Detection of parasite DNA in soil samples from rural Yucatán, México

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe soil is the primary environmental reservoir for many parasites transmitted to humans through the fecal-oral route, causing disease. Our environmental study used a high-throughput multi-parallel real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to detect parasites’ DNA in soil collected from the outdoor built environments of 34 houses. The total parasite prevalence wasAcanthamoeba spp. (53%),Blastocystisspp. (12%),Ascaris lumbricoides(12%),Toxocara canis(9%),Ancylostomaspp. (3%),Trichuris trichiura(3%),Entamoeba histolytica(3%) andGiardia intestinalis(3%). No DNA fromNecator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis, Toxocara catis, andCryptosporidiumspp was detected. A total of 65% of houses were positive for at least one parasite, 15% had poly-parasites, and up to six different parasites were detected in a single sample. This is the first report of parasites-DNA detected in soil samples from a rural community in Yucatán and suggests higher rates of transmission of parasites with both a zoonotic and medical importance.