Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Entamoeba spp. in Pigs in Shanxi Province, North China.

BACKGROUND: The genus Entamoeba contains a group of parasitic organisms found in humans and other animals including pigs. Pathogenic species within this genus can lead to intestinal or extra-intestinal disease, thereby constituting a major threat to animal husbandry and public health. Pig farming is an important part of animal husbandry in Shanxi Province, north China; however, no information on the prevalence of Entamoeba spp. in pigs in Shanxi Province exists. METHOD: To understand the Entamoeba spp. infection in pigs in Shanxi Province, 362 fecal samples collected from pigs in Shanxi Province (north China) were screened by PCR for the presence of Entamoeba spp., and the statistical analysis software SPSS version 26.0 was used for revealing the statistical significance by the chi-square test. RESULTS: Examination of the fecal samples revealed that 80.4% of the examined pigs were positive for Entamoeba spp. The age, region and altitude were considered as risk factors for Entamoeba spp. infection in pigs. Two species, Entamoeba suis and Entamoeba polecki, were detected, with the latter being the predominant species. Subtype analysis revealed the presence of two known subtypes (ST1 and ST3), of which ST1 was the most frequently detected. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the obtained sequences of E. polecki subtypes ST1 and ST3, as well as those of E. suis, clustered with their respective reference sequences; E. polecki ST1 is a protozoan parasite with potential zoonotic implications. CONCLUSION: This study reported, for the first time, the prevalence and species/subtype distribution of Entamoeba in pigs in Shanxi Province, providing baseline data for evaluating the zoonotic transmission of Entamoeba spp. to humans.