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Worms and bugs of the gut: the search for diagnostic signatures using barcoding, and metagenomics-metabolomics.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Papaiakovou, Marina 
Littlewood, D Timothy J 
Doyle, Stephen R 
Gasser, Robin B 

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) helminth infections cause significant morbidity in both humans and animals worldwide. Specific and sensitive diagnosis is central to the surveillance of such infections and to determine the effectiveness of treatment strategies used to control them. In this article, we: (i) assess the strengths and limitations of existing methods applied to the diagnosis of GI helminth infections of humans and livestock; (ii) examine high-throughput sequencing approaches, such as targeted molecular barcoding and shotgun sequencing, as tools to define the taxonomic composition of helminth infections; and (iii) discuss the current understanding of the interactions between helminths and microbiota in the host gut. Stool-based diagnostics are likely to serve as an important tool well into the future; improved diagnostics of helminths and their environment in the gut may assist the identification of biomarkers with the potential to define the health/disease status of individuals and populations, and to identify existing or emerging anthelmintic resistance.

Description

Funder: Isaac Newton Trust


Funder: Postgraduate Distinguished Harding Scholarship


Funder: Wellcome Trust


Funder: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Keywords

Animals, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Gastrointestinal Tract, Metabolomics, Metagenomics, Microbiota

Journal Title

Parasit Vectors

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1756-3305
1756-3305

Volume Title

15

Publisher

BioMed Central