Molecular prevalence and genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in cattle from Central Algeria

Purpose Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasite of the phylum Microsporidia that infects a wide range of hosts, including humans. In Algeria, epidemiological information on microsporidian infections caused by E. bieneusi is scarce, with only three molecular studies conducted in equines, cattle, and dromedary camels. Here, we investigated the prevalence and genotypic diversity of E. bieneusi in cattle (n = 288), including cows (n = 182) and their calves (n = 106), from 54 farms in central Algeria.

Materials and methods The initial screening of cattle faecal samples was conducted using a nested PCR targeting a partial sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region.

Results Enterocytozoon bieneusi was identified in 16.0% (46/288) of faecal samples and in 42.6% (23/54) of sampled farms. Infection rates varied from 10.9 to 17.7% across the study areas. Significant differences in prevalence were observed according to cattle age, sex, and the presence/absence of other livestock species within cattle farms. Conversely, study area, production system, and presence/absence of diarrhoea showed no significant associations. Out of 46 E. bieneusi-positive cattle, genotyping was successful for 56.5% (26/46) of isolates. Phylogenetic analyses revealed seven known E. bieneusi genotypes clustering within the zoonotic Group 1: Type IV (42.3%, 11/26), D (7.7%, 2/26), and Peru6 (3.8%, 1/26), and the ruminant-adapted Group 2: J (19.2%, 5/26), I (15.4%, 4/26), BEB6 (7.7%, 2/26), and CM7 (3.8%, 1/26).

Conclusions The present study provides valuable molecular data on E. bieneusi infections in cattle in Algeria. It highlights the important role that cattle can play as reservoirs of zoonotic E. bieneusi genotypes.