Skin-penetrating nematodes exhibit life-stage-specific interactions with host-associated and environmental bacteria.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Skin-penetrating nematodes of the genus Strongyloides infect over 600 million people, posing a major global health burden. Their life cycle includes both a parasitic and free-living generation. During the parasitic generation, infective third-stage larvae (iL3s) actively engage in host seeking. During the free-living generation, the nematodes develop and reproduce on host feces. At different points during their life cycle, Strongyloides species encounter a wide variety of host-associated and environmental bacteria. However, the microbiome associated with Strongyloides species, and the behavioral and physiological interactions between Strongyloides species and bacteria, remain unclear.

Results

We first investigated the microbiome of the human parasite Strongyloides

SUBMITTER: Chavez IN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8499433 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature