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. 2021 Oct 18;17(1):332.
doi: 10.1186/s12917-021-03035-0.

Occurrence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. in captive wild animals in zoos in Henan, China

Kaihui Zhang #  1   2 , Shuangjian Zheng #  1   2 , Yilin Wang  1   2 , Ke Wang  1   2 , Yuexin Wang  1   2 , Azhar Gazizova  1   2 , Kelei Han  1   2 , Fuchang Yu  1   2 , Yuancai Chen  1   2 , Longxian Zhang  3   4
Affiliations

Occurrence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. in captive wild animals in zoos in Henan, China

Kaihui Zhang et al. BMC Vet Res. .

Abstract

Background: Captive wild animals in zoos infected with Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. can be sources of zoonotic infections and diseases. Therefore, to investigate the distribution of these pathogens in captive wild animals of zoos in Henan, China, a total of 429 fresh fecal samples were collected from six zoos in Henan, China. The infection rates of Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis, E. bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. were determined by PCR analysis of corresponding loci. Positive results for Cryptosporidium (C. parvum and C. hominis) were subtyped based on the (gp60) gene.

Results: The overall prevalence was 43.1% (185/429), and the prevalence of Cryptosporidium, Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. were 2.8% (12/429), 0.5% (2/429), 20.8% (89/429), and 19.1% (82/429), respectively. Five Cryptosporidium species, namely, C. hominis, C. parvum, C. muris, C. andersoni, and C. macropodum, were identified in this study. Cryptosporidium parvum was further subtyped as IIdA19G1. Two Giardia duodenalis assemblages (A and E) were also identified. A total of 20 Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotypes were detected, including 18 known (BEB6, D, HND-1, CD7, SDD1, Henan-IV, KIN-1, CHK1, Peru8, Henan-V, CHG11, CHG-1, CHS9, CHG21, Type-IV, CHC9, CM5, and CHB1) and 2 novel genotypes (CHWD1 and CHPM1). A total of nine subtypes of Blastocystis sp. (ST1, ST2, ST3, ST5, ST6, ST7, ST10, ST13, and ST14) were identified in captive wild animals in zoos in the present study. Cryptosporidium andersoni, nine Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotypes, and five Blastocystis subtypes were here first identified in new hosts.

Conclusions: Our study has expanded the host ranges of these four pathogens. The data indicate that animals in zoos can commonly be infected with these four zoonotic pathogens, and animals in zoos are potential sources of zoonotic infections in humans.

Keywords: Blastocystis sp.; Cryptosporidium spp.; E. Bieneusi; G. Duodenalis; Zoo; Zoonotic.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Locations where specimens were collected in this study. The figure was originally designed by the authors using the software ArcGIS 10.2. No copyright permission was required. The original vector diagram imported in ArcGIS was adapted from Natural Earth (http://www.naturalearthdata.com)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Neighbor-joining tree of Enterocytozoon bieneusi ITS genotypes. Phylogenetic relationships of ITS nucleotide sequences of the Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotypes identified in this study and other reported genotypes. The phylogeny was inferred by a neighbor-joining analysis. Bootstrap values were obtained using 1000 replicates; those with values > 50% are shown on the nodes. The genotypes in this study are marked by empty triangles, and the novel genotypes are marked by filled triangles
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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