Population diversity of Theileria annulata in Portugal.
The tick-borne protozoan parasite Theileria annulata causes tropical theileriosis, a severe disease of cattle that occurs across the Mediterranean littoral, the Middle East and Southern Asia. In the Mediterranean region, the disease has long been perceived as being a constraint to livestock production in North Africa and Turkey but was believed to have minimal impact in Southern European countries. It has recently been demonstrated that in Southern Portugal the prevalence of T. annulata is approximately 30%. While the population genetics of the parasite and the multiplicity of infection in the bovine host have been studied in a number of countries, no information is currently available on the composition of the parasite population in Southern Europe or its relationship to populations in bordering regions. A parasite genotyping system, based on micro- and mini-satellite amplification, was used to perform genetic analysis of T. annulata populations from T. annulata infected cattle in twelve farms in Southern Portugal. A diversity of genotypes and a high multiplicity of infection were found, suggesting that the parasite possesses a panmictic population in this region. In comparison with genotypes found in Tunisia and Turkey, parasites from Portugal form a genetically distinct group and show lower genetic diversity.
Unidade Estratégica de Investigação e Serviços em Produção e Saúde Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P., Lisbon, Portugal; Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. Electronic address: jacinto.gomes@iniav.pt.
Jacinto
J
Gomes
Global Health and Tropical Medicine Centre (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
Patrícia
P
Salgueiro
Global Health and Tropical Medicine Centre (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom.
João
J
Inácio
Unidade Estratégica de Investigação e Serviços em Produção e Saúde Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P., Lisbon, Portugal.
Ana
A
Amaro
Global Health and Tropical Medicine Centre (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
João
J
Pinto
Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Andy
A
Tait
Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Brian
B
Shiels
Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
Isabel
I
Pereira da Fonseca
Global Health and Tropical Medicine Centre (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
Gabriela
G
Santos-Gomes
Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
William
W
Weir
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D058889:Molecular Typing; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D016796:Theileria annulata / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D013987:Ticks / Q000469:parasitology; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
Micro-satellites; Mini-satellites; Multiplicity of infection; Population genetics; Theileria annulata