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de Oliveira CM, Yang TS, Duarte MA, Marr H, McManus CM, André MR, Birkenheuer AJ, Paludo GR. Canine piroplasmids: Molecular detection and laboratory characterization in dogs from Brasilia, Brazil, with the first molecular evidence of dog exposure to a novel opossum-associated Babesia sp. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102181. [PMID: 37084584 PMCID: PMC10698754 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Canine piroplasmid infections can be caused by Babesia spp., Theileria spp. and Rangelia vitalii. In Brazil, canine babesiosis caused by Babesia vogeli is endemic and reported throughout the country. On the other hand, Rangeliosis caused by R. vitalii has only been described so far in the South and Southeast regions. Despite that, studies analyzing the laboratory and molecular characterization of these hemoprotozoa are still scarce. To investigate the occurrence, the laboratory features, the molecular characterization, and the diversity of piroplasmids from Midwestern Brazil, a survey was performed using blood samples obtained from 276 domestic dogs from Brasília, Federal District, Midwestern Brazil. A broad-range quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting the mitochondrial large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU4) was used to detect piroplasmid DNA. The overall molecular occurrence of piroplasmids was 11.2% (31/276), with 9.7% (27/276) of the sequences identified as Babesia vogeli (98-100% identity to B. vogeli isolate from the USA). Based on a partial 18S rRNA sequence pairwise alignment (-250 bp), 1.4% (4/276) of the sequences showed only 76.8% identity with B. vogeli but 100% identity with opossum-associated Babesia sp. (MW290046-53). These findings suggest the exposure of dogs from Brazil to a recently described Babesia sp. isolated from white-eared opossum. None of the analyzed dogs was positive for Theileria spp. or R. vitalii. Subsequently, all positive sequences were submitted to three additional PCR assays based on the 18S rRNA, cox-1, and cytb genes, aiming at performing a haplotype network analysis. Haplotype network using cox-1 sequences showed the presence of six different haplotypes of B. vogeli; one of them was shared with isolates from Brazil, the USA, and India. When including animals co-infected with other vector-borne diseases, piroplasmid-positive dogs had 2.3 times higher chance of having thrombocytopenia than the negative ones. The molecular results demonstrated that the compared Babesia vogeli sequences showed a low variability as well as evidence of exposure to a putative novel opossum-associated Babesia sp. in dogs from Midwestern Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Manoel de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária (FAV/UnB), Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, ICC Centro - Asa Norte, CEP, Brasília, Distrito Federal 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Tzushan Sharon Yang
- Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Matheus Almeida Duarte
- Laboratório de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária (FAV/UnB), Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, ICC Centro - Asa Norte, CEP, Brasília, Distrito Federal 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Henry Marr
- Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Concepta Margaret McManus
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Jaboticabal São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adam Joseph Birkenheuer
- Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Giane Regina Paludo
- Laboratório de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária (FAV/UnB), Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, ICC Centro - Asa Norte, CEP, Brasília, Distrito Federal 70910-900, Brazil.
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Rocha JM, de Oliveira PB, da Costa-Neto SF, Ogrzewalska MH, Martins TF, Faccini JLH, Alvarez MRDV, Luz HR, Albuquerque GR. Molecular Detection of Rickettsia parkeri Strain Atlantic Rainforest in Ticks Parasitizing Small Mammals in Northeastern Brazil. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:1657-1666. [PMID: 36125653 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00617-2] [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: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Small mammals are important reservoirs of ticks and their pathogens in nature. However, studies reporting these associations are still rare in Brazil. In the present study, we investigated the presence of Rickettsia DNA in ticks parasitizing rodents and marsupials captured in different areas throughout the Atlantic rainforest biome, Bahia, Northeastern (NE), Brazil. METHODS The study was conducted in five municipalities within of the Atlantic Forest biome, Bahia state, in NE Brazil. Two campaigns were done in each municipality. For host captures Sherman and Tomahawk traps were used, and pitfall traps. After being captured, the hosts were anesthetized and their entire body examined for ticks. When ticks were detected, they were manually removed and stored in eppendorf tubes (1.5 ml) containing absolute PA ethanol for future laboratory analysis (identification of ticks and detection of Rickettsia spp.). RESULTS A total of 609 mammals were captured. Overall, 208 ticks of the genus Amblyomma and Ixodes were collected: A. ovale, I. loricatus and A. varium. Rickettsia DNA was detected in A. ovale and it was 99-100% of identity to the sequence deposited in GenBank as Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantica rainforest. CONCLUSION These results suggest that R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest occurs in the region, and A. ovale is likely the vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiane M Rocha
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science. State University of Santa Cruz, UESC, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
| | - Philipe B de Oliveira
- Department of Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | - Thiago F Martins
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - João L H Faccini
- Department of Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - Martin R D V Alvarez
- Department of Biological Sciences (DCB), Mammal Collection (CMARF), State University of Santa Curz (UESC), Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Hermes R Luz
- Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, and Biodiversity and Conservation, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
| | - George R Albuquerque
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science. State University of Santa Cruz, UESC, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
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