Circulation and colonisation ofBlastocystissubtypes in schoolchildren of various ethnicities in rural northern Thailand

Abstract

Blastocystis is a protist of controversial pathogenicity inhabiting the gut of humans and other animals. Despite a century of intense study, understanding of the epidemiology of Blastocystis remains fragmentary. Here, we aimed to explore its prevalence, stability of colonisation and association with various factors in a rural elementary school in northern Thailand. One hundred and forty faecal samples were collected from 104 children at two time points (tp) 105 days apart. For tp2, samples were also obtained from 15 animals residing on campus and seven water locations. Prevalence in children was 67% at tp1 and 89% at tp2, 63% in chickens, 86% in pigs, and 57% in water. Ten STs were identified, two of which were shared between humans and animals, one between animals and water, and three between humans and water. Eighteen children (out of 36) carried the same ST over both time points, indicating stable colonisation. Presence of Blastocystis (or ST) was not associated with body mass index, ethnicity, birth delivery mode, or milk source as an infant. This study advances understanding of Blastocystis prevalence in an understudied age group, the role of the environment in transmission, and the ability of specific STs to stably colonise children.

Frequency of Subtypes of Blastocystis spp. in Children from Vulnerable Populations

“…The authors suggest that the main transmission routes of Blastocystis to humans are soil and water [11]. Contrary to another study in the Thai-Myanmar Border, Ratchaburi Province (Thailand) in the same year, 2023 [69], in which the prevalence of Blastocystis was very low (3.35%). In Thailand, Blastocystis infection rates are 0.7-45.2% in school-age children, and the highest rates are found in young children living in orphan homes in Pathum Thani province; this is consistent with several studies that mention that the prevalence of Blastocystis is higher in developing countries where the prevalence reaches 100% [28].…”