An epidemiological study in wild carnivores from Spanish Mediterranean ecosystems reveals association between Leishmania infantum, Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. infection and new hosts for Hepatozoon martis , Hepatozoon canis and Sarcocystis spp.

Abstract

The aetiology and epidemiology of vector borne apicomplexan Babesia and Hepatozoon and kinetoplastid Leishmania infantum infections in wildlife have not been explored in wide areas of southern Spain. We investigated these infections in 151 wild carnivores, including foxes, badgers, beech martens, hedgehogs, wild cats, Egyptian mongooses, otters, genets and racoons. Overall, Hepatozoon, Babesia and L. infantum infections were detected in 68%, 48% and 23% of the wild animals surveyed, respectively. L. infantuminfected wildlife were more likely to be also infected with the apicomplexan Hepatozoon and Babesia spp. compared to the non-infected counterparts (p < .05). We report for the first time Hepatozoon martis in badgers and wild cats and H. canis in beech martens, and a Babesia sp. in wild cats from Spain. Our results also indicate the widespread distribution of H. canis in foxes (91%) and beech martens (13%), H. martis in beech martens (81%), wild cats (20%) and badgers (13%), H. felis in wild cats (60%), B. vulpes in foxes (64%), Babesia sp. type A closely related to B. vulpes, in badgers (58%) and Babesia sp. in wild cats (20%). Moreover, L. infantum infection was found in foxes (29%), beech martens (13%), badgers (8%) and 1/3 Egyptian mongooses. We also detected Cytauxzoon sp. in a wild cat and the first Sarcocystis sp. in a genet. This study provided evidence of increased risk of L. infantum infection in wildlife animals co-infected with Babesia spp.or Hepatozoon spp. and indicated that these infections are widespread in wild carnivores from Spanish Mediterranean ecosystems.

Molecular epidemiological study on ticks and tick-borne protozoan parasites (Apicomplexa: Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon spp.) from wild cats (Felis silvestris), Mustelidae and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in central Europe, Hungary

“…This new species was also identified as the cause of a fatal infection in a domestic cat in Switzerland [ 17 ]. In addition, a new Hepatozoon species, H. martis , was discovered in martens (Mustelidae) in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina [ 18 ], and also reported from badgers in Spain [ 19 ]. Last but not least, although H. sciuri is long known to occur in some European countries (e.g.…”

Invasive raccoon (Procyon lotor) and raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) as potential reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens: data review from native and introduced areas

“…of raccoons in the USA and Japan are currently available. Only a few individuals of European raccoons in Austria and Spain have been tested for Babesia sp ., and none of these were found to be infected with this protozoan [ 28 , 43 ]. The nomenclature of the Babesia species detected in raccoons is still inconsistent.…”

“… 170/699 (24%) B. microti USA-native 5/15(33.3%) PCR [ 39 ] B. microti USA-native 0/3 PCR [ 54 ] Babesia sp. Spain-introduced 0/2 PCR [ 43 ] B. vulpes 0/2 Hepatozoon spp. Hepatozoon sp.…”

“… USA-native 4/4 (100%) PCR [ 44 ] H. canis Spain-introduced 5/194 (2.57%) PCR [ 45 ] Hepatozoon sp. USA-native 3/15 (20%) PCR [ 39 ] H. canis Spain-introduced 0/2 PCR [ 43 ] H. felis 0/2 H. martis 0/2 Borrelia spp. B. burgdorferi USA-native 1/21 (4.8%) IFAT [ 46 ] B. burgdorferi USA-native 75/370 (20%) ELISA [ 47 ] B. burgdorferi USA-native 23/87 (26%) IFAT [ 48 ] B. burgdorferi USA-native 9/200 (4.5%) IFAT [ 49 ] Borrelia sp .…”

Nutritional Modulation of the Immune Response Mediated by Nucleotides in Canine Leishmaniosis

“…Cats are gaining importance in the zoonotic cycle of visceral leishmaniasis, as they have been shown to be capable of transmitting L. infantum to sand flies, and reports of feline leishmaniosis cases are increasing [23,24]. This parasite is also widespread in wild carnivores, and the risk of infection in wildlife animals is high [25,26].…”