Schistosoma mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub-Saharan migrants in southeastern Europe: Egg DNA genotyping assessed by RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning.

<h4>Background</h4>Globalization and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are increasingly closely linked. In recent years, Spain and Southern Europe are experiencing a considerable increase in the influx of migrants infected by NTDs, mainly from West African countries. This study focuses...

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Main Authors: Alejandra De Elías-Escribano, Patricio Artigas, Joaquín Salas-Coronas, María Pilar Luzon-Garcia, Marta Reguera-Gomez, María Isabel Cabeza-Barrera, José Vázquez-Villegas, Jerôme Boissier, Santiago Mas-Coma, María Dolores Bargues
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-03-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012942
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author Alejandra De Elías-Escribano
Patricio Artigas
Joaquín Salas-Coronas
María Pilar Luzon-Garcia
Marta Reguera-Gomez
María Isabel Cabeza-Barrera
José Vázquez-Villegas
Jerôme Boissier
Santiago Mas-Coma
María Dolores Bargues
author_facet Alejandra De Elías-Escribano
Patricio Artigas
Joaquín Salas-Coronas
María Pilar Luzon-Garcia
Marta Reguera-Gomez
María Isabel Cabeza-Barrera
José Vázquez-Villegas
Jerôme Boissier
Santiago Mas-Coma
María Dolores Bargues
author_sort Alejandra De Elías-Escribano
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Globalization and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are increasingly closely linked. In recent years, Spain and Southern Europe are experiencing a considerable increase in the influx of migrants infected by NTDs, mainly from West African countries. This study focuses on imported schistosomiasis and the entry into Europe of hetero-specific hybrids between two human species, Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium, causing intestinal and urogenital schistosomiasis respectively.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>Individualized genetic identification by molecular analysis using RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning of nuclear rDNA and mtDNA of 134 Schistosoma eggs was performed, including 41 lateral-spined and 84 terminal-spined eggs from urine, and nine lateral-spined eggs from stools. These eggs were recovered from six migrant males from Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d'Ivoire and Mali, who shared ectopic shedding of S. mansoni-like eggs in their urine. A high hybridization complexity was detected in the eggs of these patients, involving three Schistosoma species. The six patients were infected by S. mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids shedding S. mansoni-like eggs, and also S. haematobium x S. curassoni hybrids shedding S. haematobium-like eggs. SmxSh hybrids were mostly detected in S. mansoni-like eggs from urine (94.59%), whereas in feces the detection of those hybrids was less frequent (5.41%).<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>This study contributes to: (i) a better understanding of the heterospecific hybrids between S. mansoni and S. haematobium from the genetic point of view; (ii) it shows the frequency with which they are entering non-endemic countries, such as Spain and consequently in Europe; (iii) it determines the diversity of hybrid eggs and haplotypes that can occur within a single patient, e.g., up to two types of hybrids involving three Schistosoma species and up to six different haplotypes; (iv) it provides information to be considered in clinical presentations, diagnosis, responses to treatment and epidemiological impact in relation to possible transmission and establishment in non-endemic areas.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1935-2727
1935-2735
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
spelling doaj-art-16503083844c4cb4b76a0effbc45e9b42025-08-23T05:33:09ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352025-03-01193e001294210.1371/journal.pntd.0012942Schistosoma mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub-Saharan migrants in southeastern Europe: Egg DNA genotyping assessed by RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning.Alejandra De Elías-EscribanoPatricio ArtigasJoaquín Salas-CoronasMaría Pilar Luzon-GarciaMarta Reguera-GomezMaría Isabel Cabeza-BarreraJosé Vázquez-VillegasJerôme BoissierSantiago Mas-ComaMaría Dolores Bargues<h4>Background</h4>Globalization and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are increasingly closely linked. In recent years, Spain and Southern Europe are experiencing a considerable increase in the influx of migrants infected by NTDs, mainly from West African countries. This study focuses on imported schistosomiasis and the entry into Europe of hetero-specific hybrids between two human species, Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium, causing intestinal and urogenital schistosomiasis respectively.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>Individualized genetic identification by molecular analysis using RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning of nuclear rDNA and mtDNA of 134 Schistosoma eggs was performed, including 41 lateral-spined and 84 terminal-spined eggs from urine, and nine lateral-spined eggs from stools. These eggs were recovered from six migrant males from Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d'Ivoire and Mali, who shared ectopic shedding of S. mansoni-like eggs in their urine. A high hybridization complexity was detected in the eggs of these patients, involving three Schistosoma species. The six patients were infected by S. mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids shedding S. mansoni-like eggs, and also S. haematobium x S. curassoni hybrids shedding S. haematobium-like eggs. SmxSh hybrids were mostly detected in S. mansoni-like eggs from urine (94.59%), whereas in feces the detection of those hybrids was less frequent (5.41%).<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>This study contributes to: (i) a better understanding of the heterospecific hybrids between S. mansoni and S. haematobium from the genetic point of view; (ii) it shows the frequency with which they are entering non-endemic countries, such as Spain and consequently in Europe; (iii) it determines the diversity of hybrid eggs and haplotypes that can occur within a single patient, e.g., up to two types of hybrids involving three Schistosoma species and up to six different haplotypes; (iv) it provides information to be considered in clinical presentations, diagnosis, responses to treatment and epidemiological impact in relation to possible transmission and establishment in non-endemic areas.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012942
spellingShingle Alejandra De Elías-Escribano
Patricio Artigas
Joaquín Salas-Coronas
María Pilar Luzon-Garcia
Marta Reguera-Gomez
María Isabel Cabeza-Barrera
José Vázquez-Villegas
Jerôme Boissier
Santiago Mas-Coma
María Dolores Bargues
Schistosoma mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub-Saharan migrants in southeastern Europe: Egg DNA genotyping assessed by RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Schistosoma mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub-Saharan migrants in southeastern Europe: Egg DNA genotyping assessed by RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning.
title_full Schistosoma mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub-Saharan migrants in southeastern Europe: Egg DNA genotyping assessed by RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning.
title_fullStr Schistosoma mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub-Saharan migrants in southeastern Europe: Egg DNA genotyping assessed by RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning.
title_full_unstemmed Schistosoma mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub-Saharan migrants in southeastern Europe: Egg DNA genotyping assessed by RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning.
title_short Schistosoma mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub-Saharan migrants in southeastern Europe: Egg DNA genotyping assessed by RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning.
title_sort schistosoma mansoni x s haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub saharan migrants in southeastern europe egg dna genotyping assessed by rd pcr sequencing and cloning
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012942
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