title: Prevalence, risk factors and multilocus genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in farmed foxes (Vulpes lagopus), Northern China.
abstract: 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.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China. zhangxiaoxuan1988@126.com.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, PR China. zhangxiaoxuan1988@126.com.
authors: Xiao-Xuan
authors: XX
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China. messicw@163.com.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, PR China. messicw@163.com.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Cong
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China. 2395521525@qq.com.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, PR China. 2395521525@qq.com.
authors: Zhi-Long
authors: ZL
authors: Lou
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China. 15193194055@163.com.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, PR China. 15193194055@163.com.
authors: Jian-Gang
authors: JG
authors: Ma
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China. zhengwenwubin@qq.com.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, PR China. zhengwenwubin@qq.com.
authors: Wen-Bin
authors: WB
authors: Zheng
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China. 1145330454@qq.com.|Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, PR China. 1145330454@qq.com.
authors: Qiu-Xia
authors: QX
authors: Yao
authors: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, PR China. zhaoquan0825@163.com.
authors: Quan
authors: Q
authors: Zhao
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China. xingquanzhu1@hotmail.com.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, PR China. xingquanzhu1@hotmail.com.|Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, PR China. xingquanzhu1@hotmail.com.
authors: Xing-Quan
authors: XQ
authors: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021862:Enterocytozoon / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005589:Foxes / Q000382:microbiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer