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Amer MM, Galon EM, Soliman AM, Do T, Zafar I, Ma Y, Li H, Ji S, Mohanta UK, Xuan X. Molecular detection of tick-borne piroplasmids in camel blood samples collected from Cairo and Giza governorates, Egypt. Acta Trop 2024; 256:107252. [PMID: 38801911 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Piroplasmosis, a tick-borne disease affecting livestock, including camels, is caused by intracellular apicomplexan parasites belonging to the order Piroplasmida. Despite its importance, there's limited research on piroplasmosis among Egyptian camels. This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating tick-borne piroplasmids in camels from Cairo and Giza Governorates. Out of 181 blood samples collected between October 2021 and March 2022 from apparently healthy one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius), PCR assays revealed a 41.4 % infection rate with various piroplasmids. Detected species included B. bovis (17.7 %), B. bigemina (12.2 %), B. caballi (8.3 %), B. naoakii (11.6 %), B. microti (1.7 %), T. equi (4.4 %), and Theileria spp. (28.7 %). Phylogenetic analysis revealed the first detection of T. equi genotype E in Egypt and identified a novel B. caballi genotype. Additionally, B. microti isolates were identified as the US-type. These findings shed lights on piroplasmosis among Egyptian camels, and provide valuable information for devising effective control strategies, especially B. microti, a pathogen with potential human health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moaz M Amer
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Department of Biotechnology, Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki 12618, Egypt
| | - Eloiza May Galon
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Ahmed M Soliman
- Department of Biotechnology, Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki 12618, Egypt
| | - Thom Do
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Iqra Zafar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Yihong Ma
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Hang Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Shengwei Ji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Uday Kumar Mohanta
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
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Gallenti R, Hussein HE, Alzan HF, Suarez CE, Ueti M, Asurmendi S, Benitez D, Araujo FR, Rolls P, Sibeko-Matjila K, Schnittger L, Florin-Christensen M. Unraveling the Complexity of the Rhomboid Serine Protease 4 Family of Babesia bovis Using Bioinformatics and Experimental Studies. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11030344. [PMID: 35335668 PMCID: PMC8956091 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11030344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia bovis, a tick-transmitted apicomplexan protozoon, infects cattle in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. In the apicomplexans Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, rhomboid serine protease 4 (ROM4) fulfills an essential role in host cell invasion. We thus investigated B. bovis ROM4 coding genes; their genomic organization; their expression in in vitro cultured asexual (AS) and sexual stages (SS); and strain polymorphisms. B. bovis contains five rom4 paralogous genes in chromosome 2, which we have named rom4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and 4.5. There are moderate degrees of sequence identity between them, except for rom4.3 and 4.4, which are almost identical. RT-qPCR analysis showed that rom4.1 and rom4.3/4.4, respectively, display 18-fold and 218-fold significantly higher (p < 0.01) levels of transcription in SS than in AS, suggesting a role in gametogenesis-related processes. In contrast, transcription of rom4.4 and 4.5 differed non-significantly between the stages. ROM4 polymorphisms among geographic isolates were essentially restricted to the number of tandem repeats of a 29-amino acid sequence in ROM4.5. This sequence repeat is highly conserved and predicted as antigenic. B. bovis ROMs likely participate in relevant host−pathogen interactions and are possibly useful targets for the development of new control strategies against this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina Gallenti
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria (IPVET), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INTA-CONICET), Hurlingham 1686, Argentina; (R.G.); (L.S.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
| | - Hala E. Hussein
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (H.E.H.); (H.F.A.); (C.E.S.); (M.U.)
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Heba F. Alzan
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (H.E.H.); (H.F.A.); (C.E.S.); (M.U.)
- Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Research Unit, National Research Center, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Carlos E. Suarez
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (H.E.H.); (H.F.A.); (C.E.S.); (M.U.)
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Disease Research Unit, (USDA-ARS), Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Massaro Ueti
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (H.E.H.); (H.F.A.); (C.E.S.); (M.U.)
