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Background   Blastocystis  is one of the most common intestinal parasites in humans and animals worldwide. At least 17 subtypes have been identified in mammals and birds. In China, although some studies have reported the occurrence of  Blastocystis  in humans and animals, our understanding of the role of animals in the transmission of human blastocystosis is only superficial due to a paucity of available molecular data. The aim of the present study was to understand infection rates of  Blastocystis  and the distribution and genetic diversity of subtypes in various mammal and bird species in northeastern China, as well as to assess the zoonotic potential of  Blastocystis  isolates.    Methods  A total of 1265 fresh fecal specimens (1080 from ten mammal species and 185 from eight bird species) were collected in Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin provinces of China. Each specimen was examined for the presence of  Blastocystis  by PCR amplification and sequence analysis of the partial  SSU  rRNA gene.    Results  Fifty-four specimens (4.3%) were positive for  Blastocystis.  Birds (7.0%) had a higher infection rate of  Blastocystis  than mammals (3.8%).  Blastocystis  was found in seven mammal species, reindeer (6.7%), sika deer (14.6%), racoon dogs (7.5%), Arctic foxes (1.9%), dogs (2.9%), rats (3.7%) and rabbits (3.3%), as well as three bird species, pigeons (2.1%), chickens (13.0%) and red crowned cranes (14.0%). Eight subtypes were identified including ST1 ( n  = 5), ST3 ( n  = 3), ST4 ( n  = 13), ST6 ( n  = 8), ST7 ( n  = 6), ST10 ( n  = 13), ST13 ( n  = 4) and ST14 ( n  = 2). 64.8% (35/54) of  Blastocystis  isolates belonged to potentially zoonotic subtypes.    Conclusions  To our knowledge, this is the first report of  Blastocystis  in reindeer (ST10 and ST13), rabbits (ST4), racoon dogs (ST3) and Arctic foxes (ST1, ST4 and ST7). The findings of potentially zoonotic subtypes suggest that the animals infected with  Blastocystis  might pose a threat to human health. These data will improve our understanding of the host range and genetic diversity of  Blastocystis , and also help develop efficient control strategies to intervene with and prevent the occurrence of human blastocystosis in the investigated areas.

Distribution and genetic diversity of Blastocystis subtypes in various mammal and bird species in northeastern China