Lei Deng1, Jingxin Yao1, Shanyu Chen1, Tingmei He2, Yijun Chai1, Ziyao Zhou1, Xiaogang Shi2, Haifeng Liu1, Zhijun Zhong1, Hualin Fu1, Guangneng Peng3. 1. The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, People's Republic of China. 2. Sichuan Wolong National Natural Reserve Administration, Aba, 623006, Sichuan, People's Republic of China. 3. The Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, People's Republic of China. pgn.sicau@163.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Blastocystis sp. is an anaerobic protozoan that parasitizes many animal hosts and the human gastrointestinal tract, and its pathogenicity is controversial. Captive wildlife may be potential reservoirs for human infection with Blastocystis sp. The present study was performed to investigate the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. in zoo animals in Sichuan Province, southwestern China. METHODS: A total of 420 fresh fecal samples were collected from 54 captive wildlife species in four zoos in southwestern China between June 2017 and September 2019. The prevalence and subtype (ST) genetic characteristics of Blastocystis sp. were determined by PCR amplification of the barcode region of the SSU rRNA gene and phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 15.7% (66/420) of the animal samples and 20.7% (14/54) of the species tested were shown to be infected with Blastocystis sp. The highest prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was found in Panzhihua Zoo (24.3%), which was significantly higher than that in Chengdu Zoo (6.9%), and Xichang Zoo (2.9%) (P < 0.05). There are also significant differences in the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. among different species (P < 0.05), and the highest of Blastocystis sp. prevalence was observed in white-cheeked gibbon, black great squirrel, and red giant flying squirrel (100%). Subtype analysis of Blastocystis sp. revealed nine subtypes, including six zoonotic STs (ST1-5, and ST8) and three animal-specific STs (ST10, ST14, and ST17), with ST17 as the predominant subtype (26/66) in Blastocystis sp.-positive isolates. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report on the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. among captive wildlife in zoos in southwestern China. This study highlights that these animals may serve as reservoirs for human Blastocystis sp. infections.
BACKGROUND:Blastocystis sp. is an anaerobic protozoan that parasitizes many animal hosts and the human gastrointestinal tract, and its pathogenicity is controversial. Captive wildlife may be potential reservoirs for humaninfection with Blastocystis sp. The present study was performed to investigate the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. in zoo animals in Sichuan Province, southwestern China. METHODS: A total of 420 fresh fecal samples were collected from 54 captive wildlife species in four zoos in southwestern China between June 2017 and September 2019. The prevalence and subtype (ST) genetic characteristics of Blastocystis sp. were determined by PCR amplification of the barcode region of the SSU rRNA gene and phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 15.7% (66/420) of the animal samples and 20.7% (14/54) of the species tested were shown to be infected with Blastocystis sp. The highest prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was found in Panzhihua Zoo (24.3%), which was significantly higher than that in Chengdu Zoo (6.9%), and Xichang Zoo (2.9%) (P < 0.05). There are also significant differences in the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. among different species (P < 0.05), and the highest of Blastocystis sp. prevalence was observed in white-cheeked gibbon, black great squirrel, and red giant flying squirrel (100%). Subtype analysis of Blastocystis sp. revealed nine subtypes, including six zoonotic STs (ST1-5, and ST8) and three animal-specific STs (ST10, ST14, and ST17), with ST17 as the predominant subtype (26/66) in Blastocystis sp.-positive isolates. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report on the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. among captive wildlife in zoos in southwestern China. This study highlights that these animals may serve as reservoirs for humanBlastocystis sp. infections.
Authors: Unaiza Parkar; Rebecca J Traub; Simone Vitali; Aileen Elliot; Bruno Levecke; Ian Robertson; Thomas Geurden; Jan Steele; Bev Drake; R C Andrew Thompson Journal: Vet Parasitol Date: 2010-01-04 Impact factor: 2.738
Authors: Eleni Gentekaki; Bruce A Curtis; Courtney W Stairs; Vladimír Klimeš; Marek Eliáš; Dayana E Salas-Leiva; Emily K Herman; Laura Eme; Maria C Arias; Bernard Henrissat; Frédérique Hilliou; Mary J Klute; Hiroshi Suga; Shehre-Banoo Malik; Arthur W Pightling; Martin Kolisko; Richard A Rachubinski; Alexander Schlacht; Darren M Soanes; Anastasios D Tsaousis; John M Archibald; Steven G Ball; Joel B Dacks; C Graham Clark; Mark van der Giezen; Andrew J Roger Journal: PLoS Biol Date: 2017-09-11 Impact factor: 8.029
Authors: Pamela C Köster; Eva Martínez-Nevado; Andrea González; María T Abelló-Poveda; Hugo Fernández-Bellon; Manuel de la Riva-Fraga; Bertille Marquet; Jean-Pascal Guéry; Tobias Knauf-Witzens; Annika Weigold; Alejandro Dashti; Begoña Bailo; Elena Imaña; Aly S Muadica; David González-Barrio; Francisco Ponce-Gordo; Rafael Calero-Bernal; David Carmena Journal: Front Vet Sci Date: 2022-01-04