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Disease Research Unit, (USDA-ARS), Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Sebastián Asurmendi
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABiMo), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INTA-CONICET), Hurlingham 1686, Argentina;
| | - Daniel Benitez
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria (EEA)-Mercedes, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Mercedes 3470, Argentina;
| | | | - Peter Rolls
- Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, Tick Fever Centre, Wacol, QLD 4076, Australia;
| | - Kgomotso Sibeko-Matjila
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa;
| | - Leonhard Schnittger
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria (IPVET), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INTA-CONICET), Hurlingham 1686, Argentina; (R.G.); (L.S.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
| | - Mónica Florin-Christensen
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria (IPVET), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INTA-CONICET), Hurlingham 1686, Argentina; (R.G.); (L.S.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
- Correspondence:
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Rittipornlertrak A, Nambooppha B, Muenthaisong A, Punyapornwithaya V, Tiwananthagorn S, Chung YT, Tuvshintulga B, Sivakumar T, Yokoyama N, Sthitmatee N. Structural and immunological characterization of an epitope within the PAN motif of ectodomain I in Babesia bovis apical membrane antigen 1 for vaccine development. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11765. [PMID: 34316404 PMCID: PMC8288113 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bovine babesiosis caused by Babesia bovis (B. bovis) has had a significant effect on the mobility and mortality rates of the cattle industry worldwide. Live-attenuated vaccines are currently being used in many endemic countries, but their wide use has been limited for a number of reasons. Although recombinant vaccines have been proposed as an alternative to live vaccines, such vaccines are not commercially available to date. Apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) is one of the leading candidates in the development of a vaccine against diseases caused by apicomplexan parasite species. In Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) AMA-1 (PfAMA-1), several antibodies against epitopes in the plasminogen, apple, and nematode (PAN) motif of PfAMA-1 domain I significantly inhibited parasite growth. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to predict an epitope from the PAN motif of domain I in the B. bovis AMA-1 (BbAMA-1) using a combination of linear and conformational B-cell epitope prediction software. The selected epitope was then bioinformatically analyzed, synthesized as a peptide (sBbAMA-1), and then used to immunize a rabbit. Subsequently, in vitro growth- and the invasion-inhibitory effects of the rabbit antiserum were immunologically characterized. Results Our results demonstrated that the predicted BbAMA-1 epitope was located on the surface-exposed α-helix of the PAN motif in domain I at the apex area between residues 181 and 230 with six polymorphic sites. Subsequently, sBbAMA-1 elicited antibodies capable of recognizing the native BbAMA-1 in immunoassays. Furthermore, anti-serum against sBbAMA-1 was immunologically evaluated for its growth- and invasion-inhibitory effects on B. bovis merozoites in vitro. Our results demonstrated that the rabbit anti-sBbAMA-1 serum at a dilution of 1:5 significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) the growth of B. bovis merozoites by approximately 50–70% on days 3 and 4 of cultivation, along with the invasion of merozoites by approximately 60% within 4 h of incubation when compared to the control groups. Conclusion Our results indicate that the epitope predicted from the PAN motif of BbAMA-1 domain I is neutralization-sensitive and may serve as a target antigen for vaccine development against bovine babesiosis caused by B. bovis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Boondarika Nambooppha
- Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Anucha Muenthaisong
- Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Veerasak Punyapornwithaya
- Department of Food Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Saruda Tiwananthagorn
- Department of Veterinary Bioscience and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Yang-Tsung Chung
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Bumduuren Tuvshintulga
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Thillaiampalam Sivakumar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Nattawooti Sthitmatee
- Department of Veterinary Bioscience and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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El-Sayed SAES, El-Adl MA, Ali MO, Al-Araby M, Omar MA, El-Beskawy M, Sorour SS, Rizk MA, Elgioushy M. Molecular detection and identification of Babesia bovis and Trypanosoma spp. in one-humped camel ( Camelus dromedarius) breeds in Egypt. Vet World 2021; 14:625-633. [PMID: 33935407 PMCID: PMC8076475 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.625-633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: Camels are a unique source of milk and meat, which helps recover from several diseases that affect humans worldwide. In Egypt, one of the great obstacles for this industry is tick-borne diseases. This study aimed to characterize blood parasite infections, such as Babesia (B.) bovis and Trypanosoma (T.) spp. in one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) (n=142) breeds in Halayeb and Shalateen, Egypt, through phylogenetic analysis. Materials and Methods: The prevalence of B. bovis and Trypanosoma spp. was identified in camels using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting the Rhoptry-Associated Protein-1 and internal transcribed spacer 1 genes, respectively. A nested PCR technique was conducted to detect B. bovis. At the same time, KIN multispecies PCR assay was employed to diagnose and classify trypanosome DNA in camels. Results: B. bovis was detected in 4/142 camels with an infection rate of 2.81%. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the strain of B. bovis isolated from this population was closely related to strains isolated from Argentine, the United States, and Brazil. Moreover, Trypanosoma evansi was detected in 8/142 camels with an infection rate of 5.63%. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses revealed that this isolated strain T. evansi was closely related to Trypanosoma theileri detected from cattle in Brazil. Conclusion: The obtained data indicated the existence of B. bovis and T. evansi in camels from two provinces of Egypt. The obtained findings have economic significance and reflect the importance of implementing effective prevention and control methods across Egypt to reduce the incidence of B. bovis and T. evansi in camels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimaa Abd El-Salam El-Sayed
