title: Molecular analysis of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia divergens in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Western Austria.
abstract: Wild ungulates may act as reservoirs of various vector borne pathogens that can infect humans and domestic animals. In the present study, blood samples from 196 red deer (Cervus elaphus) from Western Austria (Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Salzburg) were collected on filter paper and tested for Anaplasmataceae, Piroplasmida, Rickettsia and filarioid helminths using molecular tools. Babesia divergens was detected in ten (5.1%) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in three (1.5%) of the 196 samples. Filarioid helminths, Rickettsia spp. and Theileria spp. were not detected. These findings indicate that red deer may serve as reservoirs of Babesia divergens and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Western Austria. Further investigations are needed to assess the presence of these pathogens in ticks in this geographical region, and the significance of these pathogens in both animals and humans.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cézanne
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Naike
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mrowietz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eigner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg Gerhard
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Duscher
authors.affiliation: Institute for Veterinary Disease Control, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Technikerstraße 70, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Glawischnig
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: hans-peter.fuehrer@vetmeduni.ac.at.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Fuehrer
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001317:Austria; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics*; D003670:Deer / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
keywords: Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Austria; Babesia divergens; Blood; Red deer; groEL