Molecular identification and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. in farm and pet animals in Turkey.
Abstract: A total of 1340 fresh fecal samples from farm and pet animals in Central Anatolia and the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey were investigated using a PCR assay targeting the SSU rRNA of Blastocystis sp. An overall Blastocystis sp. prevalence of 19.4% (183/940) was found in farm animals, including cattle, sheep, water buffaloes, and chickens. Fecal samples of dogs, cats, and horses were negative. The highest prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was found in sheep (38.2%) among the farm animals. The SSU rRNA sequence analysis revealed two animal-specific subtypes, including ST10 in cattle and sheep and ST14 in water buffaloes. The zoonotic subtype ST7 was identified in chickens. Our results indicated a high prevalence of animal-specific subtypes in livestock and zoonotic subtype ST7 in chickens, highlighting the potential risk of chickens for zoonotic transmission of Blastocystis in the research area. This study is the first large-scale evaluation of Blastocystis in animal hosts in Turkey, and contributes to the molecular epidemiology and genetics of Blastocystis. Our results should be considered by authorities as an indication of the zoonotic importance of Blastocystis sp. and the need for surveillance in public health intervention programs.
Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Publication Date: 2021-04-28 PubMed ID: 33932364DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105939Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study investigates the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp., a common organism in animal and human guts, within farm and pet animals in Turkey, identifying potential zoonotic risks presented by chickens.
Objective and Methodology
- The primary objective of this research was to ascertain the presence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp., an organism commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans, in farm and pet animals in Central Anatolia and the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey.
- To achieve this objective, the researchers used a PCR assay that targeted the SSU rRNA of Blastocystis sp. on 1340 fresh fecal samples collected from the designated animals. PCR or Polymerase Chain Reaction assay is a common biological technique used to amplify and analyze specific DNA sequences.
Findings
- The research discovered an overall prevalence of Blastocystis sp. of 19.4% (183/940) in farm animals comprising cattle, sheep, water buffaloes, and chickens.
- No presence of Blastocystis sp. was found within the fecal samples obtained from dogs, cats, and horses.
- Among the farm animals, the highest prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was detected in sheep, which amounted to 38.2%.
- Further sequence analysis of SSU rRNA revealed two animal-specific subtypes of Blastocystis. Subtype 10 was found in cattle and sheep, while subtype 14 was found in water buffaloes.
- Interestingly, the zoonotic subtype ST7, which denotes a subtype that can be transmitted from animals to humans, was identified in chickens.
Implications
- The findings revealed a high prevalence of animal-specific subtypes of Blastocystis in livestock and zoonotic subtype ST7 in chickens, emphasizing the potential risk chickens may pose for the zoonotic transmission of Blastocystis sp. within the research area.
- This study serves as the first comprehensive evaluation of Blastocystis in animal hosts in Turkey, providing invaluable insights into the molecular epidemiology and genetics of the organism.
- The researchers suggest that authorities should regard these results when considering the zoonotic significance of Blastocystis sp. They also highlight the necessity for surveillance in public health intervention programs.
Cite This Article
APA
Onder Z, Yildirim A, Pekmezci D, Duzlu O, Pekmezci GZ, Ciloglu A, Simsek E, Kokcu ND, Yetismis G, Ercan N, Inci A.
(2021).
Molecular identification and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. in farm and pet animals in Turkey.
Acta Trop, 220, 105939.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105939 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey. Electronic address: zuhalbiskin@erciyes.edu.tr.
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55200, Samsun, Turkey.
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey.
- Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55200, Samsun, Turkey.
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey.
- Preclinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey.
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey.
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey.
- Faculty of Agriculture, Kirsehir Ahi Evran University, Kirsehir, Turkey.
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Diseases / parasitology
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic / parasitology
- Black Sea
- Blastocystis / genetics
- Blastocystis Infections / veterinary
- Cats
- Cattle
- Chickens / genetics
- Dogs
- Farms
- Feces / parasitology
- Horses
- Molecular Epidemiology
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Prevalence
- Sheep
- Turkey / epidemiology
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Baek S, Maloney JG, Molokin A, George NS, Cortés Vecino JA, Santin M. Diversity of Blastocystis Subtypes in Horses in Colombia and Identification of Two New Subtypes. Microorganisms 2022 Aug 24;10(9).
- Shams M, Asghari A, Baniasad M, Shamsi L, Sadrebazzaz A. Blastocystis sp. in Small Ruminants: A Universal Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Acta Parasitol 2022 Sep;67(3):1073-1085.
- Shams M, Shamsi L, Yousefi A, Sadrebazzaz A, Asghari A, Mohammadi-Ghalehbin B, Shahabi S, Hatam G. Current global status, subtype distribution and zoonotic significance of Blastocystis in dogs and cats: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Parasit Vectors 2022 Jun 22;15(1):225.
- Rudzińska M, Kowalewska B, Kurpas M, Szostakowska B. Rare Occurrence of Blastocystis in Pet Animals and Their Owners in the Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland in the Light of Literature Data. J Clin Med 2022 May 25;11(11).
- Hou M, Liu X, Zhou L, Zhou J, Zhang Y, Ma T, Qiu H, Wang C, Gao J. Molecular characteristics and zoonotic potential of enteric protozoans in domestic small ruminants in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2025 Dec;41:e00296.
- Akdur-Öztürk E, Al-Adilee YMS, Edwards W, Gentekaki E, Tsaousis AD, Dogruman-Al F. Blastocystis across humans, animals and the environment in rural Türkiye, and relationships with the human intestinal microbiome. Front Microbiol 2025;16:1665966.
- Ayan A, Aslan Celik B, Celik OY, Yilmaz AB, Orunc Kilinc O, Oktay Ayan O. Prevalence and Subtypes Distribution (ST10, ST14, ST25, ST26) of Blastocystis spp. in Anatolian Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Van, Türkiye. Vet Med Sci 2024 Nov;10(6):e70054.
- Naguib D, Gantois N, Desramaut J, Dominguez RG, Arafat N, Atwa SM, Even G, Devos DP, Certad G, Chabé M, Viscogliosi E. Large-Scale Molecular Epidemiological Survey of Blastocystis sp. among Herbivores in Egypt and Assessment of Potential Zoonotic Risk. Microorganisms 2024 Jun 25;12(7).
- Gomes-Gonçalves S, Palmeira JD, Ferreira H, Santos-Silva S, Mesquita JR. Occurrence and Phylogenetic Analysis of Zoonotic Enteropathogenic Protist Parasites in Asymptomatic Domestic Ruminants from Portugal. Pathogens 2023 Nov 11;12(11).
- Wei CN, Qin RL, Zhang ZH, Zheng WB, Liu Q, Gao WW, Zhu XQ, Xie SC. Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Blastocystis in Sheep and Pigs in Shanxi Province, North China: From a Public Health Perspective. Animals (Basel) 2023 Sep 7;13(18).
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