Apicomplexans in small mammals from Chile, with the first report of the Babesia microti group in South American rodents.
Parasitol Res
; 121(3): 1009-1020, 2022 Mar.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35102466
ABSTRACT
Small mammals play an essential role as disseminators of pathogens because they reach high population densities and have ubiquitous distributions. In the Northern Hemisphere rodents are well recognized as reservoirs for tick-borne bacteria of the Anaplasmataceae family and also apicomplexan protozoans. In contrast, South American rodents hosting these microorganisms have been rarely identified. In this study, we collected blood from rodents and marsupials in northern Chile and screened for Anaplasmataceae bacteria and apicomplexan protozoa. Overall, 14.7% of the samples were positive for Babesia, Hepatozoon, and Sarcocystidae using conventional PCR assays targeting the structural 18S rRNA locus (18S). Phylogenetic analyses performed with amplicons derived from 18S and cytochrome c oxidase (COI) gene provided evidence of a Babesia sp. belonging to the Babesia microti group in Phyllotis darwini, and a novel Babesia genotype in P. darwini and Abrothrix jelskii. Furthermore, four novel genotypes of Hepatozoon retrieved from Abrothrix olivacea, P. darwini, and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, formed independent lineages within a clade that includes additional Hepatozoon spp. detected in South American rodents. Moreover, an incidental finding of a previously detected apicomplexan, herein designated as Sarcocystidae sp., was recorded in Thylamys opossums with a high prevalence, indicating a possible specific association with these mammals. Phylogenetic analysis of Sarcoystidae sp. clearly demonstrated its relatedness to apicomplexans detected in Australian marsupials. Our results expand the range of mammals hosting tick-borne apicomplexans in South America, highlight a novel clade consisting of South American babesias, and report for the first time the B. microti group infecting rodents in the region.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Babesiose
/
Babesia microti
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Animals
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Chile
/
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Parasitol Res
Assunto da revista:
PARASITOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Chile