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.,National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Mohamed A El-Adl
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Mayar O Ali
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Mostafa Al-Araby
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Mosaab A Omar
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, 51452 Qassim, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, 83523, Qena, Egypt
| | - Mohamed El-Beskawy
- Animal Medicine Department (infectious diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Matrouh University, Egypt
| | - Shimaa Sobhy Sorour
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan.,Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Magdy Elgioushy
- Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aswan University, Aswan, 37916, Egypt
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The repertoire of serine rhomboid proteases of piroplasmids of importance to animal and human health. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:455-462. [PMID: 33610524 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Babesia, Theileria and Cytauxzoon are tick-borne apicomplexan protozoans of the order Piroplasmida, notorious for the diseases they cause in livestock, pets and humans. Host cell invasion is their Achilles heel, allowing for the development of drug or vaccine-based therapies. In other apicomplexans, cleavage of the transmembrane domain of adhesins by the serine rhomboid proteinase ROM4 is required for successful completion of invasion. In this study, we record and classify the rhomboid repertoire encoded in the genomes of 10 piroplasmid species pertaining to the lineages Babesia sensu stricto (s.s., Clade VI), Theileria sensu stricto (Clade IV), Theileria equi (Clade IV), Cytauxzoon felis (Clade IIIb) and Babesia microti (Clade I), as defined by Schnittger et al. (2012). Fifty-six piroplasmid rhomboid-like proteins were assigned by phylogenetic analysis and bidirectional best hit to the ROM4, ROM6, ROM7 or ROM8 groups, and their crucial motifs for conformation and function were identified. Forty-four of these rhomboids had either been incorrectly classified or misannotated. Babesia s.s. encode five or three ROM4 proteinase paralogs, whereas the remaining piroplasmids encode two ROM4 paralogs. All piroplasmids encode a single ROM6, ROM7 and ROM8. Thus, an increased paralog number of ROM4 is the only feature distinguishing Babesia s.s. from other piroplasmid lineages. Piroplasmid ROM6 is related to the mammalian mitochondrial rhomboid and, accordingly, N-terminal mitochondrial targeting signal sequences was found in some cases. ROM6 is the only rhomboid encoded by piroplasmids that is ubiquitous in other organisms. ROM8 represents a pseudoproteinase that is highly conserved between studied piroplasmids, suggesting that it is important in regulatory functions. ROM4, ROM6, ROM7 and ROM8 are exclusively present in Aconoidasida, which comprises piroplasmids and Plasmodium, suggesting a relevant functional role in erythrocyte invasion. The correct classification and designation of piroplasmid rhomboids presented in this study facilitates an informed choice for future in-depth study of their functions.
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Matos CA, Silva JBD, Gonçalves LR, Mendes NS, Alvarez DO, André MR, Machado RZ. Genetic diversity of Babesia bovis studied longitudinally under natural transmission conditions in calves in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 29:e021220. [PMID: 33237196 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612020089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Serum and DNA samples from 15 naturally infected calves in Seropédica, Brazil, were obtained quarterly from birth to 12 months of age, in order to longitudinally evaluate their humoral immune response against Babesia bovis and the merozoite surface antigen diversity of B. bovis. Anti-B. bovis IgG antibodies were detected by an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Using DNA amplification, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, the genetic diversity of B. bovis was assessed based on the genes that encode merozoite surface antigens (MSA-1, MSA-2b and MSA-2c). The serological results demonstrated that up to six months of age, all the calves developed active immunity against B. bovis. Among the 75 DNA samples evaluated, 0, 3 and 5 sequences of the msa-1, msa-2b and msa-2c genes were obtained, respectively. The present study demonstrated that the msa-2b and msa-2c gene sequences amplified from blood DNA of B. bovis-positive calves were genetically diversified. These data emphasize the importance of conducting deeper studies on the genetic diversity of B. bovis in Brazil, in order to design diagnostic antigens and vaccines in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos António Matos
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.,Direcção de Ciências Animais, Maputo, Moçambique
| | - Jenevaldo Barbosa da Silva
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Luiz Ricardo Gonçalves
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Natalia Serra Mendes
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Marcos Rogério André
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
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Mofokeng LS, Taioe OM, Smit NJ, Thekisoe OMM. Parasites of veterinary importance from domestic animals in uMkhanyakude district of KwaZulu-Natal province. J S Afr Vet Assoc 2020; 91:e1-e11. [PMID: 32787418 PMCID: PMC7433224 DOI: 10.4102/jsava.v91i0.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the occurrence and phylogenetic relationship of protozoan parasites and Ehrlichia infecting domestic animals from three municipalities in uMkhanyakude district of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. A total of 208 blood samples collected from clinically healthy cattle, sheep, goats and dogs from uMkhanyakude district were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, using either genus or species-specific primers to determine the occurrence and phylogenetic relationship of various protozoan parasites and Ehrlichia of veterinary importance. A total of 5/109 (4.6%) cattle were PCR-positive for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii, 33/109 (30.3%) for Babesia bovis, 24/109 (22.02%) for Babesia bigemina and 20/109 (18.3%) for Trypanosoma sp., while 3/10 (30%) of sheep were PCR-positive for Theileria ovis and none of the goats were positive for any of the detected pathogens. The co-infection of 4/109 (3.7%) B. bovis and B. bigemina was detected in cattle. Only Ehrlichia canis was detected in dogs with infection rate of 20/48 (41.7%). Sequences of PCR-positive isolates (B. bovis, B. bigemina, E. canis, T. ovis and T. gondii) showed that they were closely related to their relevant species from various countries. These findings have expanded our knowledge about the prevalence and phylogenetic similarity between protozoan parasites and Ehrlichia isolates of South African origin. To date, this is the first study in South Africa to detect T. gondii infections from cattle blood using PCR.
