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Çelebi B, Yeni DK, Yılmaz Y, Matur F, Babür C, Öktem MA, Sözen M, Karataş A, Raoult D, Mediannikov O, Fournier PE. Borrelia miyamotoi in wild rodents from four different regions of Turkey. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102143. [PMID: 36857879 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-borne zoonotic agent that causes hard tick-borne relapsing fever, an emerging disease in humans. Some small mammalian and bird species are reported to be reservoirs of B. miyamotoi. This study aims to examine Borrelia species present in rodents captured from rural areas of Turkey. Blood samples of rodents were initially screened with Borrelia 16S rRNA qPCR. The Borrelia flaB gene was subsequently amplified by conventional PCR, after which all positive samples were sequenced. Borrelia miyamotoi was observed in nine out of 536 blood samples (1.7%) collected from wild rodents. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all positive samples belonged to the European genotype clade of B. miyamotoi. PCR positivity was 5.3%, 3.7%, and 1.8% in Apodemus uralensis, Apodemus flavicollis, and Myodes glareolus, respectively. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato that causes Lyme borreliosis in humans could not be detected in the rodents. In this study, presence of B. miyamotoi DNA is reported for the first time in rodents in Turkey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bekir Çelebi
- Microbiology Reference Laboratory Department, General Directorate of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Derya Karataş Yeni
- Veterinary Control Central Research Institute, Bacterial Disease Laboratory, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Yılmaz
- Microbiology Reference Laboratory Department, General Directorate of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ferhat Matur
- Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Cahit Babür
- Microbiology Reference Laboratory Department, General Directorate of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Ali Öktem
- Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Sözen
- Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Karataş
- Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, Nigde, Turkey
| | - Didier Raoult
- Institut Méditerranée-Infection, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Oleg Mediannikov
- Institut Méditerranée-Infection, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Pierre Edouard Fournier
- Institut Méditerranée-Infection, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
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Uiterwijk M, Vojta L, Šprem N, Beck A, Jurković D, Kik M, Duscher GG, Hodžić A, Reljić S, Sprong H, Beck R. Diversity of Hepatozoon species in wild mammals and ticks in Europe. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:27. [PMID: 36694253 PMCID: PMC9872412 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05626-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatozoon spp. are tick-borne parasites causing subclinical to clinical disease in wild and domestic animals. Aim of this study was to determine Hepatozoon prevalence and species distribution among wild mammals and ticks in Europe. METHODS Samples of wild mammals and ticks, originating from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Belgium and the Netherlands, were tested with PCR to amplify a ~ 670-bp fragment of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. RESULTS Of the 2801 mammal samples that were used for this study, 370 (13.2%) tested positive. Hepatozoon canis was detected in samples of 178 animals (3 Artiodactyla, 173 Carnivora, 1 Eulipotyphia, 1 Lagomorpha), H. martis in 125 (3 Artiodactyla, 122 Carnivora), H. sciuri in 13 (all Rodentia), Hepatozoon sp. in 47 (among which Hepatozoon sp. Vole isolate, all Rodentia) and H. ayorgbor in 4 (all Rodentia). Regarding origin, 2.9% (6/208) tested positive from Austria, 2.8% (1/36) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14.6% (173/1186) from Croatia and 13.9% (190/1371) from Belgium/the Netherlands. Of the 754 ticks collected, 0.0% (0/35) Hyalomma sp., 16.0% (4/25) Dermacentor spp., 0.0% (0/23) Haemaphysalis spp., 5.3% (24/50) Ixodes and 1.4% (3/221) Rhipicephalus spp. tested positive for Hepatozoon (4.2%; 32/754), most often H. canis (n = 22). CONCLUSIONS Hepatozoon canis is most present in mammals (especially in Carnivora such as gray wolves and golden jackals) and ticks, followed by H. martis, which was found merely in stone martens and pine martens. None of the rodent-associated Hepatozoon spp. were detected in the ticks, suggesting the possible implication of other arthropod species or non-vectorial routes in the transmission cycle of the hemoprotozoans in rodents. Our findings of H. canis in ticks other than R. sanguineus add to the observation that other ticks are also involved in the life cycle of Hepatozoon. Now that presence of Hepatozoon has been demonstrated in red foxes, gray wolves, mustelids and rodents from the Netherlands and/or Belgium, veterinary clinicians should be aware of the possibility of spill-over to domestic animals, such as dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Uiterwijk
- grid.435742.30000 0001 0726 7822Centre for Monitoring of Vectors (CMV), Netherlands Institute for Vectors, Invasive plants and Plant health (NIVIP), Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lea Vojta
- grid.4905.80000 0004 0635 7705Division of Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nikica Šprem
- grid.4808.40000 0001 0657 4636Department of Fisheries, Apiculture, Wildlife Management and Special Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Beck
- grid.4808.40000 0001 0657 4636Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daria Jurković
- grid.417625.30000 0004 0367 0309Laboratory for Parasitology, Department for Bacteriology and Parasitology, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marja Kik
