Molecular detection and characterization of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in captive alpine musk deer ( Moschus chrysogaster ) in Central and Eastern of Gansu Province, China

The most ubiquitously diagnosed microsporidian species in animals and humans is Enterocytozoon bieneusi ( E. bieneusi ). In this case, this work aimed to probe the occurrence and genotypes of this pathogen in captive alpine musk deer ( Moschus chrysogaster ) in Gansu Province, China. After fecal sample collection ( n = 201) from three farms in Gansu, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA gene was probed by PCR for detection and genotyping of E. bieneusi . The infection rate of E. bieneusi in alpine musk deer was 6.0% (12/201), with 0% (0/36), 7.7% (5/65) and 7.0% (7/100) in farms 1 to 3, respectively. The infection rate of E. bieneusi in young alpine musk deer (3.2%; 1/31) is lower than that of adults (6.5%; 11/170), with no evident significant differences between age groups ( P > 0.05). Three known genotypes D ( n = 8), EbpA ( n = 3) and BEB6 ( n = 1) were identified by sequence analysis. This is the first such scrutiny of E. bieneusi infection in alpine musk deer in China as per our knowledge. Genotypes D and EbpA were common in humans and animals that is suggestive of the plausible zoonotic role in E. bieneusi transmission by alpine musk deer.