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Simas PVM, Bassetto CC, Giglioti R, Okino CH, de Oliveira HN, de Sena Oliveira MC. Use of molecular markers can help to understand the genetic diversity of Babesia bovis. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2019; 79:104161. [PMID: 31881358 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.104161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cattle babesiosis is a tick-borne disease responsible for significant losses for the livestock industries in tropical areas of the world. These piroplasms are under constant control of the host immune system, which lead to a strong selective pressure for arising more virulent or attenuated phenotypes. Aiming to better understand the most critical genetic modifications in Babesia bovis genome, related to virulence, an in silico analysis was performed using DNA sequences from GenBank. Fourteen genes (sbp-2, sbp-4, trap, msa-1, msa-2b, msa-2c, Bv80 (or Bb-1), 18S rRNA, acs-1, ama-1, β-tub, cp-2, p0, rap-1a) related to parasite infection and immunogenicity and ITS region were selected for alignment and comparison of several isolates of Babesia bovis from different geographic regions around the world. Among the 15 genes selected for the study of diversity, only 7 genes (sbp-2, sbp-4, trap, msa-1, msa-2b, msa-2c, Bv80) and the ITS region presented sufficient genetic variation for the studies of phylogeny. Despite this genetic diversity observed into groups, there was not sufficient information available to associate molecular markers with virulence of isolates. However, some genetic groups no were correlated with geographic region what could indicate some typical evolutionary characteristics in the relation between parasite-host. Further studies using these genes in herds presenting diverse clinical conditions are required. The better understanding of evolutionary mechanisms of the parasite may contribute to improve prophylactic and therapeutic measures. In this way, we suggest that genes used in our study are potential markers of virulence and attenuation and have to be analyzed with the use of sequences from animals that present clinical signs of babesiosis and asymptomatic carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Vitor Marques Simas
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil; Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - César Cristiano Bassetto
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil; Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Giglioti
- Centro de Pesquisa de Genética e Reprodução Animal, Instituto de Zootecnia, Nova Odessa, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Henrique Nunes de Oliveira
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
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Allred DR. Variable and Variant Protein Multigene Families in Babesia bovis Persistence. Pathogens 2019; 8:pathogens8020076. [PMID: 31212587 PMCID: PMC6630957 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens8020076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle infected with Babesia bovis face a bifurcated fate: Either die of the severe acute infection, or survive and carry for many years a highly persistent but generally asymptomatic infection. In this review, the author describes known and potential contributions of three variable or highly variant multigene-encoded families of proteins to persistence in the bovine host, and the mechanisms by which variability arises among these families. Ramifications arising from this variability are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Allred
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
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Mendes NS, de Souza Ramos IA, Herrera HM, Campos JBV, de Almeida Alves JV, de Macedo GC, Machado RZ, André MR. Genetic diversity of Babesia bovis in beef cattle in a large wetland in Brazil. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:2027-2040. [PMID: 31079252 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06337-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Babesia bovis is the etiological agent of bovine babesiosis, a disease transmitted by Rhipicephalus microplus, which affects cattle herds in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, causing significant economic losses due to decreasing meat and milk yield. This study used molecular techniques to determine the occurrence and genetic diversity of B. bovis, based on the genes encoding the spherical body protein (sbp-2) and the merozoite surface antigens (MSAs) genes, in a herd of 400 Nellore (Bos indicus) sampled from beef cattle farms in the Pantanal region, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Midwestern Brazil. The results of the nested PCR assays based on the sbp-2 gene indicated that 18 (4.5%) calves were positive for B. bovis; out of them, while 77.7% (14/18) were positive for the B. bovis msa-2b fragment, 66.6% (12/18) were positive for the msa-2c fragment. The phylogenetic analysis based on the maximum likelihood method using 14 sequences from msa-2b clones and 13 sequences from msa-2c clones indicated that the sequences detected in this study are clearly distributed in different cladograms. These findings corroborated the diversity analysis of the same sequences, which revealed the presence of 14 and 11 haplotypes of the msa-2b and msa-2c genes, respectively. Furthermore, the entropy analyses of amino acid sequences revealed 78 and 44 high entropy peaks with values ranging from 0.25 to 1.53 and from 0.27 to 1.09 for MSA-2B and MSA-2C, respectively. Therefore, the results indicate a low molecular occurrence of B. bovis in beef cattle sampled in the Brazilian Pantanal. Despite this, a high degree of genetic diversity was found in the analyzed B. bovis population, with possibly different haplotypes coexisting in the same animal and/or in the same studied herd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Serra Mendes
- Agricultural and Livestock Microbiology Graduation Program, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil.,Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Zona Rural, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Inalda Angélica de Souza Ramos
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Zona Rural, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Zona Rural, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Zona Rural, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil.
