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Moratal S, Magnet A, Izquierdo F, del Águila C, López-Ramon J, Dea-Ayuela MA. Microsporidia in Commercially Harvested Marine Fish: A Potential Health Risk for Consumers. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2673. [PMID: 37627464 PMCID: PMC10451485 DOI: 10.3390/ani13162673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Microsporidia are widely spread obligate intracellular fungal pathogens from vertebrate and invertebrate organisms, mainly transmitted by contaminated food and water. This study aims to detect the presence of major human-pathogenic microsporidia, i.e., Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon hellem, and Encephalitozoon cuniculi, in the gastrointestinal tract of commercially harvested marine fish from Mediterranean coast of the Comunidad Valenciana, Eastern Spain. A total of 251 fish, 138 farmed fish and 113 wild fish from commercial fishing were tested by SYBR Green real-time PCR, enabling the simultaneous detection of the four targeted species. E. intestinalis/hellem was found in 1.45% of farmed fish and 7.96% of wild fish, while Enterocytozoonidae was detected in 2.90% and 18.58% of farmed and wild fish, respectively. E. cuniculi was not detected in any of the analyzed specimens. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of E. intestinalis/hellem in fish, particularly in marine fish. Although the role of fish in these species' epidemiology remains unknown, this finding points out a potential public health risk linked to fish consumption. Further studies are necessary to characterize these microsporidia in fish hosts better and to elucidate their epidemiological role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Moratal
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación y Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/Tirant lo Blanc, Alfara del Patriarca, 46115 Valencia, Spain (J.L.-R.)
| | - Angela Magnet
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, 28660 Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Fernando Izquierdo
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, 28660 Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Carmen del Águila
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, 28660 Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Jordi López-Ramon
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación y Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/Tirant lo Blanc, Alfara del Patriarca, 46115 Valencia, Spain (J.L.-R.)
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Travessera dels Turons, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Auxiliadora Dea-Ayuela
- Departamento Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/Ramón y Cajal, Alfara del Patriarca, 46115 Valencia, Spain
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Bridgemohan RSH, Deitch MJ, Gebremicael T, Whiles MR, Wilson PC, Bachoon D, Tharpe I. Environmental risk assessment for fecal contamination sources in urban and peri-urban estuaries, in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, FL, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:867. [PMID: 37341799 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11478-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Fecal pollution of estuaries and adjacent creeks and streams is of significant concern along the Gulf of Mexico. The prospective threat to human life and water quality impairment via fecal pollution is a substantial danger to the strength and resistance of coastline areas. Pensacola, FL, has a prosperous coastal tourism industry that is utilized for numerous other uses, such as recreational watersports and boating, seafood, and shellfish harvesting. However, the frequency and severity of fecal contamination present possible socio-economic issues, specifically financial hardships. Therefore, understanding the source, abundance, and fate of fecal microbial pollutants in aquatic systems signifies an imperative initial stage for detecting the host sources and techniques to lessen their transport from the landscape. This research aimed to quantify the fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), Escherichia coli, and perform microbiological fecal source tracking to verify if the fecal inputs are of either animal or human host origin. Surface water samples were taken from urban and peri-urban creeks for two sampling periods (February 2021 and January 2022), and IDEXX Colilert-18 (USEPA Standard Method 9223) was used for E. coli enumeration. DNA extractions were obtained from each sample, and quantitative PCR was utilized for fecal microbial source tracking (MST) to detect human, dog, ruminant, and bird host-specific Bacteroides DNA. The result indicates elevated quantities of FIB, E. coli, that surpass the threshold considered safe regarding human health. E. coli at six sites over the two sampling periods exceeded the impairment threshold, reaching as high as 866.4 MPN/100 ml. Fecal source tracking identified human host fecal contamination at four of nine sites, dogs at three of nine, and birds at one site. However, those sites with sources identified via MST all had E. coli levels below impairment thresholds. No sites were determined to be positive for ruminant as a source or for the pathogen Helicobacter pylori. No canine host fecal inputs were found in January 2022, and only one site with human sewage. Our results highlight the utility of MST in assessing bacterial inputs to water bodies and the challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronell S H Bridgemohan
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, IFAS/West Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 5988 Hwy 90, Building 4900, Milton, FL, 32583, USA.
