title: Molecular identification of Theileria parasites of northwestern Chinese Cervidae.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Theileria and Babesia protozoan parasites are transmitted mainly by tick vectors. These parasites cause heavy economic losses to the live-stock industry, as well as affecting the health of wild animals in parasite-endemic areas. Identification of infectious agents in wild animals is not only crucial for species preservation, but also provides valuable information on parasite epidemiology. Here, we conducted a molecular surveillance study in Northwestern China to assess the prevalence of blood pathogens in cervids.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCR analysis and microscopic evaluation of blood smears to detect Theileria- and Babesia-related diseases in Cervidae were conducted, in which 22 blood samples from red deer (n = 22) in Qilian Mountain and 20 from sika deer (n = 20) in Long Mountain were collected and tested for the presence of Theileria and Babesia. The 18S rRNA gene was amplified, and selected polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive samples were sequenced for species identification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCR revealed that 9.1% of the Qilian Mountain samples and 20% of the Long Mountain samples were positive for Theileria uilenbergi; 90.09% of the Qilian Mountain samples (n = 22) were positive for T. capreoli, but all of the Long Mountain samples (n = 20) were negative for T. capreoli; no other Theileria or Babesia species were found. PCR showed that T. uilenbergi and T. capreoli were present in red deer in Qilian Mountain, while only T. uilenbergi was found in sika Deer in Long Mountain. The 18S rRNA gene sequences were aligned against the corresponding GenBank sequences of known isolates of Theileria and Babesia and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree showed that the newly isolated Theileria spp. could be classified as belonging to two clades: one group belonged to the same clade as T. uilenbergi, the other to a clade containing T. capreoli.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results provide important data to increase understanding of the epidemiology of Cervidae theileriosis, and will assist with the implementation of measures to control theileriosis transmission to Cervidae and small ruminants in central China.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, PR China. youquan-li@163.com.
authors.forename: Youquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ze
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Junlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jifei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yaqiong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shuangqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cen
authors.forename: Guiquan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Qiaoyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jianxun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003670:Deer / Q000469:parasitology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D016794:Theileria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S