Intestinal Blastocystis is linked to healthier diets and more favorable cardiometabolic outcomes in 56,989 individuals from 32 countries.

Diet impacts human health, influencing body adiposity and the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. The gut microbiome is a key player in the diet-health axis, but while its bacterial fraction is widely studied, the role of micro-eukaryotes, including Blastocystis, is underexplored. We performed a global-scale analysis on 56,989 metagenomes and showed that human Blastocystis exhibits distinct prevalence patterns linked to geography, lifestyle, and dietary habits.

Comparative genomics of reveals the emergence of an outbreak-associated population in Europe and its spread to the United States.

The zoonotic parasite is a global cause of gastrointestinal disease in humans and ruminants. Sequence analysis of the highly polymorphic gene enabled the classification of isolates into multiple groups (e.g.

Novel strategy to quantify the viability of oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum and C. hominis, a risk factor of the waterborne protozoan pathogens of public health concern.

While waters might be contaminated by oocysts from >40 Cryptosporidium species, only viable oocysts of C. parvum and C. hominis truly pose the main health risk to the immunocompetent population.

Genotyping of European Toxoplasma gondii strains by a new high-resolution next-generation sequencing-based method.

Purpose: A new high-resolution next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based method was established to type closely related European type II Toxoplasma gondii strains.

Methods: T. gondii field isolates were collected from different parts of Europe and assessed by whole genome sequencing (WGS).

European Union Reference Laboratories support the National food, feed and veterinary Reference Laboratories with rolling out whole genome sequencing in Europe.

The Inter European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) Working Group on Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) involves eight EURLs for microbiological food and feed hazards and has been working since 2017 to promote the adoption of NGS by the National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) in the European Union. This work illustrates the results of the first 5 years of activity. By working together, the EURLs involved have released guidance documents for assisting NRLs in all the steps of NGS, helping the transition from classical molecular methods towards whole genome sequencing while ensuring harmonization, with the final aim of improving preparedness in the use of NGS to characterize microbial hazards and trace the sources of infection.

Highly contiguous genomes of human clinical isolates of reveal assemblage- and sub-assemblage-specific presence-absence variation in protein-coding genes.

(syn. ) is a widespread gastrointestinal protozoan parasite with debated taxonomic status. Currently, eight distinct genetic sub-groups, termed assemblages A-H, are defined based on a few genetic markers.

Extensive testing of a multi-locus sequence typing scheme for Giardia duodenalis assemblage A confirms its good discriminatory power.

Background: The flagellated parasite Giardia duodenalis is a major and global cause of diarrhoeal disease. Eight genetically very distinct groups, known as assemblages A to H, have been recognized in the G. duodenalis species complex, two of which (assemblages A and B) infect humans and other mammalian hosts.

VIVID: A Web Application for Variant Interpretation and Visualization in Multi-dimensional Analyses.

Large-scale comparative genomics- and population genetic studies generate enormous amounts of polymorphism data in the form of DNA variants. Ultimately, the goal of many of these studies is to associate genetic variants to phenotypes or fitness. We introduce VIVID, an interactive, user-friendly web application that integrates a wide range of approaches for encoding genotypic to phenotypic information in any organism or disease, from an individual or population, in three-dimensional (3D) space.

An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis associated with drinking water in north-eastern Italy, August 2019: microbiological and environmental investigations.

is a leading global cause of waterborne disease, with many reported outbreaks related to main water supplies. In August 2019, an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis involving 80 cases occurred among 114 vacationers in a small municipality located in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, north-eastern Italy. After excluding a potential food-borne outbreak, the epidemiological investigation focussed on the hypothesis of a waterborne outbreak.

Clustering of Cryptosporidium species infections among sheep and cattle but not children in remote highland communities of Madagascar.

Background: The aim of this study was to identify local transmission patterns of Cryptosporidium spp. infections among livestock and humans in four extremely rural and remote highland communities in Madagascar.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, households were randomly sampled throughout a 1-year study period, with one feces sample collected from each child (≤ 5 years old), sheep and cattle.

Recent genetic exchanges and admixture shape the genome and population structure of the zoonotic pathogen Cryptosporidium parvum.

Cryptosporidium parvum is a globally distributed zoonotic pathogen and a major cause of diarrhoeal disease in humans and ruminants. The parasite's life cycle comprises an obligatory sexual phase, during which genetic exchanges can occur between previously isolated lineages. Here, we compare 32 whole genome sequences from human- and ruminant-derived parasite isolates collected across Europe, Egypt and China.

Ready-to-eat salads and berry fruits purchased in Italy contaminated by Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Entamoeba histolytica.

