Characterization and distribution of the genotypes of E. bieneusi
We identified 16 genotypes containing 41 polymorphic sites, including nine known genotypes (D, Type IV, PigEBITS7, Peru8, Peru11, ESH02, S7, EbpA and CHG5) and seven novel genotypes (HNR-I to HNR-VII (MN267052 to MN267057 and MN267057)) based on the ITS sequencing of the 95 E. bieneusi isolates (data not show). Amongst them, genotype D (44.2%, 42/95) predominated, followed by PigEBITS7 (20.0%, 19/95), HNR-VII (15.8%, 15/95), Type IV (5.3%, 5/95), HNR-III (2.1%, 2/95), HNR-VI (2.1%, 2/95) and each of the remaining 10 genotypes (1.1%, 1/95)(Table 2) .
Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the novel genotypes HNR-I, HNR-II, HNR-VI, and HNR-VII had the largest similarity with genotypes Peru8 (MF476880), Type IV (KP994661) SCR06 (MK909573) and S (AY945809) with one base insert at position 10 (a single nucleotide “A” insertion), 244 (G→A), 222 (C→A) and 134 (T→C), respectively. Genotype HNRM-III had two base differences at positions 118 (G→T) and 144 (A→G) compared to genotype HLJ-I (KJ475402) from pigs in Heilonjiang, China. In contrast, genotypes HNR-IV and HNR-V had the largest similarity with genotypes YNM1 (MG999511) and D (KU557672), with six and five base differences at positions 3 (A→G), 65 (G→T), 226 (G→A), 234 (G→A), 235 (G→T) and 243 (G→T), and 226 (G→A), 234 (G→A), 235 (G→T), 237 (G→A) and 243 (G→T), respectively.
We observed a varied distribution pattern of the E. bieneusigenotypes among different rodent species (Table 2) . Genotype D was found in all rodent species which were positive for the pathogen. Genotypes PigEbITS7, Type IV, Peru 8, EbpA, ESH-02, HNR-I to HNR-III and HNR-VII were found in wild rodents with genotype PigEbITS7 and Type IV in Asian house rats, Chinese white-bellied rats and brown rats; ESH-02 in Asian house rats; Peru 8, HNR-I and HNR-II in brown rats; HNR-III in Edward’s long-tailed rats and Indo-Chinese forest rats, genotype HNR-VII in lesser rice-field rats; EbpA in Asian house rat. On the contrary, genotypes S7, CHG5, Peru 11 and HNR-IV to HNR-VI were present in farmed rodents with genotypes HNR-VI, S7, and CHG5 in Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines and genotypes Peru 11, HNR-IV and HNR-V in bamboo rats(Table 2) . Genotype D was detected in the E. bieneusiisolate from the red-bellied squirrel.