Intestinal microbiota analysis of different Blastocystis subtypes and Blastocystis-negative individuals in Taiwan

Li-San Huang; Yuan-Ming Yeh; Shu-Fang Chiu; Po-Jung Huang; Lichieh Julie Chu; Ching-Yun Huang; Fang-Wen Cheng; Lih-Chyang Chen; Hsin-Chung Lin; Ya-Wen Shih; Wei-Ning Lin; Kuo-Yang Huang

doi:10.1016/j.bj.2023.100661

Intestinal microbiota analysis of different Blastocystis subtypes and Blastocystis-negative individuals in Taiwan

Biomed J. 2023 Sep 27:100661. doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2023.100661. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 114, Taiwan; Department of Inspection, Taipei City Hospital, Renai Branch, Taipei City 114, Taiwan; Host-Parasite Interactions Laboratory, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei city 114, Taiwan.
² Genomic Medicine Core Laboratory, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan city 333, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan city 333, Taiwan.
³ Department of Inspection, Taipei City Hospital, Renai Branch, Taipei City 114, Taiwan; Host-Parasite Interactions Laboratory, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei city 114, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei city 114, Taiwan.
⁴ Genomic Medicine Core Laboratory, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan city 333, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan city 333, Taiwan.
⁵ Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan city 333, Taiwan; Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan city 333, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan city 333, Taiwan.
⁶ Host-Parasite Interactions Laboratory, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei city 114, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei city 114, Taiwan.
⁷ Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 114, Taiwan; Host-Parasite Interactions Laboratory, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei city 114, Taiwan.
⁸ Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City 252, Taiwan.
⁹ Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 114, Taiwan; Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 114, Taiwan.
¹⁰ School of nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei City 114, Taiwan.
¹¹ Graduate Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242, Taiwan.
¹² Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 114, Taiwan; Host-Parasite Interactions Laboratory, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei city 114, Taiwan. Electronic address: cguhgy6934@gmail.com.

PMID: 37774792
DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2023.100661

Abstract

Background: Intestinal parasitic infections are the most common infectious diseases among Southeast Asian migrant workers in Taiwan, especially for infections with Blastocystis hominis. However, little is known about the impact of Blastocystis subtypes (STs) on the gut microbiota.

Material and methods: We retrospectively evaluated the prevalence of intestinal parasites in a teaching hospital in Northern Taiwan in the period of 2015 to 2019. Blastocystis-positive stool specimens were collected for ST analysis by polymerase chain reaction in 2020. Intestinal microbiota analyses of different Blastocystis STs and Blastocystis-free individuals were conducted by 16S rRNA sequencing.

Results: A total of 13,859 subjects were analyzed, of which 1,802 cases (13%) were diagnosed with intestinal parasitic infections. B. hominis infections were the most prevalent (n = 1546, 85.7%). ST analysis of Blastocystis-positive samples (n=150) indicated that ST1 was the most common type, followed by ST3, ST4, ST2, ST7, and ST5. Different Blastocystis STs (ST1, ST3, and ST4) were associated with distinct richness and diversity of the microbiota. Taxonomic profiles revealed that Akkermansia muciniphila was significantly enriched for all analyzed Blastocystis STs, whereas Holdemanella biformis was more abundant in the Blastocystis-free group. Additionally, Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens and Coprococcus eutactus were specifically more abundant in ST3 carriers than in non-infected individuals.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that A. muciniphila is positively associated with all Blastocystis STs, while H. biformis was negatively associated with them. Several bacteria were enriched in specific STs, highlighting the need for further microbiota analysis at the ST level to elucidate the pathogenicity of Blastocystis.

Keywords: Blastocystis hominis; genotyping; gut microbiota.