title: Zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in pet chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera) in China.
abstract: Cryptosporidium and Enterocytozoon bieneusi are the most prevalent protist pathogens responsible for inducing human and animal diseases worldwide. The aim of the present work was to determine the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi in pet chinchillas in China. One hundred forty fecal samples were collected from four cities: Beijing, Zhengzhou, Anyang and Guiyang. They were then examined with PCR amplification of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) of Cryptosporidium spp. and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the ribosomal RNA of E. bieneusi. The infection rates for Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi were 10.0% and 3.6%, respectively. Sequence analysis of SSU rRNA gene products identified two Cryptosporidium spp., Cryptosporidium ubiquitum (n=13) and Cryptosporidium parvum (n=1). Subtyping with the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene showed that all C. ubiquitum isolates belonged to zoonotic subtype family XIId, while the subtype of the C. parvum isolate could not be identified. Two E. bieneusi genotypes were identified in five samples, zoonotic genotypes BEB6 (n=3) and D (n=2). This is the first report of C. ubiquitum and C. parvum, and E. bieneusi in chinchillas. This result indicates that pet chinchillas may be a potential source of human infection with Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases of Henan, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases of Henan, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
authors.forename: Nannan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: International Joint Research Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases of Henan, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Department of Animal Science, Henan Vocational College of Agriculture, Zhongmu 451450, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases of Henan, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
authors.forename: Fuchang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases of Henan, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
authors.forename: Rongjun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases of Henan, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
authors.forename: Jianying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases of Henan, Zhengzhou 450002, China. Electronic address: zhanglx8999@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Longxian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002682:Chinchilla; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021862:Enterocytozoon / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D057805:Pets; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal
keywords: China; Chinchilla; Cryptosporidium; Enterocytozoon bieneusi; PCR