Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, CSKHPKV, Palampur, Kangra, H.P. 176062, India.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2024 Nov;56:101143. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.101143. Epub 2024 Oct 24.
The contamination of soil by pathogenic protozoan parasites from both human and animal feces, is an important factor in the spread of parasitic infections globally. This contamination also serves as a crucial reservoir for zoonotic diseases, facilitating their transmission. In many developing nations, including India, there's limited documentation on the extent of soil contamination, which poses challenges for implementing effective One Health strategies aimed at controlling these infections.
To study the molecular prevalence and distribution pattern of pathogenic protozoa in soil from North India.
In this prospective cross-sectional study, we collected a total of 200 soil samples from various locations in the Chandigarh region, including public parks, urban slum areas, villages on the outskirts, and sites near cattle sheds, hospitals, and public school. DNA extraction was done in all the samples followed by conventional and nested PCR for the identification of Toxoplasma gondii, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia duodenalis, and Cryptosporidium species from these samples.
Out of 200, 34 soil samples (17 %) from different sites in Chandigarh were found to have pathogenic protozoan contamination. Toxoplasma gondii was the most common protozoa (n = 18), followed by Entamoeba, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium species. Urban slums and public parks were most likely to be contaminated with oocysts/ cyst of pathogenic protozoa.
This study is the first of its kind in India and the prevalence of oocyst /cyst of protozoa in our city was found significant. The findings underscore the critical role of soil contamination by pathogenic protozoa as a potential source for spreading zoonotic infections.
土壤受到来自人类和动物粪便的致病原生动物寄生虫的污染，是寄生虫感染在全球传播的一个重要因素。这种污染也是人畜共患病的重要储存库，促进了它们的传播。在包括印度在内的许多发展中国家，土壤污染的程度记录有限，这给实施旨在控制这些感染的有效的“同一健康”策略带来了挑战。
研究印度北部土壤中致病原生动物的分子流行率和分布模式。
在这项前瞻性的横断面研究中，我们从昌迪加尔地区的不同地点共收集了 200 个土壤样本，包括公共公园、城市贫民窟、郊区村庄以及牛棚、医院和公立学校附近的地点。对所有样本进行 DNA 提取，然后对这些样本进行常规和巢式 PCR，以鉴定刚地弓形虫、溶组织内阿米巴、十二指肠贾第鞭毛虫和隐孢子虫。
在来自昌迪加尔不同地点的 200 个土壤样本中，有 34 个（17%）被发现存在致病原生动物污染。刚地弓形虫是最常见的原生动物（n=18），其次是溶组织内阿米巴、贾第鞭毛虫和隐孢子虫。城市贫民窟和公共公园最有可能受到致病性原生动物的卵囊/包囊污染。
这是印度首例此类研究，我们发现城市中卵囊/包囊的原生动物患病率显著。研究结果强调了土壤受到致病性原生动物污染作为传播人畜共患病感染的潜在来源的关键作用。
