Molecular characterization of Babesia and Cytauxzoon species in wild South-African meerkats.
Piroplasms, including Babesia, Cytauxzoon and Theileria species, frequently infect domestic and wild mammals. At present, there is no information on the occurrence and molecular identity of these tick-borne blood parasites in the meerkat, one of South Africa's most endearing wildlife celebrities. Meerkats live in territorial groups, which may occur on ranchland in close proximity to humans, pets and livestock. Blood collected from 46 healthy meerkats living in the South-African Kalahari desert was screened by microscopy and molecular methods, using PCR and DNA sequencing of 18S rRNA and ITS1 genes. We found that meerkats were infected by 2 species: one species related to Babesia sp. and one species related to Cytauxzoon sp. Ninety one percent of the meerkats were infected by the Cytauxzoon and/or the Babesia species. Co-infection occurred in 46% of meerkats. The pathogenicity and vectors of these two piroplasm species remains to be determined.
Department of zoology,University of Cambridge,Downing Street,Cambridge CB2 3EJ,UK.
Sarah
S
Leclaire
Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse-Purpan,INSERM UMR1043-CNRS UMR5282 - Université de Toulouse III,BP 3028,31024 Toulouse cedex 3,France.
Sandie
S
Menard
Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Purpan,31059 Toulouse,France.
Antoine
A
Berry
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000469:parasitology; D002335:Carnivora / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry; D010802:Phylogeny; D016792:Piroplasmida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000469:parasitology*; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D013019:South Africa
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
molecular phylogeny