title: Developmental stages of Hepatozoon hemprichii sp. nov. infecting the skink Scincus hemprichii and the tick Hyalomma impeltatum from Saudi Arabia.
abstract: The life cycle of Hepatozoon hemprichi n. sp. is described; the vertebrate host is Scincus hemprichii and it is vectored by Hyalomma impeltatum. Erythrocytic stages of 18 ± 1.8 × 4 ± 0.8 µm developed in the hemocoel of ticks to sporozoites within 16-18 days. Schizogony occurred in the liver parenchyma and the endothelial cells of blood capillaries in lung and spleen. Mature schizonts measuring 27 ± 3.11 × 20.13 ± 3.0 µm produced 28 merozoites (on average). The merozoites were 13 ± 1.21 × 1.21 ± 0.72 µm with nuclei 5 ± 0.65 × 2.1 ± 0.51 µm. Syzygy and differentiation of gamonts took place in tick's hemocoel up to the third day post-infection (PI). The microgamont (16 ± 0.31 × 18 ± 0.42 µm) produced 4, uniflagellated microgametes at 4-5 days PI. The microgamete measured 15.2 ± 0.31 µm while the flagellum was always at least 26 µm. The macrogamete was very large in size (31 ± 3.11 µm) with a central nucleus. After fertilization, (5-6 days PI) zygotes developed into oocysts (55 ± 3.41 × 52 ± 4.11 µm) in which repeated mitotic divisions with centripetal invaginations occurred; each contained 18 banana-shaped sporozoites, 13.61 ± 0.8 × 1.2 ± 0.31 µm in size. Experimental transmission was successfully carried out by oral administration or by intra-peritoneal inoculation of the infective stages (sporozoites) to uninfected skinks and led to the appearance of blood stages after 5 wk and 4 wk, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, College of Science, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Ghamdi
authors.forename: Kareem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morsy
authors.forename: Abdel-Rahman
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bashtar
authors.forename: Fathy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abdel-Ghaffar
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Al-Rasheid
authors.forename: Saleh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Quraishy
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mehlhorn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D003889:Desert Climate; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008116:Lizards / Q000469:parasitology*; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology