Current status and perspectives of Clonorchis sinensis and clonorchiasis: epidemiology, pathogenesis, omics, prevention and control

doi:10.1186/s40249-016-0166-1

Review

. 2016 Jul 6;5(1):71.

doi: 10.1186/s40249-016-0166-1.

Current status and perspectives of Clonorchis sinensis and clonorchiasis: epidemiology, pathogenesis, omics, prevention and control

Ze-Li Tang^{1

2}, Yan Huang^{1

2}, Xin-Bing Yu^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China.
² Key Laboratory for Tropical Diseases Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China.
³ Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China. yuhxteam@163.com.
⁴ Key Laboratory for Tropical Diseases Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China. yuhxteam@163.com.

PMID: 27384714
PMCID: PMC4933995
DOI: 10.1186/s40249-016-0166-1

Review

Current status and perspectives of Clonorchis sinensis and clonorchiasis: epidemiology, pathogenesis, omics, prevention and control

Ze-Li Tang et al. Infect Dis Poverty. 2016.

. 2016 Jul 6;5(1):71.

doi: 10.1186/s40249-016-0166-1.

Authors

Ze-Li Tang^{1

2}, Yan Huang^{1

2}, Xin-Bing Yu^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China.
² Key Laboratory for Tropical Diseases Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China.
³ Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China. yuhxteam@163.com.
⁴ Key Laboratory for Tropical Diseases Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China. yuhxteam@163.com.

PMID: 27384714
PMCID: PMC4933995
DOI: 10.1186/s40249-016-0166-1

Abstract

Clonorchiasis, caused by Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis), is an important food-borne parasitic disease and one of the most common zoonoses. Currently, it is estimated that more than 200 million people are at risk of C. sinensis infection, and over 15 million are infected worldwide. C. sinensis infection is closely related to cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), fibrosis and other human hepatobiliary diseases; thus, clonorchiasis is a serious public health problem in endemic areas. This article reviews the current knowledge regarding the epidemiology, disease burden and treatment of clonorchiasis as well as summarizes the techniques for detecting C. sinensis infection in humans and intermediate hosts and vaccine development against clonorchiasis. Newer data regarding the pathogenesis of clonorchiasis and the genome, transcriptome and secretome of C. sinensis are collected, thus providing perspectives for future studies. These advances in research will aid the development of innovative strategies for the prevention and control of clonorchiasis.

Keywords: Clonorchiasis; Clonorchis sinensis; Diagnosis; Omics; Pathogenesis; Prevention.

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Figures

**Fig. 1**
The life cycle of *C. sinensis*. The adult worms of *C. sinensis* (a) mainly live in the bile ducts of the definitive hosts (A) (human beings, dogs, cats, mice, *etc.*). The eggs (b) are discharged from the definitive hosts with the faeces. Freshwater snails, mainly *Parafossarulus striatulus* (1), *Bithynia fuchsianus* (2) and *Alocinma longicornis* (3), can serve as the first intermediate hosts (B). Eggs develop into miracidia (c) in water and then to sporocysts (d), rediae (e) and cercariae (f) after they are swallowed by snails. The mature cercariae are shed from the snails, swim freely in water, and invade into the second intermediate hosts (C) (freshwater fish) through the skin and then form metacercariae (g) in the musculature of the fish. Human or carnivorous mammals are infected due to the ingestion of raw or undercooked fish. Intervention of cercaria or metacercaria formation by effective vaccines (V) will block the transmission of *C. sinensis* and fundamentally control clonorchiasis

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References

1. Lun ZR, Gasser RB, Lai DH, Li AX, Zhu XQ, Yu XB, et al. Clonorchiasis: a key foodborne zoonosis in China. Lancet Infect Dis. 2005;5(1):31–41. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(04)01252-6. - DOI - PubMed
1. Petney TN, Andrews RH, Saijuntha W, Wenz-Mücke A, Sithithaworn P. The zoonotic, fish-borne liver flukes Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis felineus and Opisthorchis viverrini. Int J Parasitol. 2013;43(12–13):1031–46. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2013.07.007. - DOI - PubMed
1. Yoshida Y. Clonorchiasis--a historical review of contributions of Japanese parasitologists. Parasitol Int. 2012;61(1):5–9. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2011.06.003. - DOI - PubMed
1. Chung PR, Soh CT. Snail-borne parasitic zoonoses in Korea. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 1991;22(Suppl):391–5. - PubMed
1. Choi DW. Clonorchis sinensis: life cycle, intermediate hosts, transmission to man and geographical distribution in Korea. Arzneimittelforschung. 1984;34(9B):1145–51. - PubMed

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[1] Lun ZR, Gasser RB, Lai DH, Li AX, Zhu XQ, Yu XB, et al. Clonorchiasis: a key foodborne zoonosis in China. Lancet Infect Dis. 2005;5(1):31–41. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(04)01252-6. - DOI - PubMed

[2] Lun ZR, Gasser RB, Lai DH, Li AX, Zhu XQ, Yu XB, et al. Clonorchiasis: a key foodborne zoonosis in China. Lancet Infect Dis. 2005;5(1):31–41. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(04)01252-6. - DOI - PubMed

[3] Petney TN, Andrews RH, Saijuntha W, Wenz-Mücke A, Sithithaworn P. The zoonotic, fish-borne liver flukes Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis felineus and Opisthorchis viverrini. Int J Parasitol. 2013;43(12–13):1031–46. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2013.07.007. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Petney TN, Andrews RH, Saijuntha W, Wenz-Mücke A, Sithithaworn P. The zoonotic, fish-borne liver flukes Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis felineus and Opisthorchis viverrini. Int J Parasitol. 2013;43(12–13):1031–46. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2013.07.007. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Yoshida Y. Clonorchiasis--a historical review of contributions of Japanese parasitologists. Parasitol Int. 2012;61(1):5–9. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2011.06.003. - DOI - PubMed

[6] Yoshida Y. Clonorchiasis--a historical review of contributions of Japanese parasitologists. Parasitol Int. 2012;61(1):5–9. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2011.06.003. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Chung PR, Soh CT. Snail-borne parasitic zoonoses in Korea. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 1991;22(Suppl):391–5. - PubMed

[8] Chung PR, Soh CT. Snail-borne parasitic zoonoses in Korea. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 1991;22(Suppl):391–5. - PubMed

[9] Choi DW. Clonorchis sinensis: life cycle, intermediate hosts, transmission to man and geographical distribution in Korea. Arzneimittelforschung. 1984;34(9B):1145–51. - PubMed

[10] Choi DW. Clonorchis sinensis: life cycle, intermediate hosts, transmission to man and geographical distribution in Korea. Arzneimittelforschung. 1984;34(9B):1145–51. - PubMed

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Current status and perspectives of Clonorchis sinensis and clonorchiasis: epidemiology, pathogenesis, omics, prevention and control

Affiliations

Current status and perspectives of Clonorchis sinensis and clonorchiasis: epidemiology, pathogenesis, omics, prevention and control

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