title: Molecular epizootiology and diagnosis of porcine babesiosis in Sardinia, Italy.
abstract: The recent characterization of the 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of a pathogenic Babesia species in a domestic sow paved the way for establishing diagnostic and epidemiological tools for porcine babesiosis. Here, we developed the first specific Babesia sp. Suis PCR, and we applied this test to a panel of samples collected from animals living in a typical Mediterranean environment (Sardinia, Italy), including domestic pigs, wild boars, and ticks. In domestic pigs, PCR coupled with sequencing revealed an estimated Babesia infection frequency of 26.2% and the presence of distinct 18S sequence types. The different distribution of sequence types in symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects might suggest the existence of phylogenetically closely related strains with variable pathogenicity in pigs. Moreover, molecular identification of tick species indicated Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Rhipicephalus bursa as candidate vectors potentially involved in the transmission of this pathogen. Collectively, the data reveal the suitability of 18S rRNA PCR/sequencing for molecular diagnosis of porcine babesiosis and for large-scale investigations on the presence and geographical distribution of Babesia sp. Suis genetic variants.
authors.affiliation: 1 Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari , Sassari, Italy .
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zobba
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nuvoli
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sotgiu
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lecis
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spezzigu
authors.forename: Gian Mario
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: Marco Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Masia
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cacciotto
authors.forename: Maria Luisa Pinna
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Parpaglia
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dessì
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pittau
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alberti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D001483:Base Sequence; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D048508:Rhipicephalus sanguineus / Q000469:parasitology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
keywords: Anaplasmosis; Piroplasmida; Protozoan; Tick-borne diseases; Ticks