- grid.5477.10000000120346234Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dutch Wildlife Health Centre, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Georg G. Duscher
- grid.414107.70000 0001 2224 6253Austrian Agency for Health & Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Adnan Hodžić
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Centre for Microbiology and Environmental System Science (CMESS), Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Division of Microbial Ecology (DoME), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Slaven Reljić
- grid.4808.40000 0001 0657 4636Department of Forensic and State Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre of Infectious Disease Control of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Cib-RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Relja Beck
- grid.417625.30000 0004 0367 0309Laboratory for Parasitology, Department for Bacteriology and Parasitology, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
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Guven E, Akyuz M, Kirman R, Balkaya I, Avcioglu H. Zoonotic Babesia microti infection in wild rodents in Erzurum province, northeastern Turkey. Zoonoses Public Health 2022; 69:875-883. [PMID: 35726555 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12983] [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: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Wild rodents are natural reservoir hosts of various pathogens, including Babesia microti. This study investigated the presence of B. microti in rodents from Erzurum province in Turkey. A total of 498 rodents and 21 rodent-fed ticks were analysed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to test for the presence of B. microti. Babesia spp. were detected in three (0.6%) of the 498 rodent spleen samples. The Babesia-positive rodent species were identified as Microtus socialis by means of molecular analysis. The rodent-fed ticks comprised 15 Ixodes laguri and 6 Rhipicephalus sanguineus, none of which tested positive for Babesia spp. A sequence analysis of the 18S PCR amplicons confirmed the three Babesia-positive samples to be B. microti. The Erzurum isolates were 100% identical to the zoonotic Jena strain. The results of this study indicate the existence of zoonotic B. microti strains that may constitute a potential public health risk in Erzurum province. Future studies should determine the tick vector and other reservoir rodent species of B. microti in Erzurum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esin Guven
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Muzaffer Akyuz
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Ridvan Kirman
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Ibrahim Balkaya
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Hamza Avcioglu
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey
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Orkun Ö. Comprehensive screening of tick-borne microorganisms indicates that a great variety of pathogens are circulating between hard ticks (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae) and domestic ruminants in natural foci of Anatolia. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:102027. [PMID: 35970093 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Grazing domestic ruminants serve as important reservoirs and/or amplificatory hosts in the ecology of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) and tick vectors in the natural foci; however, many enzootic life cycles including ruminants and ticks are still unknown. This study investigated a wide range of TBPs circulating among ticks and grazing ruminants in the natural foci of Anatolia, Turkey. Tick specimens (n = 1815) were collected from cattle, sheep, and goats in three ecologically distinct areas (wooded, transitional, and semi-arid zones) of Anatolia and identified by species: Dermacentor marginatus, Dermacentor reticulatus, Hyalomma anatolicum, Hyalomma excavatum, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma scupense, Haemaphysalis inermis, Haemaphysalis parva, Haemaphysalis punctata, Haemaphysalis sulcata, Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus bursa, and Rhipicephalus turanicus. PCR-sequencing analyses revealed TBPs of great diversity, with 32 different agents identified in the ticks: six Babesia spp. (Babesia occultans, Babesia crassa, Babesia microti, Babesia rossi, Babesia sp. tavsan1, and Babesia sp. Ucbas); four Theileria spp., including one putative novel species (Theileria annulata, Theileria orientalis, Theileria ovis, and Theileria sp.); one Hepatozoon sp.; four Anaplasma spp., including one novel genotype (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma ovis, and Anaplasma sp.); six unnamed Ehrlichia spp. genotypes; Neoehrlichia mikurensis; nine spotted fever group rickettsiae, including one putative novel species (Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia slovaca, Rickettsia hoogstraalii, Rickettsia monacensis with strain IRS3, Rickettsia mongolitimonae, Rickettsia raoultii, Candidatus Rickettsia goldwasserii, Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae, and Rickettsia sp.); and Borrelia valaisiana. Detailed phylogenetic analyses showed that some of the detected pathogens represent more than one haplotype, potentially relating to the tick species or the host. Additionally, the presence of Neoehrlichia mikurensis, an emerging pathogen for humans, was reported for the first time in Turkey, expanding its geographical distribution. Consequently, this study describes some previously unknown tick-borne protozoan and bacterial species/genotypes and provides informative epidemiological data on TBPs, which are related to animal and human health, serving the one health concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ömer Orkun
- Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.
