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Wildlife interaction with humans increases the risk of potentially infected ticks seeking an opportunistic blood meal and consequently leading to zoonotic transmission. In the United States, human babesiosis is a tick-borne zoonosis most commonly caused by the intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite, Babesia microti. The presence of Babesia microti and other species of Babesia within Texas has not been well characterized, and the molecular prevalence of these pathogens within wildlife species is largely unknown. Small (e.g. rodents) and medium sized mammalian species (e.g. racoons) represent potential reservoirs for specific species of Babesia, though this relationship has not been thoroughly evaluated within Texas. This study aimed to characterize the molecular prevalence of Babesia species within small and medium sized mammals at two sites in East Texas with an emphasis on detection of pathogen presence in these two contrasting wild mammal groups at these sites. To that end, a total of 480 wild mammals representing eight genera were trapped, sampled, and screened for Babesia species using the TickPath layerplex qPCR assay. Two sites were selected for animal collection, including The Big Thicket National Preserve and Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area. Molecular analysis revealed the prevalence of various Babesia and Hepathozoon species at 0.09% each, and Sarcocystis at 0.06% . Continued molecular prevalence surveys of tick-borne pathogens in Texas wild mammals will be needed to provide novel information as to which species of Babesia are most prevalent and identify specific wildlife species as pathogen reservoirs., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Babesia microti was identified for the first time in Texas and only within raccoons. • 3 Hepatozoon spp. were found within Texas wild mammals. • Co-infections of Babesia microti, Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. were detected in sampled mammals.

Babesia microti (Aconoidasida: Piroplasmida) (Franca, 1910) is an important tick-borne zoonotic parasite with rodents serving as reservoir hosts. In the present study, 536 rodents were captured from Burdur, Bartin, Giresun, and Yozgat provinces of Turkey between the years 2010 and 2012, and blood samples were examined for the presence of Babesia spp. using conventional PCR which targeted the 18S rRNA gene. The sequence analysis of PCR amplicons was tested for B. microti as well as for Hepatozoon spp., and Sarcocystis spp. Overall, 5.8% of the rodents were positive for B. microti: 41% in Myodes glareolus, 7.7% in Chionomys roberti, and 2% in Apodemus spp., whereas no Babesia DNA was detected in Mus macedonicus and Microtus spp. Six rodents were positive for Hepatozoon spp. and one rodent was positive for Sarcocystis spp. Overall, 14.9 and 4.5% of rodents captured from Bartin and Giresun provinces, respectively, were PCR positive for B. microti, whereas none of rodents captured in Burdur and Yozgat were positive for Babesia spp. The sequence data of B. microti from rodents revealed that all sequences belonged to the zoonotic genotype. Sequences of B. microti obtained from rodents of the Bartin province were genotypically closer to European isolates, whereas those obtained from rodents of the Giresun province were closer to Russian and Mongolian isolates.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T10:14:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-01-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Trombidiformes and Mesostigmata mites, as well as Ixodida ticks, infest ectothermic tetrapods worldwide, potentially acting as vectors of bacteria, viruses and protozoa. The relationship among ectoparasites, transmitted pathogenic agents (e.g., Borrelia spp., Coxiella spp., Hepatozoon spp., and Rickettsia spp.) and ectothermic hosts has been scarcely investigated. This research focuses on a large collection of Brazilian herpetofauna screened for the presence of arthropod ectoparasites and vector-borne microbial agents. Reptiles (n = 121) and amphibians (n = 49) from various locations were infested by ectoparasites. Following genomic extraction, microbial agents were detected in 81 % of the Acari (i.e. n = 113 mites and n = 26 ticks). None of the mites, ticks and tissues from amphibians yielded positive results for any of the screened agents. Blood was collected from reptiles and processed through blood cytology and molecular analyses (n = 48). Of those, six snakes (12.5 %) showed intraerythrocytic alterations compatible with Hepatozoon spp. gamonts and Iridovirus inclusions. Hepatozoon spp. similar to Hepatozoon ayorgbor and Hepatozoon musa were molecularly identified from seven hosts, two mite and two tick species. Rickettsia spp. (e.g., Rickettsia amblyommatis, Rickettsia bellii-like, Rickettsia sp.) were detected molecularly from four mite species and Amblyomma rotundatum ticks. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the molecular identification of the above-mentioned microbial agents of mites and ticks related to snakes and lizards. Overall, our findings highlighted that the Brazilian herpetofauna and its ectoparasites harbour potentially pathogenic agents, particularly from the northern and south-eastern regions. The detection of several species of spotted fever group Rickettsia pointed out the potential role of ectothermic hosts and related arthropod ectoparasites in the epidemiological cycle of these bacteria in Brazil. Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Bari Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of São Paulo Zoological Collections Laboratory Butantan Institute Master's Program in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare and Doctoral Program in One Health Santo Amaro University Deparment of Veterinary Medicine Anhembi Morumbi University Vila Tramontano Department of Agriculture Food and Environment University of Pisa, via Del Borghetto 80 Department of Veterinary Pathology Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio De Mesquita Filho (UNESP) Department of Pathobiology Faculty of Veterinary Science Bu-Ali Sina University Felestin Sq. Department of Veterinary Pathology Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio De Mesquita Filho (UNESP) CNPq: 142409/2015-4 FAPESP: 2010/51875-9 FAPESP: 2017/12910-2 CNPq: 440639/2015-8 CNPq: 454907/2014-1

