The genetic diversity of Strongyloides papillosus in Pakistani goats revealed by whole genome sequencing

Strongyloides nematodes are livestock parasites, and Strongyloides papillosus infecting ruminant livestock can cause disease. Recent genomic analysis of several Strongyloides species is now facilitating population genomic analyses of natural Strongyloides infections, for example finding that Strongyloides ratti in wild UK rats exists as an assemblage of long-lived, asexual lineages.

Here we have initiated an investigation into the population genomics of S. papillosus in goats in Pakistan. We sampled Strongyloides from goat faeces and then whole genome sequenced individual larvae.

We find that S. papillosus is common, with a prevalence of 28%; that the population is genetically diverse and that individual goats commonly have mixed-genotype infections, and that there is evidence of admixture in only ca. 20% of worms.

These results now provoke further questions about the host range of different S. papillosus genotypes that can be investigated by further population genomic analyses in the future.