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Liu W, Gong T, Chen S, Liu Q, Zhou H, He J, Wu Y, Li F, Liu Y. Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Prevention of Sparganosis in Asia. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:1578. [PMID: 35739914 PMCID: PMC9219546 DOI: 10.3390/ani12121578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sparganosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the larvae (spargana) of the genus Spirometra, which is widely distributed globally and threatens human health. More than 60 species of Spirometra have already been identified, and over 2000 cases have been reported. This review summarizes the prevalence of humans, frogs, snakes, and other animals with spargana. Furthermore, the infection mode, distribution, and site are summarized and analyzed. We also describe the epidemiology, molecular diagnosis, and other aspects which are of considerable significance to preventing sparganum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (W.L.); (T.G.); (S.C.); (H.Z.); (J.H.)
- Hunan Provincial the Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China;
| | - Tengfang Gong
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (W.L.); (T.G.); (S.C.); (H.Z.); (J.H.)
| | - Shuyu Chen
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (W.L.); (T.G.); (S.C.); (H.Z.); (J.H.)
| | - Quan Liu
- School of Life Sciences and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China;
| | - Haoying Zhou
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (W.L.); (T.G.); (S.C.); (H.Z.); (J.H.)
| | - Junlin He
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (W.L.); (T.G.); (S.C.); (H.Z.); (J.H.)
| | - Yong Wu
- Hunan Provincial the Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China;
| | - Fen Li
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (W.L.); (T.G.); (S.C.); (H.Z.); (J.H.)
- Hunan Provincial the Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China;
| | - Yisong Liu
- Hunan Provincial the Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China;
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Hu J, Yi S, Wang C, Zhang Y, Tang J, Huang X, Yang L, Yang J, Li H. A20 Inhibits Intraocular Inflammation in Mice by Regulating the Function of CD4+T Cells and RPE Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 11:603939. [PMID: 33613524 PMCID: PMC7890008 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.603939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A20 is a negative regulator of inflammation and immunity and plays a role in several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Here, we demonstrate that A20 overexpression significantly ameliorates severity of EAU by inhibiting the infiltration of Th1 and Th17 cells, and by protecting integrity of the blood retinal barrier. In vitro studies showed that A20 silencing could promote CD4+T cells toward a Th1 and Th17 phenotype. A decreased expression of A20 in CD4+T cells was noticed in active BD patients but not in VKH patients. Furthermore, silencing of A20 in hRPE cells induced the production of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 and downregulated ZO-1 and occludin expression which is mediated by inhibition of MAPK and NF-κB pathways. This study reveals a mechanism by which A20 prevents autoimmune uveitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianping Hu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Shenglan Yi
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Chaokui Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Yiting Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Jihong Tang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyue Huang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jinglu Yang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
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Saksirisampant W, Eamudomkarn C, Jeon HK, Eom KS, Assavapongpaiboon B, Sintuwong S, Tulvatana W. Ocular Sparganosis: The First Report of Spirometra ranarum in Thailand. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2020; 58:577-581. [PMID: 33202511 PMCID: PMC7672231 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2020.58.5.577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
A 22-year-old Thai man from the Northeast region presented with acute eye swelling, itching, and discharge on his left eye. He was suspected of having gnathostomiasis and treated with albendazole and prednisolone for 3 weeks. Nine months later, he was treated with high-dose oral prednisolone for the preliminary and differential diagnoses with thyroid-associated orbitopathy and lymphoma. He had been administered prednisolone intermittently over a few years. Then he developed a painless movable mass at the left upper eyelid and recurrent pseudotumor oculi was suspected. The surgical removal of the mass was performed. A white pseudosegmented worm revealed a definite diagnosis of ocular sparganosis by a plerocercoid larva. Molecular diagnosis of the causative species was made based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. Proper technique of extraction and amplification of short fragments DNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue successfully identified parasite species. The result from the sequencing of the PCR-amplified cox1 fragments in this study showed 99.0% sequence homology to Spirometra ranarum. This is the first report of S. ranarum in Thailand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilai Saksirisampant
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Chatanun Eamudomkarn
- Department of Parasitology, Parasite Research Center and Parasite Resource Bank, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine, Cheongju 28644, Korea.,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Hyeong-Kyu Jeon
- Department of Parasitology, Parasite Research Center and Parasite Resource Bank, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Keeseon S Eom
- Department of Parasitology, Parasite Research Center and Parasite Resource Bank, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | | | - Sunisa Sintuwong
- Mettapracharak Eye Centre, Mettapracharak (Wat Raikhing) Hospital, Nakhon Pathom 73210, Thailand
| | - Wasee Tulvatana
