Haemonchus contortus is known among parasitic nematodes as one of the major veterinary pathogens of small ruminants and results in great economic losses worldwide. Human activities, such as the sympatric grazing of wild with domestic animals, may place susceptible wildlife hosts at risk of increased prevalence and infection intensity with this common small ruminant parasite. Studies on phylogenetic factors of H. contortus should assist in defining the amount of the impact of anthropogenic factors on the extent of sharing of agents such as this nematode between domestic animals and wildlife. H. contortus specimens (n = 57) were isolated from wild blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) inhabiting Helan Mountains (HM), China and additional H. contortus specimens (n = 20) were isolated from domestic sheep that were grazed near the natural habitat of the blue sheep. Complete ITS2 (second internal transcribed spacer) sequences and partial sequences of the nad4 (nicotinamide dehydrogenase subunit 4 gene) gene were amplified to determine the sequence variations and population genetic diversities between these two populations. Also, 142 nad4 haplotype sequences of H. contortus from seven other geographical regions of China were retrieved from database to further examine the H. contortus population structure. Sequence analysis revealed 10 genotypes (ITS2) and 73 haplotypes (nad4) among the 77 specimens, with nucleotide diversities of 0.007 and 0.021, respectively, similar to previous studies in other countries, such as Pakistan, Malaysia and Yemen. Phylogenetic analyses (BI, MP, NJ) of nad4 sequences showed that there were no noticeable boundaries among H. contortus populations from different geographical origin and population genetic analyses revealed that most of the variation (94.21%) occurred within H. contortus populations. All phylogenetic analyses indicated that there was little genetic differentiation but a high degree of gene flow among the H. contortus populations among wild blue sheep and domestic ruminants in China. The current work is the first genetic characterization of H. contortus isolated from wild blue sheep in the Helan Mountains region. The results revealed a low genetic differentiation and high degree of gene flow between the H. contortus populations from sympatric wild blue sheep and domestic sheep, indicating regular cross-infection between the sympatrically reared ruminants.

The protozoans include many intracellular human pathogens. Accurate detection of these pathogens is necessary to treat the diseases. In clinical epidemiology, molecular identification of protozoan is considered a more reliable and rapid method for identification than microscopy. Among these protozoans, Cryptosporidium considered being one of the important water-borne zoonotic pathogens and a major cause of a diarrheal disease named cryptosporidiosis in humans, domestic animals, and wild animals. This study was aimed to identify Cryptosporidium in zoo felids (N= 56) belonging to different zoo of China, but accidentlly Colpodella was encountered in the zoo felids sample and phylogenetic data confirmed this unexpected amplification from fecal samples using two-step nested-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the fact about the specific primers used previously by many researchers and cross-genera amplification. We came to know that genetically sequenced amplicon gives more accurate identification of species. This study suggests more investigation on Colpodella which has been neglected previously but gains the attention of researchers after identified from humans and animals and has been known to correlate with neurological symptoms in patients.

Benzimidazole (BZ) resistance is an increasingly serious problem due to the excessive use of this anthelmintic for controlling Haemonchus contortus, which is one of the major gastrointestinal nematodes infecting small ruminants worldwide. Three known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), F167Y (TAC), E198A (GCA) and F200Y (TAC), in the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene of H. contortus are associated with BZ resistance. Comprehending the spread and origins of BZ resistance-associated SNPs has important implications for the control of this nematode. Twenty-seven adult H. contortus were harvested from wild blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), small wild ruminants sympatric with domestic ruminants, inhabiting the Helan Mountains, China, to monitor the status of BZ resistance. In addition, 20 adult H. contortus from domestic sheep sympatric with this wild ruminant and 36 isotype-1 β-tubulin haplotype sequences of H. contortus (two of these haplotypes, E198A3 and E198A4, possessed resistance-associated SNP E198A (GCA) from domestic ruminants in eight other geographical regions of China were used to further define the origins of BZ resistance-associated SNPs within the worms collected from blue sheep. The BZ resistance-associated SNP E198A was detected, whereas SNPs F167Y (TAC) and F200Y (TAC) were not found within the worms collected from blue sheep, and the frequency of homozygous resistant E198A (GCA) was 7.40%. The evolutionary tree and network showed consistent topologies for which there was no obvious boundary among the worms from the wild and domestic hosts, and two haplotypes (E198A1 and E198A2) possessing E198A from the wild blue sheep had two different independent origins. E198A1 had the same origin with E198A3 but E198A2 had a different origin with them. Population genetic analyses revealed a low level of Fst values (ranging from 0 to 0.19749) between all H. contortus worm groups in China. Results of the current study of the three BZ resistance-associated SNPs of H. contortus from wild blue sheep suggested that only E198A (GCA) was present within the worms collected from the wild ruminants and had multiple independent origins.

The oriental stork, Ciconia boyciana, is an endangered migratory bird listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. The bird population has experienced a rapid decline in the past decades, with nest locations and stop-over sites largely degraded due to human–bird conflicts. Multipronged conservation efforts are required to secure the future of oriental storks. We propose that a thorough understanding of the genome-wide genetic background of this threatened bird species is critical to make future conservation strategies. In this study, the first chromosome-scale reference genome was presented for the oriental stork with high quality, contiguity, and accuracy. The assembled genome size was 1.24 Gb with a scaffold N50 of 103 Mb, and 1.23 Gb contigs (99.32%) were anchored to 35 chromosomes. Population genomic analysis did not show a genetic structure in the wild population. Genome-wide genetic diversity (π = 0.0012) of the oriental stork was at a moderate to high level among threatened bird species, and the inbreeding risk was also not significant (F_ROH = 5.56% ± 5.30%). Reconstruction of demographic history indicated a rapid recent population decline likely driven by human activities. Genes that were under positive selection associated with the migratory trait were identified in relation to the long-term potentiation, photoreceptor cell organization, circadian rhythm, muscle development, and energy metabolism, indicating the essential interplay between genetic and ecological adaptation. Our study presents the first chromosome-scale genome assembly of the oriental stork and provides a genomic basis for understanding a genetic background of the oriental stork, the population’s extinction risks, and the migratory characteristics, which will facilitate the decision of future conservation plans for this species.