- , Pensacola, USA.
| | - Matthew J Deitch
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, IFAS/West Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 5988 Hwy 90, Building 4900, Milton, FL, 32583, USA
| | - Tesfay Gebremicael
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, IFAS/West Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 5988 Hwy 90, Building 4900, Milton, FL, 32583, USA
| | - Matthew R Whiles
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, 2181 McCarty Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - P Christopher Wilson
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, 2181 McCarty Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Dave Bachoon
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Georgia College and State University, Campus Box 81, Milledgeville, GA, 31061-0490, USA
| | - Israel Tharpe
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Georgia College and State University, Campus Box 81, Milledgeville, GA, 31061-0490, USA
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Chapman M, Barnes AN. A scoping review of waterborne and water-related disease in the Florida environment from 1999 to 2022. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2023:reveh-2022-0249. [PMID: 37148256 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2022-0249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Florida's environments are suitable reservoirs for many disease-causing agents. Pathogens and toxins in Florida waterways have the potential to infect mosquito vectors, animals, and human hosts. Through a scoping review of the scientific literature published between 1999 and 2022, we examined the presence of water-related pathogens, toxins, and toxin-producers in the Florida environment and the potential risk factors for human exposure. Nineteen databases were searched using keywords relating to the waterborne, water-based toxins, and water-related vector-borne diseases which are reportable to the Florida Department of Health. Of the 10,439 results, 84 titles were included in the final qualitative analysis. The resulting titles included environmental samples of water, mosquitoes, algae, sand, soil/sediment, air, food, biofilm, and other media. Many of the waterborne, water-related vector-borne, and water-based toxins and toxin-producers of public health and veterinary importance from our search were found to be present in Florida environments. Interactions with Florida waterways can expose humans and animals to disease and toxins due to nearby human and/or animal activity, proximal animal or human waste, failing or inadequate water and/or sanitation, weather patterns, environmental events, and seasonality, contaminated food items, preference of agent for environmental media, high-risk populations, urban development and population movement, and unregulated and unsafe environmental activities. A One Health approach will be imperative to maintaining healthy waterways and shared environments throughout the state to protect the health of humans, animals, and our ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- McKinley Chapman
- Department of Public Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Amber N Barnes
- Department of Public Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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de Armas Y, Capó V, Bornay-Linares FJ, Del Águila C, Matos O, Calderón EJ. Pneumocystis jirovecii and microsporidia: An unusual coinfection in HIV patients? Med Mycol 2021; 58:1191-1194. [PMID: 32497173 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaa048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis jirovecii and microsporidia species are recognized as opportunistic infectious pathogens in AIDS patients. Coinfection of both in one patient has been rarely reported. The aim of the present study was to investigate the coinfection of P. jirovecii and microsporidia in different tissues from AIDS deceased patients. Post mortem histological finding of P. jirovecii and microsporidia was demonstrated by means of the Grocott's methenamine silver and Brown Brenn staining, respectively. Molecular technique was used for identification and characterization of both fungi. Out of the 514 autopsied cases P. jirovecii and microsporidia species were identified in 53 (10.3%) and 62 (12.1%) cases respectively. A total of five cases (0.97%) coinfected with Pneumocystis and microsporidia were recovered from all analyzed autopsies. Coinfection of Pneumocystis and microsporidia is very challenging and raises interesting issues about host-parasite relationship. The early diagnosis of both pathogens must be crucial to establish correct and early treatments, improve the patient's evolution, reducing the risk of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxsier de Armas
- Pathology Department, Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí," Havana, Cuba
| | - Virginia Capó
- Pathology Department, Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí," Havana, Cuba
| | | | | | - Olga Matos
- Medical Parasitology Unit, Group of Opportunistic Protozoa/HIV and Other Protozoa, Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Enrique J Calderón
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Sevilla, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Seville, Spain
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