The Human Blood Fluke, Schistosoma mansoni, Harbors Bacteria Throughout the Parasite's Life Cycle.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 37487539.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1093/infdis/jiad288 and PMC identifier 10629713.
- No licence information is recorded for this record.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
While symbiotic relationships between invertebrates and bacteria have been extensively described, studies of microbial communities inhabiting parasitic worms remain scarce. Exploring the microbiota associated with helminths responsible for major infectious diseases will inform on parasite biology, host-pathogen interactions, and disease pathophysiology. We investigated the presence of microorganisms inhabiting tissues of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni. In situ hybridization using a pan-bacterial 16S rRNA gene probe revealed bacteria colonizing key developmental stages that were successfully removed after antibiotic treatment of live parasites. Understanding the composition and function of the S. mansoni-associated microbiota may lead to the development of novel microbiome-targeting control strategies.
Medical subject headings
- Parasites
- Helminths
- Schistosomiasis mansoni