title: First detection of Babesia occultans in Hyalomma ticks from Tunisia.
abstract: Descriptions of Babesia occultans have previously been restricted to sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we report the finding, for the first time, of this low or non-pathogenic bovine Babesia species in Tunisia, northern Africa. B. occultans DNA was detected by molecular methods in Hyalomma marginatum unfed ticks collected in 3 bioclimatic regions of Tunisia. The near-full-length 18S rRNA gene was sequenced and compared with related sequences retrieved from GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that other sequences deposited as Babesia sp. could also correspond to B. occultans, suggesting that this species may have a wide distribution in Mediterranean and Asiatic regions, and not only in sub-Saharan Africa as previously described. A B. occultans-specific Reverse Line Blot (RLB) oligonucleotide probe was designed for future epidemiological studies that would help to clarify this possibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, NEIKER, Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario, Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ros-García
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: M'Ghirbi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouattour
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hurtado
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D006736:Horses; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D013045:Species Specificity; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S