Meioseuntersuchungen bei Rind, Schaf, Ziege und Schwein im Stadium der späten Prophase und Metaphase

Identification of Babesia capreoli from Korean Water Deer in the Republic of Korea

Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease caused by intraerythrocytic protozoa belonging to the genus Babesia that is primarily transmitted through Ixodid ticks and is highly pathogenic to ruminants, horses, pigs, dogs, cats, and in some cases, even humans. Babesia is considered an increasing threat to animal and human health. In this study we report Babesia capreoli infection in Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus). Blood samples of 77 wild animals (62 Korean water deer and 15 Korean raccoon dogs [Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis]) were analyzed to detect Babesia infection. First, PCR was performed to investigate Babesia infection using the partial 18S rRNA gene. Among the 77 wild animals examined, 11 Korean water deer were positive for infection as per the results of sequence analysis. Next, these 11 samples were reanalyzed by PCR using newly designed primers to differentiate between B. capreoli and Babesia divergens. Finally, only one Korean water deer sample was found to be positive for B. capreoli. The nucleotide sequence of this protozoan showed 99.6 - 99.7% identity to those of B. capreoli reported previously. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sequence belonged to the B. capreoli clade and diverged from the B. divergens clade. Three nucleotides at positions 631, 663, and 1637 were analyzed to differentiate between B. capreoli and B. divergens. The nucleotides at positions 631 and 1637 were identical to those of B. capreoli, whereas that at position 663 was different. The sequence detected in Korean water deer also exhibited differences at other four positions (669, 704, 711, and 1661) compared with other B. capreoli sequences. This study indicates that Korean water deer serve as a reservoir for B. capreoli. In addition, the primers designed in this study can be used to detect B. capreoli. Future studies should explore the tick vectors that transmit B. capreoli and its pathogenicity. This study was approved by the Institutional Committee of Graduate Studies and Research at Jeonbuk National University, ROK (IACUC decision no.: CBU 2014-00026).

Diverse tick-borne microorganisms identified in free-living ungulates in Slovakia

BACKGROUND

Free-living ungulates are hosts of ixodid ticks and reservoirs of tick-borne microorganisms in central Europe and many regions around the world. Tissue samples and engorged ticks were obtained from roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, and wild boar hunted in deciduous forests of south-western Slovakia. DNA isolated from these samples was screened for the presence of tick-borne microorganisms by PCR-based methods.

RESULTS

Ticks were found to infest all examined ungulate species. The principal infesting tick was Ixodes ricinus, identified on 90.4% of wildlife, and included all developmental stages. Larvae and nymphs of Haemaphysalis concinna were feeding on 9.6% of wildlife. Two specimens of Dermacentor reticulatus were also identified. Ungulates were positive for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found to infect 96.1% of cervids, 88.9% of mouflon, and 28.2% of wild boar, whereas Theileria spp. was detected only in cervids (94.6%). Importantly, a high rate of cervids (89%) showed mixed infections with both these microorganisms. In addition to A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp., Rickettsia helvetica, R. monacensis, unidentified Rickettsia sp., Coxiella burnetii, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis", Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) and Babesia venatorum were identified in engorged I. ricinus. Furthermore, A. phagocytophilum, Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. were detected in engorged H. concinna. Analysis of 16S rRNA and groEL gene sequences revealed the presence of five and two A. phagocytophilum variants, respectively, among which sequences identified in wild boar showed identity to the sequence of the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Phylogenetic analysis of Theileria 18S rRNA gene sequences amplified from cervids and engorged I. ricinus ticks segregated jointly with sequences of T. capreoli isolates into a moderately supported monophyletic clade.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that free-living ungulates are reservoirs for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. and engorged ixodid ticks attached to ungulates are good sentinels for the presence of agents of public and veterinary concern. Further analyses of the A. phagocytophilum genetic variants and Theileria species and their associations with vector ticks and free-living ungulates are required.

Endoparasites of the fallow deer (Dama dama) of the Antheringer Au in Salzburg, Austria

Although the annual harvest of fallow deer increased markedly in Austria in the past two decades, only little is known about the parasites of fallow deer in Austria. To add current faunistic knowledge on the endoparasites of fallow deer in the country, viscera from six adult males and one male fawn from the game preserve Antheringer Au, Salzburg, were examined in 2009-2010 using standard techniques, and spleen samples were screened for DNA of tick-borne pathogens (polymerase chain reaction). Infections with sarcocysts (Sarcocystis spp.) and gastrointestinal nematodes (range: 379-1,294 worms) were demonstrated in all deer; four and three bucks had Dictyocaulus eckerti (range: two to seven worms) and Varestrongylus sagittatus lungworms, respectively; Fasciola hepatica (9 and 18 flukes) were isolated from the liver of two bucks, and DNA of Babesia capreoli was isolated from the spleen of one buck. In addition, Eimeria sordida oocysts were identified in the faeces of the fawn that harboured also one Setaria sp., presumably Setaria altaica, in its mesentery. Fifteen species (morphs for the ostertagians) of gastrointestinal nematodes were identified: Ostertagia leptospicularis, Ostertagia drozdzi/Skrjabinagia ryjikovi, Spiculopteragia asymmetrica, Spiculopteragia boehmi/Rinadia mathevossiani, Trichostrongylus askivali, Trichostrongylus capricola, Cooperia pectinata, Nematodirus battus, Nematodirus roscidus, Capillaria bovis, Oesophagostomum sikae, Oesophagostomum venulosum and Trichuris globulosa. Two and four bucks had high individual burdens of more than 500 and more than 1,000 worms, respectively. As the nematode counts of the five bucks harvested during the mating season were associated with unusual high faecal egg counts, and four of the bucks had Dictyocaulus lungworms in addition, these findings may suggest a reduced resistance to parasites related with high levels of androgens and experience of stress during rut.