Detection of <i>Babesia odocoilei</i> in <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> Ticks Collected in Southern Ontario, Canada

• Main Authors: John D. Scott, Emily L. Pascoe, Muhammad S. Sajid, Janet E. Foley
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Pathogens
• Subjects: <i>Babesia odocoilei</i>; piroplasm; babesiosis; ticks; <i>Ixodes scapularis</i>; parasitism
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/3/327

Tick-borne zoonotic diseases have an economic and societal impact on the well-being of people worldwide. In the present study, a high frequency of <i>Babesia odocoilei</i>, a red blood cell parasite, was observed in the Huronia area of Ontario, Canada. Notably, 71% (15/21) blacklegged ticks, <i>Ixodes scapularis</i>, collected from canine and feline hosts were infected with <i>B. odocoilei</i>. Consistent with U.S. studies, 12.5% (4/32) of questing <i>I. scapularis</i> adults collected by flagging in various parts of southwestern Ontario were positive for <i>B. odocoilei</i>. Our data show that all <i>B. odocoilei</i> strains in the present study have consistent genetic identity, and match type strains in the GenBank database. The high incidence of <i>B. odocoilei</i> in the Huronia area indicates that this babesial infection is established, and is cycling enzootically in the natural environment. Our data confirm that <i>B. odocoilei</i> has wide distribution in southern Ontario.