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Molecular prevalence and characterization of Cryptosporidium in domestic free-range poultry in Anhui Province, China

  • Protozoology - Original Paper
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Abstract

Free-range chickens might mediate the spread of Cryptosporidium oocysts to humans and other animals. Few studies have evaluated the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in domestic free-range poultry in China. Here, we characterized the prevalence and distribution of species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium in domestic free-range chickens, ducks, and geese in Anhui Province, China. A total of 1910 fresh fecal samples from three poultry species were examined from 18 free-range poultry farms by nested PCR and analysis of the Cryptosporidium SSU rRNA gene. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium species was 2.9% (55/1910), with infection rates of 1.3% (11/829) in chickens, 7.3% (36/487) in ducks, and 1.4% (8/594) in geese. C. baileyi (0.6%), C. meleagridis (0.2%), C. galli (0.2%), and C. xiaoi-like genotype (0.2%) were identified in chickens, and only C. baileyi was identified in ducks and geese, with infection rates of 7.4% and 1.3%, respectively. C. baileyi was the most prevalent species. Sequencing of the GP60 gene revealed that the C. meleagridis isolates belonged to the IIIbA26G1R1b subtype. This is the first study to document C. galli and C. xiaoi-like genotype in domestic free-range chickens in China. These findings expand the range of avian hosts known for Cryptosporidium and highlight the need for additional studies to characterize the diversity of Cryptosporidium in avian species.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the staff on the farms for their assistance with this study. We thank Liwen Bianji, Edanz Editing China (www.liwenbianji.cn/ac), for editing the English text of a draft of this manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation (1808085MC84, and 1908085QC116), and the school-level talent project of Anhui Science and Technology University (dkwd201702).

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Author notes

  1. Zheng Gong, Zhen-zhen Kan, Jia-min Huang, and Zhui Fang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Regulation and Health, College of Animal Science, Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang, 233100, People’s Republic of China

    Zheng Gong, Zhen-zhen Kan, Jia-min Huang, Zhui Fang, Xin-chao Liu, You-fang Gu & Wen-Chao Li

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  1. Zheng Gong
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Correspondence to Wen-Chao Li.

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This study was approved by the Animal Care and Welfare Committee of Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang, China. All the fecal samples from the domestic chickens, ducks, and geese were collected with the permission of the cattle owners.

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Gong, Z., Kan, Zz., Huang, Jm. et al. Molecular prevalence and characterization of Cryptosporidium in domestic free-range poultry in Anhui Province, China. Parasitol Res 120, 3519–3527 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-021-07191-y

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