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Matos CA, Gonçalves LR, Alvarez DO, Freschi CR, Silva JBD, Val-Moraes SP, Mendes NS, André MR, Machado RZ. Longitudinal evaluation of humoral immune response and merozoite surface antigen diversity in calves naturally infected with Babesia bovis, in São Paulo, Brazil. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 26:479-490. [PMID: 29211135 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612017069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Babesiosis is an economically important infectious disease affecting cattle worldwide. In order to longitudinally evaluate the humoral immune response against Babesia bovis and the merozoite surface antigen diversity of B. bovis among naturally infected calves in Taiaçu, Brazil, serum and DNA samples from 15 calves were obtained quarterly, from their birth to 12 months of age. Anti-B. bovis IgG antibodies were detected by means of the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate the genetic diversity of B. bovis, based on the genes that encode merozoite surface antigens (MSA-1, MSA-2b and MSA-2c). The serological results demonstrated that up to six months of age, all the calves developed active immunity against B. bovis. Among the 75 DNA samples evaluated, 2, 4 and 5 sequences of the genes msa-1, msa-2b and msa-2c were obtained. The present study demonstrated that the msa-1 and msa-2b genes sequences amplified from blood DNA of calves positive to B. bovis from Taiaçu were genetically distinct, and that msa-2c was conserved. All animals were serologically positive to ELISA and IFAT, which used full repertoire of parasite antigens in despite of the genetic diversity of MSAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos António Matos
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.,Direcção de Ciências Animais, Maputo, Moçambique
| | - Luiz Ricardo Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Carla Roberta Freschi
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Jenevaldo Barbosa da Silva
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Silvana Pompeia Val-Moraes
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Natalia Serra Mendes
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
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Costa VM, Ribeiro MFB, Duarte GA, Soares JF, Azevedo SS, Barros ATM, Riet-Correa F, Labruna MB. Incidência de Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bigemina e Babesia bovis em bezerros no semiárido paraibano. PESQUISA VETERINARIA BRASILEIRA 2018. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-5150-pvb-4786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
RESUMO: Este estudo avaliou a incidência de infecções naturais pelos agentes da tristeza parasitária bovina (TPB), Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bovis e Babesia bigemina, em bezerros nascidos em cinco fazendas do semiárido paraibano. Em cada fazenda, foram coletadas amostras de sangue de 6 a 14 bezerros a cada 14 dias durante os primeiros 12 meses de vida de cada animal. As amostras de sangue foram processadas por microhematócrito e testadas por PCR para detecção de DNA de A. marginale, B. bovis e B. bigemina. Em paralelo, foram quantificadas as infestações por carrapatos nos bovinos nas cinco fazendas, assim como as populações de tabanídeos em três fazendas. De 41 bezerros monitorados durante o primeiro ano de vida, 25 (61,0%) apresentaram PCR positivo para A. marginale, 7 (17,1%) para B. bigemina e 3 (7,3%) para B. bovis. Os valores de incidência da infecção por A. marginale variaram de 83,3% a 100% em quatro fazendas. A infecção por B. bigemina ocorreu em bezerros de apenas duas fazendas (incidências de 12,5% e 85,7%) e a por B. bovis em apenas uma (incidência de 42,8%). Em uma fazenda os 14 bezerros permaneceram negativos para A. marginale, B. bigemina e B. bovis durante os 12 meses de acompanhamento. Os resultados de PCR foram confirmados por sequenciamento de DNA de produtos amplificados. A presença de carrapatos Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus foi verificada somente em duas propriedades, nas quais houve infecção por A. marginale, B. bigemina e B. bovis (este último agente em apenas uma delas). Foram capturados 930 tabanídeos no estudo, a maioria durante os períodos de chuvas na região; 70,7% dos tabanídeos corresponderam a Tabanus claripennis. Houve associação significativa entre PCR positivo para A. marginale ou B. bigemina e menores valores de hematócrito. Este estudo demonstra que, mesmo avaliando apenas cinco propriedades rurais, a incidência dos agentes da TPB ocorreu de forma heterogênea na região, corroborando o status de área de instabilidade enzoótica para TPB previamente relatado para o semiárido paraibano.
