Sympatric non-biting flies serve as potential vectors of zoonotic protozoan parasites on pig farms in China
Abstract Background Cryptosporidium spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. are common enteric parasites in humans and pigs. Ascertaining whether non-biting flies (NBFs) serve as potential vectors of these parasites on pig farms is a crucial aspect of disease control. Methods Non-biting...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06686-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849724084283244544 |
|---|---|
| author | Yufeng Liu Pitambar Dhakal Wenyan Hou Fa Shan Nanhao Wang Bin Yang Huikai Qin Xiaoying Li Rongjun Wang Longxian Zhang Sumei Zhang Junqiang Li |
| author_facet | Yufeng Liu Pitambar Dhakal Wenyan Hou Fa Shan Nanhao Wang Bin Yang Huikai Qin Xiaoying Li Rongjun Wang Longxian Zhang Sumei Zhang Junqiang Li |
| author_sort | Yufeng Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Cryptosporidium spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. are common enteric parasites in humans and pigs. Ascertaining whether non-biting flies (NBFs) serve as potential vectors of these parasites on pig farms is a crucial aspect of disease control. Methods Non-biting flies were collected and identified by morphology analysis together with sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (CO1) gene as confirmation. In a cross-sectional study, the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene of Cryptosporidium spp., the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) region of E. bieneusi and the SSU rRNA gene of Blastocystis sp. were investigated in fresh pig fecal samples and sympatric NBFs. Results The results revealed the occurrence of five species of NBFs (Musca domestica, 91.2%; Lucilia sericata, 5.8%; Chrysomya megacephala, 1.7%; Aldrichina grahami, 0.6%; Helicophagella melanura, 0.6%) in the collected pig fecal samples. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp., E. bieneusi and Blastocystis sp. on the body surface of NBFs was 0.6% (2/342), 4.4% (15/342) and 20.8% (71/342), respectively. Similarly, the prevalence of these parasites in the lysates of NBFs (= in vivo carriage) was 0% (0/342), 2.7% (9/342) and 10.5% (36/342), respectively. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp., E. bieneusi and Blastocystis sp. in pigs from which fly samples were collected was 2.3% (41/1794), 12.6% (226/1794) and 30.8% (553/1794), respectively. The zoonotic Cryposporidium suis/C. scrofarum, E. bieneusi ITS genotypes EbpA/EbpC and Blastocystis sp. subtypes ST1/ST3/ST5 were identified in both NBFs and pig feces. NBFs were found to carry E. bieneusi and Blastocystis sp. on their body surface as well as in the lysates. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the role of NBFs as potential vectors in the dissemination of these zoonotic parasites in pig farms, and also highlight the possibility of their transmission to humans. Graphical Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8b322d5e35c84d6ea55a1ee6b075b3d0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj-art-8b322d5e35c84d6ea55a1ee6b075b3d02025-08-20T03:10:50ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052025-02-0118111210.1186/s13071-025-06686-2Sympatric non-biting flies serve as potential vectors of zoonotic protozoan parasites on pig farms in ChinaYufeng Liu0Pitambar Dhakal1Wenyan Hou2Fa Shan3Nanhao Wang4Bin Yang5Huikai Qin6Xiaoying Li7Rongjun Wang8Longxian Zhang9Sumei Zhang10Junqiang Li11College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityRural Industry Development Center of Shangqiu CityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural UniversityAbstract Background Cryptosporidium spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. are common enteric parasites in humans and pigs. Ascertaining whether non-biting flies (NBFs) serve as potential vectors of these parasites on pig farms is a crucial aspect of disease control. Methods Non-biting flies were collected and identified by morphology analysis together with sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (CO1) gene as confirmation. In a cross-sectional study, the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene of Cryptosporidium spp., the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) region of E. bieneusi and the SSU rRNA gene of Blastocystis sp. were investigated in fresh pig fecal samples and sympatric NBFs. Results The results revealed the occurrence of five species of NBFs (Musca domestica, 91.2%; Lucilia sericata, 5.8%; Chrysomya megacephala, 1.7%; Aldrichina grahami, 0.6%; Helicophagella melanura, 0.6%) in the collected pig fecal samples. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp., E. bieneusi and Blastocystis sp. on the body surface of NBFs was 0.6% (2/342), 4.4% (15/342) and 20.8% (71/342), respectively. Similarly, the prevalence of these parasites in the lysates of NBFs (= in vivo carriage) was 0% (0/342), 2.7% (9/342) and 10.5% (36/342), respectively. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp., E. bieneusi and Blastocystis sp. in pigs from which fly samples were collected was 2.3% (41/1794), 12.6% (226/1794) and 30.8% (553/1794), respectively. The zoonotic Cryposporidium suis/C. scrofarum, E. bieneusi ITS genotypes EbpA/EbpC and Blastocystis sp. subtypes ST1/ST3/ST5 were identified in both NBFs and pig feces. NBFs were found to carry E. bieneusi and Blastocystis sp. on their body surface as well as in the lysates. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the role of NBFs as potential vectors in the dissemination of these zoonotic parasites in pig farms, and also highlight the possibility of their transmission to humans. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06686-2Non-biting fliesPig farmsCryptosporidium spp.Enterocytozoon bieneusiBlastocystis sp. |
| spellingShingle | Yufeng Liu Pitambar Dhakal Wenyan Hou Fa Shan Nanhao Wang Bin Yang Huikai Qin Xiaoying Li Rongjun Wang Longxian Zhang Sumei Zhang Junqiang Li Sympatric non-biting flies serve as potential vectors of zoonotic protozoan parasites on pig farms in China Parasites & Vectors Non-biting flies Pig farms Cryptosporidium spp. Enterocytozoon bieneusi Blastocystis sp. |
| title | Sympatric non-biting flies serve as potential vectors of zoonotic protozoan parasites on pig farms in China |
| title_full | Sympatric non-biting flies serve as potential vectors of zoonotic protozoan parasites on pig farms in China |
| title_fullStr | Sympatric non-biting flies serve as potential vectors of zoonotic protozoan parasites on pig farms in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sympatric non-biting flies serve as potential vectors of zoonotic protozoan parasites on pig farms in China |
| title_short | Sympatric non-biting flies serve as potential vectors of zoonotic protozoan parasites on pig farms in China |
| title_sort | sympatric non biting flies serve as potential vectors of zoonotic protozoan parasites on pig farms in china |
| topic | Non-biting flies Pig farms Cryptosporidium spp. Enterocytozoon bieneusi Blastocystis sp. |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06686-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yufengliu sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT pitambardhakal sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT wenyanhou sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT fashan sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT nanhaowang sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT binyang sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT huikaiqin sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT xiaoyingli sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT rongjunwang sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT longxianzhang sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT sumeizhang sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina AT junqiangli sympatricnonbitingfliesserveaspotentialvectorsofzoonoticprotozoanparasitesonpigfarmsinchina |