AUTHOR=Zhang Xiao-Xuan , Jiang Ruo-Lan , Ma Jian-Gang , Xu Chao , Zhao Quan , Hou Guangyu , Liu Guo-Hua 

TITLE=Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Minks (Neovison vison) in Northern China: A Public Health Concern

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01221

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2018.01221

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Enterocytozoon bieneusi</italic> is the most important causative agent of microsporidiosis and can infect almost all vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, including minks (<italic>Neovison vison</italic>). In the present study, a total of 298 feces samples (including 79 from Heilongjiang province, 31 from Hebei province, 67 from Jilin province, 90 from Liaoning province, and 31 from Shandong province, Northern China) were examined by nested PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA gene. The overall prevalence of <italic>E. bieneusi</italic> in minks was 10.1%, with 10.5% in Jilin province, 32.3% in Hebei province, 8.9% in Liaoning province, 0% in Shandong province, and 6.3% in Heilongjiang province. Furthermore, multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that region was only risk factors associated with <italic>E. bieneusi</italic> infection in the investigated minks. Five <italic>E. bieneusi</italic> ITS genotypes (three known genotypes, namely D, Peru11, and EbpC; two novel genotypes, namely, NCM-1 and NCM-2) were found in the current study. Importantly, genotypes D, Peru11 and EbpC, previously identified in humans, were also found in minks, which suggested that minks are the potential sources of human microsporidiosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of <italic>E. bieneusi</italic> infection in minks worldwide. The results of the present survey have implications for the controlling <italic>E. bieneusi</italic> infection in minks, other animals and humans.</p>