The Ixodidae family comprises ticks that are hematophagous ectoparasites and are considered vectors of several hemoparasites from the Anaplasmataceae family and the genus Hepatozoon, Babesia, and Rickettsia. These ectoparasites parasitize domestic and wild animals belonging to several vertebrate groups. Ticks are highly adapted to different biomes and thus possess a wide geographical distribution. In the Brazilian state of Bahia, localized in the Northeast region, there are large rainforest fragments. Studies have rarely been carried out on ticks, and their hemoparasites, that parasitize wild animals in this region. Thus, this study aimed to identify the tick species parasitizing wild animals rescued in rainforest fragments of Bahia and investigate the presence of hemoparasites in tick tissues. During a 2-year period, 238 ticks were collected from 41 wild mammalians, reptiles, and amphibians. These ectoparasites were taxonomically classified according to their morphological characteristics. The ticks identified belonged to five different species from the Ixodidae family: Amblyomma varium, Amblyomma rotundatum, Amblyomma nodosum, Ixodes loricatus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. For the first time, an A. rotundatum parasitizing the Mesoclemmys tuberculata turtle was described. PCR assays using DNA extracted from salivary glands or midgut of the ticks were performed to detect specific DNA fragments of hemoparasites from the genus Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Babesia, Hepatozoon, and from the Anaplasmataceae family. The results showed positive detection of the Rickettsia genus (7.9%), Anaplasmataceae family (15.8%), and Hepatozoon genus (15.8%). Specific DNA from the Ehrlichia and Babesia genera were not detected in these samples. Specific DNA from members of the Anaplasmataceae family was detected in A. varium for the first time. The present work showed that amphibians, reptiles, and mammals from Bahia's Atlantic Forest areparasitized by different tick species, and that these ectoparasites present pathogens in their tissues that impact both humans and animals due to their zoonotic potential.

International audience; Dogs are competent reservoirs/hosts of several protozoan pathogens transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods. Throughout their long history of domestication, they have served as a link for the exchange of parasites among livestock, wildlife, and humans and therefore remain an important source of emerging and re-emerging diseases. In Algeria, while canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is well known to be endemic, no data are available on other vector-borne protozoans. Here, we investigate the occurrence and diversity of trypanosomes, piroplasms and Hepatozoon spp. and update the epidemiological status of CanL in dogs from Kabylia, northern Algeria. A total of 227 dogs from three regions of Kabylia were enrolled, including 77 dogs with clinical signs. Dogs were clinically examined and were tested for L. infantum antibodies using a Rapid Immuno-Migration (RIM™) and a quantitative indirect Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT). PCR screening and sequencing were performed for vector-borne protozoa. Sixty two percent (141/227) of dogs presented at least one infection, whereas 26% (59/227) were co-infected. L. infantum antibodies were detected in 35.7% (81/227) of dogs including 88.7% (68/77) of sick dogs. Molecular investigation revealed prevalence of: 6.6% (15/227), 13.2% (30/227), 41% (93/227) for Trypanosoma spp., B. vogeli and H. canis, respectively. T. evansi (3.1%) and potential new subspecies of T. congolense had been identified. Dog''s clinical status correlates positively with L. infantum antibody titers and the presence of co-infections. Susceptibility to CanL varied according to the dog's aptitude and guard dogs were more infected (51%) (P-value = .001). B. vogeli infection was more frequent in juveniles than adults (32% vs 9%, P-value < .001) and in females than males (21% vs 10%, P-value = .02). To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on vector-borne protozoa infected dogs in Algeria. Current results are important not only for animal health, but also to avoid serious public health and livestock problems.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico (CNPq) - (grant 311686/2015-0); Conselho de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal cient?fico e Tecnol?gico (CNPq) - (grant 311686/2015-0) Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Tecnologia Biomolecular. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Tecnologia Biomolecular. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Tecnologia Biomolecular. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Estadual Paulista - Campus de Botucatu. Instituto de Bioci?ncias. Departamento de Parasitologia. Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Minist?rio da Sa?de. Secretaria de Vigil?ncia em Sa?de. Centro de Inova??es Tecnol?gicas. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Tecnologia Biomolecular. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Tecnologia Biomolecular. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Minist?rio da Sa?de. Secretaria de Vigil?ncia em Sa?de. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Tecnologia Biomolecular. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. This study aimed to optimize molecular methods for detecting DNA of Hepatozoon spp. as well as identify the phylogenetic relationships of Hepatozoon strains naturally infecting domestic dogs in Bel?m, Par?, northern Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 138 dogs, and screened for Hepatozoon spp. using a new nested PCR assay. Positive samples were subjected to genetic characterization based on amplification and sequencing of approximately 670 bp of the Hepatozoon spp. 18S rRNA. Of the positive dogs, four shared the haplotype Bel?m 01, one dog presented the haplotype Bel?m 02 and two dogs shared the haplotype Bel?m 03. A Bayesian inference indicates that haplotypes Bel?m 01 and Bel?m 02 are phylogenetically related to H. canis, while Bel?m 03 is related to H. americanum. Overall, based on the first molecular evidence of H. americanum in Brazilian domestic dogs, the proposed protocol may improve the epidemiological investigation of canine hepatozoonosis.

