Simsek Neslihan Sursal, Cakmak Irmak, Simsek Emrah
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Milas Veterinary Medicine, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Milas, Mugla, 48200, Türkiye.
Department of Parasitology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, 9020, Türkiye.
Acta Parasitol. 2025 Jun 2;70(3):121. doi: 10.1007/s11686-025-01061-8.
Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most prevalent microsporidian parasite and has wide host diversity, including animals and humans. However, there are a limited number of studies on the presence, molecular epidemiology, and genotyping of E. bieneusi in camels worldwide. Currently, no data are available on the occurrence, distribution, and genotypes of E. bieneusi in wrestling camels in Türkiye. This study aimed to address the knowledge gap regarding E. bieneusi in wrestling camels in Türkiye.
In this study, a total of 110 fecal samples from camels in various provinces of Türkiye were investigated to reveal the presence of E. bieneusi, and the subsequent zoonotic potential of isolates was assessed at the genotype level by PCR-sequence analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene region.
Three fecal specimens were detected as E. bieneusi positive, and the overall prevalence was 2.72%. Further sequence analyses revealed a novel genotype hereby named camelEb from wrestling camels in the Aydin (n = 1) and Mugla (n = 2) provinces of Türkiye. In the phylogenetic analyses, the camelEb genotype clustered into group 6 with other genotypes reported from camels.
This is the first report on the presence of E. bieneusi in wrestling camels, suggesting that camels could also serve as a potential reservoir or carrier for E. bieneusi in Türkiye.
微小隐孢子虫是最常见的微孢子虫寄生虫，宿主范围广泛，包括动物和人类。然而，全球范围内关于骆驼体内微小隐孢子虫的存在情况、分子流行病学及基因分型的研究较少。目前，关于土耳其摔跤骆驼体内微小隐孢子虫的发生情况、分布及基因型尚无相关数据。本研究旨在填补土耳其摔跤骆驼体内微小隐孢子虫相关知识的空白。
本研究共调查了来自土耳其不同省份骆驼的110份粪便样本，以检测微小隐孢子虫的存在情况，并通过核糖体内部转录间隔区（ITS）基因区域的PCR序列分析，在基因型水平评估分离株的后续人畜共患病潜力。
检测到3份粪便标本微小隐孢子虫呈阳性，总体感染率为2.72%。进一步的序列分析揭示了一种新的基因型，在此命名为骆驼Eb，来自土耳其艾登省（n = 1）和穆拉省（n = 2）的摔跤骆驼。在系统发育分析中，骆驼Eb基因型与骆驼中报道的其他基因型聚为第6组。
这是关于土耳其摔跤骆驼体内存在微小隐孢子虫的首次报道，表明骆驼在土耳其也可能是微小隐孢子虫的潜在储存宿主或携带者。
