Prevalence and Genotype ofin Farmed Arctic Foxes () in Northern China.

Abstract

As a zoonotic protozoan,has been implicated in gastrointestinal diseases, typically residing in the cecum or colon of diverse vertebrate hosts. Nevertheless, information regarding its prevalence and genotypic distribution in farmed foxes () remains limited. Fresh fecal samples (= 352) from farmed foxes in northern China were analyzed forvia nested PCR. The overall prevalence was 15.62% (55/352). Infection rates were 12.09% (22/182) in adults and 19.41% (33/170) in juveniles. The prevalence exhibited seasonal fluctuations, ranging from 10.90% to 25.24%, with the highest prevalence observed in autumn. Foxes with diarrhea exhibited a significantly higher infection rate (33.78%, 25/74) than those without (10.79%, 30/278). Prevalence varied across regions, with the highest rates in Jilin (30.00%, 12/40), followed by Shandong (26.88%, 25/93), Hebei (12.90%, 12/93), Liaoning (6.33%, 5/79), and Heilongjiang (2.13%, 1/47). All positive samples were grouped into the zoonotic CC1 genotype based on phylogenetic analysis. This study offers novel epidemiological insights intooccurrence among farmed foxes in northern China and underpins the advancement of specific approaches for its detection and control.