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Publications

Journal Article Epublish

PubMed: 40284827 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci12040325

Targeted-Amplicon NGS for sp. in Shepherd Dogs of Portugal Discriminates Co-Colonization with Multiple Zoonotic Subtypes.

Vet Sci 12(4)

Authors: Sara Gomes-Gonçalves, Maria João Feiteiro, Guilherme Moreira, Rita Cruz, Fernando Esteves, Helena Vala, João R Mesquita

Affiliations

  • School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
  • Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Escola Superior Agrária de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal.
  • Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto (UP), 4050-600 Porto, Portugal.
  • CERNAS-IPV Research Centre, Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, Repeses, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal.
  • Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
  • School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal. Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal. Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente (ICETA), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua D. Manuel II, Apartado 55142, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal.

Abstract

Research on endoparasites in pet dogs has been growing, but shepherd dogs have largely been overlooked. These dogs frequently share close proximity not only with sheep, which are reservoirs of zoonotic subtypes of , but also with their owners. This close contact increases the potential for shepherd dogs to act as intermediates in the transmission of . To clarify the role of these dogs as reservoirs for this parasite, this study investigated the presence of in shepherd dogs. Stool samples from Portuguese shepherd dogs were analyzed using SYBR-Green-based real-time PCR and melting curve analysis followed by targeted-amplicon NGS for mixed infections detection. Our results revealed a 60% occurrence of sp. in shepherd dog stools and frequent identification of zoonotic subtypes ST1-ST4 and ST14. Additionally, we observed mixed infections and subtype diversity within individual dogs, suggesting a potential role in cross-species transmission between livestock and humans.

MeSH

Coinfection, Parasites, Infections