Molecular prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis spp. among children who have diarrheia or are asymptomatic in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China - PubMed (original) (raw)
Molecular prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis spp. among children who have diarrheia or are asymptomatic in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Wei Zhao et al. Parasite. 2024.
Abstract
Blastocystis sp., a significant zoonotic parasite with a global distribution, was the focus of this study, which aimed to investigate its prevalence and genetic diversity among diarrheic and asymptomatic children in Wenzhou, China. We collected 1,032 fecal samples from Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou, China, comprising 684 from children with diarrhea and 348 from asymptomatic children. Genomic DNA extracted from these samples was used to detect Blastocystis spp. by PCR, targeting the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. Subsequently, a phylogenetic tree was constructed, applying the maximum likelihood method. Blastocystis spp. were detected in 67 (6.5%) of the fecal samples. The prevalence rate of Blastocystis spp. in diarrheic children (8.8%; 60/684) was significantly higher than that in asymptomatic children (2.0%; 7/348) (χ 2 = 17.3, p < 0.001). Sequence analysis of the SSU rRNA gene identified five known Blastocystis spp. subtypes, ST1 (n = 12), ST2 (n = 5), ST3 (n = 35), ST4 (n = 12), and ST7 (n = 3). ST1 and ST3 were present in both diarrheic and asymptomatic children, while ST2, ST4, and ST7 were exclusive to diarrheic children. Intra-subtype genetic polymorphisms were identified, comprising four variations in ST1 (ST1-1 to ST1-4), five in ST3 (ST3-1 to ST3-5), two in ST4 (ST4-1 and ST4-2), and two in ST7 (ST7-1 and ST7-2). Notably, ST1-2 to ST1-4, ST3-3 to ST3-5, and ST7-1 and ST7-2 represent newly identified variations. The composition and genetic characteristics of subtypes among children in this region suggest various sources of infection, including human-to-human and animal-to-human transmission.
Title: Prévalence moléculaire et distribution des sous-types de Blastocystis spp. parmi les enfants diarrhéiques et asymptomatiques à Wenzhou, Province du Zhejiang, Chine.
Abstract: Blastocystis sp., un parasite zoonotique important avec une distribution mondiale, était au centre de cette étude, qui visait à étudier sa prévalence et sa diversité génétique parmi les enfants diarrhéiques et asymptomatiques de Wenzhou, en Chine. Nous avons collecté 1 032 échantillons fécaux à l’hôpital pour enfants Yuying de Wenzhou, en Chine, dont 684 provenant d’enfants souffrant de diarrhée et 348 d’enfants asymptomatiques. L’ADN génomique extrait de ces échantillons a été utilisé pour détecter Blastocystis sp. par PCR, ciblant le gène de la petite sous-unité de l’ARN ribosomal. Par la suite, un arbre phylogénétique a été construit, en appliquant la méthode du maximum de vraisemblance. Blastocystis sp. a été détecté dans 67 (6,5 %) des échantillons fécaux. Le taux de prévalence de Blastocystis spp. chez les enfants diarrhéiques (8,8 % ; 60 / 684) était significativement plus élevé que chez les enfants asymptomatiques (2,0 % ; 7 / 348) (χ2 = 17,3, p < 0,001). L’analyse de la séquence du gène de l’ARNr SSU a identifié cinq sous-types de Blastocystis spp., ST1 (n = 12), ST2 (n = 5), ST3 (n = 35), ST4 (n = 12) et ST7 (n = 3). Les sous-types ST1 et ST3 étaient présents chez les enfants diarrhéiques et asymptomatiques, tandis que ST2, ST4 et ST7 étaient exclusifs aux enfants diarrhéiques. Des polymorphismes génétiques intra-sous-types ont été identifiés, comprenant quatre variations dans ST1 (ST1-1 à ST1-4), cinq dans ST3 (ST3-1 à ST3-5), deux dans ST4 (ST4-1 et ST4-2) et deux dans ST7 (ST7-1 et ST7-2). Notamment, ST1-2 à ST1-4, ST3-3 à ST3-5, ST7-1 et ST7-2 représentent des variations nouvellement identifiées. La composition et les caractéristiques génétiques des sous-types chez les enfants de cette région suggèrent diverses sources d’infection, notamment la transmission interhumaine et animale.
Keywords: Blastocystis; Children; China; Genetic characteristics; Subtype.
© W. Zhao et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2024.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors do not have a commercial or other association that represents a conflict of interest.
Figures
Figure 1
Phylogenetic tree of Blastocystis sp. subtypes based on SSU rRNA gene sequences. The phylogenetic relationships among different Blastocystis spp. STs were determined using Clustal X and Mega 7 software for genetic distance calculations and tree construction. The tree was constructed employing the maximum likelihood method, utilizing the Tamura-3 parameter model to calculate evolutionary distances. Positions containing gaps and missing data were excluded from the analysis. Bootstrap values were derived from 1,000 replicates to assess the reliability of the tree. In the tree, subtypes are denoted with blue and red fonts to distinguish between known and novel sequences identified in this study.
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