Genotyping of Babesia bigemina from cattle from a non-endemic area (Switzerland)

In August 2002, bovine anaplasmosis and concurrent infections with Mycoplasma sp. and piroplasms were reported in a cattle herd in an alpine region of Switzerland. The piroplasms were identified by PCR/sequencing of part of the 18S rRNA gene as Babesia bigemina and Theileria of the buffeli/sergenti/orientalis-complex, which have never been diagnosed in Switzerland before. The B. bigemina isolate was genetically characterised at two loci and compared with isolates from Italy, Spain, Turkey, Kenya and Mexico. Analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the rRNA genes revealed high polymorphism not only among the isolates but even within the isolates, and the presence of two types of the ITS2 in every isolate was confirmed. A dendrogram based on ITS2 sequences showed that the Swiss isolate was most closely related to a Spanish isolate but no sequences of the isolate from Switzerland were identical to any of the other isolates. The isolate from Italy was not positioned in the same cluster as the Swiss and the Spanish isolate. This had been anticipated as the nearest known endemic area of B. bigemina in Central Italy. Sequence analysis of the rhoptry-associated protein-1c gene (rap1c) confirmed the similarity of the Swiss and Spanish isolate. Hence, our molecular analyses of the Swiss B. bigemina isolate did not unequivocally track its geographical origin and the way of introduction remains obscure

Concurrent infections with vector-borne pathogens associated with fatal anaemia in cattle: haematology and blood chemistry

An outbreak of a fatal haemolytic anaemia in a dairy herd of cattle in Switzerland was shown to be associated with infections with five vector-borne pathogens, namely Anaplasma marginale, A. phagocytophilum, Babesia bigemina, a Theileria spp belonging to the buffeli/sergenti/orientalis complex and haemotrophic Mycoplasma spp. The latter three had not been documented before this outbreak in Switzerland. To characterise the haematological and blood chemical changes in these unique cows, packed cell volume was determined in all 286 blood samples, blood smears, and complete haematology were performed from 285 and 173 blood samples, respectively, and biochemical parameters were assayed in 105 serum samples. Regenerative anaemia was the key sign of illness. Red blood cells of anaemic cattle were hypochromic and macrocytic. Anaemic animals had reduced platelet cell counts and increased total white cell counts. In addition, increased serum bilirubin, blood aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyltransferase, glutamic dehydrogenase and blood urea nitrogen and decreased magnesium, calcium and albumin levels were found in anaemic cattle when compared to animals with normal packed cell volume. Most changes could not be attributed to a single infection. A. marginale seemed to be important in causing the outbreak, but co-infections may have aggravated the disease development and clinical signs. Thus, when encountering cattle with haemolytic anaemia, all of the mentioned pathogens should be included as differential diagnosis

Prevalence and diversity of <it>Babesia</it> spp. in questing <it>Ixodes ricinus</it> ticks from Norway

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Ixodes ricinus</it> ticks transmit <it>Babesia</it> species to vertebrate hosts. Using molecular tools we were able to detect the presence of this piroplasmid in its vector. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and identity of <it>Babesia</it> species in questing ticks collected in various areas of Norway.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>DNA from questing <it>l. ricinus</it> ticks were examined with a realtime PCR for the presence of <it>Babesia</it>. Positive samples of tick DNA were identified to species using PCR, and sequence analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>From a total of 1908 questing <it>l. ricinus</it> ticks, 17 (0.9%) indicated the presence of <it>Babesia</it> spp. after realtime-PCR screening. <it>Ixodes ricinus</it> harbouring <it>Babesia</it> spp. was detected in 9 out of 22 localities. Further molecular analyses of DNA from these positive ticks indicate the presence of <it>Babesia venatorum</it>, <it>B. divergens</it>, <it>B. capreoli</it> and a currently undescribed <it>Babesia</it> in Norwegian ticks. The most prevalent was <it>B. venatorum</it> found in 71% of the positive ticks.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A total of 17 out of 1908 (0.9%) ticks were positive for <it>Babesia</it>. Our data confirm that there are several <it>Babesia</it> species in ticks in Norway. <it>Babesia venatorum</it> was the most prevalent. This species has a zoonotic potential and may cause human babesiosis following a tick bite.</p