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Dermacentor reticulatus, a putative vector of Babesia cf. microti (syn. Theileria annae) piroplasm.

ABSTRACT: Babesia cf. microti (syn. Theileria annae, Babesia microti-like, Babesia vulpes) is a recently recognized tick-borne piroplasm that infects domestic and wild carnivores. Although Ixodes hexagonus is considered as the leading candidate responsible for the transmission, its capacity to act as a competent vector has not yet been confirmed. This study reports the occurrence of B.cf. microti in unfed Dermacentor reticulatus for the first time, suggesting that this tick species may be implicated in the life cycle of this canine parasite. Out of 128 questing D. reticulatus ticks collected in eastern Austria, nine (7%) and four (3%) of them were found to be PCR positive for B. canis and B. cf. microti, respectively. Although the data presented here are not sufficient to explicitly state that D. reticulatus is a competent vector of B. cf. microti, our results can at least give a hint for future studies, which need to include experimental transmission in order to confirm its vector competence and possible involvement in the transmission of this babesial species.

SUBMITTER: Hodzic A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5333375 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Dermacentor reticulatus, a putative vector of Babesia cf. microti (syn. Theileria annae) piroplasm.

Hodžić Adnan A Zörer Johanna J Duscher Georg Gerhard GG

Parasitology research 20170123 3

Babesia cf. microti (syn. Theileria annae, Babesia microti-like, Babesia vulpes) is a recently recognized tick-borne piroplasm that infects domestic and wild carnivores. Although Ixodes hexagonus is considered as the leading candidate responsible for the transmission, its capacity to act as a competent vector has not yet been confirmed. This study reports the occurrence of B.cf. microti in unfed Dermacentor reticulatus for the first time, suggesting that this tick species may be implicated in th ...[more]

PMID: 28116531

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Project description:Theileria annae is a tick-transmitted small piroplasmid that infects dogs and foxes in North America and Europe. Due to disagreement on its placement in the Theileria or Babesia genera, several synonyms have been used for this parasite, including Babesia Spanish dog isolate, Babesia microti-like, Babesia (Theileria) annae, and Babesia cf. microti. Infections by this parasite cause anemia, thrombocytopenia, and azotemia in dogs but are mostly subclinical in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Furthermore, high infection rates have been detected among red fox populations in distant regions strongly suggesting that these canines act as the parasite's natural host. This study aims to reassess and harmonize the phylogenetic placement and binomen of T. annae within the order Piroplasmida.Four molecular phylogenetic trees were constructed using a maximum likelihood algorithm based on DNA alignments of: (i) near-complete 18S rRNA gene sequences (n?=?76 and n?=?93), (ii) near-complete and incomplete 18S rRNA gene sequences (n?=?92), and (iii) tubulin-beta gene sequences (n?=?32) from B. microti and B. microti-related parasites including those detected in dogs and foxes.All phylogenetic trees demonstrate that T. annae and its synonyms are not Theileria parasites but are most closely related with B. microti. The phylogenetic tree based on the 18S rRNA gene forms two separate branches with high bootstrap value, of which one branch corresponds to Babesia species infecting rodents, humans, and macaques, while the other corresponds to species exclusively infecting carnivores. Within the carnivore group, T. annae and its synonyms from distant regions segregate into a single clade with a highly significant bootstrap value corroborating their separate species identity.Phylogenetic analysis clearly shows that T. annae and its synonyms do not pertain to Theileria and can be clearly defined as a separate species. Based on the facts that T. annae and its synonyms have not been shown to have a leukocyte stage, as expected in Theileria, do not infect humans and rodents as B. microti, and cluster phylogenetically as a separate species, this study proposes to name this parasite Babesia vulpes sp. nov., after its natural host, the red fox V. vulpes.

