{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]],"date-time":"2026-06-22T11:53:19Z","timestamp":1782129199327,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]],"date-time":"2026-06-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782086400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["TropicalMed"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Schistosomiasis remains a major public health concern in Nigeria. We molecularly characterized Schistosoma eggs obtained from human urine to identify species and assess the presence of hybrid schistosomes in Abuja, Nigeria. Urine samples were collected from 1887 participants aged five years and above. Samples were examined for Schistosoma eggs using light microscopy. A total of 507 (26.9%) were positive for any form of Schistosoma while 91 (4.8%) had atypical Schistosoma eggs. DNA extracted from pooled ova was analyzed using metagenomic sequencing, read mapping, phylogenetic analysis, and BLASTn confirmation. Molecular analyses identified genetic signatures associated with both S. haematobium and S. bovis within pooled human urine samples, indicating the co-circulation of multiple schistosome species in the study area. Phylogenetic analyses based on trans-ITS and mitochondrial COX1 markers supported the presence of distinct nuclear and mitochondrial schistosome lineages. However, because sequencing was performed on pooled egg samples, the findings cannot distinguish between true recombinants and mixed infections involving co-circulating parental species. These findings highlight the potential complexity of schistosome transmission dynamics in endemic communities and underscore the need for enhanced molecular surveillance, especially single-parasite genomic approaches, and integrated One Health investigations to better understand schistosome transmission and its implications for control and elimination efforts in Nigeria.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed11060170","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]],"date-time":"2026-06-22T09:49:55Z","timestamp":1782121795000},"page":"170","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Molecular Identification of Schistosoma Species Associated with Atypical Urinary Eggs in Abuja (Nigeria): Evidence of Potential Zoonotic Transmission"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5392-3819","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Solomon Monday","family":"Jacob","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Benin, Benin 300213, Nigeria"},{"name":"Department of Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja 904101, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sophie Y.","family":"Akinbo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Biology Diagnosis, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL 60611, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Oluwaremilekun G.","family":"Ajakaye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology and Genomics of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko 342111, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0543-5463","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Uwem F.","family":"Ekpo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta 110111, Nigeria"},{"name":"Department of Zoology, Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden 520221, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zainab","family":"Omoruyi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Benin, Benin 300213, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Temitope","family":"Agbana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AiDx Medical Bv, 3125 Schiedam, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4044-6459","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Louise","family":"Makau-Barasa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Ending Neglected Diseases (END) Fund, New York, NY 10016, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9080-0997","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Moses O.","family":"Aderogba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Ending Neglected Diseases (END) Fund, New York, NY 10016, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4007-2282","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jan-Carel","family":"Diehl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7010-6340","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David","family":"Bell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Consultant, Lake Jackson, TX 77566, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2278-5956","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adedotun A.","family":"Bayegun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta 110111, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael A.","family":"Okungbowa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Benin, Benin 300213, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juliana","family":"A-Enegela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CBM International, Cambridge CB5 8HY, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Frederick O.","family":"Akinbo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Benin, Benin 300213, Nigeria"},{"name":"Department of preparatory, Brigham Young University School of Medicine, Provo, UT 84602, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2026, May 04). 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