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Background: Blastocystis is a unicellular eukaryote commonly found in the intestinal tract of humans and other animals. The prevalence of Blastocystis has been investigated in both developed and developing countries, yet its occurrence and distribution in rural locations has been less studied. Herein, we aimed to examine the distribution of Blastocystis colonization in Thai adults representing background populations along a rural/peri-urban gradient, as well as associations between colonization and personal characteristics. Methodology: A total of 238 participants were recruited from rural and peri-urban areas situated in three provinces. The presence of Blastocystis in feces was evaluated using PCR and qPCR. Information on gender, age, region (province), rural/peri-urban location, and body mass index (BMI) was collected. Principal findings: The overall rate of Blastocystis carriage was 67.2%. Univariate analysis revealed significant associations between Blastocystis carriage and region (p<0.05), location (p<0.001) and age group (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that rural/peri-urban location and BMI were significantly associated with Blastocystis carriage. Nine subtypes (ST1-ST7, ST10 and ST23) were identified with ST3, ST7 and ST1 as the most abundant ones, in this order. The greatest diversity of subtypes, in terms of numbers, was found in the middle aged group (nine subtypes), while the least diversity was found in the young adult and obese (three subtypes each) groups. Conclusions: This study increases the understanding of the epidemiology of Blastocystis colonization and its association with population parameters and characteristics in middle-income countries.

Blastocystis is the most common gastrointestinal protist found in humans and animals. Although the clinical significance of Blastocystis remains unclear, the organism is increasingly being viewed as a commensal member of the gut microbiome. However, its impact on the microbiome is still being debated. It is unclear whether Blastocystis promotes a healthy gut and microbiome directly or whether it is more likely to colonize and persist in a healthy gut environment. In healthy people, Blastocystis is frequently associated with increased bacterial diversity and significant differences in the gut microbiome. Based on current knowledge, it is not possible to determine whether differences in the gut microbiome are the cause or result of Blastocystis colonization. Although it is possible that some aspects of this eukaryote’s role in the intestinal microbiome remain unknown and that its effects vary, possibly due to subtype and intra-subtype variations and immune modulation, more research is needed to characterize these mechanisms in greater detail. This review covers recent findings on the effects of Blastocystis in the gut microbiome and immune modulation, its impact on the microbiome in autoimmune diseases, whether Blastocystis has a role like bacteria in the gut–brain axis, and its relationship with probiotics.

spp. are widespread parasitic protozoans causing enteric infections in humans and animals. The parasites cause neonatal diarrhoea in calves, leading to a high mortality rate in the first three weeks. Losses are significant for farmers, but the cost of cryptosporidiosis remains poorly documented. In the absence of a vaccine, only preventive measures are available to farmers to combat the infection. This study, conducted between 2018 and 2021, aimed to evaluate the economic impact of spp. on European dairy farms and monitor changes in costs after implementing disease management measures. First, a field survey was carried out and questionnaires administered to 57 farmers in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The aim of the survey was to assess the losses associated with the occurrence of diarrhoea in calves aged between 3 days and 3 weeks. The economic impact of diarrhoea was calculated based on mortality losses, health expenditures, and additional labour costs. To refine the cost estimation specifically for spp., stool samples were collected from 10 calves per farm. The prevalence of spp. was determined, and the economic impact of diarrhoea was adjusted accordingly. The assumption was made that a certain percentage of costs was attributed to cryptosporidiosis based on the prevalence. These protocols were repeated at the end of the study to observe changes in costs. In the three years, the cost of diarrhoea for the 28 farms that stayed in the panel all along the study improved from €140 in 2018 to €106 on average per diarrhoeic calf in 2021. With a stable prevalence at 40%, the cost of cryptosporidiosis per infected calf decreased from €60.62 to €45.91 in Belgium, from €43.83 to €32.14 in France, and from €58.24 to €39.48 in the Netherlands. This represented an average of €15 saved per infected calf. The methodology employed in this study did not allow us to conclude that the improvement is strictly due to the implementation of preventive measures. However, with 11

(1) Intestinal microbial parasites are major contributors to the global burden of gastrointestinal disease. Such infections are mainly caused by Cryptosporidium, Giardia duodenalis, and Entamoeba histolytica. These parasites are transmitted either directly or indirectly through oral–fecal routes. Previous reports suggested that camels could play a role in the zoonotic transmission of various clinically and veterinary important intestinal parasites, however, limited data are available on intestinal infections of camels, particularly on a molecular level. We aimed to explore the occurrence of these three parasites in camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Algeria. (2) A total of 68 samples—63 stool samples from camels and five from the environment—were collected from two desert regions in Algeria and analyzed using PCR and qPCR methods. (3) Overall, 7% of the camels tested positive for zoonotic subtypes of Cryptosporidium spp., while 16% of the camels tested positive for G. duodenalis. Two environmental samples also tested positive for G. duodenalis. None of the samples were positive for Entamoeba histolytica. (4) Our results provide one of the first molecular-based identification of these gut parasites in dromedary camels in Algeria. The presence of G. duodenalis in the host and the environment unveils, in part, the circulation route of this parasite. Our results will spearhead further investigations into the prevalence and epidemiology of gut parasites in hoofed animals and raise questions concerning their role in health and disease in the area.