Project description:Two clustered clinical cases of canine babesiosis were diagnosed by veterinary practitioners in two areas of northeastern Italy close to natural parks. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of babesial infection in dogs, the etiological agents that cause canine babesiosis and the potential tick vector for the involved Babesia spp.The study area was represented by two parks in northeastern Italy: Groane Regional Park (Site A) and the Ticino Valley Lombard Park (Site B). From March to May 2015 ticks were collected from the vegetation in three transects in each site. In the same period, blood samples were collected from 80 dogs randomly chosen from veterinary clinics and kennel located in the two areas. Morphological identification of the ticks was performed and six specimens were molecularly characterised by the amplification and sequencing of partial mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and cox1 genes. For phylogenetic analyses, sequences herein obtained for all genes and those available from GenBank for other Dermacentor spp. were included. Dog serum samples were analysed with a commercial indirect fluorescent antibody test to detect the presence of IgG antibodies against Babesia canis. Ticks and blood samples were tested by PCR amplification using primers targeting 18S rRNA gene of Babesia spp.Ticks collected (n = 34) were morphologically identified as adults of D. reticulatus. Twenty-eight ticks were found in all transects from Site A and the remaining six were collected in Site B. Blast analysis of mitochondrial sequences confirmed the morphological identification of processed tick specimens by revealing a highest nucleotide similarity (99-100%) with those of D. reticulatus available in the GenBank database. The phylogenetic trees were concordant in clustering D. reticulatus in a monophyletic clade. Seven dogs (8.8%) had antibodies against B. canis, most of which (n = 6) came from Site A. Analysis of nucleotide sequences obtained from one tick and from one dog identified B. canis displayed a 100% similarity to those available in GenBank.This study morphologically and molecularly confirms the presence of D. reticulatus in Italy and links it, for the first time, with the occurrence of B. canis infection in dogs in this country.

Project description:BackgroundThere are no effective vaccines against Babesia and Theileria parasites; therefore, therapy depends heavily on antiprotozoal drugs. Treatment options for piroplasmosis are limited; thus, the need for new antiprotozoal agents is becoming increasingly urgent. Ellagic acid (EA) is a polyphenol found in various plant products and has antioxidant, antibacterial and effective antimalarial activity in vitro and in vivo without toxicity. The present study documents the efficacy of EA and EA-loaded nanoparticles (EA-NPs) on the growth of Babesia and Theileria.MethodsIn this study, the inhibitory effect of EA, ?-cyclodextrin ellagic acid (?-CD EA) and antisolvent precipitation with a syringe pump prepared ellagic acid (APSP EA) was evaluated on four Babesia species and Theileria equi in vitro, and on the multiplication of B. microti in mice. The cytotoxicity assay was tested on Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK), mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH/3T3) and human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cell lines.ResultsThe half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of EA and ?-CD EA on B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, B. caballi and T. equi were 9.58?±?1.47, 7.87?±?5.8, 5.41?±?2.8, 3.29?±?0.42 and 7.46?±?0.6 µM and 8.8?±?0.53, 18.9?±?0.025, 11?±?0.37, 4.4?±?0.6 and 9.1?±?1.72 µM, respectively. The IC50 values of APSP EA on B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, B. caballi and T. equi were 4.2?±?0.42, 9.6?±?0.6, 2.6?±?1.47, 0.92?±?5.8 and 7.3?±?0.54 µM, respectively. A toxicity assay showed that EA, ?-CD EA and APSP EA affected the viability of cells with a half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) higher than 800 µM. In the experiments on mice, APSP EA at a concentration of 70 mg/kg reduced the peak parasitemia of B. microti by 68.1%. Furthermore, the APSP EA-atovaquone (AQ) combination showed a higher chemotherapeutic effect than that of APSP EA monotherapy.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the in vitro and in vivo antibabesial action of EA-NPs and thus supports the use of nanoparticles as an alternative antiparasitic agent.

Dataset Information

Dermacentor reticulatus, a putative vector of Babesia cf. microti (syn. Theileria annae) piroplasm.

Publications

Dermacentor reticulatus, a putative vector of Babesia cf. microti (syn. Theileria annae) piroplasm.

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