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A Systematic Review of the Distribution of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Wild Animals and Their Ticks in the Mediterranean Rim between 2000 and 2021. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10091858. [PMID: 36144460 PMCID: PMC9504443 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10091858] [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: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) can be divided into three groups: bacteria, parasites, and viruses. They are transmitted by a wide range of tick species and cause a variety of human, animal, and zoonotic diseases. A total of 148 publications were found on tick-borne pathogens in wild animals, reporting on 85 species of pathogens from 35 tick species and 17 wild animal hosts between 2000 and February 2021. The main TBPs reported were of bacterial origin, including Anaplasma spp. and Rickettsia spp. A total of 72.2% of the TBPs came from infected ticks collected from wild animals. The main tick genus positive for TBPs was Ixodes. This genus was mainly reported in Western Europe, which was the focus of most of the publications (66.9%). It was followed by the Hyalomma genus, which was mainly reported in other areas of the Mediterranean Rim. These TBPs and TBP-positive tick genera were reported to have come from a total of 17 wild animal hosts. The main hosts reported were game mammals such as red deer and wild boars, but small vertebrates such as birds and rodents were also found to be infected. Of the 148 publications, 12.8% investigated publications on Mediterranean islands, and 36.8% of all the TBPs were reported in seven tick genera and 11 wild animal hosts there. The main TBP-positive wild animals and tick genera reported on these islands were birds and Hyalomma spp. Despite the small percentage of publications focusing on ticks, they reveal the importance of islands when monitoring TBPs in wild animals. This is especially true for wild birds, which may disseminate their ticks and TBPs along their migration path.
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First Record of Hepatozoon spp. in Alpine Wild Rodents: Implications and Perspectives for Transmission Dynamics across the Food Web. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10040712. [PMID: 35456763 PMCID: PMC9027474 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the Apicomplexa parasites, Hepatozoon spp. have been mainly studied in domestic animals and peri-urban areas. The epidemiology of Hepatozoon spp. is poorly investigated in natural systems and wild hosts because of their scarce veterinary and economic relevance. For most habitats, the occurrence of these parasites is unknown, despite their high ecosystemic role. To fill this gap for alpine small mammals, we applied molecular PCR-based methods and sequencing to determine the Hepatozoon spp. in 830 ear samples from 11 small mammal species (i.e., Apodemus, Myodes, Chionomys, Microtus, Crocidura and Sorex genera) live-trapped during a cross-sectional study along an altitudinal gradient in the North-Eastern Italian Alps. We detected Hepatozoon spp. with an overall prevalence of 35.9%. Two species ranging from 500 m a.s.l. to 2500 m a.s.l. were the most infected: My. glareolus, followed by Apodemus spp. Additionally, we detected the parasite for the first time in another alpine species: C. nivalis at 2000–2500 m a.s.l. Our findings suggest that several rodent species maintain Hepatozoon spp. along the alpine altitudinal gradient of habitats. The transmission pathway of this group of parasites and their role within the alpine mammal community need further investigation, especially in consideration of the rapidly occurring environmental and climatic changes.
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Muz MN, Erat S, Mumcuoglu KY. Protozoan and Microbial Pathogens of House Cats in the Province of Tekirdag in Western Turkey. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10091114. [PMID: 34578146 PMCID: PMC8466416 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10091114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Domestic felines’ re-emerging infectious and neglected zoonotic diseases are a significant focus of global “One Health” efforts. This study aimed to rapidly diagnose 14 pathogens, including zoonoses by using PCR primers in 167 client-owned symptomatic cats, routinely accepted to the Veterinary Clinics of Tekirdag. The prevalence of pathogens investigated were as follows: Babesia canis canis (24%), Babesia microti (2.4%), Hepatozoon felis (10.8%), Cytauxzoon felis (6.6%), Bartonella henselae (40.1%), Anaplasma platys (30.5%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (7.2%), Rickettsia felis (26.3%), Borrelia burgdorferi (21%), and hemotropic Mycoplasma sp. (11.4%). There was a significant difference between the prevalence of the pathogens (χ2 = 152.26, df = 9, p < 0.001). There was also a statistical difference between the gender of the cats in terms of the prevalence of all pathogens considered together (χ2 = 4.80, df = 1, p = 0.028), where the female cats showed a higher prevalence. This was not the case for the different age groups (χ2 = 2.92, df = 1, p = 0.088). The lowest infection was observed for B. microti (p < 0.001), while the highest infection was observed for B. henselae (p < 0.01). Leishmania donovani, Plasmodium spp., Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and Neoehrlichia mikurensis PCR test results were negative in all samples. In conclusion, house cats of Tekirdag are apparently highly susceptible to some neglected zoonoses important for “One Health”, and their prevalence in the region is most probably underestimated. Hence, applying PCR tests to assist fast clinic diagnosis in routine, may be an efficient option to protect the public as well as the cats from severe diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Necati Muz
