| dc.description.abstract | BACKGROUND: Babesia gibsoni is a tick-borne blood protozoan parasite, which is responsible for causing babesiosis in dogs. It has been reported that this parasite is mainly transmitted by the ticks Haemaphysalis longicornis and Rhipicephalus sanguineus in Asian countries. The disease relationship of Haemaphysalis hystricis has not been studied, therefore it is not known if this species may also be a vector for B. gibsoni.
METHODS: H. hystricis and R. sanguineus ticks were collected from dogs in Taiwan and were sent to the Utrecht Centre for Tick-borne Diseases (UCTD). At the UCTD a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Reverse Line Blot hybridization (RLB) were done. Moreover, DNA samples from dogs in Taiwan were also tested at the UCTD by PCR and RLB. A second generation H. hystricis nymphs was obtained from one collection first generation H. hystricis adults, which were also tested at the UCTD.
RESULTS: A total of 185 ticks were used for testing of which 104 were H. hystricis adults, 80 were R. sanguineus adults and 1 was a H. hystricis nymph. B. gibsoni infection was detected in 17,3% (18/104) of H. hystricis ticks, whereas none of the R. sanguineus ticks (0/80) were infected. Furthermore, B. gibsoni infection was not found in the second generation of H. hystricis nymphs. Also, 122 DNA samples were tested at the UCTD, which revealed that 20,5% (25/122) was positive for B. gibsoni. Finally, Babesia vogeli (n=4) was also found in R. sanguineus adults.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence to support the hypothesis that H. hystricis may be the vector of B. gibsoni and not R. sanguineus. The vector competence of both ticks need to be further studied. | |
