Molecular detection of tick-borne protozoan parasites in a population of domestic cats in midwestern Brazil.
Some tick-borne pathogens that infect domestic cats have been considered emergent in veterinary medicine. Occurrences of Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp. and Cytauxzoon spp. have been described in several regions of Brazil. This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the 18S rRNA gene of a Hepatozoon sp. strain detected in domestic cats in the metropolitan area of Cuiabá, in Midwestern Brazil. Based on a molecular analysis, we detected the presence of Hepatozoon species circulating among cats in this region. The aforementioned strain is closely related to other isolates of H. felis detected in wild felids. Moreover, a phylogenetic analysis indicates that this genotype is grouped into a clade of 18S rRNA sequences previously described for the genus Hepatozoon in wild felids around the world. Hepatozoon felis strains detected in cats from Spain and Israel showed, respectively, 98% and 97% identity to our sequence and are clustered on a separate branch of the phylogenetic tree. This finding suggests a high diversity of Hepatozoon genotypes occurring in cats in Europe and South America. None of the analyzed cats were positive for Babesia spp. or Cytauxzoon spp. by PCR analysis.
Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil; Veterinary Medicine School, University of Mineiros, Mineiros, GO, Brazil.
Ísis Assis
ÍA
Braga
Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil; Veterinary Medicine School, Federal University of Goias, Jataí, GO, Brazil.
Dirceu Guilherme
DG
de Souza Ramos
Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootecny, University of São Paulo, 05508-270 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Veterinary Medicine School, University of Santo Amaro, 04829-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Arlei
A
Marcili
Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil; Veterinary Medicine School, University of Cuiabá, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
Andréia Lima Tomé
ALT
Melo
Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil; Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
Isis Indaiara Gonçalves Granjeiro
IIGG
Taques
Veterinary Medicine School, University of Cuiabá, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
Alexandre Mendes
AM
Amude
Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil; Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
Cristiane Silva
CS
Chitarra
Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
Luciano
L
Nakazato
Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
Valéria
V
Dutra
Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
Richard
R
de Campos Pacheco
Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil. Electronic address: danmoura@ufmt.br.
Daniel Moura
DM
Aguiar
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D057805:Pets / Q000469:parasitology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D013987:Ticks / Q000469:parasitology*
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
Babesia spp.; Cytauxzoon spp.; Feline hemoparasites; Hepatozoon spp.