*Article* **Genetic Diversity of** *Cryptosporidium* **in Bactrian Camels (***Camelus bactrianus***) in Xinjiang, Northwestern China**

**Yangwenna Cao 1,2,**†**, Zhaohui Cui 3,4,**†**, Qiang Zhou 1,2, Bo Jing 1,2, Chunyan Xu 1,2, Tian Wang 1,2, Meng Qi 1,2,\* and Longxian Zhang 4,\***


Received: 23 October 2020; Accepted: 12 November 2020; Published: 13 November 2020

**Abstract:** *Cryptosporidium* species are ubiquitous enteric protozoan pathogens of vertebrates distributed worldwide. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the zoonotic potential and genetic diversity of *Cryptosporidium* spp. in Bactrian camels in Xinjiang, northwestern China. A total of 476 fecal samples were collected from 16 collection sites in Xinjiang and screened for *Cryptosporidium* by PCR. The prevalence of *Cryptosporidium* was 7.6% (36/476). Six *Cryptosporidium* species, *C. andersoni* (*n* = 24), *C. parvum* (*n* = 6), *C. occultus* (*n* = 2), *C. ubiquitum* (*n* = 2), *C. hominis* (*n* = 1), and *C. bovis* (*n* = 1), were identified based on sequence analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. Sequence analysis of the *gp60* gene identified six *C. parvum* isolates as subtypes, such as If-like-A15G2 (*n* = 5) and IIdA15G1 (*n* = 1), two *C. ubiquitum* isolates, such as subtype XIIa (*n* = 2), and one *C. hominis* isolate, such as Ixias IkA19G1 (*n* = 1). This is the first report of *C. parvum*, *C. hominis*, *C. ubiquitum*, and *C. occultus* in Bactrian camels in China. These results indicated that the Bactrian camel may be an important reservoir for zoonotic *Cryptosporidium* spp. and these infections may be a public health threat in this region.

**Keywords:** *Cryptosporidium*; genotype; Bactrian camels; zoonotic potential; public health
