title: First report on Babesia cf. microti infection of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Hungary.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date, only one report of a small Babesia infection based on microscopic observation which caused babesiosis in two dogs in Hungary has been published. Babesiosis due to Babesia canis - which is endemic in the local dogs - has only been detected in captive grey wolves. No information is available on babesial/theilerial infections in red foxes in Hungary. The aim of the study was to screen red foxes in Hungary for babesial parasites by PCR and to compare their partial 18S rRNA gene sequences to those parasites of domestic dogs and wild canids from other countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples of 404 red foxes originating from 316 locations representing all 19 Hungarian counties were screened in Hungary for babesial parasites by PCR and the partial 18S rRNA gene sequences were compared to those parasites of domestic dogs and wild canids from other countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether 81 red foxes out of 404 (20.0%; 95% CI: 16.4-24.2%) shot in 74 locations and in 17 of the 19 Hungarian counties were found to be infected with Babesia cf. microti by PCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report to demonstrate the occurrence of Babesia cf. microti in Hungary, and its widespread presence in the fox population throughout the country. Further studies are needed to identify the tick species involved in its transmission, and whether other mechanisms of transmission are involved in its spread in fox populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary. Farkas.Robert@aotk.szie.hu.
authors.forename: Róbert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary. Takacs.Nora@aotk.szie.hu.
authors.forename: Nóra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takács
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, National Food Chain Safety Office, Budapest, Hungary. Hornyakak@nebih.gov.hu.
authors.forename: Ákos
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Hornyák
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel. yaaritna@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yaarit
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nachum-Biala
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary. Hornok.Sandor@aotk.szie.hu.
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hornok
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel. gad.baneth@mail.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baneth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D001483:Base Sequence; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology*; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013987:Ticks / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S