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. 2024:31:37.
doi: 10.1051/parasite/2024037. Epub 2024 Jul 4.

Occurrence and genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in flying squirrels (Trogopterus xanthipes) from China

Xuehan Liu  1 , Chi Zhang  1 , Tiantian Li  1 , Xiaojing Xia  1 , Yanzhao Xu  1 , Jianhe Hu  1 , Longxian Zhang  2 , Lei Wang  1 , Meng Qi  3
Affiliations

Occurrence and genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in flying squirrels (Trogopterus xanthipes) from China

Xuehan Liu et al. Parasite. 2024.

Abstract
in English, French

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an obligate intracellular microsporidian parasite with a worldwide distribution. As a zoonotic pathogen, E. bieneusi can infect a wide range of wildlife hosts through the fecal-oral route. Although the feces of flying squirrels (Trogopterus xanthipes) are considered a traditional Chinese medicine (as "faeces trogopterori"), no literature is available on E. bieneusi infection in flying squirrels to date. In this study, a total of 340 fresh flying squirrel fecal specimens from two captive populations were collected in Pingdingshan city, China, to detect the prevalence of E. bieneusi and assess their zoonotic potential. By nested PCR amplification of the ITS gene, six specimens tested positive, with positive samples from each farm, with an overall low infection rate of 1.8%. The ITS sequences revealed three genotypes, including known genotype D and two novel genotypes, HNFS01 and HNFS02. Genotype HNFS01 was the most prevalent (4/6, 66.7%). Phylogenetic analysis showed that all genotypes clustered into zoonotic Group 1, with the novel genotypes clustering into different subgroups. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. bieneusi infection in flying squirrels, suggesting that flying squirrels could act as a potential reservoir and zoonotic threat for E. bieneusi transmission to humans in China.

Title: Occurrence et génotypage d’Enterocytozoon bieneusi chez les écureuils volants (Trogopterus xanthipes) de Chine.

Abstract: Enterocytozoon bieneusi est un parasite microsporidien intracellulaire obligatoire présent dans le monde entier. En tant qu’agent pathogène zoonotique, E. bieneusi peut infecter un large éventail d’hôtes sauvages par la voie fécale-orale. Bien que les excréments d’écureuils volants (Trogopterus xanthipes) soient considérés comme un ingrédient de médecine traditionnelle chinoise (comme « faeces trogopterori »), aucune littérature n’est disponible à ce jour sur l’infection par E. bieneusi chez les écureuils volants. Dans cette étude, un total de 340 spécimens fécaux frais d’écureuils volants provenant de deux populations captives ont été collectés dans la ville de Pingdingshan, en Chine, pour détecter la prévalence d’E. bieneusi et évaluer leur potentiel zoonotique. Par amplification PCR nichée du gène ITS, six échantillons se sont révélés positifs, avec des échantillons positifs dans chaque ferme, et un taux d’infection global faible, à 1,8 %. Les séquences ITS ont révélé trois génotypes, dont le génotype D connu et deux nouveaux génotypes, HNFS01 et HNFS02. Le génotype HNFS01 était le plus répandu (4/6, 66,7 %). L’analyse phylogénétique a montré que tous les génotypes se regroupaient dans le groupe zoonotique 1, les nouveaux génotypes se regroupant en différents sous-groupes. À notre connaissance, il s’agit du premier rapport d’infection par E. bieneusi chez des écureuils volants, ce qui suggère que les écureuils volants pourraient agir comme un réservoir potentiel et une menace zoonotique pour la transmission d’E. bieneusi aux humains en Chine.

Keywords: Enterocytozoon bieneusi; Faeces trogopterori; Flying squirrel; Genotype; ITS gene; Zoonotic.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Phylogenetic relationships of Enterocytozoon bieneusi ITS gene isolates from flying squirrel samples in China, as inferred by the neighbor-joining (NJ) method based on evolutionary distances calculated using the Kimura two-parameter model. Bootstrap values were obtained using 1000 pseudoreplicates. Bar = substitutions/site; Triangle = known genotype; Circle = novel genotype.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Manual screening of faeces trogopterori by a farmer.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Manual drying of faeces trogopterori by a farmer.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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