Three new species of Cytauxzoon in European wild felids

Panait, Luciana Cătălina; Mihalca, Andrei Daniel; Modrý, David; Juránková, Jana; Ionică, Angela Monica; Deak, Georgiana; Gherman, Călin Mircea; Heddergott, Mike; Hodžić, Adnan; Veronesi, Fabrizia; Reichard, Mason V.; Zieman, Elliott A.; Nielsen, Clayton K.; Jimenez-Ruiz, F. Agustin; Hrazdilová, Kristýna

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109344

Cited by 41 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…and Cytauxzoon spp. Tick-borne pathogens in cats have come into the spotlight during the last years, due to a re-evaluation of the clinical impact, apparent emergence, and prevalent occurrence, along with new data on epizootiological and zoonotic potential of some of them [ 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 ]. However, as ectoparasites were out of the scope of the present study, no further analysis of the ticks was made.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endoparasites of European Wildcats (Felis silvestris) in Greece

et al. 2021

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The European wildcat (Felis silvestris) is the only wild felid living in Greece. Wildcat populations are declining due to anthropogenic and phenological unfavourable conditions, and parasites may have an additional negative impact. In the present study, the occurrence of endoparasites in wildcats in Greece and the potential threats posed to wildcats, domestic animals, and humans in the study areas has been investigated. In a six-year period, 23 road-killed wildcats and 62 wildcat faecal samples were collected from different areas of the country. Necropsy for the detection of endoparasites and standard parasitological examinations of faecal samples were performed. Parasites were morphologically identified and, in selected cases, molecularly analysed. All necropsied wildcats (100%) were infected by three to 10 different parasite taxa, with the most prevalent being Taenia taeniaeformis (73.9%), Toxocara cati (60.9%), Angiostrongylus chabaudi (56.5%), Ancylostoma tubaeforme (39.1%), Cylicospirura spp. (34.8%), Troglostrongylus brevior (34.8%), and Capillaria aerophila (33.8%). Of the 62 faecal samples examined, 53 (85.5%) were positive for one or more parasite elements (larvae, eggs, or oocysts). The most frequent were T. cati (45.2%), A. chabaudi (29%), C. aerophila (24.2%), and Ancylostomatidae (17.7%). This is the first survey on endoparasites affecting wildcats in Greece. Some of the parasites here found are frequent in domestic and wild felids, while others, i.e., Oslerus rostratus and Cylicospirura petrowi, were described for the first time in the European wildcat. Most of them have a significant pathogenic potential, causing severe to hazardous diseases to infected felids and some, under specific circumstances, can also threaten human health.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endoparasites of European Wildcats (Felis silvestris) in Greece

et al. 2021

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“…in samples co-infected with other blood apicomplexans, such as Cytauxzoon spp. [ 9 , 61 ] and Hepatozoon spp. [ 24 , 62 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During necropsy, blood, spleen, liver or heart samples were collected and stored at −20 °C, until further processing. Samples from 42 animals were included in previous studies [ 9 , 29 ], focusing on Cytauxzoon spp. detection and characterization.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the first description of the microorganism in erythrocytes of Romanian cattle by Victor Babeş, at the end of the 19th century, more than 100 new species have been described [ 6 , 7 ]. The growing number of available mitochondrial sequences suggests that species diversity of piroplasmids in European wildlife is highly underestimated [ 8 , 9 ]. Robust species differentiation and understanding of their hosts spectrum are necessary for the identification of the parasite in endangered wild species, and for proper diagnostic of the clinical cases in domestic animals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The present study was driven by the lack of relevant data on Babesia in European wild felids and by our findings of B. canis in felids in the course of other studies on feline piroplasms [ 9 ]. Therefore, we aimed to understand the diversity of feline Babesia in wild felids in Romania using the 18S rDNA and subsequent molecular characterization by analyzing two mitochondrial markers, Cytb and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) genes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Babesia pisicii n. sp. and Babesia canis Infect European Wild Cats, Felis silvestris, in Romania

et al. 2021

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Haemoparasites of the genus Babesia infect a wide range of domestic and wild animals. Feline babesiosis is considered endemic in South Africa, while data on Babesia spp. infection in felids in Europe is scarce. Using samples from 51 wild felids, 44 Felis silvestris and 7 Lynx lynx, the study aimed to determine the presence and genetic diversity of Babesia spp. in wild felids in Romania by analyzing the 18S rDNA and two mitochondrial markers, cytochrome b (Cytb) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) genes. By 18S rDNA analyses, Babesia spp. DNA was detected in 20 European wild felids. All sequences showed 100% similarity to B. canis by BLAST analysis. Conversely, Cytb and COI analyses revealed the presence of two Babesia spp., B. pisicii n. sp., which we herein describe, and B. canis. The pairwise comparison of both mitochondrial genes of B. pisicii n. sp. showed a genetic distance of at least 10.3% from the most closely related species, B. rossi. Phylogenetic analyses of Cytb and COI genes revealed that B. pisicii n. sp. is related to the so-called “large” canid-associated Babesia species forming a separate subclade in a sister position to B. rossi.

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