The unique discovery of Toxoplasma parasite within a group of microbial communities in pediatric cases diagnosed with anterior uveitis in rural Egypt

The current study is an endeavor to discover the nature of waterborne ocular infections that affect many children living in rural areas in Egypt, causing anterior uveitis up to the loss of vision. This infection was previously believed to be due to a parasitic stage related to trematodes, correlating its appearance after bathing of children in the Nile River canals. These canals are known to be rich in these types of parasites that were recorded before as a possible cause of ocular infections. Methods: Whole-genome sequencing with subsequent analytical bioinformatics was done for four ocular lesions removed surgically from the eye anterior chamber of four children . Toxoplasma gondii was reported to be the highest percentage among a large number of Eukaryotes and prokaryotes communities, representing 29%, 38%, 39 %, and 52 %, among all the screened organisms . It is argued that urbanization, global warming, and economic globalization, among other anthropocentric and environmental changes, may impact the way of emergence and spread of many parasitic infections including Toxoplasma. Conclusion: The results of this preliminary research may change the view of specialists in parasitology, environmental health, and Medicine in general, about the nature of Toxoplasma infection, from being opportunistic only to becoming harmful to a vital body organ as the eye, specifically of children. In addition, the study stimulates further research concerning Toxoplasma transmission via water and its ecological relationship to the plethora of aquatic species. Expanding on the possible ecological and biological changes that may have occurred in the parasite itself, its propagation, and steadfastness in nature are all worth further investigation.