Molecular characterization of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato from humans in Slovenia

Šoba, Barbara (author), Gašperšič, Špela (author), Keše, Darja (author), Kotar, Tadeja (author)

The larval form of tapeworms of the Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato species cluster cause an important zoonotic infection, cystic echinococcosis (CE). Molecular characterization of the cluster's isolates from different hosts greatly contributes to a better understanding of its transmission dynamics. To date, no genetic information is available on CE in Slovenia. In this work, we characterized isolates from human CE cases. Parasite samples from 18 patients were collected, together with the patients' demographic and clinical data. Genomic DNA was analyzed by conventional PCR and sequencing at four mitochondrial loci (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, cox1; NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1, nad1; NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5, nad5; and small ribosomal RNA, rrnS). Thirteen isolates were successfully amplified and sequenced. Seven (58.8%) patients were infected with E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) G1, five (38.5%) with E. canadensis G7 and one (7.7%) with E. granulosus s.s. G3. Echinococcus canadensis G7, the pig genotype, was identified exclusively in autochthonous Slovenes, while the patients originating from the Western Balkans were all infected with E. granulosus s.s. Our findings suggest that pigs are important intermediate hosts for human CE in Slovenia.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato, Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto, Echinococcus canadensis G7, human infection, Slovenia, molecular characterization
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: 12 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 9, iss. 7, art. 562
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-133860
• UDC: 616.9
• ISSN on article: 2076-0817
• DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9070562
• COBISS.SI-ID: 22857219
• Publication date in RUL: 17.12.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Pathogens
• Shortened title: Pathogens
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2076-0817
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523338009

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 12.07.2020

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: ehinokoki, molekularna karakterizacija, okužba ljudi

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P3-0083
• Name: Odnosi parazitskega obstajanja