Seroprevalence and risk assessment of Toxoplasma gondii in Java sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora) in China.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular zoonotic parasite, infects all mammalian and birds. Understanding the prevalence of Toxoplasma in bird is important for evaluating the transmission of this parasite. No information about the seroprevalence of T. gondii in Java sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora) is available. RESULTS: In this study, from 2014 to 2015, 350 serum samples from Java sparrows were collected in Beijing and Shangqiu, Henan province, and the antibodies against T. gondii were evaluated with MAT. The seroprevalence in Java sparrows was 34.29% (CI95% 29.31-39.26). A phenomenon of seropositivity tended to increase with age were observed, but the difference is not significant. The prevalence was significant different in gender and color, which could be risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study firstly reported T. gondii seroprevalence in Java sparrows, which extended the host range of T. gondii. Java sparrows may pose significant transmission medium, accelerating the spread of T. gondii diffusion.

Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Cryptosporidium Infection in Java Sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora) in Northern China.

Cryptosporidiosis is a cosmopolitan parasitosis that affects a wide range of hosts including birds. As information concerning Cryptosporidium in birds is limited, the present study examined the prevalence and genotypes of Cryptosporidium in Java sparrows in Beijing and Shangqiu, northern China. Three hundred and fifty fecal samples were collected from Java sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora, 225 white Java sparrows and 125 gray Java sparrows) in Beijing and Shangqiu in October 2015, and the samples were examined by PCR amplification of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The overall Cryptosporidium prevalence is 13.42% (47/350), with 16.44% (37/225) in white Java sparrows and 8.00% (10/125) in gray Java sparrows. Cryptosporidium prevalence was 9.82% (16/163) in Java sparrows from Beijing and 16.58% (31/187) in Java sparrows from Shangqiu. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in females and males was 40.63% (26/64) and 7.34% (21/286), respectively. The Cryptosporidium prevalence in Java sparrows of different ages varied from 10.47% to 16.33%. Sequence analysis of the SSU rRNA gene revealed that all the samples represented C. baileyi. This is the first report of Cryptosporidium in gray Java sparrows in China, which extend the host range for C. baileyi. These results provide baseline information for further studies of molecular epidemiology and control of Cryptosporidium infection in poultry in China.

Prevalence and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in badgers (Melogale moschata) in southern China by PCR-RFLP.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite which is able to infect almost all warm-blooded animals. There is no information about the prevalence and genetic characterization of T. gondii in badgers (Melogale moschata) in China. Here, a total of 367 badgers were captured from different cities in Jiangxi province, Southern China. Genomic DNA was extracted from brain tissues of each badgers, and 57 (15.45%) of them were positive for T. gondii by semi-nested PCR of the B1 gene. The positive DNA samples were typed at 11 genetic markers, including 10 nuclear loci (SAG1, 5'-SAG2 and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1) and an apicoplast locus (Apico), with multilocus polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technology. Among them, 4 were completely typed at all loci, and 2 was genotyped for 9 loci, showing that they belong to ToxoDB#9. This is the first report of prevalence and genetic characterization of T. gondii isolates from badgers in China, which contributes to broader understanding of population structure of T. gondii in China. It is important for the prevention and control of T. gondii infection in wild animals.

Occurrence and multilocus genotyping of Giardia intestinalis assemblage C and D in farmed raccoon dogs, Nyctereutes procyonoides, in China.

BACKGROUND: Giardia intestinalis, the only causative agent of human giardiasis, can infect a wide range of animals. As no information concerning the prevalence and genotyping of G. intestinalis in raccoon dogs in China is available, examination of 305 faecal samples from raccoon dogs in Jilin Province (n = 110), Heilongjiang Province (n = 40), Liaoning Province (n = 72), Hebei Province (n = 54) and Shandong Province (n = 29) was conducted to estimate the prevalence of G. intestinalis in raccoon dogs in northern China and identify their genotypes using a genetic approach. FINDINGS: Of 305 faecal samples from farmed raccoon dogs, 22 (7.21 %) were detected G. intestinalis-positive by nested PCR amplification of the triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) gene. The prevalence of G. intestinalis was strongly related to the region and season of sampling. All 22 samples were analysed at the tpi, the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) and the beta giardin (bg) gene loci, showing 13, 3, 2 subtypes, respectively. The results also demonstrated that two raccoon dogs harboured mixed infections of assemblage C and assemblage D (or mixed C/D), whereas only assemblage C was detected in the remaining 20 samples. Moreover, five new multilocus genotypes, named as MLGs C1-C5, were observed in the assemblage C in the present study. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of G. intestinalis infection in raccoon dogs in China. DNA sequence analysis of the tpi, gdh and bg gene indicated that 13, 3, 2 subtypes were found at these loci, respectively. Furthermore, this is also the first report of five new multilocus genotypes (MLGs C1-C5) in farmed raccoon dogs, which provides baseline data for further studies of the distribution of G. duodenalis in different hosts.

Prevalence, risk factors and multilocus genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in farmed foxes (Vulpes lagopus), Northern China.

BACKGROUND: Microsporidiosis is a common disease in animals and humans around the world. Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most common microsporidian species in humans. Many animal species may be a potential source of human microsporidiosis. However, information concerning prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi infection in farmed foxes (Vulpes lagopus) is scarce. Therefore, the present study examined prevalence, risk factors and genotypes of E. bieneusi in farmed foxes in northern China using a genetic approach. RESULTS: Of 302 fecal samples from farmed foxes, 37 (12.25%, 95% CI 8.55-15.95) were PCR-positive for E. bieneusi, and the prevalence was highly associated with the farming mode in that foxes raised outdoors (26.03% positive, 95% CI 18.91-33.15) had a significantly higher E. bieneusi prevalence than those raised indoors. Eleven internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genotypes were identified among the positive samples: four known E. bieneusi genotypes (Peru 8, Types IV, CHN-DC1 and D) and seven novel genotypes (NCF1-NCF7). Genotype NCF2 was the commonest (n = 13) and was found in five farms across three provinces (Jilin, Heilongjiang and Hebei). All genotypes belonged to phylogenetic group 1. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analyses revealed additional diversity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate the presence of zoonotic E. bieneusi infection in farmed foxes in northern China. This is also the first report of genotypes Peru8, CHN-DC1 and Type IV, and seven novel genotypes (NCF1-NCF7) in farmed foxes by ITS combining with microsatellite and minisatellite markers for the first time. The results will provide baseline data for preventing and controlling E. bieneusi infection in farmed foxes, other animals and humans.