Blastocystis is frequently reported in fecal samples from animals and humans worldwide, and a variety of subtypes (STs) have been observed in wild and domestic animals. In Colombia, few studies have focused on the transmission dynamics and epidemiological importance of Blastocystis in animals. In this study, we characterized the frequency and subtypes of Blastocystis in fecal samples of domestic animals including pigs, minipigs, cows, dogs, horses, goats, sheep, and llama from three departments of Colombia. Of the 118 fecal samples included in this study 81.4% (n = 96) were positive for Blastocystis using a PCR that amplifies a fragment of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. PCR positive samples were sequenced by next generation amplicon sequencing (NGS) to determine subtypes. Eleven subtypes were detected, ten previously reported, ST5 (50.7%), ST10 (47.8%), ST25 (34.3%), ST26 (29.8%), ST21 (22.4%), ST23 (22.4%), ST1 (17.9%), ST14 (16.4%), ST24 (14.9%), ST3 (7.5%), and a novel subtype, named ST32 (3.0%). Mixed infection and/or intra -subtype variations were identified in most of the samples. Novel ST32 was observed in two samples from a goat and a cow. To support novel subtype designation, a MinION based sequencing strategy was used to generate the full-length of the SSU rRNA gene. Comparison of full-length nucleotide sequences with those from current valid subtypes supported the designation of ST32. This is the first study in Colombia using NGS to molecularly characterize subtypes of Blastocystis in farm animals. A great diversity of subtypes was observed in domestic animals including subtypes previously identified in humans. Additionally, subtype overlap between the different hosts examined in this study were observed. These findings highlight the presence of Blastocystis subtypes with zoonotic potential in farm animals indicating that farm animals could play a role in transmission to humans.

The ability to identify compositional changes in the intestinal microbiota of parasitized hosts is important for understanding the physiological processes that may affect animal productivity. Within the field of host–parasite interactions, many studies have suggested that helminths can influence the microbial composition of their hosts via their immunomodulatory effects. Bovine fascioliasis is a helminthiasis widely studied by immunologists, but with little information available regarding gut microbial communities. Thus, we aimed to describe the composition of the intestinal microbiota of Holstein Fasciola-positive and -negative cattle using parasitological methods and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Bovine fecal samples (n = 65) were obtained from livestock slaughter plants in the Cundi-Boyacense Colombian highlands (a hyperendemic region for bovine fascioliasis) and studied by amplicon-based next-generation 16S-rRNA and 18S-rRNA gene sequencing. From these samples, 35 were Fasciola hepatica-negative and, 30 were F. hepatica-positive in our detection analysis. Our results showed a reduction in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Ascomycota in the Fasciola-positive samples, along with decreased relative abundances of the commensal taxa previously associated with fermentation and digestion processes. However, metabolomic approaches and functional analyzes of the intestinal microbiota are necessary to support this hypothesis. These findings are a small first step in the development of research aimed at understanding how microbial populations in bovines are modulated in liver helminth infections.

El objetivo fue determinar la prevalencia y posibles factores de riesgo asociados a la excreción de ooquistes de Cryptosporidium spp en excremento de bovinos Holstein en fincas de producción lechera de Boyacá, Colombia. Se colectaron 100 muestras de materia fecal de bovinos hembras mediante estimulación rectal. Con la técnica de Ziehl Neelsen modificada se determinó la excreción de ooquistes de Cryptosporidium spp. Para conocer los posibles factores asociados se usó la prueba de Ji cuadrada teniendo como variable dependiente la presencia de ooquistes de Cryptosporidium spp y como independientes la presencia de diarrea (si, no), edad (<12 meses, >12 meses), finca de procedencia (1, 2, 3, 4) y estado reproductivo (gestante, vacía). Las variables con P<0,05 fueron analizadas mediante regresión logística. La prevalencia general de bovinos excretando ooquistes de Cryptosporidium spp fue de 48 % (48/100). Las explotaciones ganaderas estudiadas presentaron prevalencias de 11.1, 43.8, 50.8 y 66.6 % para las explotaciones 1, 2, 3 y 4 respectivamente (P>0.05). Las variables que durante el análisis con X2 tuvieron valores P<0.05 fueron edad y presencia de diarrea. Los bovinos con diarrea (OR= 2.99, P= 0.038) y <12 meses de edad (OR=9.42, P= 0.037) fueron los factores asociados a la excreción de ooquistes de Cryptosporidium spp. Los bovinos de fincas lecheras de Boyacá, presentan alta prevalencia de excreción de ooquistes de Cryptosporidium spp; bovinos con diarrea y menores de 12 meses de edad son los que presentaron el parásito con mayor frecuencia.

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar la presencia de anticuerpos contra Neospora caninum en un hato lechero del municipio de Toca, Colombia. Se tomaron 100 muestras de sangre de bovinos de 1 a 9 años de edad, seleccionados mediante un método aleatorio simple de corte transversal prospectivo. Las muestras de suero fueron procesadas mediante un kit comercial de ELISA indirecta. La seroprevalencia de anticuerpos anti-N. caninum fue de 64%. La asociación entre animales positivos con historia de abortos y número de partos fue estadísticamente significativa (p&lt;0.05), en tanto que la asociación con la edad, estado reproductivo y repetición de celos no fue significativa.<br /><br />