Several trichomonad species have already been identified in pigs, and their pathogenic potential may not be ruled out. To date, however, no information is available regarding the prevalence of trichomonads in pigs in Shanxi Province, North China. In the present study, a total of 362 fecal samples collected from pigs in three representative counties (Qi, Jishan, and Shanyin) in this province were examined for Tetratrichomonas buttreyi, Tritrichomonas foetus, and Pentatrichomonas hominis using a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers targeting the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The overall prevalence of T. buttreyi was 49.72%, and region and age were found to be significantly associated with T. buttreyi infection, respectively. Only one pig fecal sample from Qi County was found to be positive for T. foetus, and all samples were negative for P. hominis. Molecular evolutionary analysis revealed that some T. buttreyi isolates showed complete genetic identity with those reported previously, and some T. buttreyi isolates and one T. foetus isolate showed minor allelic variations compared with those reported previously. This is the report of the molecular epidemiology of T. foetus and T. buttreyi in pigs in Shanxi Province, North China. These findings not only enrich the knowledge on the distribution of these trichomonad species in pigs in China but also provide baseline information for planning future research and control strategies.

Several trichomonad species have already been reported from cattle, including Tetratrichomonas buttreyi and Pentatrichomonas hominis. However, there is currently a lack of information concerning the prevalence of trichomonad species in cattle in Shanxi Province, North China. In this study, 761 fecal samples from cattle across three counties in Shanxi Province, namely Qi, Jishan, and Shanyin, were examined for the presence of T. buttreyi and P. hominis DNA through a nested PCR assay targeting a specific segment of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The results showed that the total prevalence of T. buttreyi in cattle was found to be 74.5%, with region and sex identified as risk factors for infection. P. hominis exhibited an overall prevalence of 3.0%, with strong associations observed between infection and both region and age. Sequencing analysis indicated that some T. buttreyi isolates and all P. hominis isolates were identical to those reported previously based on the analysis of SSU rRNA sequences, while certain T. buttreyi isolates exhibited minor allelic variations. These results enhance our understanding of the geographical distribution and genetic characterization of T. buttreyi and P. hominis in cattle.

Chicken coccidiosis is a parasitic disease caused by Eimeria species, leading to significant economic losses for the poultry industry worldwide. Rapid detection and accurate identification of Eimeria parasites are essential to implement effective prevention and control measures. In this study, five cross-priming amplification strategy-assisted lateral flow immunoassay (CPA-LFIA) biosensors were developed for the detection of chicken Eimeria parasites. The one for genus-level detection exhibited a sensitivity of 10² copies/µL of plasmid DNA, specifically recognized seven Eimeria species, and accurately distinguished PCR-confirmed Eimeria-positive fecal samples from negatives. Regarding the biosensors designed to identify the four most economically important species, each could detect 10¹ copies/µL of plasmid DNA; for the CPA-LFIA-E. tenella biosensor designed to identify E. tenella, it could detect 5 unsporulated oocysts and 1 sporulated oocyst; each of the four biosensors could distinguish its target species from the non-target Eimeria species and other related protozoans; each biosensor accurately distinguished between PCR-positive and -negative fecal samples. In addition, the CPA-LFIA-E. tenella biosensor could detect E. tenella infection in chickens as early as the fourth day post-infection, even under low-dose challenge conditions. Our results showed good performance of the five biosensors, highlighting their potential as effective tools for both genus-level detection and species identification (four key Eimeria species), particularly in areas with limited laboratory infrastructure or in chicken farms.

Though a number of Eimeria species have been described in geese, the host responses to these parasites at the molecular level have yet to be explored. In the present study, fresh fecal samples were collected for single-oocyst isolation. The recovered oocysts were identified based on molecular analysis using PCR and sequencing. Subsequently, we examined the transcriptional response of the Landes goose cecum following infection with the isolated Eimeria strain. Molecular analysis showed that the isolated Eimeria strain was Eimeria stigmosa, which was named the E. stigmosa SX-01 strain. Transcriptomic profiling identified 3806 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 2238 genes with increased expression and 1568 genes with decreased expression. The results obtained from the quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis confirmed that the RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data were reliable. According to pathway enrichment analysis for the obtained DEGs, 24 pathways were significantly affected following infection with the E. stigmosa SX-01 strain, such as cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, intestinal immune network for IgA production, cell adhesion molecules, gap junction, arachidonic acid metabolism, alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism, retinol metabolism, and PPAR signaling pathway. These transcriptional alterations were observed in E. stigmosa-infected geese without obvious clinical signs, indicating that E. stigmosa infection may trigger a strong subclinical host response related to metabolism, immune and inflammatory responses, and intercellular junctional complex-associated processes. Collectively, these findings have implications for better understanding the E. stigmosa–goose interactions at the molecular level and provide a foundation for future functional and comparative studies to dissect the pathogenic mechanisms and molecular markers associated with disease resistance, which are expected to inform the design of effective control strategies.

While multiple Eimeria species have been identified in geese, their effects on the host gut microbiota have not yet been investigated. In the present study, 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was used to characterize the microbial changes in the jejunal and cecal segments of Landes geese following Eimeria stigmosa infection. At 2.5 days post-infection (dpi), the jejunum of infected geese was dominated by Bacillota, Pseudomonadota and Bacteroidota, whereas controls were dominated by Bacillota and Actinomycetota. At 4.5 dpi, the jejunum of infected geese showed increased Bacillota compared to controls. In the cecum, both groups shared similar phylum-level dominance of Bacillota and Bacteroidota. At 2.5 and 4.5 dpi, the jejunal microbiota of infected geese was primarily dominated by the genus Ligilactobacillus. α-diversity analysis revealed a significant reduction in the Shannon and Pielou’s evenness indices only in the jejunum of infected geese at 4.5 dpi. Beta-diversity analysis showed significant differences between the infected and control groups at 2.5 dpi based on weighted UniFrac distances. LEfSe analysis revealed that the genus Pseudomonas were significantly enriched in the jejunum of infected geese at 2.5 dpi, while the genera Massiliomicrobiota and Shuttleworthia were significantly enriched in the cecum of infected geese at 4.5 dpi. These findings revealed time- and site-specific shifts in the gut microbiota of geese following E. stigmosa infection, having implications for better understanding of the complex interactions of E. stigmosa, host and the microbiome.

Balantioides coli is the only ciliate with significant implications for both human and animal health. Regarding animals, B. coli primarily infects pigs. However, there is a lack of data regarding B. coli in pigs in Shanxi, a province in northern China covering 156,700 km ² where pig farming is a major agricultural industry. In this study, 341 pig fecal samples collected from this province were examined for the presence of B. coli using a traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method targeting the β‐tubulin gene. The results showed that the overall prevalence of B. coli in the sampled pigs was 75.1%, and its prevalence varied significantly across different regions. Among the polymorphic sequences identified in this study, the genotype with zoonotic potential (genotype I) was observed. In addition, we established a cross‐priming amplification (CPA) strategy–assisted lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) biosensor for the detection of B. coli . The whole process from amplification to visual readout can be completed within 63 min without any special instrument. The biosensor exhibited a sensitivity of 100 copies/µL of plasmid DNA and specifically recognized B. coli . The results of the diagnostic performance analysis revealed that the biosensor accurately distinguished between PCR‐positive and ‐negative fecal samples. Our results contribute to expanding our understanding of the geographical distribution and genetic diversity of B. coli in pigs and have important implications for controlling B. coli infection in pigs and humans. Also, this study provides a novel molecular tool for the detection of B. coli , particularly in resource‐limited settings.