Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Subtype Distribution of Blastocystis in Communities along the Chao Phraya River, Thailand

  • Palasuwan, Attakorn (Department of Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University) ;
  • Palasuwan, Duangdao (Department of Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University) ;
  • Mahittikorn, Aongart (Department of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University) ;
  • Chiabchalard, Rachatawan (Department of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University) ;
  • Combes, Valery (Faculty of Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology) ;
  • Popruk, Supaluk (Department of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University)
  • Received : 2016.03.14
  • Accepted : 2016.06.08
  • Published : 2016.08.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Blastocystis is a common zoonotic enteric protozoan that has been classified into 17 distinct subtypes (STs). A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and subtype distributions of Blastocystis in villagers living along the Chao Phraya River, Ayutthaya Province, Thailand, and to assess the risk of zoonotic infection. In total, 220 stool samples were collected, and DNA was extracted. PCR and sequencing were performed with primers targeting the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) genes. Blastocystis was present in 5.9% (13/220) of samples, and ST3 (5.0%; 11/220) was the predominant subtype, followed by ST2 (0.45%; 1/220) and ST6 (0.45%; 1/220). Phylogenetic trees were constructed with the maximum-likelihood method based on the Hasegawa-Kishino-Yano + G + I model, neighbor-joining, and maximum parsimony methods. The percentage of bootstrapped trees in which the associated taxa clustered together was relatively high. All the sequences of the Blastocystis-positive samples (KU051524-KU051536) were closely related to those from animals (pig, cattle, and chicken), indicating a zoonotic risk. Therefore, the villagers require proper health education, especially regarding the prevention of parasitic infection, to improve their personal hygiene and community health. Further studies are required to investigate the Blastocystis STs in the animals living in these villages.

