title: Detection of piroplasms infection in sheep, dogs and hedgehogs in Central China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Piroplasms are kinds of tick-borne parasitic apicomplexan protozoa, which are detrimental to humans and animals in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. Up until now, there has been a limited amount of reliable information available about the prevalence of piroplasms infections in wild animals in China. Therefore, we have investigated the infections of Babesia and Theileria species in both domestic and wild animals in Xinyang city, Henan province, where tick-borne diseases have recently been reported. This study aims to analyze the distribution patterns of piroplasms infections in animals, and assess their potential threat to humans in Central China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from sheep, dogs and hedgehogs in two regions, including Shihe District and Luoshan County, of Xinyang city, Henan province from August to December 2012. Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and identified by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Moreover, the characteristics of detected piroplasms in different animal hosts were compared between the two study regions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 227 blood samples were collected from 73 sheep, two dogs and 152 hedgehogs. Babesia spp. was only detected in the two dogs. Theileria spp. was detected both in the sheep and the hedgehogs, and the total positive rate of Theileria spp. in the sheep and the hedgehogs was 57.53% and 13.82%, respectively. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Theileria spp. detected in the sheep and the hedgehogs were very close to T. lunwenshuni cloned from a small ruminant and Theileria spp. isolated from a febrile hospitalized patient in China.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Babesia and Theileria infections were detected in both domestic and wild animals in Xinyang city, Henan province in Central China, thus warranting further studies in these regions.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China ; WHO Collaborative Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China ; WHO Collaborative Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Xinyang College of Agriculture and Forestry, Xinyang 464000, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Feng-Chao
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Henan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou 450016, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bian-Li
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China ; WHO Collaborative Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Nong
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Zhou
keywords: Babesia spp; China; Dogs; Hedgehogs; Sheep; Theileria spp