The One Health Challenge: Zoonotic Parasites

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 636

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Group of Opportunistic Protozoa/HIV and Other Protozoa, Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Medical Parasitology Unit, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
2. Environmental Health Institute, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: medical parasitology; infectious diseases; opportunistic pathogens; tropical medicine; molecular biology

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Guest Editor
Group of Opportunistic Protozoa/HIV and Other Protozoa, Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Medical Parasitology Unit, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: enterocytozoon; Enterocytozoon bieneusi; cryptosporidium; microsporidia; Giardia lamblia

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Guest Editor
Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Wrocław Medical University, J. Mikulicza-Radeckiego 9, 50-345 Wrocław, Poland
Interests: microsporidia; evolutionary parasitology; dirofilaria; medical malacology; parasitology; medical parasitology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The interconnection between human, animal and environmental health has never been more apparent than in the context of zoonotic parasites. These microscopic, yet formidable, entities have the potential to transcend species boundaries, posing significant health challenges for humans and animals alike. The Special Issue of Microorganisms is dedicated to addressing these challenges through a One Health approach.
The Special Issue welcomes original research articles, reviews and perspectives related to zoonotic parasites, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Exploring zoonotic parasites that bridge the human–animal–environment divide, investigating their biology, transmission and impact;
  • Discussing the epidemiology of zoonotic parasitic diseases, highlighting emerging threats and trends;
  • Sharing insights into innovative diagnostic tools, prevention strategies and treatment options;
  • Promoting collaborative research and multidisciplinary approaches to address the complexities of zoonotic parasites;
  • Emphasizing the importance of surveillance, early detection and rapid response to prevent zoonotic parasite transmission.

We welcome your contributions and insights as we confront the One Health challenge presented by zoonotic parasites. Together, we can make significant strides in understanding, preventing and mitigating the impact of these parasitic diseases.

Dr. Olga Maria Guerreiro de Matos
Dr. Maria Luísa Lobo
Dr. Maria Wesołowska
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • zoonotic parasites
  • one health
  • parasitic diseases
  • host-parasite interactions
  • epidemiology
  • zoonoses
  • vector-borne diseases

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

11 pages, 617 KiB  
Article
Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Wild Rats and Shrews from Zhejiang Province, China: Occurrence, Genetic Characterization, and Potential for Zoonotic Transmission
by Ting Zhang, Kuai Yu, Junchen Xu, Wenjie Cao, Yiqing Wang, Jiayan Wang, Liyuting Zhou, Jiani Chen, Huicong Huang and Wei Zhao
Microorganisms 2024, 12(4), 811; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12040811 - 17 Apr 2024
Viewed by 361
Abstract
Globally, Enterocytozoon bieneusi has been detected in humans and various animal hosts. Wild rats and shrews have the potential to act as carriers of E. bieneusi, facilitating the parasite’s transmission to humans and domestic animals. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of [...] Read more.
Globally, Enterocytozoon bieneusi has been detected in humans and various animal hosts. Wild rats and shrews have the potential to act as carriers of E. bieneusi, facilitating the parasite’s transmission to humans and domestic animals. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of E. bieneusi in 652 wild rats and shrews from Zhejiang Province, China, by amplifying the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To determine animal species, we amplified the Cytochrome b (Cyt-b) gene in their fecal DNA using PCR. Furthermore, we determined the genotype of E. bieneusi by amplifying the ITS region of rDNA through PCR. Genetic traits and zoonotic potential were evaluated using similarity and phylogenetic analyses. Suncus murinus (n = 282) and five rat species, Rattus losea (n = 18), Apodemus agrarius (n = 36), Rattus tanezumi (n = 86), Rattus norvegicus (n = 155), and Niviventer niviventer (n = 75), were identified. The average infection rate of E. bieneusi was 14.1% (92/652) with 18.1% (51/282) in S. murinus and 11.1% (41/370) in rats (27.8% in R. losea, 22.2% in A. agrarius, 10.5% in R. tanezumi, 8.4% in R. norvegicus, and 8.0% in N. niviventer). Thirty-three genotypes were identified, including 16 known genotypes. The most commonly known genotypes were HNR-VI (n = 47) and Peru11 (n = 6). Type IV, KIN-1, SHW7, and HNPL-II were each found in two samples, while Macaque4, CH5, K, Henan-III, Henan-V, HNP-II, HNPL-I, HNPL-III, HNHZ-II, and HNHZ-III were each found in one sample. Additionally, 17 novel genotypes were discovered: WZR-VIII (n = 5), WZR-I to WZR-VII, WZR-IX to WZR-XII, and WZSH-I to WZSH-V (n = 1 each). Those 33 genotypes were divided into three groups: Group 1 (n = 25), Group 2 (n = 3), and Group 13 (n = 5). The initial report underscores the extensive occurrence and notable genetic diversity of E. bieneusi in wild rats and shrews from Zhejiang province, China. These results suggest that these animals play a pivotal role in the transmission of E. bieneusi. Furthermore, animals carrying the zoonotic genotypes of E. bieneusi pose a serious threat to residents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The One Health Challenge: Zoonotic Parasites)
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