Occurrence, Molecular Characterization, and Assessment of Zoonotic Risk of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Pigs in Henan, Central China

Abstract Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis , and Enterocytozoon bieneusi are common gastrointestinal pathogens in humans and animals. Little is known about them and the range of species/assemblages/genotypes occurring in domestic pigs in China. Here, we present data on the occurrence and molecular diversity of these pathogens detected in the feces from farms in Henan, central China. Of 897 fecal samples tested, 28 (3.1%), 15 (1.7%), and 408 (45.5%) samples were positive for Cryptosporidium , G. duodenalis , and E. bieneusi , respectively. Cryptosporidium and G. duodenalis were most frequently detected in piglets, while E. bieneusi was markedly more prevalent in fattening pigs. Sequence analysis of SSU rRNA gene revealed that positive Cryptosporidium strains belonged to C. suis ( n = 18) and C. scrofarum ( n = 10). Giardia duodenalis assemblages E ( n = 9), assemblages A ( n = 3), and assemblages C ( n = 3) were characterized based on the sequence analysis of tpi gene. Thirteen E. bieneusi genotypes comprising four novel (pig HN ‐I to pig HN ‐ IV ) and nine known (EbpC, EbpA, pigEb ITS 5, LW 1, H, CM 8, G, CHG 19, and CHS 5) genotypes were identified by ITS sequence analysis of a large proportion ( n = 200) of E. bieneusi ‐positive samples. EbpC was the most frequent genotype, detected in 60 specimens. All 13 genotypes identified in this study clustered in zoonotic Group 1. The findings indicate that the presence of zoonotic species/assemblages/genotypes of these pathogens poses a threat to public health, suggesting that pigs in Henan province could be a significant source of human infection and water pollution.