Babesiosis in free-ranging chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) from Switzerland.
Pathological examination of five adult chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) found dead in two different regions from the Swiss Alps revealed pale mucous membranes and musculature, swollen spleen and haemoglobinuria. Histologically, haemosiderosis in the spleen and centrilobular hepatic necrosis were the predominant findings. On blood smears, small (approximately 0.84-1.47 microm), round to pyriform, peripherally located inclusions were present in the erythrocytes. PCR followed by sequencing of DNA extracted from blood or spleen of the infected animals revealed 99-100% identity of the amplified part of the 18S rRNA gene with GenBank entries attributed to Babesia divergens/Babesia capreoli. This is the first report of fatal Babesia infections in chamois raising the question of an emerging disease in this species.
Hoby
Stefan
S
Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggassstrasse 122, 3001 Bern, Switzerland. stefan.hoby@itpa.unibe.ch
Robert
Nadia
N
Mathis
Alexander
A
Schmid
Nicole
N
Meli
Marina L
ML
Hofmann-Lehmann
Regina
R
Lutz
Hans
H
Deplazes
Peter
P
Ryser-Degiorgis
Marie-Pierre
MP
D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D006041:Goats; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D048608:Rupicapra / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D013557:Switzerland