Keywords

References

  1. Tan KS. New insights on classification, identification, and clinical relevance of Blastocystis spp. Clin Microbiol Rev 2008; 21: 639-665. https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.00022-08
  2. Wong KH, Ng GC, Lin RT, Yoshikawa H, Taylor MB, Tan KS. Predominance of subtype 3 among Blastocystis isolates from a major hospital in Singapore. Parasitol Res 2008; 102: 663-670. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0808-0
  3. Roberts T, Barratt J, Harkness J, Ellis J, Stark D. Comparison of microscopy, culture, and conventional polymerase chain reaction for detection of Blastocystis sp. in clinical stool samples. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011; 84: 308-312. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0447
  4. Alfellani MA, Taner-Mulla D, Jacob AS, Imeede CA, Yoshikawa H, Stensvold CR, Clark CG. Genetic diversity of Blastocystis in livestock and zoo animals. Protist 2013; 164: 497-509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.protis.2013.05.003
  5. Rene BA, Stensvold CR, Badsberg JH, Nielsen HV. Subtype analysis of Blastocystis isolates from Blastocystis cyst excreting patients. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2009; 80: 588-592.
  6. Souppart L, Moussa H, Cian A, Sanciu G, Poirier P, El Alaoui H, Delbac F, Boorom K, Delhaes L, Dei-Cas E, Viscogliosi E. Subtype analysis of Blastocystis isolates from symptomatic patients in Egypt. Parasitol Res 2010; 106: 505-511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1693-5
  7. Clark CG. Extensive genetic diversity in Blastocystis hominis. Mol Biochem Parasitol 1997; 87: 79-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-6851(97)00046-7
  8. Larkin MA, Blackshields G, Brown NP, Chenna R, McGettigan PA, McWilliam H, Valentin F, Wallace IM, Wilm A, Lopez R, Thompson JD, Gibson TJ, Higgins DG. Clustal W and Clustal X version 2.0. Bioinformatics 2007; 23: 2947-2948. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btm404
  9. Tamura K, Stecher G, Peterson D, Filipski A, Kumar S. MEGA6: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis version 6.0. Mol Biol Evol 2013; 30: 2725-2729. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/mst197
  10. Hirata T, Nakamura H, Kinjo N, Hokama A, Kinjo F, Yamane N, Fujita J. Prevalence of Blastocystis hominis and Strongyloides stercoralis infection in Okinawa, Japan. Parasitol Res 2007; 101: 1717-1719. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0712-7
  11. Horiki N, Maruyama M, Fujita Y, Yonekura T, Minato S, Keneda Y. Epidemiologic survey of Blastocystis hominis infection in Japan. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1997; 56: 370-374. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1997.56.370
  12. Popruk S, Udonsom R, Koompapong K, Mahittikorn A, Kusolsuk T, Ruangsittichai J, Palasuwan A. Subtype distribution of Blastocystis in Thai-Myanmar border, Thailand. Korean J Parasitol 2015; 53: 13-19. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2015.53.1.13
  13. Meloni D, Sanciu G, Poirier P, El Alaoui H, Chabe M, Delhaes L, Dei-Cas E, Delbac F, Luigi Fiori P, Di Cave D, Viscogliosi E. Molecular subtyping of Blastocystis sp. isolates from symptomatic patients in Italy. Parasitol Res 2011; 109: 613-619. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2294-7
  14. Yoshikawa H, Wu Z, Kimata I, Iseki M, Ali IK, Hossain MB, Zaman V, Haque R, Takahashi Y. Polymerase chain reaction-based genotype classification among human Blastocystis hominis populations isolated from different countries. Parasitol Res 2004; 92: 22-29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-003-0995-2
  15. Stensvold CR, Alfellani M, Clark CG. Levels of genetic diversity vary dramatically between Blastocystis subtypes. Infect Genet Evol 2012; 12: 263-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2011.11.002
  16. Thathaisong U, Siripattanapipong S, Mungthin M, Pipatsatitpong D, Tan-Ariya P, Naaglor T, Leelayoova S. Identification of Blastocystis subtype 1 variants in the Home for Girls, Bangkok, Thailand. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2013; 88: 352-358. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2012.12-0237
  17. Leelayoova S, Siripattanapipong S, Thathaisong U, Naaglor T, Taamasri P, Piyaraj P, Mungthin M. Drinking water: a possible source of Blastocystis spp. subtype 1 infection in schoolchildren of a rural community in central Thailand. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2008; 79: 401-406.
  18. Thathaisong U, Worapong J, Mungthin M, Tan-Ariya P, Viputtigul K, Sudatis A, Noonai A, Leelayoova S. Blastocystis isolates from a pig and a horse are closely related to Blastocystis hominis. J Clin Microbiol 2003; 41: 967-975. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.41.3.967-975.2003
  19. Stensvold CR, Suresh GK, Tan KS, Thompson RC, Traub RJ, Viscogliosi E, Yoshikawa H, Clark CG. Terminology for Blastocystis subtypes-a consensus. Trends Parasitol 2007; 23: 93-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2007.01.004
  20. Scicluna SM, Tawari B, Clark CG. DNA barcoding of Blastocystis. Protist 2006; 157: 77-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.protis.2005.12.001
  21. Abe N. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of Blastocystis isolates from various hosts. Vet Parasitol 2004; 120: 235-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2004.01.003
  22. Silberman JD, Sogin ML, Leipe DD, Clark CG. Human parasite finds taxonomic home. Nature 1996; 380: 398. https://doi.org/10.1038/380398a0
  23. Rivera WL. Phylogenetic analysis of Blastocystis isolates from animal and human hosts in the Philippines. Vet Parasitol 2008; 156: 178-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.06.001
  24. Arisue N, Hashimoto T, Yoshikawa H. Sequence heterogeneity of the small subunit ribosomal RNA genes among Blastocystis isolates. Parasitology 2003; 126: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182002002640
  25. Stensvold CR, Clark CG. Investigation of the molecular epidemiology of Blastocystis by use of a multi-locus sequence typing system for subtype 3. Unpublished data.
  26. Stensvold CR, Alfellani M, Clark CG. Levels of genetic diversity vary dramatically between Blastocystis subtypes. Infect Genet Evol 2012; 12: 263-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2011.11.002
  27. Yan MY, Su LS, Lai YR, Ye HJ, Liao H, Chen FG, Luo PX, Hou PZ, Lai FX. Phylogenetic analysis of Blastocystis hominis isolates in China. Unpublished data.
  28. Noel C, Peyronnet C, Gerbod D, Edgcomb VP, Delgado-Viscogliosi P, Sogin ML, Capron M, Viscogliosi E, Zenner L. Phylogenetic analysis of Blastocystis isolates from different hosts based on the comparison of small-subunit rRNA gene sequences. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2003; 126: 119-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-6851(02)00246-3
  29. Engsbro AL, Stensvold CR. Blastocystis: to treat or not to treat...but how? Clin Infect Dis 2012; 55: 1431-1432. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cis699
  30. Parkar U, Traub RJ, Vitali S, Elliot A, Levecke B, Robertson I, Geurden T, Steele J, Drake B, Thompson RC. Molecular characterization of Blastocystis isolates from zoo animals and their animal-keepers. Vet Parasitol 2010; 169: 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.12.032
  31. Yoshikawa H. Phylogenetic studies of Blastocystis isolates from zoo marsupial mammals inferred from the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences. Unpublished data.

Cited by

  1. Prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis in ethnic minority groups on both sides of the China-Myanmar border, and assessment of risk factors vol.26, pp.None, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2019046
  2. A SURVEY FOR ZOONOTIC AND OTHER GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES IN PIG IN BALI PROVINCE, INDONESIA vol.8, pp.1, 2016, https://doi.org/10.20473/ijtid.v8i1.10393
  3. Prevalence and Subtypes of Blastocystis in Alpacas, Vicugna pacos in Shanxi Province, China vol.58, pp.2, 2016, https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2020.58.2.181
  4. Prevalence and Subtype Distribution of Blastocystis Infection in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in Thailand vol.17, pp.23, 2016, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238877
  5. The Coexistence of Blastocystis spp. in Humans, Animals and Environmental Sources from 2010-2021 in Asia vol.10, pp.10, 2016, https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10100990
  6. Molecular prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. in Asia and in Australia vol.19, pp.5, 2016, https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2021.011