title: Molecular detection of Babesia rossi and Hepatozoon sp. in African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in South Africa.
abstract: Blood specimens from wild dogs (n=301) were obtained from De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre (Pretoria) and five game reserves (4 in the North-West Province and 1 in Limpopo Province), South Africa. Specimens were screened for Babesia, Theileria, Hepatozoon and Ehrlichia/Anaplasma species using PCR and Reverse Line Blot (RLB) assays. Positive results were obtained in 18 (6%) wild dogs. Sixteen specimens were found positive for Babesia rossi and two dogs were Hepatozoon sp. positive. It appears that these tick-borne pathogens are not widely distributed in wild dog populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x04, 0110 Onderstepoort, South Africa. tshepo.matjila@up.ac.za
authors.forename: Paul Tshepo
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Matjila
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Leisewitz
authors.forename: Frans
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jongejan
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Bertschinger
authors.forename: Barend L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Penzhorn