title: Distribution of Cryptosporidium species in Tibetan sheep and yaks in Qinghai, China.
abstract: Few data are available on the distribution of Cryptosporidium species in Tibetan sheep and yaks, which are free-range animals living in a cold, low oxygen, and high ultraviolet radiation habitat. In this study, 904 fecal specimens were collected from 350 Tibetan sheep and 554 yaks in six counties. Cryptosporidium spp. were detected and differentiated by PCR and sequence analyses. Altogether, 43 (12.3%) Tibetan sheep and 158 (28.5%) yaks were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. In Tibetan sheep, Cryptosporidium xiaoi (39/43, 90.7%) was the dominant species, with the remaining cases (4/43, 9.3%) by Cryptosporidium ubiquitum. All C. ubiquitum specimens belonged to the subtype family XIIa. In contrast, Cryptosporidium andersoni (72/158, 45.6%), Cryptosporidium bovis (47/158, 29.7%), Cryptosporidium ryanae cattle type (35/158, 22.2%), C. ryanae buffalo type (2/158, 1.3%), and Cryptosporidium suis-like (2/158, 1.3%) were identified in yaks. Contradictory to previous observations, C. andersoni was one of the dominant Cryptosporidium species in yaks in this study. Despite sharing habitats, Tibetan sheep and yaks are evidently infected with different Cryptosporidium species.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Resource and Environmental, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Qinghai Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Xining 810016, China.
authors.forename: Jinzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Resource and Environmental, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Resource and Environmental, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
authors.forename: Wenxian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Qinghai Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Xining 810016, China.
authors.forename: Chunhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Qinghai Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Xining 810016, China.
authors.forename: Mengtong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Resource and Environmental, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
authors.forename: Hailing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Resource and Environmental, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Resource and Environmental, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
authors.forename: Jiawen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Resource and Environmental, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China. Electronic address: yyfeng@ecust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yaoyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005838:Genotype; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal
keywords: Cryptosporidium; Qinghai; SSU rRNA; Tibetan sheep; Yaks