title: Genetic diversity of Hepatozoon spp. in coyotes from the south-central United States.
abstract: To better define the strains and species of Hepatozoon that infect coyotes in the south-central United States, whole blood and muscle samples were collected from 44 coyotes from 6 locations in Oklahoma and Texas. Samples were evaluated by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers amplifying a variable region of the apicomplexan 18S rRNA gene as well as histopathology (muscle only) for presence of tissue cysts. Hepatozoon spp. infections were identified in 79.5% (35/44) of coyotes tested including 27 of 44 (61.4%) whole blood samples and 17 of 44 (38.6%) muscle samples tested by PCR and 23 of 44 (52.3%) muscle samples evaluated by histological examination. Analysis revealed 19 distinct sequences comprising 3 major clusters of Hepatozoon spp., i.e., 1 most closely related to Hepatozoon americanum, another most closely related to Hepatozoon canis , and the third an intermediate between the 2 groups. The diversity of Hepatozoon spp. in wild canids appears greater than previously recognized and warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA.
authors.forename: Lindsay A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Starkey
authors.forename: Roger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Panciera
authors.forename: Kelsey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paras
authors.forename: Kelly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Reiskind
authors.forename: Mason V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Reichard
authors.forename: Eileen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Little
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D046029:Coyotes / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000469:parasitology; D009825:Oklahoma; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013781:Texas
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S