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Molecular characterization of Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis in rabbits in Shandong Province, China

  • Genetics, Evolution, and Phylogeny - Original Paper
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Abstract

Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis are the common parasites that parasitize the intestinal tract of rabbits, which can seriously threaten the health of rabbits and lead to economic losses to the rabbit industry. However, information about the prevalence and transmission of these two parasites in rabbits is limited in China. The objective of this study was to survey the prevalence of Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis in rabbits in Shandong Province. A total of 616 rabbit fecal samples were collected from two cities (Rizhao and Weihai) in Shandong Province, eastern China, and Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis were identified by polymerase chain reaction based on species-specific markers. The prevalence of Eimeria spp. was 20% (123/616) and the Blastocystis prevalence was 0.97% (6/616). Five different Eimeria species (Eimeria intestinalis, E. perforans, E. magna, E. media, and E. irresidua) and the ST4 subtype of Blastocystis were identified in rabbits by sequence analysis. This is the first report of Blastocystis prevalence and subtype ST4 in rabbits in Shandong Province. The findings provide baseline data for the prevention and control of Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis in rabbits in Shandong Province, China.

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Acknowledgments

Associate professor Hany M. Elsheikha in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, UK, is thanked for improving the English of the manuscript.

Funding

This project was supported by the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program (ASTIP) (Grant no. CAAS-ASTIP-2016-LVRI-03) and the Elite Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 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 Province, People’s Republic of China

    Tao-Shan Li, Yang Zou, Ye-Ting Ma, Yuan-Yuan Ma, Hong Chen, Xia-Xia Liang & Xing-Quan Zhu

  2. College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu Province, People’s Republic of China

    Tao-Shan Li & Xiao-Lin Sun

  3. Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang Province, People’s Republic of China

    Yang Zou

  4. Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 250100, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Cong

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  1. Tao-Shan Li
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  2. Yang Zou
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  3. Ye-Ting Ma
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  4. Yuan-Yuan Ma
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  5. Hong Chen
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  6. Xia-Xia Liang
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  7. Wei Cong
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  9. Xing-Quan Zhu
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Correspondence to Xing-Quan Zhu.

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Li, TS., Zou, Y., Ma, YT. et al. Molecular characterization of Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis in rabbits in Shandong Province, China. Parasitol Res 119, 1547–1551 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06652-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06652-0

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