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Namik Kemal, Tekirdag 59000, Turkey
- Correspondence:
| | - Serkan Erat
- Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale 71450, Turkey;
| | - Kosta Y. Mumcuoglu
- Parasitology Unit, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91120, Israel;
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Babesia microti in Rodents from Different Habitats of Lithuania. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11061707. [PMID: 34200491 PMCID: PMC8227240 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061707] [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: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Babesia microti, the causative agent of human babesiosis, is an intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite, that circulates among small rodents and ixodid ticks in many countries worldwide. Zoonotic and non-zoonotic B. microti strains have been identified in rodent populations in Europe. Analyzing eight species of small rodents collected from different habitats (meadows, forests and their ecotones) in Lithuania, we checked for the presence of B. microti and found the highest infection prevalence to be in Microtus oeconomus and Microtus agrestis rodents. Of note, this study also detected the first reported cases of Babesia parasites in Micromys minutus mice. In term of habitat, the highest prevalence of Babesia parasites was detected in rodents trapped in meadows. Our results demonstrate that rodents, especially Microtus voles, can play an important role in the circulation of the zoonotic B. microti ‘Jena/Germany’ strain in Lithuania. Abstract Babesia microti (Aconoidasida: Piroplasmida) (Franca, 1910) is an emerging tick-borne parasite with rodents serving as the considered reservoir host. However, the distribution of B. microti in Europe is insufficiently characterized. Based on the sample of 1180 rodents from 19 study sites in Lithuania, the objectives of this study were: (1) to investigate the presence of Babesia parasites in eight species of rodents, (2) to determine the prevalence of Babesia parasites in rodents from different habitats, and (3) to characterize the detected Babesia strains using partial sequencing of the 18S rRNR gene. Babesia DNA was detected in 2.8% rodents. The highest prevalence of Babesia was found in Microtus oeconomus (14.5%) and Microtus agrestis (7.1%) followed by Clethrionomys glareolus (2.3%), Apodemus flavicollis (2.2%) and Micromys minutus (1.3%). In M.minutus, Babesia was identified for the first time. The prevalence of Babesia-infected rodents was higher in the meadow (5.67%) than in the ecotone (1.69%) and forest (0.31%) habitats. The sequence analysis of the partial 18S rRNA gene reveals that Babesia isolates derived from rodents were 99–100% identical to human pathogenic B. microti ‘Jena/Germany’ strain.
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Akyuz M, Kirman R, Guven E. Morphological and molecular data of Hepatozoon ursi in two brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Turkey. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2020; 67. [PMID: 33245293 DOI: 10.14411/fp.2020.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Species of Hepatozoon Miller, 1908 are vector-borne parasites that infect domestic and wild animals worldwide. Hepatozoon ursi Kubo, Uni, Agatsuma, Nagataki, Panciera et al., 2008 was reported from bears (Ursidae) in Japan and India. The present study represents the first report of infection with H. ursi in Turkish brown bears (Ursus arctos Linnaeus) by microscopic and molecular analysis. Two dead brown bears were found in Uzundere and Pasinler districts of Erzurum. Blood and visceral organ (spleen and liver) samples were delivered to laboratory by the Nature Conservation and National Parks officers. Detected gamonts were evaluated based on morphological features and confirmed as gamonts of H. ursi. The size of gamonts and parasitemia were 8.2 × 3.5 μm (6.9-8.7 × 3.0-3.9 μm; n = 12) and 0.6% (6/1000 leukocytes), respectively. The blood and visceral organ samples were positive for species of Hepatozoon by PCR targeting partial sequence of 18S rDNA. Sequence analysis of newly obtained sequences of H. ursi showed 98.8-100% identity with previously sequenced isolates of H. ursi. Sequences of H. ursi from Erzurum were identical to each other and showed 100% identity with isolates of H. ursi from ticks Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus), Rhipicephalus turanicus Pomerantzev and Hyalomma marginatum Koch collected from two brown bears in Turkey (GenBank accession numbers MN463021, MN463022, MN905023). Analysis of partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene of H. ursi showed that Turkish isolates differ in NT substitutions found at three different positions [72 (A→G), 537 (A→G) and 570 (A→T)]. This study provides morphological and molecular data of H. ursi infection in brown bears from two districts of Erzurum, Turkey. Further studies are needed to elucidate whether brown bears have any eco-epidemiologic importance in the life cycle of H. ursi in wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muzaffer Akyuz
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Ridvan Kirman
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Esin Guven
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
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