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Twenty-four fecal samples were collected from captive amur hedgehogs (Erinaceus amurensis) in Zhengzhou, China. Based on morphological and molecular analysis, the overall prevalence of Cystoisospora was 62.5% (15/24). These samples contained two types of coccidian oocysts, including C. rastegaievae (50.0%, 12/24) and a new species named C. yuensis n. sp. (12.5%, 3/24). Sporulated oocysts (n = 30) of C. yuensis n. sp. are ovoid, (20.6 ± 1.4) μm × (20.9 ± 0.9) μm, with a shape index (length/width) of 1.0 and a smooth and bi-layered oocyst wall, 1.3 μm thick (outer layer 0.8 μm, inner 0.5 μm). A polar granule is present, but micropyle cap, micropyle, and oocyst residuum are absent. The sporocysts are ovoid-shaped, (9.3 ± 0.6) μm × (8.5 ± 1.1) μm, with a shape index (length/width) of 1.1. Stieda, substieda bodies, and refractile bodies are absent. Residuum is scattered and distributed around the entire sporocysts. At the 18S rRNA locus, C. yuensis n. sp. exhibited the highest identity to C. timoni (99.3%) from a slender-tailed meerkat. It has 98.0% identity at the 28S rRNA locus and 99.3% at the ITS locus. Based on morphological and molecular data, this isolate is a new species of Cystoisospora. Additionally, we have provided data on the prevalence of C. rastegaievae in China and sequences of the 18S rRNS, 28S rRNA, and ITS loci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis are major intestinal pathogens that can cause diarrheal diseases in humans, especially children. Enterocytozoon bieneusi is another parasite which can cause gastrointestinal tract disorders, with diarrhea being the main clinical symptom. However, few genetic studies of these parasites in pediatric inpatients in China have been published. Methods: To assess the genetic characteristics and epidemiological status of these parasites, a total of 2284 fecal samples were collected from children in the pediatric departments of three hospitals in Zhengzhou, central China, and screened for these protozoans with PCR, based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) genes of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of E. bieneusi. Results: Six (0.26%), 14 (0.61%), and 27 (1.18%) of the samples were positive for Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis and E. bieneusi, respectively. Of the 12 successfully sequenced G. duodenalis isolates, four were identified as assemblage A and eight as assemblage B. In subtype and multilocus genotype (MLG) analyses, C. parvum IIdA19G1 (n = 4) and two novel G. duodenalis MLGs belonging to subassemblage AII (n = 3) and BIV (n = 5) were successfully identified. The E. bieneusi isolates included genotypes D (n = 17), J (n = 2), PigEBITS7 (n = 1), BEB6 (n = 1), and CM8 (n = 1). This is the first report of C. parvum subtype IIdA19G1 in HIV-negative children and E. bieneusi genotype CM8 in humans. Conclusions: The dominance of zoonotic C. parvum subtype IIdA19G1 indicates that this parasite is turning into zoonotic origin from human-to-human transmission. The phylogenetic analysis also revealed the zoonotic origins and anthroponotic transmission potential of G. duodenalis and E. bieneusi, suggesting more efforts must be made to minimize the threat these pathogens pose to public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First molecular report of Blastocystis infection in humans in Central China. • Overall prevalence of Blastocystis sp. in hospital patients was 3.1%. • Three known Blastocystis sp. subtypes (ST1, ST3 and ST7) were identified. • Blastocystis sp. subtypes ST3 was the dominant (69.7%) subtype in the participants. Blastocystis is a common enteric protist that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract of approximately 1 billion people worldwide. In this study, a total of 1,070 patients from two hospitals in Zhengzhou, Central China were enrolled to know molecular characteristics of Blastocystis sp. The microorganism was identified and subtyped with a PCR amplification and sequencing of the small subunit ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (SSU-rDNA). The overall minimum prevalence of Blastocystis sp. in participants was 3.1% (33/1070). Although there were no significant differences on Blastocystis sp. infections among study sites, age groups, and gender, the higher infection was observed in the patients with gastrointestinal diseases (8.8%, 15/170). Sequence analysis of the 33 isolates revealed three known subtypes, such as ST1 (n = 7), ST3 (n = 23), and ST7 (n = 3). Among them, ST3 was the dominant subtype being detected in 23 isolates (69.7%), followed by ST1 (21.2%, 7/33) and ST7 (9.1%, 3/33). The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that three subtypes (ST1, ST3 and ST7) were clustered with their reference sequences with good bootstrap support. The subtype determination of Blastocystis sp. isolates by the phylogenetic analysis was well supported by online platform. The present study provides the first molecular report of Blastocystis sp. infections in hospital patients in Central China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Few data are available on the molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in ostriches. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species or genotypes in ostriches. A total of 452 fecal samples from five farms, a zoo, and an animal rescue center in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China were examined for Cryptosporidium oocysts by microscopy of wet mount of fecal materials concentrated by the Sheather''s sugar flotation technique. Fifty-three samples were Cryptosporidium-positive from four farms, with an overall prevalence of 11.7%. The percentage of animals shedding oocysts was 0, 16.2%, 7.2%, and 0 in 1–3 weeks, 4–8 weeks, 3–12 months, and more than 12 months ostriches, respectively (χ 2 =17.74; ρ <0.01). PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene of the 53 Cryptosporidium-positive samples showed the presence of only Cryptosporidium baileyi, which was confirmed by DNA sequencing of the SSU rRNA PCR products from 16 positive samples. Cross-transmission studies demonstrated that the C. baileyi isolate could infect chickens and quails. Thus, ostriches are commonly infected with C. baileyi that is genetically and biologically similar to C. baileyi found in other birds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]