Fluke-borne viruses are a risk factor and diagnostic target for diseases caused by carcinogenic trematodes
Abstract
Three trematode parasites, Schistosoma haematobium , Opisthorchis viverrini , and Clonorchis sinensis are recognized group 1 carcinogens for their roles in squamous cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder and bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma). We aimed to assess the presence of fluke viruses and their association with malignancy in fluke infections. We showed that all three carcinogenic trematodes harbored related viruses. Focusing on O. viverrini , we observed virus persistence at discrete life stages and viral tropism for the fluke tegument, and we provided molecular and serological evidence of parasitized hosts’ exposure to viral RNA and proteins. Serological analyses confirmed seroconversion of residents in endemic sites and revealed that antibody titers and avidity against fluke-borne viruses increase in individuals with hepatobiliary diseases. Random forest models discriminated efficiently between liver-fluke-infected participants without disease and those with periductal fibrosis or cholangiocarcinoma. Thus, we show that fluke-borne viruses are risk factors and diagnostic targets for fluke-associated cancer.
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BibTeX
@article{chaiyadet2026flukeborne,
title = {{Fluke-borne viruses are a risk factor and diagnostic target for diseases caused by carcinogenic trematodes}},
author = {Sujittra Chaiyadet and Tom Roblin and Anais Fauchois and Sarah Temmam and David Hing and Elise Jacquemet and Thomas Bigot and Blaise Li and Julia Kende and Lisandru Capai and Javier Sotillo and Thewarach Laha and Sophie Goyard and David Hardy and Thierry Rose and Alex Loukas and Paul J. Brindley and Banchob Sripa and Nolwenn M. Dheilly},
journal = {Nature Communications},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-78561-2},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78561-2},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Fluke-borne viruses are a risk factor and diagnostic target for diseases caused by carcinogenic trematodes
AU - Sujittra Chaiyadet
AU - Tom Roblin
AU - Anais Fauchois
AU - Sarah Temmam
AU - David Hing
AU - Elise Jacquemet
AU - Thomas Bigot
AU - Blaise Li
AU - Julia Kende
AU - Lisandru Capai
AU - Javier Sotillo
AU - Thewarach Laha
AU - Sophie Goyard
AU - David Hardy
AU - Thierry Rose
AU - Alex Loukas
AU - Paul J. Brindley
AU - Banchob Sripa
AU - Nolwenn M. Dheilly
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - Nature Communications
DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-78561-2
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78561-2
AB - Three trematode parasites, Schistosoma haematobium , Opisthorchis viverrini , and Clonorchis sinensis are recognized group 1 carcinogens for their roles in squamous cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder and bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma). We aimed to assess the presence of fluke viruses and their association with malignancy in fluke infections. We showed that all three carcinogenic trematodes harbored related viruses. Focusing on O. viverrini , we observed virus persistence at discrete life stages and viral tropism for the fluke tegument, and we provided molecular and serological evidence of parasitized hosts’ exposure to viral RNA and proteins. Serological analyses confirmed seroconversion of residents in endemic sites and revealed that antibody titers and avidity against fluke-borne viruses increase in individuals with hepatobiliary diseases. Random forest models discriminated efficiently between liver-fluke-infected participants without disease and those with periductal fibrosis or cholangiocarcinoma. Thus, we show that fluke-borne viruses are risk factors and diagnostic targets for fluke-associated cancer.
SN - 2041-1723
ER -