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Mtshali PS, Mtshali MS. In silico and phylogenetic analyses of partial BbRAP-1, BbCP2, BbSBP-4 and BbβTUB gene sequences of Babesia bovis isolates from cattle in South Africa. BMC Vet Res 2017; 13:383. [PMID: 29216890 PMCID: PMC5721623 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-1261-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bovine babesiosis is one of the most economically important tick-borne diseases threatening the livestock industry globally including South Africa. This disease is induced by members of Babesia bovis species. Antigenic variations among geographical strains of B. bovis, and these heterogeneities are cited as the mechanism by which parasites evade from host immune system and they hamper the successful development of a single vaccine that could confer absolute protection. Given the economic importance of livestock industry in South Africa, the extent of genetic diversity among field isolates of B. bovis merits extensive investigation. In this study, we genetically characterized partial genes of B. bovis and studied the phylogenetic relationship among B. bovis isolates of South African origin. The genes, which were PCR-amplified from bovine samples collected from different locations across South Africa, coded for rhoptry-associated protein 1 (BbRAP-1), cysteine peptidase 2 (BbCP2), spherical body protein 4 (BbSBP-4) and β-tubulin (BbβTUB). Phylogenies were inferred from newly determined sequences using the neighbour-joining approach. Results Nested PCR assays with gene-specific primers indicated that, of the 54 bovine samples tested, 59.3% (32/54; 95% CI = 46.0–71.3%), 27.8% (15/54; 95% CI = 17.6–40.9%), 37.0% (20/54; 95% CI = 25.4–50.4%) and 29.6% (16/54; 95% CI = 19.1–42.8%) possessed BbRAP-1, BbCP2, BbSBP-4 and BbβTUB fragments, respectively. Sequencing of PCR-generated fragments revealed that nucleotide sequences of each of the four genes were highly conserved among the B. bovis isolates examined. Phylogenetic analyses of BbCP2, BbSBP-4 and BbβTUB sequences indicated a close phylogenetic relatedness among South African-derived sequences and those of global B. bovis strains. Conclusion The data reported in this study indicated that there is a high conservation among the genes of B. bovis isolates from cattle in South Africa. These findings give an indication that immunologically important proteins encoded by these genes could potentially be considered for exploitation as viable candidates for inclusion in recombinant subunit vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Senzo Mtshali
- Veterinary Parasitology Programme, Research and Scientific Services Department, National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Moses Sibusiso Mtshali
- Veterinary Parasitology Programme, Research and Scientific Services Department, National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa. .,Parasitology Research Programme, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, QwaQwa Campus, Phuthaditjhaba, 9866, South Africa.
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Rittipornlertrak A, Nambooppha B, Simking P, Punyapornwithaya V, Tiwananthagorn S, Jittapalapong S, Chung YT, Sthitmatee N. Low levels of genetic diversity associated with evidence of negative selection on the Babesia bovis apical membrane antigen 1 from parasite populations in Thailand. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2017; 54:447-454. [PMID: 28807856 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Babesia bovis, a parasite infecting cattle and buffalo, continues to spread throughout the developing world. The babesial vaccine was developed to be a sustainable alternative treatment to control the parasite. However, genetic diversity is a major obstacle for designing and developing a safe and effective vaccine. The apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) is considered to be a potential vaccine candidate antigen among immunogenic genes of B. bovis. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of B. bovis AMA-1 (BbAMA-1), three B. bovis DNA samples were randomly selected to characterize in order to explore genetic diversity and natural selection and to predict the antigen epitopes. The sequence analysis revealed that BbAMA-1 has a low level of polymorphism and is highly conserved (95.46-99.94%) among Thai and global isolates. The majority of the polymorphic sites were observed in domains I and III. Conversely, domain II contained no polymorphic sites. We report the first evidence of strong negative or purifying selection across the full length of the gene, especially in domain I, by demonstrating a significant excess of the average number of synonymous (dS) over the non-synonymous (dN) substitutions. Finally, we also predict the linear and conformational B-cell epitope. The predicted B-cell epitopes appeared to be involved with the amino acid changes. Collectively, the results suggest that the conserved BbAMA-1 may be used to detect regional differences in the B. bovis parasite. Importantly, the limitation of BbAMA-1 diversity under strong negative selection indicates strong functional constraints on this gene. Thus, the gene could be a valuable target vaccine candidate antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pacharathon Simking
- Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, Pathumthani 12110, Thailand
| | | | | | | | - Yang-Tsung Chung
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Nattawooti Sthitmatee
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand; Excellent Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand.
