title: First detection and molecular identification of Babesia vogeli from Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) in Taiwan.
abstract: A total of 578 Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks collected from dogs in Taiwan were examined for Babesia by species-specific polymerase chain reaction assay based on the 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA (ssrRNA) gene. Babesia DNA was detected in 1.04 % (6/578) of Rh. sanguineus ticks. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these Babesia spp. were genetically linked to the same clade within the genospecies of Babesia vogeli and could be discriminated from other genospecies of Babesia. Intra-species analysis based on the genetic distance values indicated a lower level (0.079) compared with other genospecies of Babesia (GD > 0.094) and out-group protozoa (GD > 0.236). This study provides the first molecular evidence of B. vogeli detected and identified in various stages of Rh. sanguineus ticks removed from dogs in Taiwan. Detection of Rh. sanguineus in flat male ticks may imply the possible mechanism of transstadial transmission in Rh. sanguineus ticks. The vector competence and the diversity of Babesia species harbored by Rh. sanguineus ticks need to be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan, ROC.|Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Li-Lian
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shu-Ting
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chin-Kuei
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan, ROC. cmshih@kmu.edu.tw.|Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. cmshih@kmu.edu.tw.|Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC. cmshih@kmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chien-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Shih
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D048508:Rhipicephalus sanguineus / Q000469:parasitology*; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: Babesia vogeli; Rhipicephalus sanguineus; Taiwan; Tick