Babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in “fighting dogs” in Hungary
Babesia gibsoni is considered as an emerging protozoan parasite of dogs in North America and Europe. However, no data have been published on its prevalence, molecular-phylogenetic characteristics and associated co-infections in dogs used for illegal fighting (i.e. predisposed to acquiring this pirop...
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doaj-72cc83b616e749c3b1dc2f8b21cb2def2021-09-27T04:29:39ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases2667-114X2021-01-011100048Babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in “fighting dogs” in HungaryBarbara Tuska-Szalay0Zsuzsanna Vizi1Regina Hofmann-Lehmann2Péter Vajdovich3Nóra Takács4Marina L. Meli5Róbert Farkas6Viktória Stummer-Knyihár7Ákos Jerzsele8Jenő Kontschán9Sándor Szekeres10Sándor Hornok11Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Corresponding author.Department and Clinic of Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, HungaryClinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Clinical Pathology and Oncology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, HungaryClinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, HungaryPolice Education and Training Centre of Hungarian Police, Service Dog Training Centre, Dunakeszi, HungaryDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, HungaryPlant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, ELKH, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, HungaryBabesia gibsoni is considered as an emerging protozoan parasite of dogs in North America and Europe. However, no data have been published on its prevalence, molecular-phylogenetic characteristics and associated co-infections in dogs used for illegal fighting (i.e. predisposed to acquiring this piroplasm via biting) in Europe. In this study, blood samples from 79 American Staffordshire Terrier dogs, confiscated for illegal dog fights, were molecularly analyzed for tick-borne pathogens. Babesia gibsoni was detected in 32 dogs, i.e. with a prevalence of 40.5%. In addition, Babesia vulpes was found in 8 samples (prevalence of 10.1%), for the first time in dogs in Hungary. Canine hemoplasmas were also identified in 49 samples (62%): only Mycoplasma haemocanis in 32 (40.5%) dogs, only “Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum” in 9 (11.4%) dogs, and both hemoplasmas in 8 (10.1%) dogs. Thus, hemoplasma infections also showed a particularly high prevalence in this dog population. Based on a partial fragment of the 18S rRNA gene, B. gibsoni from Hungary exhibited complete sequence identity with conspecific strains reported from Europe and Asia. The cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene sequence of this isolate showed the closest identity with B. gibsoni reported from Japan but had a nonsynonymous mutation (M33I). Furthermore, the 11 B. gibsoni-positive samples analyzed for sequence variants of the cytochrome b (cytb) gene showed the presence of a common mutation (P310S). Most importantly, B. gibsoni had two further nonsynonymous mutations, M121I and F258L, in a dog with severe and relapsing anemia following atovaquone treatment. Phylogenetically, both cytb sequence variants clustered together, with a clear geographical pattern showing the closest relationship of both haplotypes identified in Hungary with those from China and Japan. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first cox1 and cytb characterization of B. gibsoni in Europe, as well as the first report on the emergence of this piroplasm and hemoplasmas with high prevalence among “fighting dogs” north of the Mediterranean Basin.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667114X2100042XPiroplasmscox1cytbBabesia vulpesCanine hemoplasmas |
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DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Barbara Tuska-Szalay Zsuzsanna Vizi Regina Hofmann-Lehmann Péter Vajdovich Nóra Takács Marina L. Meli Róbert Farkas Viktória Stummer-Knyihár Ákos Jerzsele Jenő Kontschán Sándor Szekeres Sándor Hornok |
spellingShingle |
Barbara Tuska-Szalay Zsuzsanna Vizi Regina Hofmann-Lehmann Péter Vajdovich Nóra Takács Marina L. Meli Róbert Farkas Viktória Stummer-Knyihár Ákos Jerzsele Jenő Kontschán Sándor Szekeres Sándor Hornok Babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in “fighting dogs” in Hungary Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases Piroplasms cox1 cytb Babesia vulpes Canine hemoplasmas |
author_facet |
Barbara Tuska-Szalay Zsuzsanna Vizi Regina Hofmann-Lehmann Péter Vajdovich Nóra Takács Marina L. Meli Róbert Farkas Viktória Stummer-Knyihár Ákos Jerzsele Jenő Kontschán Sándor Szekeres Sándor Hornok |
author_sort |
Barbara Tuska-Szalay |
title |
Babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in “fighting dogs” in Hungary |
title_short |
Babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in “fighting dogs” in Hungary |
title_full |
Babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in “fighting dogs” in Hungary |
title_fullStr |
Babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in “fighting dogs” in Hungary |
title_full_unstemmed |
Babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in “fighting dogs” in Hungary |
title_sort |
babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in “fighting dogs” in hungary |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases |
issn |
2667-114X |
publishDate |
2021-01-01 |
description |
Babesia gibsoni is considered as an emerging protozoan parasite of dogs in North America and Europe. However, no data have been published on its prevalence, molecular-phylogenetic characteristics and associated co-infections in dogs used for illegal fighting (i.e. predisposed to acquiring this piroplasm via biting) in Europe. In this study, blood samples from 79 American Staffordshire Terrier dogs, confiscated for illegal dog fights, were molecularly analyzed for tick-borne pathogens. Babesia gibsoni was detected in 32 dogs, i.e. with a prevalence of 40.5%. In addition, Babesia vulpes was found in 8 samples (prevalence of 10.1%), for the first time in dogs in Hungary. Canine hemoplasmas were also identified in 49 samples (62%): only Mycoplasma haemocanis in 32 (40.5%) dogs, only “Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum” in 9 (11.4%) dogs, and both hemoplasmas in 8 (10.1%) dogs. Thus, hemoplasma infections also showed a particularly high prevalence in this dog population. Based on a partial fragment of the 18S rRNA gene, B. gibsoni from Hungary exhibited complete sequence identity with conspecific strains reported from Europe and Asia. The cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene sequence of this isolate showed the closest identity with B. gibsoni reported from Japan but had a nonsynonymous mutation (M33I). Furthermore, the 11 B. gibsoni-positive samples analyzed for sequence variants of the cytochrome b (cytb) gene showed the presence of a common mutation (P310S). Most importantly, B. gibsoni had two further nonsynonymous mutations, M121I and F258L, in a dog with severe and relapsing anemia following atovaquone treatment. Phylogenetically, both cytb sequence variants clustered together, with a clear geographical pattern showing the closest relationship of both haplotypes identified in Hungary with those from China and Japan. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first cox1 and cytb characterization of B. gibsoni in Europe, as well as the first report on the emergence of this piroplasm and hemoplasmas with high prevalence among “fighting dogs” north of the Mediterranean Basin. |
topic |
Piroplasms cox1 cytb Babesia vulpes Canine hemoplasmas |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667114X2100042X |
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