Predictors of zoonotic potential in helminths

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Ania A Majewska, Emory University; Tao Huang, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies; Barbara Han, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies; John M Drake, University of Georgia, Athens
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-11-08
• Publisher: Royal Society, The
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2021 The Authors.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2020.0356
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences
• Volume: 376
• Issue: 1837
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by the NSF Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program (DEB 1717282 to B.H. and J.M.D.). A.A.M. was also supported by NIH/NIGMS K12 Postdoctoral Fellowship at Emory University (Project 5K12GM000680-19).
• Keywords: parasite trait; intermediate host; zoonosis; pet; macroparasite
• Research Categories: Biology, Ecology

Abstract

Helminths are parasites that cause disease at considerable cost to public health and present a risk for emergence as novel human infections. Although recent research has elucidated characteristics conferring a propensity to emergence in other parasite groups (e.g. viruses), the understanding of factors associated with zoonotic potential in helminths remains poor. We applied an investigator-directed learning algorithm to a global dataset of mammal helminth traits to identify factors contributing to spillover of helminths from wild animal hosts into humans. We characterized parasite traits that distinguish between zoonotic and non-zoonotic species with 91% accuracy. Results suggest that helminth traits relating to transmission (e.g. definitive and intermediate hosts) and geography (e.g. distribution) are more important to discriminating zoonotic from non-zoonotic species than morphological or epidemiological traits. Whether or not a helminth causes infection in companion animals (cats and dogs) is the most important predictor of propensity to cause human infection. Finally, we identified helminth species with high modelled propensity to cause zoonosis (over 70%) that have not previously been considered to be of risk. This work highlights the importance of prioritizing studies on the transmission of helminths that infect pets and points to the risks incurred by close associations with these animals.