The Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Babesia divergens in Ixodes ricinus Nymphs Collected from Farm- and Woodland Sites in Ireland

Pathogens

Jack O’Connor¹  John Browne²  Jeremy Gray³  Taher Zaid⁴  Amie Flattery⁴  Fiona McKiernan⁴  Annetta Zintl⁴ 

[1] MSD Ireland, South County Business Park, D18 X5R3 Dublin, Ireland;UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin,D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland;UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland;UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland;

关键词: redwater fever;    Babesia divergens;    Ixodes ricinus;    Ireland;    tick infection rates;    18S rRNA;   

DOI  :  10.3390/pathogens11030312

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The parasite, Babesia divergens causes redwater fever in cattle and a rare, albeit life-threatening disease in humans. In Ireland, B. divergens has always been considered an important pathogen as the high incidence of redwater fever precluded areas of the country from cattle farming. Moreover a relatively large proportion of human cases were reported here. Red deer (Cervus elaphus), which often harbour babesias that are genetically very similar (if not identical) to B. divergens, are quite widespread. In this study 1369 nymphal Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from various habitats were screened for the presence of B. divergens using TaqMan followed by conventional nested PCR. Fragments of the 18S rRNA gene locus (560 bp) were compared against published Irish B. divergens isolates from cattle, humans and red deer. Overall just 1% of I. ricinus nymphs were infected with B. divergens, with similar infection rates in ticks collected from farm- and woodland. Most (90%) 18S rRNA gene fragments derived from woodland ticks were 100% identical to published sequences from cattle and humans. One differed by a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) as did two isolates from ticks collected in bogland. Two isolates derived from nymphs collected in farmland differed by 2 and 4 SNPs respectively.

【 授权许可】

Unknown