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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Sah R, Khatri A, Kharel R, Kc H, Rabaan AA, Tiwari R, Dhama K, Singh Malik Y, Donovan S, Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Muigg V, Neumayr A. Case Report: Management of Dead Intraocular Helminth Parasites in Asymptomatic Patients. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 103:719-722. [PMID: 32484154 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
We report four asymptomatic patients from Nepal with an incidental finding of a dead intraocular helminth parasite on ophthalmological routine examination. Because the patients were asymptomatic and the intraocular helminth parasites dead without noted pathology present, it was decided to abstain from surgical removal and pursue a watch-and-wait strategy. The clinical follow-up of the four patients over two years was uneventful and showed no complications. We conclude that dead intraocular helminth parasites in asymptomatic patients without apparent pathology do not require surgical removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjit Sah
- Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | - Ranju Kharel
- B.P. Koirala Lions Centre of Ophthalmic Studies, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Hony Kc
- Birat Eye Hospital, Biratnagar, Nepal
| | - Ali A Rabaan
- Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ruchi Tiwari
- College of Veterinary Sciences, UP Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhayay Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalay Evum Go-Anusandhan Sansthan (DUVASU), Mathura, India
| | - Kuldeep Dhama
- ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | | | - Suzanne Donovan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Alfonso J Rodriguez-Morales
- Public Health and Infection Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira, Pereira, Colombia
| | - Veronika Muigg
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Neumayr
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
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Diagnosis and surgical management of orbital sparganosis. Eye (Lond) 2019; 33:1418-1422. [PMID: 30944463 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-019-0427-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND Orbital sparganosis represents an extremely rare condition with only a few cases being reported in literature. Here we describe cases of orbital sparganosis, including their etiology, clinical findings, and surgical outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective review was performed on patients with orbital sparganosis, who were treated at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, of Sun Yat-sen University, China between 2000 and 2012. RESULTS Five patients (three males and two females, one right orbit and four left orbits) were identified. Their mean age was 14.8 years (range = 6-33 years). Four cases were contracted from eating raw snakes and fishes, or placing poultices of frog on open wounds. All cases showed a swelling and/or redness of the eyelid and conjunctiva, and a migrating inflammation was present in one of the cases. High levels of blood eosinophils were observed in three of these cases. Of the two patients examined using computed tomography, one showed a diffuse soft tissue infiltration and a punctate calcification, while one of the three patients examined using magnetic resonance imaging displayed an annular "tunnel sign" within the lesion. All patients underwent an anterior orbitotomy and the entire worm was removed with no surgical complications. CONCLUSIONS Orbital sparganosis should be highly suspected in patients with a history of eating raw snakes and frogs, a migrating orbital inflammation and the presence of eosinophilia. Orbital imaging examinations play an important role in the diagnosis of orbital sparganosis. Surgical removal of the entire worm is required.
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Xie X, Hu J, Sun G, Ding B, Feng L. Orbital sparganosis in an 8-year boy: a case report. BMC Ophthalmol 2018; 18:13. [PMID: 29357839 PMCID: PMC5778690 DOI: 10.1186/s12886-018-0675-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sparganosis is one of the neglected but important food-borne parasitic zoonoses, with higher prevalence in Asian countries. The infection is commonly located in the subcutaneous tissue, brain, breast, and lung, but fewer reported infections involve the eye. Because the majority of patients with sparganosis are adults, it is likely to be missed in children. Case presentation An 8-year-old boy presented to our clinic complaining of a painless ocular mass in his right eye for 1 month. The boy had a history of eating frogs and frog poultice applications to his eyelids. The patient was checked for an elliptical mass near the medial wall of the right eye. Serodiagnosis testing was positive in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. During surgical operation on the patient, calcified parasite eggs and foreign body granulomatous reaction were found using histological examination. Due to early detection and surgery, the patient fully recovered with no damage to his eyesight. Conclusions Although rare, ocular sparganosis should be suspected in a mass of the eye when there is a history of eating frogs and frog poultice applications on eyelids. Early surgical resection is important for a good prognosis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12886-018-0675-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xie
- Eye Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, No. 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianghua Hu
- Eye Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, No. 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Guizhen Sun
- Department of ophthalmology, Naval Convalescent Zone, Hangzhou Sanatorim, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Ding
- Department of ophthalmology, Hangzhou Sanatorium of Nanjing Command, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Feng
- Eye Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, No. 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, People's Republic of China.
