Environmental DNA from Fasciola Parasites as a Novel Biomarker to Improve Agriculture in the UK

片形吸虫寄生虫的环境 DNA 作为改善英国农业的新型生物标志物

• 批准号: 2624382
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Queen's University Belfast
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2624382
• 关键词: Environmental; DNA; Fasciola; Parasites; Novel

Fasciola hepatica, usually termed "the temperate liver fluke", is found worldwide and causes disease known as fasciolosis. This infection caused by helminth parasites, primarily impacts on ruminant production, including within the UK and many other European countries. As a food-borne disease, fasciolosis occurs from the consumption of infective larvae by ruminant animals. Fasciolosis greatly reduces global agricultural outputs in both developing and developed communities, through production inefficiency in millions of ruminants. UK annual economic losses are estimated at £110 million, while internationally the impact is considerably larger, with as an example, India reports $4.8 billion (USD) in loses every year. Fasciolosis is also an important disease of humans, and is acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO).All organisms shed DNA into their environment, this material is known as eDNA. The detection of this eDNA allows the classification of species diversity and abundance in an environment. During certain phases of the Fasciola lifecycle, parasites are present in the environment in order to infect either the snail or animal host (see Figure). It is at these times the parasite also leaves eDNA behind. The improved detection of this eDNA is the central basis of this project. While low levels of eDNA is expected in water or soil, or on plants, new innovative molecular methods will be used to overcome these issues. This will include the third generation technology- droplet digital PCR (ddPCR- see Figure), which greatly increases DNA detection sensitivity and reproducibility. ddPCR also as a fully quantitative method, simplifies the assay and provides better results.The project will drive a step-change in the way eDNA analysis is considered for the detection of important helminth parasites of agricultural significance. The project will examine a range of environmental samples, including water, soil and grass for the presence of Fasciola parasite activity represented by their eDNA. I will lead field collections, in partnership with long time collaborating sheep farmers of the Belfast region in Northern Ireland. These novel samples will be characterised by the highly sensitive ddPCR technology, in order to provide comprehensive quantitative measurements of parasite/vector (snail) eDNA. eDNA represents a less invasive and less labor intensive approach to disease monitoring.In detecting parasitic infections earlier, the use of drugs (anthelmintics) can be reduced or avoided. This can be achieved through intelligent pasture management - rotating animals around pastures according to their age, species and season, relative to the perception of infection risk in those pastures. Future applications for the approaches you will develop, will allow farmers to make decisions more effectively through accessing improved, more relevant data from their own farms.

肝片吸虫病，通常被称为“温带肝吸虫”，在世界范围内发现并引起称为片吸虫病的疾病。这种由蠕虫寄生虫引起的感染主要影响反刍动物的生产，包括在英国和许多其他欧洲国家。片吸虫病是一种食源性疾病，发生于反刍动物食用具有传染性的幼虫。由于数百万反刍动物的生产效率低下，片形虫病大大降低了发展中国家和发达国家的全球农业产出。英国每年的经济损失估计为1.1亿英镑，而在国际上的影响要大得多，例如，印度每年损失48亿美元。片形吸虫病也是一种重要的人类疾病，被世界卫生组织（WHO）承认。所有生物体都会将DNA释放到环境中，这种物质被称为eDNA。这种eDNA的检测允许对环境中的物种多样性和丰度进行分类。在片形吸虫生命周期的某些阶段，寄生虫存在于环境中，以便感染蜗牛或动物宿主（见图）。正是在这些时候，寄生虫也留下了eDNA。改进这种eDNA的检测是这个项目的中心基础。虽然预计在水、土壤或植物上的eDNA水平较低，但新的创新分子方法将用于克服这些问题。这将包括第三代技术——液滴数字PCR （ddPCR-见图），它大大提高了DNA检测的灵敏度和再现性。ddPCR也是一种完全定量的方法，简化了分析，提供了更好的结果。该项目将推动eDNA分析在检测具有农业意义的重要寄生虫方面的方式发生重大变化。该项目将检查一系列环境样本，包括水、土壤和草，以检测片形吸虫的eDNA活性。我将与北爱尔兰贝尔法斯特地区长期合作的牧羊农民合作，领导实地收集。这些新样品将采用高灵敏度的ddPCR技术进行表征，以便提供寄生虫/载体（蜗牛）eDNA的全面定量测量。eDNA代表了一种侵入性更小、劳动强度更低的疾病监测方法。在早期发现寄生虫感染时，可以减少或避免使用药物（驱虫药）。这可以通过智能牧场管理来实现——根据动物的年龄、物种和季节，以及对这些牧场感染风险的感知，在牧场周围轮换动物。你们将开发的方法的未来应用，将允许农民通过访问来自他们自己农场的改进的、更相关的数据，更有效地做出决策。