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15
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Molecular survey of Babesia infections in cattle from different areas of Myanmar. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:204-207. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 09/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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16
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Liyanagunawardena N, Sivakumar T, Kothalawala H, Silva SSP, Battsetseg B, Lan DTB, Inoue N, Igarashi I, Yokoyama N. Type-specific PCR assays for Babesia bovis msa-1 genotypes in Asia: Revisiting the genetic diversity in Sri Lanka, Mongolia, and Vietnam. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2015; 37:64-9. [PMID: 26520797 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Revised: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Babesia bovis is the most virulent Babesia organism, resulting in a high mortality rate in cattle. The genetic diversity of B. bovis merozoite surface antigens (MSAs), such as MSA-1, MSA-2b, and MSA-2c, might be linked to altered immune profiles in the host animals. The present study aimed to develop type-specific PCR assays for Asian msa-1 genotypes, thereby re-analyzing the genetic diversity of msa-1 in Sri Lanka, Mongolia, and Vietnam. Specific primers were designed for nine Asian msa-1 genotypes, which had been detected based on the phylogeny constructed using msa-1 gene sequences retrieved from the GenBank database. Specificity of the type-specific PCR assays was confirmed using plasmids containing the inserts of msa-1 gene fragments that represent Asian genotypes. Furthermore, no amplicons were observed by these PCR assays when DNA samples of Babesia bigemina, Babesia ovata, Theileria annulata, Theileria orientalis, Trypanosoma evansi, Trypanosoma theileri, Anaplasma marginale, and Anaplasma bovis, and non-infected bovine blood were analyzed. In total, 109 B. bovis-positive blood DNA samples sourced from Sri Lanka (44 cattle), Mongolia (26 cattle), and Vietnam (23 cattle and 16 water buffaloes) were then screened by the type-specific PCR assays. The sequences derived from all of the PCR amplicons were phylogenetically analyzed. Out of 109 DNA samples, 23 (20 from cattle and 3 from water buffaloes) were positive for at least one genotype. In agreement with previous studies, five and four different genotypes were detected among the DNA samples from Sri Lanka and Vietnam, respectively. In contrast, four genotypes, including three novel genotypes, were detected from Mongolia. Five DNA samples were found to be co-infected with multiple genotypes. The sequences of the PCR amplicons clustered phylogenetically within the corresponding clades. These findings indicated that the type-specific PCR assays described herein are useful for the determination of genotypic diversity of the B. bovis msa-1 gene in Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilukshi Liyanagunawardena
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan; Veterinary Research Institute, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Thillaiampalam Sivakumar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan; Veterinary Research Institute, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | | | | | - Badgar Battsetseg
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Noboru Inoue
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.
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Yokoyama N, Sivakumar T, Tuvshintulga B, Hayashida K, Igarashi I, Inoue N, Long PT, Lan DTB. Genetic variations in merozoite surface antigen genes of Babesia bovis detected in Vietnamese cattle and water buffaloes. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2015; 30:288-295. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2014.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Revised: 12/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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18
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Flores DA, Minichiello Y, Araujo FR, Shkap V, Benítez D, Echaide I, Rolls P, Mosqueda J, Pacheco GM, Petterson M, Florin-Christensen M, Schnittger L. Evidence for Extensive Genetic Diversity and Substructuring of theBabesia bovisMetapopulation. Transbound Emerg Dis 2013; 60 Suppl 2:131-6. [DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. A. Flores
- Instituto de Patobiología; CICVyA; INTA-Castelar; Hurlingham Argentina
| | - Y. Minichiello
- Instituto de Patobiología; CICVyA; INTA-Castelar; Hurlingham Argentina
| | | | - V. Shkap
- Kimron Veterinary Institute; Bet Dagan Israel
| | | | | | - P. Rolls
- Tick Fever Centre; Brisbane Qld Australia
| | - J. Mosqueda
- Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro; Querétaro México
| | - G. M. Pacheco
- Instituto de Genética; INTA-Castelar; Hurlingham Argentina
| | - M. Petterson
- Instituto de Genética; INTA-Castelar; Hurlingham Argentina
| | - M. Florin-Christensen
- Instituto de Patobiología; CICVyA; INTA-Castelar; Hurlingham Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires; Argentina
| | - L. Schnittger
- Instituto de Patobiología; CICVyA; INTA-Castelar; Hurlingham Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires; Argentina
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Mtshali PS, Tsotetsi AM, Thekisoe MMO, Mtshali MS. Nested PCR detection and phylogenetic analysis of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in cattle from Peri-urban localities in Gauteng Province, South Africa. J Vet Med Sci 2013; 76:145-50. [PMID: 24065081 PMCID: PMC3979951 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.13-0197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina are tick-borne
hemoparasites causing babesiosis in cattle worldwide. This study was aimed at providing
information about the occurrence and geographical distribution of B.
bovis and B. bigemina species in cattle from Gauteng province,
South Africa. A total of 268 blood samples collected from apparently healthy animals in 14
different peri-urban localities were tested using previously established nested PCR assays
for the detection of B. bovis and B. bigemina
species-specific genes encoding rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP-1) and
SpeI-AvaI restriction fragment, respectively. Nested
PCR assays revealed that the overall prevalence was 35.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]=±
5.73) and 76.1% (95% CI=± 5.11) for B. bovis and B.
