Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan province, People's Republic of China.
Kunming Primate Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan province, People's Republic of China.
Parasitol Res. 2020 Feb;119(2):741-748. doi: 10.1007/s00436-019-06574-6. Epub 2020 Jan 2.
Blastocystis is an enteral eukaryote with an omnipresent existence in animals and humans globally. Animals have been proposed to be a major reservoir for the transmission of Blastocystis to individuals due to their high prevalence and large amount of zoonotic subtypes. However, limited data on Blastocystis infection in experimental macaques in China exists. The objective of the current study was to investigate the frequency and subtypes of Blastocystis infection in macaques in southwestern China. A total of 505 fecal samples were collected from experimental macaques in Yunnan province and were analyzed by nested PCR and phylogenetic analyses on the basis of small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene fragments. A total of 235 specimens were positive for Blastocystis sp., and the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was 46.5% (235/505). Significant differences in prevalence were also observed among the various species of macaques (P < 0.0133, df = 2, χ = 8.64) and the different feed types (P < 0.0093, df = 1, χ = 6.77). Moreover, three zoonotic subtypes, ST1, ST3, and ST5, were identified by DNA sequence analysis. There were mainly single subtype infections with some mixed subtype infections, and the predominant subtype was ST3. The results suggested a high prevalence and diversified subtypes in macaques in Yunnan province, southwestern China. Macaques are likely to be potential reservoirs capable of zoonotic transmission of Blastocystis sp. to humans. To our knowledge, this study is the first large-scale systematic analysis of Blastocystis sp. colonization in Yunnan province in the subtropics of China; these results contribute to the in-depth study of genetic characteristics and the prevention, control, and treatment of Blastocystis sp. in macaques in Yunnan province and other regions.
芽囊原虫是一种肠内真核生物,在全球范围内的动物和人类中普遍存在。由于动物的高流行率和大量的人畜共患病亚型,它们被认为是将芽囊原虫传播给个体的主要储存库。然而,中国关于实验猕猴中芽囊原虫感染的有限数据。本研究的目的是调查中国西南部猕猴中芽囊原虫感染的频率和亚型。共收集云南省实验猕猴的 505 份粪便样本,基于小亚基 rRNA (SSU rRNA) 基因片段,通过巢式 PCR 和系统发育分析进行分析。共有 235 个标本检测到芽囊原虫阳性,芽囊原虫的流行率为 46.5%(235/505)。不同种属的猕猴(P<0.0133,df=2,χ=8.64)和不同的饲料类型(P<0.0093,df=1,χ=6.77)之间也存在显著的流行率差异。此外,通过 DNA 序列分析鉴定了三种人畜共患病亚型 ST1、ST3 和 ST5。主要为单一亚型感染,部分为混合亚型感染,主要亚型为 ST3。结果表明,云南省猕猴中存在高流行率和多样化的亚型。猕猴可能是潜在的储存宿主,能够将芽囊原虫传播给人类。据我们所知,这项研究是首次在中国亚热带云南省对芽囊原虫进行大规模系统分析;这些结果有助于深入研究芽囊原虫的遗传特征以及云南省和其他地区猕猴中芽囊原虫的预防、控制和治疗。