ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the prevalence and molecular features of Cryptosporidium in sheep and goats from Anhui Province and neighboring provinces. Methods A total 832 and 781 fresh fecal samples were collected from seven large-scale sheep farms and ten large-scale goat farms in Anhui Province and neighboring provinces of Henan, Jiangsu and Shandong. The prevalence and species of Cryptosporidium were investigated in the fecal samples from the sheep and goats in the study areas using nested PCR assay based on the Cryptosporidium-specific SSU rDNA gene, and the subgenotypes of C. parvum and C. ubiquitum were characterized by amplification and sequencing of the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene. Results The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium was 5.8% (48/832) in sheep and 8.7% (68/781) in goats in Anhui Province and neighboring provinces, respectively. The SSU rDNA gene-based PCR assay identified C. xiaoi and C. ubiquitum in sheep and C. parvum in goats, and subtyping revealed that all C. ubiquitum subgenotypes belonged to XIIa subtype 2 and C. parvum subgenotypes belonged to IIdA19G1. Conclusion The identification of zoonotic C. ubiquitum XIIa subtype 2 and C. parvum subtype IIdA19G1 suggests that sheep and goats may serve as a potential source for human Cryptosporidium infections.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the prevalence and molecular features of Cryptosporidium in sheep and goats from Anhui Province and neighboring provinces. Methods A total 832 and 781 fresh fecal samples were collected from seven large-scale sheep farms and ten large-scale goat farms in Anhui Province and neighboring provinces of Henan, Jiangsu and Shandong. The prevalence and species of Cryptosporidium were investigated in the fecal samples from the sheep and goats in the study areas using nested PCR assay based on the Cryptosporidium-specific SSU rDNA gene, and the subgenotypes of C. parvum and C. ubiquitum were characterized by amplification and sequencing of the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene. Results The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium was 5.8% (48/832) in sheep and 8.7% (68/781) in goats in Anhui Province and neighboring provinces, respectively. The SSU rDNA gene-based PCR assay identified C. xiaoi and C. ubiquitum in sheep and C. parvum in goats, and subtyping revealed that all C. ubiquitum subgenotypes belonged to XIIa subtype 2 and C. parvum subgenotypes belonged to IIdA19G1. Conclusion The identification of zoonotic C. ubiquitum XIIa subtype 2 and C. parvum subtype IIdA19G1 suggests that sheep and goats may serve as a potential source for human Cryptosporidium infections.
ABSTRACT
To characterize the prevalence and species/genotypes of Cryptosporidium spp. in farmed pigs in the north of the Yangtze River in Anhui Province.A total of 500 samples of pig feces were obtained from seven largescale pig farms in the north of the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. PCR and sequences analysis of the small subunit rDNA gene were used to detect and identify the Cryptosporidium species/genotypes.The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium was 4.8% (24/500). Additionally, Cryptosporidium prevalence was 40.0% in Qianshan and 6.3% in Chuzhou, respectively. No Cryptosporidium infection was found in other sampling areas. The DNA sequence analysis of the SSUrDNA gene revealed that all of the isolates represented C. scrofarum. The Cryptosporidium infection rate (9.1%) of pigs (> 60 days) was significantly higher than the rates of both pigs (< 30 days) and pigs (30–60 days) (both P < 0.01).C. scrofarum in the farmed pigs in the north of the Yangtze River in Anhui Province may be a source of Cryptosporidium infection and pose a potential public health threat to humans and other animals, and therefore, the status should be paid more attention to.
ABSTRACT
The trichomonad species Tritrichomonas foetus and Pentatrichomonas hominis were recently detected in the feces of dogs with diarrhea. However, little information is available on the prevalence and pathogenicity of these parasites in the canine population. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and molecular characterization of trichomonads infecting pet dogs in Anhui and Zhejiang provinces, east China. In total, 315 pet dogs, with or without diarrhea, from 7 pet hospitals were included in this epidemiological survey. Microscopy and PCR detected P. hominis in 19.7% (62/315) and 31.4% (99/315) of fecal samples, respectively. T. foetus infection was detected in 0% (0/315) of samples with microscopy and in 0.6% (2/315) with PCR. The prevalence of P. hominis was significantly higher in young dogs (≤12 months) than in adult dogs (>12 months), and was significantly higher in diarrheic dogs (50.6%) than in non-diarrheic dogs (24.3%; P<0.05). Infection with T. foetus did not correlate with any risk factors evaluated in this study. A sequence analysis of the P. hominis PCR products showed minor allelic variations between our sequences and those of P. hominis strains from other hosts in different parts of the world. Type CC1 was the most common strain in dogs in east China. The internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1)-5.8S rRNA gene sequences from the 2 T. foetus isolates detected in this study displayed 100% identity and were homologous to the sequences of other strains isolated from domestic cats in other countries.