Öncü Öner Tülay, Can Hüseyin, Değirmenci Döşkaya Aysu, Güvendi Mervenur, Erkunt Alak Sedef, Sürgeç Ecem, Ün Cemal, Döşkaya Mert, Gürüz Adnan Yüksel, Karakavuk Muhammet
Faculty of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Türkiye.
Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Molecular Biology Section, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye.
BMC Vet Res. 2025 Mar 31;21(1):229. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04701-3.
Microsporidia, which are unicellular and obligate intracellular eukaryotic pathogens, can infect many animal species and humans. Cattle are known to be an important source for the spread of Enterocytozoon bieneusi (E. bieneusi) to humans and animals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate E. bieneusi in fecal samples collected from cattle and environmental samples within a dairy farm and to genotype E. bieneusi-positive samples. For this purpose, a Nested PCR targeting a region of the E. bieneusi ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) was applied to the DNA samples extracted from fecal (n = 47) or environmental samples (n = 41). Later, sequencing data belonging to E. bieneusi-positive samples were analyzed by BLAST and phylogenetic analysis for genotyping.
Nested PCR screening detected 15 E. bieneusi-positive samples and among them six (12.8%; 6/47) were detected in fecal samples while nine (21.9%; 9/41) were detected in environmental samples (including drinking water containers, mangers, feeding bottle, milk heating tank and towel). When cattle were categorized by their age, the molecular prevalence of E. bieneusi for cattle < 2 months old was detected as 19.2% (5/26). However, in cattle group > 2 months old, the molecular prevalence of E. bieneusi was 10% (1/10). Surprisingly, remaining cattle > 2 years old (n = 11) were found to be E. bieneusi-negative. BLAST and phylogenetic analyses revealed type IV as well as 11 new genotypes designated as NG1 to NG11.
These findings point out that cattle and farms are important sources for the transmission of E. bieneusi spores to humans or animals.
微孢子虫是单细胞且专性细胞内寄生的真核病原体，可感染许多动物物种和人类。已知牛是肠道微孢子虫（E. bieneusi）传播给人类和动物的重要来源。因此，本研究旨在调查奶牛场采集的牛粪便样本和环境样本中的E. bieneusi，并对E. bieneusi阳性样本进行基因分型。为此，将针对E. bieneusi核糖体DNA内转录间隔区（ITS）区域的巢式PCR应用于从粪便（n = 47）或环境样本（n = 41）中提取的DNA样本。随后，通过BLAST和系统发育分析对E. bieneusi阳性样本的测序数据进行基因分型分析。
巢式PCR筛选检测到15个E. bieneusi阳性样本，其中6个（12.8%；6/47）在粪便样本中检测到，而9个（21.9%；9/41）在环境样本中检测到（包括饮用水容器、食槽、奶瓶、牛奶加热罐和毛巾）。当按年龄对牛进行分类时，发现2个月龄以下牛的E. bieneusi分子流行率为19.2%（5/26）。然而，在2个月龄以上的牛群中，E. bieneusi的分子流行率为10%（1/10）。令人惊讶的是，发现其余2岁以上的牛（n = 11）为E. bieneusi阴性。BLAST和系统发育分析揭示了IV型以及11种新的基因型，命名为NG1至NG11。
这些发现指出，牛和养殖场是E. bieneusi孢子传播给人类或动物的重要来源。
