title: Molecular Epidemiology of Blastocystis sp. in Various Animal Groups from Two French Zoos and Evaluation of Potential Zoonotic Risk.
abstract: Blastocystis sp. is a common intestinal parasite infecting humans and a wide range of animals worldwide. It exhibits an extensive genetic diversity and 17 subtypes (STs) have thus far been identified in mammalian and avian hosts. Since several STs are common to humans and animals, it was proposed that a proportion of human infections may result from zoonotic transmission. However, the contribution of each animal source to human infection remains to be clarified. Therefore, the aim of this study was to expand our knowledge of the epidemiology and host specificity of this parasite by performing the largest epidemiological survey ever conducted in animal groups in terms of numbers of species screened. A total of 307 stool samples from 161 mammalian and non-mammalian species in two French zoos were screened by real-time PCR for the presence of Blastocystis sp. Overall, 32.2% of the animal samples and 37.9% of the species tested were shown to be infected with the parasite. A total of 111 animal Blastocystis sp. isolates were subtyped, and 11 of the 17 mammalian and avian STs as well as additional STs previously identified in reptiles and insects were found with a varying prevalence according to animal groups. These data were combined with those obtained from previous surveys to evaluate the potential risk of zoonotic transmission of Blastocystis sp. through the comparison of ST distribution between human and animal hosts. This suggests that non-human primates, artiodactyls and birds may serve as reservoirs for human infection, especially in animal handlers. In contrast, other mammals such as carnivores, and non-mammalian groups including reptiles and insects, do not seem to represent significant sources of Blastocystis sp. infection in humans. In further studies, more intensive sampling and screening of potential new animal hosts will reinforce these statements and expand our understanding of the circulation of Blastocystis sp. in animal and human populations.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Amandine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cian
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.|Laboratoire Microbiologie Santé et Environnement (LMSE), Ecole Doctorale des Sciences et de Technologie, Faculté de Santé Publique, Université Libanaise, Tripoli, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Dima
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: El Safadi
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.|Laboratoire Microbiologie Santé et Environnement (LMSE), Ecole Doctorale des Sciences et de Technologie, Faculté de Santé Publique, Université Libanaise, Tripoli, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Marwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.affiliation: Parc Zoologique de Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moriniere
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Nausicaa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gantois
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.|Laboratoire Ecologie et Biodiversité, Faculté Libre des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Université Catholique de Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benamrouz-Vanneste
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delgado-Viscogliosi
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Guyot
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, CNRS UMR 8187, Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Wimereux, France.
authors.forename: Luen-Luen
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, CNRS UMR 8187, Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Wimereux, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monchy
authors.affiliation: Geneius Laboratories Ltd., INEX Business Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Noël
authors.affiliation: Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal-Université d'Auvergne-CNRS UMR 6023 Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.affiliation: Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal-Université d'Auvergne-CNRS UMR 6023 Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nourrisson
authors.affiliation: Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal-Université d'Auvergne-CNRS UMR 6023 Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wawrzyniak
authors.affiliation: Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal-Université d'Auvergne-CNRS UMR 6023 Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Delbac
authors.affiliation: Parc Zoologique de Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bosc
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Magali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chabé
authors.affiliation: Parc Zoologique de La Palmyre, Les Mathes, France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.|Département de la Recherche Médicale, Groupement des Hôpitaux de l'Institut Catholique de Lille, Faculté de Médecine et Maïeutique, Université Catholique de Lille, France.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Certad
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 -UMR 8204 -CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viscogliosi
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D016844:Blastocystis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016776:Blastocystis Infections / Q000662:veterinary*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal