Abstract
Blastocystis is a ubiquitous protozoan with a wide range of hosts. In humans, its presence has been associated with gastrointestinal disorders, although its role as a pathogen still needs to be elucidated. Until now, 17 Blastocystis subtypes (STs) have been identified, with ST1–ST4 the most commonly found in humans. Among domestic animals, the same STs reported in humans have been detected in dogs. An epidemiological survey on dog kennels was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of Blastocystis and the STs involved. Overall, 99 faecal samples were collected from the rescue shelters. Blastocystis detection was performed through conventional barcoding PCR targeting the 1800-bp SSU-rDNA, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Blastocystis DNA was found in 21 faecal samples (21.2%), and all samples were successfully sequenced and identified as ST3 in a unique monophyletic group. The presence of Blastocystis was reported for the first time in dogs from Italy, with the identification of ST3, the subtype most commonly found in humans.
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Authors are grateful to the shelters’ personnel and volunteers for their help in the sample collection.
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The collection of biological samples from live animals was performed in the respect of animal welfare according to current legislation. The study was conducted with the approval of each of the involved shelter and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Università degli Studi di Milano (Permission OPBA_34_2017).
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Gazzonis, A.L., Marangi, M., Zanzani, S.A. et al. Molecular epidemiology of Blastocystis sp. in dogs housed in Italian rescue shelters. Parasitol Res 118, 3011–3017 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-019-06424-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-019-06424-5