Population genomics of ancient and modern Trichuris trichiura

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31487-x
• Publication Date: 2022-07-06T17:03:57Z
• Authors: Stephen R. Doyle; Martin Jensen Søe; Peter Nejsum; Martha Betson; Philip J. Cooper; Lifei Peng; Xing-Quan Zhu; Ana Sanchez; Gabriela Matamoros; Gustavo Adolfo Fo...; Cristina Cutillas; Louis-Albert Tchu...; Zeleke Mekonnen; Shaali M. Ame; Harriet Namwanje; Bruno Levecke; Matthew Berriman; Brian Lund Freden...; Christian Moliin ...
• Keywords: Trichuris trichiura; Trichuris; Trichuriasis; Population genomics

Abstract The neglected tropical disease trichuriasis is caused by the whipworm Trichuris trichiura , a soil-transmitted helminth that has infected humans for millennia. Today, T. infects as many 500 million people, predominantly in communities with poor sanitary infrastructure enabling sustained faecal-oral transmission. Using whole-genome sequencing of geographically distributed worms collected from human and other primate hosts, together ancient samples preserved archaeologically-defined latrines deposits dated up to one thousand years old, we present first population genomics study . We describe continent-scale genetic structure between whipworms infecting baboons relative those primates. Admixture demographic analyses support stepwise distribution variation highest Uganda, consistent an African origin subsequent translocation migration. Finally, genome-wide non-human reveal local regions differentiation distinct populations. These data provide insight into zoonotic reservoirs human-infective will future efforts toward implementation genomic epidemiology this globally important helminth.