Molecular and morphologic identification of Pentatrichomonas hominis in swine

A marasmic pig with watery diarrhea was identified to harbor the human-pathogenic protist Pentatrichomonas hominis by PCR and sequence analysis of three genetic loci (ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2, 18S rRNA, and EF-1α), electron microscopy, and infection experiments. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis indicated the organism isolated in this study was most closely related to P. hominis. SEM and TEM observation of the ultrastructure demonstrated that it had a morphology identical to P. hominis. The result of experimental infections with P. hominis exhibited that the cells had the ability to propagate in the cecum of piglets and fecal-oral route might be the major way in which pigs became infected. The present study confirmed that swine could be a host for P. hominis and might serve as a reservoir for human trichomoniasis.