Dispersal of Taeniid Eggs: Experimental Faecal Contamination of Forest Environment Followed by DNA Detection in Wild Berries

Overview

Journal Food Waterborne Parasitol

Date 2022 Apr 28

PMID 35479263

Authors

Sanna Malkamaki

Antti Oksanen

Anu Nareaho

Antti Sukura

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To understand Taeniidae epidemiology, the principles of egg-dispersion dynamics under natural conditions must be known. In this study, non-zoonotic was used as a model parasite for the family Taeniidae (including spp.). An experiment to investigate dispersion from contaminated faeces to the surroundings was performed both with bilberries () and lingonberries (), both of which are commercially harvested wild berries in Finland. For this experiment, 30 g of fox faeces was inoculated with 30,000 eggs for the bilberry experiment and 100,000 eggs for the lingonberry experiment. The faecal material was placed in the middle of good berry growth areas in four locations for bilberries and eight locations for lingonberries. After 41-42 days, berries at different distances (0-15 m) from the original contamination spot were collected and delivered to our laboratory. DNA was extracted from washed and sieved material and analysed using -specific semi-quantitative SYBR Green real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). -specific DNA was recovered from 67% (8/12) of bilberry samples but not reliably from any of the lingonberry samples 0% (0/24), although the exposure dose was higher for those. The qPCR results suggest that under natural conditions, taeniid egg dispersion from the contamination spot is demonstrated but attachment is berry specific. The surface of bilberries may be more adhesive for taeniid eggs than the waxier and harder pericarp of the lingonberries or there might be a difference in the dispersal mechanism caused by different biotopes.

References

Colli C, Williams J . Influence of temperature on the infectivity of eggs of Echinococcus granulosus in laboratory rodents. J Parasitol. 1972; 58(3):422-6. View

Lawson J, Gemmell M . Transmission of taeniid tapeworm eggs via blowflies to intermediate hosts. Parasitology. 1990; 100 Pt 1:143-6. DOI: 10.1017/s0031182000060224. View

Kern P, Ammon A, Kron M, Sinn G, Sander S, Petersen L . Risk factors for alveolar echinococcosis in humans. Emerg Infect Dis. 2005; 10(12):2088-93. PMC: 3323393. DOI: 10.3201/eid1012.030773. View

Kowalska K . Lingonberry ( L.) Fruit as a Source of Bioactive Compounds with Health-Promoting Effects-A Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2021; 22(10). PMC: 8150318. DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105126. View

Malkamaki S, Nareaho A, Oksanen A, Sukura A . Berries as a potential transmission vehicle for taeniid eggs. Parasitol Int. 2019; 70:58-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2019.01.008. View

Federer K, Armua-Fernandez M, Gori F, Hoby S, Wenker C, Deplazes P . Detection of taeniid (Taenia spp., Echinococcus spp.) eggs contaminating vegetables and fruits sold in European markets and the risk for metacestode infections in captive primates. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2016; 5(3):249-53. PMC: 4987496. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2016.07.002. View

Isaksson M, Hagstrom A, Armua-Fernandez M, Wahlstrom H, Agren E, Miller A . A semi-automated magnetic capture probe based DNA extraction and real-time PCR method applied in the Swedish surveillance of Echinococcus multilocularis in red fox (Vulpes vulpes) faecal samples. Parasit Vectors. 2014; 7:583. PMC: 4282741. DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0583-6. View

Koutsoumanis K, Allende A, Alvarez-Ordonez A, Bolton D, Bover-Cid S, Chemaly M . Public health risks associated with food-borne parasites. EFSA J. 2020; 16(12):e05495. PMC: 7009631. DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5495. View

Lavikainen A, Haukisalmi V, Deksne G, Holmala K, Lejeune M, Isomursu M . Molecular identification of Taenia spp. in the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from Finland. Parasitology. 2013; 140(5):653-62. DOI: 10.1017/S0031182012002120. View

10.

Lass A, Szostakowska B, Myjak P, Korzeniewski K . The first detection of Echinococcus multilocularis DNA in environmental fruit, vegetable, and mushroom samples using nested PCR. Parasitol Res. 2015; 114(11):4023-9. PMC: 4577536. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4630-9. View

11.

Federer K, Armua-Fernandez M, Hoby S, Wenker C, Deplazes P . In vivo viability of Echinococcus multilocularis eggs in a rodent model after different thermo-treatments. Exp Parasitol. 2015; 154:14-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2015.03.016. View

12.

Trivedi P, Nguyen N, Klavins L, Kviesis J, Heinonen E, Remes J . Analysis of composition, morphology, and biosynthesis of cuticular wax in wild type bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and its glossy mutant. Food Chem. 2021; 354:129517. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129517. View

13.

Lahmar S, Lahmar S, Boufana B, Bradshaw H, Craig P . Screening for Echinococcus granulosus in dogs: Comparison between arecoline purgation, coproELISA and coproPCR with necropsy in pre-patent infections. Vet Parasitol. 2006; 144(3-4):287-92. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.10.016. View

14.

Torgerson P, Pilkington J, Gulland F, Gemmell M . Further evidence for the long distance dispersal of taeniid eggs. Int J Parasitol. 1995; 25(2):265-7. DOI: 10.1016/0020-7519(94)00094-5. View

15.

Nakao M, Lavikainen A, Iwaki T, Haukisalmi V, Konyaev S, Oku Y . Molecular phylogeny of the genus Taenia (Cestoda: Taeniidae): proposals for the resurrection of Hydatigera Lamarck, 1816 and the creation of a new genus Versteria. Int J Parasitol. 2013; 43(6):427-37. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.11.014. View

16.

Tefera T, Tysnes K, Utaaker K, Robertson L . Parasite contamination of berries: Risk, occurrence, and approaches for mitigation. Food Waterborne Parasitol. 2020; 10:23-38. PMC: 7033989. DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2018.04.002. View

17.

Veit P, Bilger B, Schad V, Schafer J, Frank W, Lucius R . Influence of environmental factors on the infectivity of Echinococcus multilocularis eggs. Parasitology. 1995; 110 ( Pt 1):79-86. DOI: 10.1017/s0031182000081075. View

18.

Murphy H, Cinar H, Gopinath G, Noe K, Chatman L, Miranda N . Interlaboratory validation of an improved method for detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis in produce using a real-time PCR assay. Food Microbiol. 2017; 69:170-178. DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2017.08.008. View

19.

Conraths F, Probst C, Possenti A, Boufana B, Saulle R, La Torre G . Potential risk factors associated with human alveolar echinococcosis: Systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017; 11(7):e0005801. PMC: 5531747. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005801. View

20.

Temesgen T, Robertson L, Stigum V, Tysnes K . Removal of Parasite Transmission Stages from Berries Using Washing Procedures Suitable for Consumers. Foods. 2021; 10(2). PMC: 7926854. DOI: 10.3390/foods10020481. View