Characterization of a human isolate of Tritrichomonas foetus (cattle/swine genotype) infected by a zoonotic opportunistic infection

Jun SUZUKI; Seiki KOBAYASHI; Hanako OSUKA; Daisuke KAWAHATA; Tsuyoshi OISHI; Koji SEKIGUCHI; Atsuo HAMADA; Satoshi IWATA

doi:10.1292/jvms.15-0644

Parasitology

Characterization of a human isolate of Tritrichomonas foetus (cattle/swine genotype) infected by a zoonotic opportunistic infection

Jun SUZUKI, Seiki KOBAYASHI, Hanako OSUKA, Daisuke KAWAHATA, Tsuyoshi OISHI, Koji SEKIGUCHI, Atsuo HAMADA, Satoshi IWATA

Author information

Jun SUZUKI
Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health, 3–24–1, Hyakunincho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 179–0073, Japan
Seiki KOBAYASHI
Department of Infectious Diseases, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160–8582, Japan
Hanako OSUKA
Department of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, 3–20–1, Chuo, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300–0395, Japan
Daisuke KAWAHATA
Department of Clinical Laboratories, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, 3–20–1, Chuo, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300–0395, Japan
Tsuyoshi OISHI
Department of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, 3–20–1, Chuo, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300–0395, Japan
Koji SEKIGUCHI
Department of Infectious Diseases, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160–8582, Japan
Atsuo HAMADA
Travelers’ Medical Center, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, 6–7–1, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160–0023, Japan
Satoshi IWATA
Department of Infectious Diseases, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160–8582, Japan

Keywords: experimental infection, human infection, molecular identification, morphological differentiation, Tritrichomonas foetus

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2016 Volume 78 Issue 4 Pages 633-640

DOI https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.15-0644

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Abstract

Tritrichomonas species flagellates (IMC strain) were isolated from the biliary tract of an individual who had developed cholecystitis as a complication of acquired agammaglobulinemia. Sequence analysis of Tritrichomonas sp. (IMC clone 2 (cl2)) was performed for several genetic regions including the ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 region, the cysteine protease (CP)-1, CP-2 and CP-4 to CP-9 genes, and the cytosolic malate dehydrogenase 1 gene. In addition to comparison of the variable-length DNA repeats in the isolate clone with those in T. foetus (Inui cl2) and the T. mobilensis (U.S.A.: M776 cl2) reference strains, this analysis showed that the Tritrichomonas sp. (IMC cl2) was T. foetus (cattle/swine genotype). Injection of T. foetus (IMC cl2) directly into the livers of CBA mice resulted in liver abscess formation on Day 7. Moreover, inoculation via orogastric intubation caused infection in the cecum on Day 5 in CBA mice co-infected with Entamoeba histolytica (HM-1: IMSS cl6). T. foetus (IMC cl2) was able to grow in YI-S medium for over 20 days, even at 5°C. These results indicate that the T. foetus isolate is able to survive in the feces and edible organ meat of the definitive host for a prolonged period of time, and it is possible that the parasite could infect humans.

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