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Prevalence, Molecular Characterization and Risk Factors of Blastocystis sp. from Farmed Pigs in Yunnan Province, Southwestern China

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Abstract

Purpose

Blastocystis is an enteral eukaryote that omnipresent existence in animals and humans global. The objective of the current study investigated the frequency and subtypes to evaluate risk factors for Blastocystis infection in pigs in southwestern China.

Materials and Methods

The 866 fecal samples were collected from farmed pigs in Yunnan province, which were determined by the molecular method of the nested PCR and phylogenetic analysis established on the small subunit rDNA (SSU rDNA) gene fragment.

Results

A total of 433 specimens were detected Blastocystis positive, and the prevalence of is 50.0% (433/866). The significant differences in prevalence were also observed in pigs from regions (P < 0.01, df = 8, χ2 = 29.17) and age groups (P < 0.01, df = 2, χ2 = 66.6). Older pigs had more Blastocystis infection than younger ones. Moreover, three zoonotic subtypes were identified by DNA sequence analysis, included ST1 (7.39%, 32/433), ST3 (4.39%, 19/433) and ST5 (88.22%, 382/433).

Conclusions

The results suggested a high prevalence and diversified subtypes in farmed pigs in Yunnan province, southwestern China, which indicated pigs are most likely to potential reservoirs and zoonotic transmission of Blastocystis for human infection. To our knowledge, the study is the first large-scale systematic statement of Blastocystis colonization in Yunnan province, Southwestern China, which contributed to the in-depth study of genetic characteristics and prevention, control and treatment of Blastocystis in pigs in Yunnan province and other regions.

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Acknowledgements

Project support was provided by the Fund of Key Laboratory of Fujian Province Livestock Epidemic Prevention and Control and Biological technology (Grant No.2016KL01) and promotion project of ESI Discipline of Yunnan Agricultural University (Grant No. 2019YNAUESIMS03).

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Author notes

  1. Jian Qiang Han and Zhao Li contributed equally to this article.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People’s Republic of China

    Jian Qiang Han

  2. Department of Animal Science, Yuxi Agricultural Vocation Technical College, Yuxi, 653106, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China

    Jian Qiang Han

  3. Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China

    Zhao Li, Li Hua Pu & Feng Cai Zou

  4. 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, 730046, Gansu, People’s Republic of China

    Yang Zou & Xin Quan Zhu

  5. The Key Laboratory of Fujian Animal Diseases Control Technology Development and Biotechnology Center, Longyan University, Longyan, 364000, Fujian, People’s Republic of China

    Cui-Qin Huang

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  1. Jian Qiang Han
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Correspondence to Feng Cai Zou or Cui-Qin Huang.

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Ethics Statement

The protocol of the present study has been reviewed and approved by the Animal Ethical and Welfare Committee of Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University.

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11686_2020_229_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Supplementary Fig. S1 Phylogenetic analysis of Blastocystis sp. subtypes based on the SSU rDNA gene fragment using the neighbor-joining method. Bootstrap analysis was used to assess the branch reliability, with 1000 replicates, and values above 50% are shown (TIF 46 kb)

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Han, J.Q., Li, Z., Zou, Y. et al. Prevalence, Molecular Characterization and Risk Factors of Blastocystis sp. from Farmed Pigs in Yunnan Province, Southwestern China. Acta Parasit. 65, 1005–1010 (2020). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11686-020-00229-8

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