is a protist of controversial pathogenicity inhabiting the gut of humans and other animals. Despite a century of intense study, understanding of the epidemiology of remains fragmentary. Here, we aimed to explore its prevalence, stability of colonisation and association with various factors in a rural elementary school in northern Thailand. One hundred and forty faecal samples were collected from 104 children at two time points (tp) 105 days apart. For tp2, samples were also obtained from 15 animals residing on campus and seven water locations. Prevalence in children was 67% at tp1 and 89% at tp2, 63% in chickens, 86% in pigs, and 57% in water. Ten STs were identified, two of which were shared between humans and animals, one between animals and water, and three between humans and water. Eighteen children (out of 36) carried the same ST over both time points, indicating stable colonisation. Presence of (or ST) was not associated with body mass index, ethnicity, birth delivery mode, or milk source as an infant. This study advances understanding of prevalence in an understudied age group, the role of the environment in transmission, and the ability of specific STs to stably colonise children.

Three recent studies of Blastocystis epidemiology in mammalian hosts identified four novel sequences that appeared to share B. lapemi as the most similar sequence. However, full-length ssu rRNA gene sequences were not available to confirm the validity of these new subtypes. In the present study, Nanopore MinION sequencing was used to obtain full-length reference sequences for each of the new subtypes. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses and pairwise distance comparisons were performed to confirm the validity of each of these new subtypes. We propose that the novel sequences described in this study should be assigned the subtype designations ST35-ST38. The full-length reference sequences of ST35-ST38 will assist in accurate sequence descriptions in future studies of Blastocystis epidemiology and subtype diversity., USDA-ARS, Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ FEDER/RICET, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Depto. de Sanidad Animal, Fac. de Veterinaria, TRUE, pub

Chagas disease (CD) is a parasitic, systemic, chronic, and often fatal illness caused by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. The World Health Organization classifies CD as the most prevalent of poverty-promoting neglected tropical diseases, the most important parasitic one, and the third most infectious disease in Latin America. Currently, CD is a global public health issue that affects 6-8 million people. However, the current approved treatments are limited to two nitroheterocyclic drugs developed more than 50 years ago. Many efforts have been made in recent decades to find new therapies, but our limited understanding of the infection process, pathology development, and long-term nature of this disease has made it impossible to develop new drugs, effective treatment, or vaccines. This Review aims to provide a comprehensive update on our understanding of the current life cycle, new morphological forms, and genetic diversity of T. cruzi, as well as identify intervention points in the life cycle where new drugs and treatments could achieve a parasitic cure.

Three recent studies of epidemiology in mammalian hosts identified four novel sequences that appeared to share as the most similar sequence. However, full-length rRNA gene sequences were not available to confirm the validity of these new subtypes. In the present study, Nanopore MinION sequencing was used to obtain full-length reference sequences for each of the new subtypes. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses and pairwise distance comparisons were performed to confirm the validity of each of these new subtypes. We propose that the novel sequences described in this study should be assigned the subtype designations ST35-ST38. The full-length reference sequences of ST35-ST38 will assist in accurate sequence descriptions in future studies of epidemiology and subtype diversity.

According to the World Health Organisation, cryptosporidiosis is a global diarrhoeal disease affecting millions of individuals; it is the second most common cause of infantile death in developing countries and is increasingly identified as an emerging cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The disease is also extremely severe in livestock, causing profuse diarrhea and considerable economic losses in farmed young animals. Given the lack of effective treatment (absence of vaccines and effective drugs) and the limited understanding of the causative parasite, cryptosporidiosis represents a major challenge in the battle against global diarrheal diseases. Currently, there are 45 described Cryptosporidium species infecting a whole spectrum of animals. In this book chapter we will present an overview of the parasite, focusing on its taxonomic status, its morphology, its prevalence and transmission. We will review both cell biological and molecular techniques currently used to investigate the biology of this parasite and we will introduce the new state-of-the-art techniques that have been established by several laboratories in the field. With the development of these new technologies, we will be able to further understand the unique biology of Cryptosporidium and its role in health and disease of its host.

Blastocystis is a stramenopile protist of controversial pathogenicity. The organism colonizes a broad range of vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Blastocystis has also been found in the environment both in water and soil. Several routes of transmission have been proposed including human-to-human, animal-to-human and via contaminated food and water. In recent years, the presence of Blastocystis in vegetables has started to be explored. However, most studies have focused on microscopic detection. Moreover, works of this type from Asia are barely available. Hence, the aim of this preliminary study was to examine the occurrence of Blastocystis in raw vegetables sold in markets in northern Thailand. Fresh produce (n=20) commonly used in Thai cuisine (Lanna) was purchased from two street markets and screened for Blastocystis using qPCR. Blastocystis was detected in 45% of the samples with the dominant subtype being ST3. Produce growing underground, such as galangal, carrot and beetroot were positive for the organism suggesting soil or inadequately composted manure as the source of contamination. To our knowledge, our study is the first to perform subtyping of Blastocystis in vegetables. Our results hint towards fresh produce being an, as yet, not widely explored, transmission route of Blastocystis in the studied community. Looking forward, large-scale investigations should on the prevalence of this and other organisms under the One Health umbrella should be undertaken.