bigemina, respectively. PCR results were corroborated by sequencing amplicons
of randomly selected samples. The neighbor-joining trees were constructed to study the
phylogenetic relationship between B. bovis and B.
bigemina sequences of randomly selected isolates. Analysis of phylogram
inferred with B. bovis RAP-1 sequences indicated a close relationship
between our isolates and GenBank strains. On the other hand, a tree constructed with
B. bigemina gp45 sequences revealed a high degree of polymorphism among
the B. bigemina isolates investigated in this study. Taken together, the
results presented in this work indicate the high incidence of Babesia
parasites in cattle from previously uncharacterised peri-urban areas of the Gauteng
province. These findings suggest that effective preventative and control measures are
essential to curtail the spread of Babesia infections among cattle
populations in Gauteng.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Senzo Mtshali
- Veterinary Parasitology Unit, Research and Scientific Services Department, National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
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Mtshali MS, Mtshali PS. Molecular diagnosis and phylogenetic analysis of Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis hemoparasites from cattle in South Africa. BMC Vet Res 2013; 9:154. [PMID: 23927555 PMCID: PMC3751629 DOI: 10.1186/1746-6148-9-154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Babesia parasites, mainly Babesia bovis and B. bigemina, are tick-borne hemoparasites inducing bovine babesiosis in cattle globally. The clinical signs of the disease include, among others, anemia, fever and hemoglobinuria. Babesiosis is known to occur in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In this study, we aim to provide information about the occurrence and phylogenetic relationship of B. bigemina and B. bovis species in cattle from different locations in nine provinces of South Africa. A total of 430 blood samples were randomly collected from apparently healthy cattle. These samples were genetically tested for Babesia parasitic infections using nested PCR assays with species-specific primers. Results Nested PCR assays with Group I primer sets revealed that the overall prevalence of B. bigemina and B. bovis in all bovine samples tested was 64.7% (95% CI = 60.0-69.0) and 35.1% (95% CI = 30.6-39.8), respectively. Only 117/430 (27.2%) animals had a mixed infection. The highest prevalence of 87.5% (95% CI = 77.2-93.5) for B. bigemina was recorded in the Free State province collection sites (Ficksburg, Philippolis and Botshabelo), while North West collection sites had the highest number of animals infected with B. bovis (65.5%; 95% CI = 52.7-76.4). Phylograms were inferred based on B. bigemina-specific gp45 and B. bovis-specific rap-1 nucleotide sequences obtained with Group II nested PCR primers. Phylogenetic analysis of gp45 sequences revealed significant differences in the genotypes of B. bigemina isolates investigated, including those of strains published in GenBank. On the other hand, a phylogeny based on B. bovis rap-1 sequences indicated a similar trend of clustering among the sequences of B. bovis isolates investigated in this study. Conclusion This study demonstrates the occurrence of Babesia parasites in cattle from different provinces of South Africa. It was also noted that the situation of Babesia parasitic infection in cattle from certain areas within the surveyed provinces had either reached endemic stability or was progressing towards stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moses Sibusiso Mtshali
- Research and Scientific Services Department, Veterinary Parasitology Unit, National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
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Nagano D, Sivakumar T, De De Macedo ACC, Inpankaew T, Alhassan A, Igarashi I, Yokoyama N. The genetic diversity of merozoite surface antigen 1 (MSA-1) among Babesia bovis detected from cattle populations in Thailand, Brazil and Ghana. J Vet Med Sci 2013; 75:1463-70. [PMID: 23856760 PMCID: PMC3942984 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.13-0251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we screened blood DNA samples obtained from cattle bred in Brazil
(n=164) and Ghana (n=80) for Babesia bovis using a diagnostic PCR assay
and found prevalences of 14.6% and 46.3%, respectively. Subsequently, the genetic
diversity of B. bovis in Thailand, Brazil and Ghana was analyzed, based
on the DNA sequence of merozoite surface antigen-1 (MSA-1). In Thailand,
MSA-1 sequences were relatively conserved and found in a single clade
of the phylogram, while Brazilian MSA-1 sequences showed high genetic
diversity and were dispersed across three different clades. In contrast, the sequences
from Ghanaian samples were detected in two different clades, one of which contained only a
single Ghanaian sequence. The identities among the MSA-1 sequences from
Thailand, Brazil and Ghana were 99.0–100%, 57.5–99.4% and 60.3–100%, respectively, while
the similarities among the deduced MSA-1 amino acid sequences within the respective
countries were 98.4–100%, 59.4–99.7% and 58.7–100%, respectively. These observations
suggested that the genetic diversity of B. bovis based on
MSA-1 sequences was higher in Brazil and Ghana than in Thailand. The
current data highlight the importance of conducting extensive studies on the genetic
diversity of B. bovis before designing immune control strategies in each
surveyed country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Nagano
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
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