First detection and molecular identification of Babesia gibsoni from Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks.
Babesia gibsoni was firstly identified in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks infested on dogs in Asia. A total of 1195 ticks collected from veterinary practitioners and pet clinics were examined for Babesia by nested-polymerase chain reaction assay based on the 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA (ssrRNA) gene. Babesia infection was detected in nymph, male and female ticks with an infection rate of 2.42%, 0.98% and 1.97%, respectively. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed that these Babesia spp. were genetically affiliated to the same clades within the genospecies of B. gibsoni and B. vogeli, and can be discriminated from other genospecies of Babesia. Intra- and inter-species analysis based on the genetic distance (GD) values indicated a lower level in B. gibsoni (GD<0.011) compared with other genospecies of Babesia (GD>0.106) and out-group protozoa (GD>0.244). This study provides the first molecular evidence of B. gibsoni identified in nymphs of R. sanguineus ticks in Asia, and further confirms the detection of B. vogeli in nymphs and adults of R. sanguineus in northern Taiwan. The epizootiological significance of canine Babesia spp. transmitted by R. sanguineus tick needs to be further identified.
M.Sc. Program in Tropical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
Li-Lian
LL
Chao
Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Hsin-Ting
HT
Liao
Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Tsung-Yu
TY
Ho
M.Sc. Program in Tropical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research, Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: cmshih@kmu.edu.tw.
Chien-Ming
CM
Shih
D000818:Animals; D001208:Asia; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000469:parasitology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000032:analysis; D048508:Rhipicephalus sanguineus / Q000469:parasitology*; D013624:Taiwan
D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
Babesia gibsoni; Rhipicephalus sanguineus; Taiwan; Tick