Ready-to-eat (RTE) salads and berries are increasingly consumed in industrialized countries. These products can be contaminated by pathogenic parasites that have been responsible for foodborne outbreaks worldwide. In Italy, there are few data on contamination of RTE salads and berries with parasite transmission stages and this requires more-in-depth investigations.

Global Population Genomics of Two Subspecies of Cryptosporidium hominis during 500 Years of Evolution.

Cryptosporidiosis is a major global health problem and a primary cause of diarrhea, particularly in young children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The zoonotic Cryptosporidium parvum and anthroponotic Cryptosporidium hominis cause most human infections. Here, we present a comprehensive whole-genome study of C.

A large outbreak of giardiasis in a municipality of the Bologna province, north-eastern Italy, November 2018 to April 2019.

Giardiasis, the disease caused by the flagellate (syn. ), is the most commonly reported among the five food- and waterborne parasitic diseases under mandatory surveillance in 24 EU countries. From November 2018 to April 2019, an outbreak of giardiasis occurred in a municipality of the Bologna province, in north-eastern Italy.

Mining Public Metagenomes for Environmental Surveillance of Parasites: A Proof of Principle.

Parasites often have complex developmental cycles that account for their presence in a variety of difficult-to-analyze matrices, including feces, water, soil, and food. Detection of parasites in these matrices still involves laborious methods. Untargeted sequencing of nucleic acids extracted from those matrices in metagenomic projects may represent an attractive alternative method for unbiased detection of these pathogens.

Contamination of fresh produce sold on the Italian market with Cyclospora cayetanensis and Echinococcus multilocularis.

To investigate the presence of Cyclospora cayetanensis, Toxoplasma gondii and Echinococcus spp. in fresh produce sold in Italy, 324 locally produced 'ready-to-eat' (RTE) mixed-salad packages belonging to three brands and 324 berries packages (blueberries and blackberries imported from Peru and Mexico, respectively, and raspberries grown in Italy) were purchased at retail. Nine individual packages from each of the six types of fresh produce were collected monthly for one year, and with the same produce pooled, this resulted in a total of 72 pools for the whole year.

Effectiveness of Fenbendazole and Metronidazole Against Infection in Dogs Monitored for 50-Days in Home-Conditions.

A field trial performed in-home conditions was conducted on 24 dogs naturally infected with , in order to compare the efficacy of fenbendazole and metronidazole. Animals were allocated in groups randomly in order to obtain two groups of 12 dogs each with similar parasitic loads of cysts: dogs in Group A were treated with fenbendazole (Panacur®, Intervet Italia Srl) administered at the dose of 50 mg/kg orally once a day for 5 consecutive days, dogs in Group B were treated with metronidazole (Flagyl®, Zambon Italia Srl) administered orally at the dose of 50 mg/kg, once a day for 5 consecutive days. All the dogs that were shedding cysts after the first treatment (Day 0) were retreated (either at Day 7 or at Day 14 or at Day 21) until a negative result was obtained with the same treatment.

Monitoring Campaign over an Edible Dormouse Population (; Rodentia: Gliridae) in Sicily: First Report of Mesocestodiasis.

This study reports on the health status of the edible dormouse () living in Nebrodi Park (Sicily, Italy), responsible for nut crop damage in the area. In the frame of a monitoring campaign for potential zoonotic risk involving 30 dormice, rectal and conjunctival swabs and fur and nest content were collected for bacteriological and parasitological examinations, respectively. A large presence of fleas belonging to was found.

Comparative genomics revealed adaptive admixture in in Africa.

Cryptosporidiosis is a major cause of diarrhoeal illness among African children, and is associated with childhood mortality, malnutrition, cognitive development and growth retardation. is the dominant pathogen in Africa, and genotyping at the glycoprotein 60 () gene has revealed a complex distribution of different subtypes across this continent. However, a comprehensive exploration of the metapopulation structure and evolution based on whole-genome data has yet to be performed.

A validated method to identify Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato at species level.

The zoonotic tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) represents a species complex encompassing multiple causative agents of cystic echinococcosis, a neglected tropical disease affecting more than one million people in the world.

Update on Giardia: Highlights from the seventh International Giardia and Cryptosporidium Conference.

Although Giardia duodenalis is recognized as one of the leading causes of parasitic human diarrhea in the world, knowledge of the mechanisms of infection is limited, as the pathophysiological consequences of infection remain incompletely elucidated. Similarly, the reason for and consequences of the very specific genome-organization in this parasite with 2 active nuclei is only partially known. Consistent with its tradition, the 7th International Giardia and Cryptosporidium Conference (IGCC 2019) was held from June 23 to 26, 2019, at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the University of Rouen-Normandie, France, to discuss current research perspectives in the field.