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Bracaglia G, Ranno S, Mancinelli L, Santoro M, Cerroni L, Massone C, Sangueza O, Bravo FG, Diociaiuti A, Nicastri E, Muraca M, El Hachem M, Boldrini R, Callea F, Putignani L. A waterborn zoonotic helminthiase in an Italian diver: a case report of a cutaneous Sparganum infection and a review of European cases. Pathog Glob Health 2016; 109:383-6. [PMID: 26751512 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2015.1123901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many waterborne helminthes are opportunistic parasites that can travel directly from animals to man and may contain forms capable of penetrating the skin. Among these, Sparganum is the pseudophyllidean tapeworm that belongs to the genus Spirometra, which is responsible for parasitic zoonosis; it is rarely detected in Europe and is caused by the plerocercoid infective larva. Thus far, only six cases of cutaneous and ocular sparganosis have been reported in Europe; two and four cases have occurred in France and Italy, respectively. Herein, we describe a new case of sparganosis in Italy that affected a male diver who presented to the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital of Rome. The patient's skin biopsy was submitted to the Parasitology department who, in consultation with Pathology, concluded that the morphologic and microscopic findings were those of Sparganum spp. larvae. The patient recovered following a single dose of 600 mg praziquantel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Bracaglia
- 1 Unit of Parasitology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS , Rome, Italy
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Liu Q, Li MW, Wang ZD, Zhao GH, Zhu XQ. Human sparganosis, a neglected food borne zoonosis. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2015; 15:1226-1235. [PMID: 26364132 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(15)00133-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Human sparganosis is a food borne zoonosis caused by the plerocercoid larvae (spargana) of various diphyllobothroid tapeworms of the genus Spirometra. Human infections are acquired by ingesting the raw or undercooked meat of snakes or frogs, drinking untreated water, or using raw flesh in traditional poultices. More than 1600 cases of sparganosis have been documented worldwide, mostly in east and southeast Asia. Sporadic cases have been reported in South America, Europe, and Africa, and several cases have been described in travellers returning from endemic regions. Epidemiological data suggest that the increased effect of sparganosis on human health is because of greater consumption of raw meat of freshwater frogs and snakes. This Review provides information about the Spirometra parasites and their lifecycles, summarises clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of human sparganosis, and describes geographical distribution and infection characteristics of Spirometra parasites in host animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China; Military Veterinary Institute, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Ming-Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural College, Guangdong Ocean University, Huguangyan, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Ze-Dong Wang
- Military Veterinary Institute, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Guang-Hui Zhao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China.
