New Molecular Data on Mammalian Hepatozoon Species (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina) From Brazil and Spain

Abstract

Molecular techniques were used to examine the phylogenetic relationships among Hepatozoon species isolated from 13 foxes and 15 opossums from Brazil, and from 15 dogs, 20 foxes, 45 rodents, and 330 domestic cats from Spain. Hemogregarine infection was confirmed by amplification of the 18S rRNA gene and later sequencing. No hemogregarine infections were found in opossums. The prevalence of Hepatozoon in canids ranged from 26.6% (symptomatic domestic dogs) to 90% (Spanish foxes). Four different H. canis genotypes were detected, as well as an H. americanum-related protozoan (97% identical to the USA strain). Two Spanish cats were parasitized by a Hepatozoon species (0.6% prevalence) that showed 96% sequence identity to H. canis. DNA amplification assays performed on Spanish rodents showed 2 bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) to be infected by a Hepatozoon species (4.44% prevalence) with 95% sequence identity to Hepatozoon sp. from cats. Phylogenetic analysis showed Hepatozoon to be a monophyletic genus, in which species from carnivorous mammals (Hepatozoon sp. from cats, H. americanum and H. canis) appear as a sister lineage of that of lower vertebrates and rodents. This association suggests that H. americanum evolved in ticks and carnivores (either canids, or felids, or both) rather than in other ectoparasites and other types of mammal.

A Hepatozoon Species Genetically Distinct From H. Canis Infecting Spotted Hyenas in the Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania

“…Our results and those from other studies (Vincent-Johnson et al, 1997;Perkins and Keller, 2001;Simpson et al, 2006b;Criado-Fornelio et al, 2006) demonstrate the value of molecular techniques to reveal the evolutionary relationship between morphologically similar Hepatozoon species.…”

“…BLAST searches in the GenBank database resulted in best matches (100% identity) with 18S rRNA genes from a Hepatozoon sp. recently detected in domestic cats in Spain (Criado-Fornelio et al, 2006; termed Hepatozoon sp. ''felis'' in GenBank).…”

“…Infection of the vertebrate host normally occurs by ingestion of an infected invertebrate host such as a tick (Smith, 1996). Hepatozoon species are classified on the basis of morphologic characteristics, life history and host taxon, and molecular phylogenetic techniques are used to establish the evolutionary relationships among species (Vincent-Johnson et al, 1997;Perkins and Keller, 2001;Simpson et al, 2006aSimpson et al, , 2006bCriado-Fornelio et al, 2006).…”

“…Recent phylogenetic studies of unnamed Hepatozoon species in carnivores, including pine martens (Martes martes) in Scotland (Simpson et al, 2006a) and domestic cats in Spain (Criado-Fornelio et al, 2006), suggested that these Hepatozoon species were sufficiently genetically distinct from H. canis (96% sequence homology over a 656 bp sequence and a 908 bp sequence, respectively) to be considered distinct species.…”

Molecular identification of Hepatozoon canis in dogs from Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

“…In Brazil, although species genetically related to H. americanum have been described parasitizing wild canids (CRIADO-FORNELIO et al, 2006;ANDRÉ et al, 2010), only H. canis has been detected in domestic dogs (PALUDO et al, 2005;MUNDIM et al, 2008;RAMOS et al, 2010;GONÇALVES et al, 2014).…”