Background Schistosoma mekongi remains an important cause of intestinal schistosomiasis in the lower Mekong River Basin.Sensitive environmental surveillance tools are needed to support transmission monitoring,particul...Background Schistosoma mekongi remains an important cause of intestinal schistosomiasis in the lower Mekong River Basin.Sensitive environmental surveillance tools are needed to support transmission monitoring,particularly where conventional snail surveys are seasonally constrained.This study developed and evaluated a multiplex quantitative PCR(qPCR)assay for simultaneous detection of S.mekongi and its intermediate snail host,Neotricula aperta,in aquatic environmental DNA(eDNA)samples.Methods Singleplex and multiplex qPCR assays targeting S.mekongi and N.aperta were compared to establish the optimal amplification system.Field validation was conducted in the Khong District,Champasak Province,Laos,during the dry season(May 2024)and wet season(August 2024)across 20 transmission sites.Method agreement between eDNA detection and malacological surveys was assessed using Cohen’s kappa coefficient,and associations between N.aperta density and physicochemical variables were evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation.Results The optimized multiplex qPCR assay targeting N.aperta(16S rRNA)and S.mekongi(18S rRNA)showed high sensitivity,with limits of detection of 5 and 6 copies/μl and limits of quantification of 40 and 46 copies/μl,respectively.In mesocosms,both targets were detected at an infected-snail density of 1 snail/L,with median Cq values of 35.23 for N.aperta and 26.54 for S.mekongi.During the dry-season surveys,978 N.aperta were collected,with a mean density of 46.25 snails per site;wet-season surveys were not feasible.No schistosome infections were detected by crushing microscopy.Field eDNA analysis detected N.aperta but not S.mekongi,with N.aperta eDNA positivity being 90%in the dry season and 40%in the wet season.Agreement with malacological surveys was moderate(κ=0.44;p=0.01)and snail density was significantly associated with water temperature,pH,and dissolved oxygen.Conclusions This multiplex eDNA assay sensitively detected N.aperta in field water samples and may help overcome seasonal limitations of malacological surveys.Although S.mekongi was detected under laboratory conditions,it was not detected in field samples,consistent with the absence of infected snails.Further validation in active-transmission sites is required before reliable field detection of S.mekongi eDNA can be assumed.展开更多
Background:Prevalence of Opisthorchis viverrini,Schistosoma mekongi and soil-transmitted helminths(STH)remains high in Lao People’s Democratic Republic(Lao PDR),despite control efforts including mass-drug administrat...Background:Prevalence of Opisthorchis viverrini,Schistosoma mekongi and soil-transmitted helminths(STH)remains high in Lao People’s Democratic Republic(Lao PDR),despite control efforts including mass-drug administration,education and communication campaigns.New approaches are required to advance helminth control.Methods:An ecohealth study was conducted on two Mekong islands in Southern Laos.Demographic and behavioural data were collected by questionnaire.Human and animal reservoir stools were examined.Bithynia spp.and Neotricula aperta snails were examined using shedding.Fresh water fish were examined using digestion technique.Multivariate random-effects analysis was used to find risk factors associated with helminth infections.Results:Human infection rates with O.viverrini,hookworm,S.mekongi,Trichuris trichiura,Ascaris lumbricoides and Taenia spp.were 60.7%,44.1%,22.2%,4.1%,0.6%and 0.1%,respectively.Heavy intensity infections were 4.2%,3.6%and 1.8%for O.viverrini,S.mekongi and hookworm,respectively.O.viverrini and S.mekongi infection rates among dogs and cats were 25.0%and 14.7%,respectively.Of the cats tested,53.1%were infected with O.viverrini.Prevalence of O.viverrini and S.mekongi in snails was 0.3%and 0.01%,respectively.Overall prevalence of O.viverrini infection in fresh water fish was 26.9%,with the highest infection rates occurring in Hampala dispa(87.1%),Cyclocheilichthys apogon(85.7%)and Puntius brevis(40.0%).Illiteracy and lower socioeconomic status increased the risk of O.viverrini infection,while those aged 10-16 years and possessing latrines at home were less likely to be infected.Household dogs and cats that consumed raw fish were significantly and positively associated with O.viverrini infection of the household members.For S.mekongi,children under 9 years old were exposed significantly to this infection,compared to older age groups.Conclusions:There is a pressing need to design and implement an integrated helminth control intervention on the Mekong Islands in southern Lao PDR.Given the highly dynamic transmission of O.viverrini,S.mekongi,STH and extended multiparasitism,annual mass-drug administration is warranted along with environmental modifications,health education and improved access to clean water and adequate sanitation to consolidate morbidity control and move towards elimination.Trail registration number:Our findings presented here are from a cross-sectional study,therefore,it has not been registered.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.82373644)National Parasitic Resources Center,the Ministry of Science and Technology fund(grant no.NPRC-2019-194-30)+3 种基金Hainan Province Health Technology Innovation Joint Project(grant no.WSJK2024MS226)Shenzhen Medical Research Fund(grant no.B2404002)Key Research and Development Program in Hainan Province(grant no.ZDYF2024SHFZ083)Wuxi Municipal Department of Science and Technology(grant no.K20221060).
