Ricerc@Sapienza

Blastocystis is a single-celled intestinal monoxenus parasite with fecal-oral transmission. It represents the most prevalent intestinal parasites in humans from all over the world, including from Italy. To date, based on the SSU rDNA and MLST loci analysis, it was discovered to comprise 17 subtypes (STs), likely representing distinct species, colonizing humans, other mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Some STs from animals are zoonotic to humans. Currently, there are no data on the molecular epidemiology of blastocystosis in domestic and farmed animals, which could represent the source of infection to humans in Italy.
The pathogenesis of STs still remains uncertain. Recent findings indicate that some STs of Blastocystis could be considered as "markers" of gastrointestinal health, rather than of disease. Further, so far, little is known about whether and how STs alter the faecal bacterial microbiota.
The Project aims to continue to perform the research on the argument, with following objectives: 1) to carry out molecular epidemiological study of Blastocystis STs on: a) human groups (patients) from Italy, both immunocompetent and immunodepressed ones; b) domestic, farmed and sylvatic animals; 2) compare the faecal microbiota in human groups infected with STs; 3) develop a molecular method, for the rapid and specific molecular detection of STs in humans; 4) detect protease released by the parasite and their gene expression level, implicated in the pathogenicity of distinct STs.
Results that will be obtained will allow to: a) add knowledge on the occurrence of STs in animals as possible sources of blastocystosis to humans, in Italy; b) study the association between STs, faecal microbiota and intestinal disorders in different patients groups; c) use a rapid, sensitive and specific tool in the diagnosis of STs in humans; d) detect target proteins (proteases) which could be also used as a possible "biomarker" of pathogenicity of different STs, in humans.