First report of zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia intestinalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in golden takins (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi)

- Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 7.9% golden takin faecal samples, including C. parvum and C. andersoni.
- The prevalence of Giardia intestinalis was 8.9% and assemblages B and E were identified.
- Enterocytozoon bieneusi was positive in 14.7% of the examined specimens.
- Three known E. bieneusi (BEB6, D and I) genotypes and four novel ITS genotypes were identified.
- Zoonotic C. parvum IId A19G1, G. intestinalis assemblage B and E. bieneusi genotype D are present in golden takins.

Genetic study of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia intestinalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi at species/assemblage/genotype/subtype level facilitates understanding their mechanical transmissions and underpins their control. A total of 191 fresh faecal samples were collected from golden takins in China and examined using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 15 faecal samples (7.9%), including Cryptosporidium parvum (2/15) and Cryptosporidium andersoni (13/15). MLST tool identified C. andersoni subtypes (A1, A4, A4, A1) and (A4, A4, A4, A1), and C. parvum gp60 gene subtype IId A19G1. The prevalence of G. intestinalis infection was 8.9% (17/191) and assemblage analysis identified 14 assemblage E and three assemblage B. Intra-variations were observed at triose phosphate isomerase (tpi), beta giardin (bg) and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) loci within the assemblage E, showing seven, three and three new subtypes in respective locus. Ten and one multilocus genotypes (MLGs) were present in assemblages E and B, respectively. E. bieneusi infection was positive in 14.7% (28/191) of the examined specimens, with three genotypes known (BEB6, D and I) and four novel internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genotypes (TEB1-TEB4). The present study revealed, for the first time, the presence of zoonotic C. parvum IId A19G1, G. intestinalis assemblage B and E. bieneusi genotype D and four novel genotypes in golden takins in China. These findings expand the host range of three zoonotic pathogens and have important implications for controlling cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis and microsporidiosis in humans and animals.