Integrative use of conventional and DNA metabarcoding methods reveals high diversity, prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites in pigs from Victoria, Australia

IF 1.8 3区农林科学 Q1 VETERINARY SCIENCES

Research in veterinary science Pub Date : 2025-09-18 DOI:10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.105902

Ghazanfar Abbas , Yuet On Lee , Hannah Mitchell , Abdul Ghafar , Mark A. Stevenson , Charles G. Gauci , Leah G. Starick , Regina M. Fogarty , Bernie Gleeson , Dianne E. Phillips , Tao Wang , Robin B. Gasser , Abdul Jabbar

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Abstract

This cross-sectional study provides the first integrated parasitological and molecular survey of gastrointestinal parasites in pigs from 69 commercial and backyard farms across Victoria, Australia. In total, 1222 faecal samples were tested using the modified McMaster technique to determine faecal egg and oocyst counts. Samples test-positive for strongylid nematode stages were characterised further using next-generation sequencing (NGS) targeting the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of ribosomal DNA as a species-specific genetic marker. Based on faecal egg/oocyst count, 39.1 % of farms tested positive for at least one parasite taxon. Coccidia were most prevalent (9.5 %) in samples, followed by Ascaris suum (5.2 %), Trichuris suis (4.5 %) and strongylid nematodes (1.8 %). Infection intensity was highest for coccidia, with notable burdens also for Ascaris suum and strongylid in individual samples. Eggs of Metastrongylus spp. were detected for the first time in Australian domestic pigs on an outdoor farm. Prevalence patterns varied substantially according to the production system and pig age group: coccidia dominated in mature breeders (17.8 %) and piglets (15.4 %) in backyard settings (33.7 %), whereas Ascaris peaked in mature breeders (9.1 %) and growers/finishers (up to 5 %) in semi-intensive systems (21.7 %). Strongylid eggs were most frequently detected in gilts and mature breeders from backyard and extensive systems. Notably, NGS revealed a diverse community of strongylid nematodes, including Oesophagostomum dentatum, O. quadrispinulatum and Trichostrongylus axei and Metastrongylus apri and M. salmi. This is the first molecular detection of Metastrongylus species in domestic pigs in Australia. These findings uncover a considerable and underappreciated parasitic burden in pig populations across multiple production systems in Victoria.

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综合使用传统和DNA元条形码方法揭示了澳大利亚维多利亚州猪胃肠道寄生虫的多样性、流行率和强度

这项横断面研究提供了来自澳大利亚维多利亚州69个商业和后院农场的猪胃肠道寄生虫的第一个综合寄生虫学和分子调查。总共使用改良的麦克马斯特技术检测了1222份粪便样本，以确定粪便卵和卵囊的数量。采用下一代测序（NGS）技术，将核糖体DNA的第二个内部转录间隔段（ITS-2）作为物种特异性遗传标记，进一步表征了检测呈阳性的强线虫阶段样品。根据粪卵/卵囊计数，39.1%的养殖场至少检测出一种寄生虫分类群呈阳性。其中球虫最常见（9.5%），其次为猪蛔虫（5.2%）、猪毛虫（4.5%）和强线虫（1.8%）。球虫的感染强度最高，猪蛔虫和强线虫的感染强度也显著。在室外猪场首次在澳大利亚家猪中检出转圆线虫卵。根据生产系统和猪的年龄组，流行模式有很大差异：球虫在成熟种猪（17.8%）和后院环境中的仔猪（15.4%）中占主导地位（33.7%），而蛔虫在成熟种猪（9.1%）和半集约化系统中的种植者/育肥者（高达5%）中占高峰（21.7%）。在后院和放养系统的后备母猪和成熟种猪中最常发现坚固的卵。值得注意的是，NGS发现了一个多样化的强线虫群落，包括齿状o食管stomum dentatum、quadrispinulatum、axei毛圆线虫、apri转圆线虫和M. salmi。这是澳大利亚首次在家猪中检测到元圆线虫。这些发现揭示了维多利亚州多个生产系统中猪群中相当大且未得到充分重视的寄生负担。

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来源期刊

Research in veterinary science 农林科学-兽医学

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

4.20%

发文量

312

审稿时长

75 days

期刊介绍： Research in Veterinary Science is an International multi-disciplinary journal publishing original articles, reviews and short communications of a high scientific and ethical standard in all aspects of veterinary and biomedical research. The primary aim of the journal is to inform veterinary and biomedical scientists of significant advances in veterinary and related research through prompt publication and dissemination. Secondly, the journal aims to provide a general multi-disciplinary forum for discussion and debate of news and issues concerning veterinary science. Thirdly, to promote the dissemination of knowledge to a broader range of professions, globally. High quality papers on all species of animals are considered, particularly those considered to be of high scientific importance and originality, and with interdisciplinary interest. The journal encourages papers providing results that have clear implications for understanding disease pathogenesis and for the development of control measures or treatments, as well as those dealing with a comparative biomedical approach, which represents a substantial improvement to animal and human health. Studies without a robust scientific hypothesis or that are preliminary, or of weak originality, as well as negative results, are not appropriate for the journal. Furthermore, observational approaches, case studies or field reports lacking an advancement in general knowledge do not fall within the scope of the journal.