engleski

Diversity of piroplasms detected in ticks: individual sequencing approach

Piroplasms are haemoprotozooan parasites that include two major genera Babesia and Theileria. So far ticks are only known vectors, and the worldwide distribution of piroplasms depends on the presence of a specific tick vector. Frequent use of molecular methods has allowed increasing of knowledge of the real diversity of the Babesia/Theileria species. The same approach has improved knowledge of tick species diversity and their capacity to be vectors of specific Babesia/Theileria species. Ticks were collected from animals and from the environment by flagging and dragging. Each tick was morphologically analyzed and confirmed by sequencing of mitohondrial 16S rRNA. 18S rRNA of Babesia/Theileria species was sequenced to obtain a deeper insight into the diversity of species present in Croatian ticks. For the first time we have confirmed presence of Ixodes rugicolis caring Babesia sp. Badger type A, while closely related Babesia sp. Badger type B was detected in I. hexagonus, both collected from red foxes. Another species "Babesia vulpes" was present in I. hexagonus. Detection of Babesia cf. crassa represents first detection in Europe. Parasite was present in Rhipicephalus sanguineus from Pelješac and questing Hamaphisalis parva from Slavonia. Theileria cf. buffeti and Babesia sp. isolate from Angola were detected in I. ricinus tick from Cres and Rhipicephalus turanicus from Pelješac. In R. turanicus and R. bursa ticks Theileria ovis and Babesia ovis have been confirmed from Southern Croatia. One of the unexpected findings represents presence of B. canis DNA in R. sanguineus s.l. and R. bursa from Southern Croatia collected from cows and goats and expected in questing Dermacentor reticulatus from Central Croatia. Two zoonotic species Babesia venatorum and B. microti have been found in unique genotype of I. hexagonus and questing I. ricinus, both from inland. The results from the current study clearly show the high diversity of piroplasms from different Croatian region, as well as conformation of "new" tick species like H. parva and I. rugicolis together with various genotypes of I. hexagonus. Further studies are needed to evaluate vector capacity of different tick isolates and distribution of piroplasms all over Croatia.

ticks, sequencing, Babesia, Theileria, Croatia

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