title: First genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in China.
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii can infect virtually all warm-blooded animals including foxes. However, little is known of the molecular epidemiology and genotypes of T. gondii infecting foxes in China. Therefore, the present study characterized T. gondii genotypes in foxes in China for the first time. During November 2014 to October 2015, brain tissue samples collected from 264 Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in Jilin, Heilongjiang and Shandong provinces were used to detect the T. gondii B1 gene by a semi-nested PCR, and the positive samples were genotyped at 10 nuclear loci (i.e., SAG1, alternative SAG2, 5'-and 3'-SAG2, SAG3, L358, BTUB, c22-8, GRA6, c29-2, PK1) and an apicoplast locus (Apico) by multi-locus PCR-RFLP technology. Twenty-one (7.96%) samples from 264 foxes were positive for T. gondii B1 gene. T. gondii infection in male and female foxes was 7.14% and 8.70%, respectively. The highest infection rate (11.86%) was detected in foxes from Shandong, followed by foxes from Jilin (6.49%) and Heilongjiang (2.90%). Two genotypes (ToxoDB#9 and ToxoDB#10) were identified. This is the first genetic characterization of T. gondii from foxes in China, which provides basic data for the surveillance and control of T. gondii infection in foxes, other animals and humans.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130118, PR China; 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.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xuan
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Science, Shandong University at Weihai, Weihai, Shandong Province 264209, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130118, PR China; 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.
authors.forename: Jian-Gang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Zhi-Long
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130118, PR China.
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Jilin Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Changchun, Jilin Province 130062, PR China. Electronic address: mqfboy@163.com.
authors.forename: Qing-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130118, PR China.
authors.forename: Ai-Dong
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: 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. Electronic address: xingquanzhu1@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Xing-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005838:Genotype; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
keywords: Arctic fox; China; Genetic characterization; Toxoplasma gondii