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Bennett HM, Mok HP, Gkrania-Klotsas E, Tsai IJ, Stanley EJ, Antoun NM, Coghlan A, Harsha B, Traini A, Ribeiro DM, Steinbiss S, Lucas SB, Allinson KSJ, Price SJ, Santarius TS, Carmichael AJ, Chiodini PL, Holroyd N, Dean AF, Berriman M. The genome of the sparganosis tapeworm Spirometra erinaceieuropaei isolated from the biopsy of a migrating brain lesion. Genome Biol 2015. [PMID: 25413302 PMCID: PMC4265353 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-014-0510-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sparganosis is an infection with a larval Diphyllobothriidea tapeworm. From a rare cerebral case presented at a clinic in the UK, DNA was recovered from a biopsy sample and used to determine the causative species as Spirometra erinaceieuropaei through sequencing of the cox1 gene. From the same DNA, we have produced a draft genome, the first of its kind for this species, and used it to perform a comparative genomics analysis and to investigate known and potential tapeworm drug targets in this tapeworm. RESULTS The 1.26 Gb draft genome of S. erinaceieuropaei is currently the largest reported for any flatworm. Through investigation of β-tubulin genes, we predict that S. erinaceieuropaei larvae are insensitive to the tapeworm drug albendazole. We find that many putative tapeworm drug targets are also present in S. erinaceieuropaei, allowing possible cross application of new drugs. In comparison to other sequenced tapeworm species we observe expansion of protease classes, and of Kuntiz-type protease inhibitors. Expanded gene families in this tapeworm also include those that are involved in processes that add post-translational diversity to the protein landscape, intracellular transport, transcriptional regulation and detoxification. CONCLUSIONS The S. erinaceieuropaei genome begins to give us insight into an order of tapeworms previously uncharacterized at the genome-wide level. From a single clinical case we have begun to sketch a picture of the characteristics of these organisms. Finally, our work represents a significant technological achievement as we present a draft genome sequence of a rare tapeworm, and from a small amount of starting material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viroj Wiwanitkit
- Tropical Medicine Unit, Hainan Medical University , Haikou , China
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11
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Bennett HM, Mok HP, Gkrania-Klotsas E, Tsai IJ, Stanley EJ, Antoun NM, Coghlan A, Harsha B, Traini A, Ribeiro DM, Steinbiss S, Lucas SB, Allinson KSJ, Price SJ, Santarius TS, Carmichael AJ, Chiodini PL, Holroyd N, Dean AF, Berriman M. The genome of the sparganosis tapeworm Spirometra erinaceieuropaei isolated from the biopsy of a migrating brain lesion. Genome Biol 2014; 15:510. [PMID: 25413302 PMCID: PMC4265353 DOI: 10.1186/preaccept-2413673241432389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sparganosis is an infection with a larval Diphyllobothriidea tapeworm. From a rare cerebral case presented at a clinic in the UK, DNA was recovered from a biopsy sample and used to determine the causative species as Spirometra erinaceieuropaei through sequencing of the cox1 gene. From the same DNA, we have produced a draft genome, the first of its kind for this species, and used it to perform a comparative genomics analysis and to investigate known and potential tapeworm drug targets in this tapeworm. RESULTS The 1.26 Gb draft genome of S. erinaceieuropaei is currently the largest reported for any flatworm. Through investigation of β-tubulin genes, we predict that S. erinaceieuropaei larvae are insensitive to the tapeworm drug albendazole. We find that many putative tapeworm drug targets are also present in S. erinaceieuropaei, allowing possible cross application of new drugs. In comparison to other sequenced tapeworm species we observe expansion of protease classes, and of Kuntiz-type protease inhibitors. Expanded gene families in this tapeworm also include those that are involved in processes that add post-translational diversity to the protein landscape, intracellular transport, transcriptional regulation and detoxification. CONCLUSIONS The S. erinaceieuropaei genome begins to give us insight into an order of tapeworms previously uncharacterized at the genome-wide level. From a single clinical case we have begun to sketch a picture of the characteristics of these organisms. Finally, our work represents a significant technological achievement as we present a draft genome sequence of a rare tapeworm, and from a small amount of starting material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley M Bennett
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Hoi Ping Mok
- />Department of Infectious Diseases, Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | | | - Isheng J Tsai
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
- />Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan
| | - Eleanor J Stanley
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
- />Eagle Genomics, Babraham Research Campus, Babraham, Cambridge, CB22 3AT UK
| | - Nagui M Antoun
- />Department of Radiology, Addenbrookes’s NHS Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Avril Coghlan
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Bhavana Harsha
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Alessandra Traini
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Diogo M Ribeiro
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Sascha Steinbiss
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Sebastian B Lucas
- />Department of Histopathology, St Thomas’s Hospital, London, SE1 UK
| | - Kieren SJ Allinson
- />Department of Histopathology Section, Addenbrookes’s NHS Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Stephen J Price
- />Department of Neurosurgery, Addenbrookes’s NHS Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Thomas S Santarius
- />Department of Neurosurgery, Addenbrookes’s NHS Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Andrew J Carmichael
- />Department of Infectious Diseases, Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Peter L Chiodini
- />Hospital for Tropical Diseases and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 6JD UK
| | - Nancy Holroyd
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Andrew F Dean
- />Department of Histopathology Section, Addenbrookes’s NHS Trust, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Matthew Berriman
- />Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Parasite Genomics, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
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