Hepatozoon spp.: pathological and partial 18S rRNA sequence analysis from three Brazilian dogs.
Molecular and histopathological studies were carried out on samples from three Brazilian dogs with persistent hepatozoonosis parasitemia. Canine hepatozoonosis was confirmed by finding gametocytes in blood smears. Histopathological examination of skeletal muscle biopsy revealed muscle degeneration and atrophy, and degenerating/regenerating myofibers, similar to the muscle degeneration caused by Hepatozoon americanum . However, the large cystic structures typical of H. americanum were not observed in muscle biopsies from these dogs. Partial 18S rRNA sequences amplified by PCR from the three Brazilian samples demonstrated closest similarity to the Hepatozoon sp. Fukuoka described in Japan (>99% identity). These results indicate that both additional clinical cases and genes need examination in order to determine the phylogenetic relatedness among canid Hepatozoon species.
Faculdade de Agrononomia e Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Brasília, CP04508, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
Giane R
GR
Paludo
Horacio
H
Friedmann
Arlete
A
Dell'Porto
Douglass K
DK
Macintire
Elizabeth M
EM
Whitley
Mary K
MK
Boudreaux
Gad
G
Baneth
Byron L
BL
Blagburn
Christine C
CC
Dykstra
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001938:Brazil; D003044:Coccidia / Q000235:genetics*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S