Prevalence and Genotype of <i>Pentatrichomonas hominis</i> in Farmed Arctic Foxes ( <i>Vulpes lagopus</i> ) in Northern China

As a zoonotic protozoan, <i>Pentatrichomonas hominis</i> 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 (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>) remains limited. Fresh fecal samples (<i>n</i> = 352) from farmed foxes in northern China were analyzed for <i>P. hominis</i> via 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 into <i>P. hominis</i> occurrence among farmed foxes in northern China and underpins the advancement of specific approaches for its detection and control.