Occurrence and genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in flying squirrels (Trogopterus xanthipes) from China.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an obligate intracellular microsporidian parasite with a worldwide distribution. As a zoonotic pathogen, E. bieneusi can infect a wide range of wildlife hosts through the fecal-oral route. Although the feces of flying squirrels (Trogopterus xanthipes) are considered a traditional Chinese medicine (as "faeces trogopterori"), no literature is available on E. bieneusi infection in flying squirrels to date. In this study, a total of 340 fresh flying squirrel fecal specimens from two captive populations were collected in Pingdingshan city, China, to detect the prevalence of E. bieneusi and assess their zoonotic potential. By nested PCR amplification of the ITS gene, six specimens tested positive, with positive samples from each farm, with an overall low infection rate of 1.8%. The ITS sequences revealed three genotypes, including known genotype D and two novel genotypes, HNFS01 and HNFS02. Genotype HNFS01 was the most prevalent (4/6, 66.7%). Phylogenetic analysis showed that all genotypes clustered into zoonotic Group 1, with the novel genotypes clustering into different subgroups. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. bieneusi infection in flying squirrels, suggesting that flying squirrels could act as a potential reservoir and zoonotic threat for E. bieneusi transmission to humans in China.

Title: Occurrence et génotypage d'Enterocytozoon bieneusi chez les écureuils volants (Trogopterus xanthipes) de Chine. Abstract: Enterocytozoon bieneusi est un parasite microsporidien intracellulaire obligatoire présent dans le monde entier. En tant qu'agent pathogène zoonotique, E. bieneusi peut infecter un large éventail d'hôtes sauvages par la voie fécale-orale. Bien que les excréments d'écureuils volants (Trogopterus xanthipes) soient considérés comme un ingrédient de médecine traditionnelle chinoise (comme « faeces trogopterori ¼), aucune littérature n'est disponible à ce jour sur l'infection par E. bieneusi chez les écureuils volants. Dans cette étude, un total de 340 spécimens fécaux frais d'écureuils volants provenant de deux populations captives ont été collectés dans la ville de Pingdingshan, en Chine, pour détecter la prévalence d'E. bieneusi et évaluer leur potentiel zoonotique. Par amplification PCR nichée du gène ITS, six échantillons se sont révélés positifs, avec des échantillons positifs dans chaque ferme, et un taux d'infection global faible, à 1,8 %. Les séquences ITS ont révélé trois génotypes, dont le génotype D connu et deux nouveaux génotypes, HNFS01 et HNFS02. Le génotype HNFS01 était le plus répandu (4/6, 66,7 %). L'analyse phylogénétique a montré que tous les génotypes se regroupaient dans le groupe zoonotique 1, les nouveaux génotypes se regroupant en différents sous-groupes. À notre connaissance, il s'agit du premier rapport d'infection par E. bieneusi chez des écureuils volants, ce qui suggère que les écureuils volants pourraient agir comme un réservoir potentiel et une menace zoonotique pour la transmission d'E. bieneusi aux humains en Chine.

The phylogroups and antibiotic susceptibilities of Escherichia coli isolates from the feces of Anatolian Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus xanthoprymnus).

The current study was conducted to determine the phylogroups and antibiotic susceptibilities of Escherichia coli isolates recovered from fecal samples of Anatolian Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus xanthoprymnus) and to examine the relationship between them. Eighty-two E. coli isolates obtained from 150 fecal samples were investigated. The quadruplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), phylogroup C-, and E-specific mPCR were subjected to phylogenetic typing of the isolates. The susceptibilities to fifteen antibiotics of the isolates were detected by the disk diffusion method. In the result of phylogenetic typing, phylogroup B2 was most predominant (58.6 %), followed by B1 (25.6 %), E (8.5 %), C (4.9 %), and D (2.4 %). The phylogroup A, F, and Escherichia clades were not detected. The antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that 59.8 % (49/82) and 19.5 % (16/82) of E. coli isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic and multidrug-resistant (MDR), respectively. Twenty-six (31.7 %), 19 (23.2 %), 11 (13.4 %), and 10 (12.2 %) of the isolates were found to be resistant to gentamicin, tetracycline, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, and cefoxitin. Of the 49 E. coli isolates that were found to be resistant to any antibiotic analyzed, 30, 13, 4, and 2 were located in phylogroup B2, B1, E, and D, respectively. MDR isolates were mostly located in both phylogroup B1 (31.3 %) and B2 (31.3 %). In conclusion, data from the current study suggest that the isolates may potentially have pathogenic properties, since the majority (69.5 %) of E. coli isolates from fecal samples of Spermophilus xanthoprymnus were located in the pathogenic phylogroup and resistance to various antibiotics was detected.

WILDbase: towards a common database to improve wildlife disease surveillance in Europe.

BackgroundTo be better prepared for emerging wildlife-borne zoonoses, we need to strengthen wildlife disease surveillance.AimThe aim of this study was to create a topical overview of zoonotic pathogens in wildlife species to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for improvement of wildlife disease surveillance.MethodsWe created a database, which is based on a systematic literature review in Embase focused on zoonotic pathogens in 10 common urban wildlife mammals in Europe, namely brown rats, house mice, wood mice, common voles, red squirrels, European rabbits, European hedgehogs, European moles, stone martens and red foxes. In total, we retrieved 6,305 unique articles of which 882 were included.ResultsIn total, 186 zoonotic pathogen species were described, including 90 bacteria, 42 helminths, 19 protozoa, 22 viruses and 15 fungi. Most of these pathogens were only studied in one single animal species. Even considering that some pathogens are relatively species-specific, many European countries have no (accessible) data on zoonotic pathogens in these relevant animal species. We used the Netherlands as an example to show how this database can be used by other countries to identify wildlife disease surveillance gaps on a national level. Only 4% of all potential host-pathogen combinations have been studied in the Netherlands.ConclusionsThis database comprises a comprehensive overview that can guide future research on wildlife-borne zoonotic diseases both on a European and national scale. Sharing and expanding this database provides a solid starting point for future European-wide collaborations to improve wildlife disease surveillance.

Ancient Mycobacterium leprae genome reveals medieval English red squirrels as animal leprosy host.

Leprosy, one of the oldest recorded diseases in human history, remains prevalent in Asia, Africa, and South America, with over 200,000 cases every year.1,2 Although ancient DNA (aDNA) approaches on the major causative agent, Mycobacterium leprae, have elucidated the disease's evolutionary history,3,4,5 the role of animal hosts and interspecies transmission in the past remains unexplored. Research has uncovered relationships between medieval strains isolated from archaeological human remains and modern animal hosts such as the red squirrel in England.6,7 However, the time frame, distribution, and direction of transmissions remains unknown. Here, we studied 25 human and 12 squirrel samples from two archaeological sites in Winchester, a medieval English city well known for its leprosarium and connections to the fur trade. We reconstructed four medieval M. leprae genomes, including one from a red squirrel, at a 2.2-fold average coverage. Our analysis revealed a phylogenetic placement of all strains on branch 3 as well as a close relationship between the squirrel strain and one newly reconstructed medieval human strain. In particular, the medieval squirrel strain is more closely related to some medieval human strains from Winchester than to modern red squirrel strains from England, indicating a yet-undetected circulation of M. leprae in non-human hosts in the Middle Ages. Our study represents the first One Health approach for M. leprae in archaeology, which is centered around a medieval animal host strain, and highlights the future capability of such approaches to understand the disease's zoonotic past and current potential.