from 100 households in Bangladesh and 100 households in Kenya from June to November 2015. The prevalence of any STH (Ascaris, Trichuris or hookworm) egg in soil was 78% in Bangladesh and 37% in Kenya. The median concentration of STH eggs in soil in positive samples was 0.59 eggs/g dry soil in Bangladesh and 0.15 eggs/g dry soil in Kenya. The prevalence of STH eggs in soil was significantly higher in Bangladesh than Kenya (chi-square, χ2 = 34.39, p < 0.001) as was the concentration (Mann-Whitney, z = 7.10, p < 0.001). This new method allows for detecting STH eggs in soil in low-resource settings and could be used for standardizing soil STH detection globally. Intestinal worm infections are common in populations living in tropical, low-income countries. People primarily become infected when they consume intestinal worm eggs from contaminated water, hands, and food. Intestinal worm eggs are transmitted from infected people and spread through the environment, particularly via soil. There is no standard laboratory method for counting intestinal worm eggs in soil, which is a major barrier to comprehensive research on the transmission of infection. We tested different laboratory protocol steps to extract soil-transmitted helminth eggs, which is one type of intestinal worm, from soil and propose a new, fast, and efficient field method. We tested the method in Kenya and Bangladesh and found that soil contamination with helminth eggs was prevalent in both study areas. We propose that environmental contamination be included in discussions about intestinal worm transmission, control, and elimination, especially in areas with low infection prevalence. The method we propose will help researchers assess soil contamination, which can be used to examine the effectiveness of intestinal worm transmission control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Steinbaum
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Laura H. Kwong
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Ayse Ercumen
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Makeda S. Negash
- Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Amira J. Lovely
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Sammy M. Njenga
- Eastern and Southern Africa Center of International Parasite Control, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Alexandria B. Boehm
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Amy J. Pickering
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Kara L. Nelson
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Rupa APM, Portugaliza HP. Prevalence and risk factors associated with gastrointestinal nematode infection in goats raised in Baybay city, Leyte, Philippines. Vet World 2016; 9:728-34. [PMID: 27536034 PMCID: PMC4983124 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2016.728-734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Gastrointestinal parasitism is a serious constraint affecting goat production in the Philippines. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of gastrointestinal nematode infection in goat-populated barangays of Baybay City, Leyte. Materials and Methods: A total of 81 households or farms were interviewed, and 450 goats were sampled for fecalysis. Fecal egg count along with egg morphological identification and coproculture for third stage larvae identification were conducted. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine the farm- and animal-level prevalence and risk factors. Results: Fecalysis revealed the presence of strongyle and Trichuris spp. with a farm-level prevalence of 100% and 4.94%, respectively; and animal-level prevalence of 96.22% and 4.44%, respectively. The identified strongyle genera per barangay were Haemonchus spp. (34.79%), Trichostrongylus spp. (33.29%), Oesophagostomum spp. (24.21%), Cooperia spp. (6.93%), and Chabertia spp. (0.79%). Goats older than 12 months were four times more likely to present high strongyle burden when compared to goats <6 months. With each month increase in goat’s age, the odds of acquiring strongyle infection also increased by 1.07 times. Animals kept in goat house with cemented flooring have lower odds of acquiring strongyle (odds ratio=0.12). Goats raised for leisure purposes and fed with carabao grass (Paspalum conjugatum) were 8.12 and 5.52 times more likely to acquire Trichuris, respectively. Conclusion: Most of the backyard goat raisers in Baybay City, Leyte, do not practice sound helminth control measures as shown by the high prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes. The most relevant risk factors for gastrointestinal nematode infection were the age of the goat, type of goat house’s flooring, purpose of raising goats, and feeding practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Paul M Rupa
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Visayas State University, Visca, Baybay City, Leyte 6521-A, Philippines
| | - Harvie P Portugaliza
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Visayas State University, Visca, Baybay City, Leyte 6521-A, Philippines
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Steinbaum L, Njenga SM, Kihara J, Boehm AB, Davis J, Null C, Pickering AJ. Soil-Transmitted Helminth Eggs Are Present in Soil at Multiple Locations within Households in Rural Kenya. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157780. [PMID: 27341102 PMCID: PMC4920396 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Almost one-quarter of the world’s population is infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH). We conducted a study to determine the prevalence and location of STH—Ascaris, Trichuris, and hookworm spp.—egg contamination in soil within rural household plots in Kenya. Field staff collected soil samples from July to September 2014 from the house entrance and the latrine entrance of households in Kakamega County; additional spatial sampling was conducted at a subset of households (N = 22 samples from 3 households). We analyzed soil samples using a modified version of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) method for enumerating Ascaris in biosolids. We found 26.8% of households had one or more species of STH eggs present in the soil in at least one household location (n = 18 out of 67 households), and Ascaris was the most commonly detected STH (19.4%, n = 13 out of 67 households). Prevalence of STH eggs in soil was equally likely at the house entrance (19.4%, N = 67) as at the latrine entrance (11.3%, N = 62) (p = 0.41). We also detected STH eggs at bathing and food preparation areas in the three houses revisited for additional spatial sampling, indicating STH exposure can occur at multiple sites within a household plot, not just near the latrine. The highest concentration of eggs in one house occurred in the child’s play area. Our findings suggest interventions to limit child exposure to household soil could complement other STH control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Steinbaum
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Sammy M. Njenga
- Eastern and Southern Africa Center of International Parasite Control, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jimmy Kihara
- Eastern and Southern Africa Center of International Parasite Control, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Alexandria B. Boehm
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Davis
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Clair Null
- Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Innovations for Poverty Action, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Amy J. Pickering
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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