Whole genome sequence analysis of Strongyloides stercoralis from sympatric human and dog populations in Asia to investigate the zoonotic potential of dog-derived parasite

Gut nematode worms are important parasites of people and other animals. The parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis infects an estimated 600 million people worldwide, is one of the soil-transmitted helminthiases, a WHO-defined neglected tropical disease. It has long been suggested that human S. stercoralis infection may be a zoonosis from dogs. In the present study, we investigated this by whole genome sequence analysis of S. stercoralis from sympatric human and dog populations in Asia.