Genetic Characterization of Human Echinococcosis in Southern Punjab, Pakistan

Overview

Journal Front Cell Infect Microbiol

Specialties Cell Biology
Infectious Diseases
Microbiology

Date 2023 May 14

PMID 37180451

Authors

Nosheen Basharat

Jadoon Khan

Irfan Ullah

Aamer Ali Shah

Ijaz Ali

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Echinococcosis is a neglected tropical zoonotic infection that affects both the human and livestock populations. In Pakistan, the infection is long-standing, but data on its molecular epidemiology and genotypic characterization in the southern Punjab region are limited. The aim of the current study was the molecular characterization of human echinococcosis in southern Punjab, Pakistan.

Methods: Echinococcal cysts were obtained from a total of 28 surgically treated patients. Patients' demographic characteristics were also recorded. The cyst samples were subjected to further processing to isolate DNA in order to probe the and genes, followed by DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis for genotypic identification.

Results: The majority of the echinococcal cysts were from male patients (60.7%). The liver was the most commonly infected organ (60.71%), followed by the lungs (25%), spleen (7.14%), and the mesentery (7.14%). Molecular and genotypic identification through sequencing and phylogenetic tree analysis showed that most of the cysts (24/28, 85.7%) were caused by the species () (G1 and G3), followed by () and () (G6/G7) (3/28, 10.8%, and 1/28, 3.5%, respectively).

Conclusion: The current study concluded that the majority of human infections were caused by , followed by the and species (G6/G7). Genotypic characterization among both human and livestock populations is needed to explore the genetic diversity of echinococcosis.

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