摘要Background Schistosoma mekongi remains an important cause of intestinal schistosomiasis in the lower Mekong River Basin.Sensitive environmental surveillance tools are needed to support transmission monitoring,particularly where conventional snail surveys are seasonally constrained.This study developed and evaluated a multiplex quantitative PCR(qPCR)assay for simultaneous detection of S.mekongi and its intermediate snail host,Neotricula aperta,in aquatic environmental DNA(eDNA)samples.Methods Singleplex and multiplex qPCR assays targeting S.mekongi and N.aperta were compared to establish the optimal amplification system.Field validation was conducted in the Khong District,Champasak Province,Laos,during the dry season(May 2024)and wet season(August 2024)across 20 transmission sites.Method agreement between eDNA detection and malacological surveys was assessed using Cohen’s kappa coefficient,and associations between N.aperta density and physicochemical variables were evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation.Results The optimized multiplex qPCR assay targeting N.aperta(16S rRNA)and S.mekongi(18S rRNA)showed high sensitivity,with limits of detection of 5 and 6 copies/μl and limits of quantification of 40 and 46 copies/μl,respectively.In mesocosms,both targets were detected at an infected-snail density of 1 snail/L,with median Cq values of 35.23 for N.aperta and 26.54 for S.mekongi.During the dry-season surveys,978 N.aperta were collected,with a mean density of 46.25 snails per site;wet-season surveys were not feasible.No schistosome infections were detected by crushing microscopy.Field eDNA analysis detected N.aperta but not S.mekongi,with N.aperta eDNA positivity being 90%in the dry season and 40%in the wet season.Agreement with malacological surveys was moderate(κ=0.44;p=0.01)and snail density was significantly associated with water temperature,pH,and dissolved oxygen.Conclusions This multiplex eDNA assay sensitively detected N.aperta in field water samples and may help overcome seasonal limitations of malacological surveys.Although S.mekongi was detected under laboratory conditions,it was not detected in field samples,consistent with the absence of infected snails.Further validation in active-transmission sites is required before reliable field detection of S.mekongi eDNA can be assumed.
基金We are grateful to the International Development Research CentreForeign Affairs,Trade and Development Canada(through the Global Health Research Initiative)the Australian Agency for International Development for funding support。
摘要Background:Prevalence of Opisthorchis viverrini,Schistosoma mekongi and soil-transmitted helminths(STH)remains high in Lao People’s Democratic Republic(Lao PDR),despite control efforts including mass-drug administration,education and communication campaigns.New approaches are required to advance helminth control.Methods:An ecohealth study was conducted on two Mekong islands in Southern Laos.Demographic and behavioural data were collected by questionnaire.Human and animal reservoir stools were examined.Bithynia spp.and Neotricula aperta snails were examined using shedding.Fresh water fish were examined using digestion technique.Multivariate random-effects analysis was used to find risk factors associated with helminth infections.Results:Human infection rates with O.viverrini,hookworm,S.mekongi,Trichuris trichiura,Ascaris lumbricoides and Taenia spp.were 60.7%,44.1%,22.2%,4.1%,0.6%and 0.1%,respectively.Heavy intensity infections were 4.2%,3.6%and 1.8%for O.viverrini,S.mekongi and hookworm,respectively.O.viverrini and S.mekongi infection rates among dogs and cats were 25.0%and 14.7%,respectively.Of the cats tested,53.1%were infected with O.viverrini.Prevalence of O.viverrini and S.mekongi in snails was 0.3%and 0.01%,respectively.Overall prevalence of O.viverrini infection in fresh water fish was 26.9%,with the highest infection rates occurring in Hampala dispa(87.1%),Cyclocheilichthys apogon(85.7%)and Puntius brevis(40.0%).Illiteracy and lower socioeconomic status increased the risk of O.viverrini infection,while those aged 10-16 years and possessing latrines at home were less likely to be infected.Household dogs and cats that consumed raw fish were significantly and positively associated with O.viverrini infection of the household members.For S.mekongi,children under 9 years old were exposed significantly to this infection,compared to older age groups.Conclusions:There is a pressing need to design and implement an integrated helminth control intervention on the Mekong Islands in southern Lao PDR.Given the highly dynamic transmission of O.viverrini,S.mekongi,STH and extended multiparasitism,annual mass-drug administration is warranted along with environmental modifications,health education and improved access to clean water and adequate sanitation to consolidate morbidity control and move towards elimination.Trail registration number:Our findings presented here are from a cross-sectional study,therefore,it has not been registered.