Background: In the Mediterranean basin, Leishmania infantum is a major cause of disease in dogs, which are frequently co-infected with other vector-borne pathogens (VBP). However, the associations between dogs with clinical leishmaniosis (ClinL) and VBP co-infections have not been studied. We assessed the risk of VBP infections in dogs with ClinL and healthy controls. Methods: We conducted a prospective case-control study of dogs with ClinL (positive qPCR and ELISA antibody for L. infantum on peripheral blood) and clinically healthy, ideally breed-, sex- and age-matched, control dogs (negative qPCR and ELISA antibody for L. infantum on peripheral blood) from Paphos, Cyprus. We obtained demographic data and all dogs underwent PCR on EDTA-blood extracted DNA for haemoplasma species, Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., and Hepatozoon spp., with DNA sequencing to identify infecting species. We used logistic regression analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the risk of VBP infections between ClinL cases and controls.Results: From the 50 enrolled dogs with ClinL, DNA was detected in 24 (48%) for Hepatozoon spp., 14 (28%) for Mycoplasma haemocanis, 6 (12%) for Ehrlichia canis and 2 (4%) for Anaplasma platys. In the 92 enrolled control dogs, DNA was detected in 41 (45%) for Hepatozoon spp., 18 (20%) for M. haemocanis, 1 (1%) for E. canis and 3 (3%) for A. platys. No Babesia spp. or “Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum” DNA was detected in any dog. No statistical differences were found between the ClinL and controls regarding age, sex, breed, lifestyle and use of ectoparasitic prevention. A significant association between ClinL and E. canis infection (OR = 12.4, 95% CI: 1.5–106.0, P = 0.022) was found compared to controls by multivariate logistic regression. This association was confirmed using SEM, which further identified that younger dogs were more likely to be infected with each of Hepatozoon spp. and M. haemocanis, and dogs with Hepatozoon spp. were more likely to be co-infected with M. haemocanis.Conclusions: Dogs with ClinL are at a higher risk of co-infection with E. canis than clinically healthy dogs. We recommend that dogs diagnosed with ClinL should be tested for E. canis co-infection using PCR.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:31:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-04-15 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Hepatozoon parasites comprise intracellular apicomplexan parasites transmitted to vertebrate animals by ingestion of arthropods definitive hosts. The present work aimed to investigate the occurrence of Hepatozoon spp. in wild animals, domestic dogs and their respective ectoparasites, in southern Pantanal region, central-western Brazil, by molecular techniques. Between August 2013 and March 2015, 31 coatis (Nasua nasua), 78 crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous), seven ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), 42 dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), 110 wild rodents (77 Thichomys fosteri, 25 Oecomys mamorae, and 8 Clyomys laticeps), 30 marsupials (14 Thylamys macrurus, 11 Gracilinanus agilis, 4 Monodelphis domestica and 1 Didelphis albiventris), and 1582 ticks and 80 fleas collected from the sampled animals were investigated. DNA samples were submitted to PCR assays for Hepatozoon spp. targeting 18S rRNA gene. Purified amplicons were directly sequenced and submitted to phylogenetic analysis. A high prevalence of Hepatozoon among carnivores (C. thous [91.02%], dogs [45.23%], N. nasua [41.9%] and L. pardalis [71.4%]) was found. However, ticks and fleas were negative to Hepatozoon PCR assays. By phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rRNA sequences, Hepatozoon sequences amplified from crab-eating foxes, dogs, coatis and ocelots clustered with sequences of H. canis, H. americanum and H. felis. The closely related positioning of Hepatozoon sequences amplified from wild rodents and T. macrurus marsupial to Hepatozoon from reptiles and amphibians suggest a possible transmission of those Hepatozoon species between hosts by ectoparasites or by predation. Hepatozoon haplotypes found circulating in wild rodents seem to present a higher degree of polymorphism when compared to those found in other groups of animals. Although rodents seem not to participate as source of Hepatozoon infection to wild carnivores and domestic dogs, they may play an important role in the transmission of Hepatozoon to reptiles and amphibians in Pantanal biome. Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista UNESP Universidade Católica Dom Bosco Universidade Federal da Paraíba Laboratório de Ecologia Animal Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia Laboratório de Parasitologia Instituto Butantan São Paulo Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul Embrapa gado de corte Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista UNESP