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PLoS Pathogens Issue Image | Vol. 19(3) April 2023

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Molecular evidence for widespread drug resistance in canine hookworms across USA

Ancylostoma caninum is an important zoonotic gastrointestinal nematode of dogs and close relative of human hookworms. We identified a novel benzimidazole resistance mutation in β-tubulin - Q134H(CAA>CAT) - and used structural modelling and C. elegans CRISPR-Cas9 editing to show it confers benzimidazole resistance. Next-gen amplicon sequencing showed this novel mutation, and a previously described F167Y(TTC>TAC) mutation, to be widespread in A. caninum populations in pet dogs across the USA. This is the first study to show geographically widespread drug resistance in any gastrointestinal nematode of domestic dogs to date. Venkatesan et al 2023

Image Credit: Abhinaya Venkatesan

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Molecular evidence for widespread drug resistance in canine hookworms across USA

Ancylostoma caninum is an important zoonotic gastrointestinal nematode of dogs and close relative of human hookworms. We identified a novel benzimidazole resistance mutation in β-tubulin - Q134H(CAA>CAT) - and used structural modelling and C. elegans CRISPR-Cas9 editing to show it confers benzimidazole resistance. Next-gen amplicon sequencing showed this novel mutation, and a previously described F167Y(TTC>TAC) mutation, to be widespread in A. caninum populations in pet dogs across the USA. This is the first study to show geographically widespread drug resistance in any gastrointestinal nematode of domestic dogs to date. Venkatesan et al 2023

Image Credit: Abhinaya Venkatesan

https://doi.org/10.1371/image.ppat.v19.i03.g001