Theileria and Babesia parasites in ticks in Tunisia.
A total 576 adult ixodid ticks, collected in seven sites in Northern Tunisia, were analysed for piroplasm infection. Reverse line blot analysis identified nine different piroplasms, with an overall prevalence of 22.7%. 17.8% were Theileria spp. positive, 8.5% were positive for Babesia spp. and 3.6% of ticks harboured both genera. Although, most of the positive ticks harboured a single infection (17%), mixed infections with two, three or four different piroplasm species were also detected (5.7%).
M'ghirbi Youmna, Service D'Entomologie Médicale, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Y
Y
M'ghirbi
A
A
Hurtado
A
A
Bouattour
D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D016794:Theileria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013987:Ticks / Q000145:classification / Q000469:parasitology*; D014416:Tunisia
D016054:DNA, Protozoan