title: Rhipicephalus turanicus, a new vector of Hepatozoon canis.
abstract: The distribution of Hepatozoon canis mainly encompasses areas where its main tick vector, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, is present. However, the detection of this pathogen in dogs, foxes and golden jackals well outside the areas inhabited by this tick species reinforced the hypothesis that additional ixodids are involved in the life cycle and transmission of this protozoon. The present study provides, for the first time, data supporting the sporogonic development of H. canis in specimens of Rhipicephalus turanicus collected from a naturally infected fox from southern Italy. The epidemiological role of R. turanicus as a vector of H. canis is discussed, along with information on the potential use of cell cultures for the experimental infection with H. canis sporozoites. The in vitro infection of canine leucocytes by sporozoites from ticks is proposed as a potential tool for future in-depth studies on the biology of H. canis.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria,Università degli Studi di Bari,Valenzano,Bari,Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannelli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria,Università degli Studi di Bari,Valenzano,Bari,Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo Paolo
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Lia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria,Università degli Studi di Bari,Valenzano,Bari,Italy.
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Annoscia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria,Università degli Studi di Bari,Valenzano,Bari,Italy.
authors.forename: Canio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buonavoglia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria,Università degli Studi di Bari,Valenzano,Bari,Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria,Università degli Studi di Bari,Valenzano,Bari,Italy.
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dantas-Torres
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine,Hebrew University,Rehovot,Israel.
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baneth
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria,Università degli Studi di Bari,Valenzano,Bari,Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology*; D007558:Italy; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals; D009000:Monocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D048494:Rhipicephalus / Q000469:parasitology*; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary
keywords: 
                 Hepatozoon canis
              ; 
                 Rhipicephalus turanicus
              ; cells; development; fox; sporogony; tick; tick-borne pathogen