title: Molecular characterization of a non-Babesia divergens organism causing zoonotic babesiosis in Europe.
abstract: In Europe, most reported human cases of babesiosis have been attributed, without strong molecular evidence, to infection with the bovine parasite Babesia divergens. We investigated the first known human cases of babesiosis in Italy and Austria, which occurred in two asplenic men. The complete 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene was amplified from specimens of their whole blood by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). With phylogenetic analysis, we compared the DNA sequences of the PCR products with those for other Babesia spp. The DNA sequences were identical for the organism from the two patients. In phylogenetic analysis, the organism clusters with B. odocoilei, a parasite of white-tailed deer; these two organisms form a sister group with B. divergens. This evidence indicates the patients were not infected with B. divergens but with an organism with previously unreported molecular characteristics for the 18S rRNA gene.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. bxh4@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Barbara L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Herwaldt
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cacciò
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gherlinzoni
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aspöck
authors.forename: Susan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Slemenda
authors.forename: PierPaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piccaluga
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Edelhofer
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hollenstein
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poletti
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pampiglione
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Löschenberger
authors.forename: Sante
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tura
authors.forename: Norman J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Pieniazek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005062:European Union; D005838:Genotype; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics*; D017421:Sequence Analysis
chemical_list: D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S