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The horse-parasitizing species Babesia equi Laveran, 1901 was redescribed as Theileria equi Mehlhorn, Schein 1998 and, thus, transferred from one valid genus to another. This transfer was needed since it turned out that this horse parasite showed the relevant characteristics of theilerians with regard to biological data, morphological features, biochemical properties, and molecular biological relationships.

The first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS1, ITS2) as well as the intervening 5.8S coding region of the rRNA gene were characterized in eight Babesia canis isolates of differing geographic origin, vector specificity, and pathogenicity to dogs. The genotypes determined by sequencing segregated into three clearly separated groups close to or near the species level and correspond to the previously proposed subspecies B. canis canis, B. canis vogeli, and B. canis rossi. The three genotypes can be distinguished by Sau96I digestion of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified rDNA target.

f "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" (Anaplasmataceae) is an emerging pathogen transmitted by Ixodes ticks. Conventional PCR and the newly developed high-resolution melt PCR were used to detect and discriminate "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Both bacterial species were frequently found in Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus but virtually absent from Dermacentor reticulatus. In rodents, "Candidatus N. mikurensis" was significantly more prevalent than A. phagocytophilum, whereas in cats, only A. phagocytophilum was found. Pathogenic Anaplasmataceae of the genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Neoehrlichia are transmitted by ixodidae. Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the agent of human, equine, canine, and feline granulocytic anaplasmosis (GA) and tick-borne fever of ruminants, occurs throughout central and northern Europe (1). Anaplasma phagocytophilum genotypes in North America and Europe apparently differ in host tropisms and clinical symptoms, with ruminant tick-borne fever and equine GA found predominantly in Europe and human GA predominantly in North America (1). Although human GA is often asymptomatic, 7% of diagnosed clinical cases require intensive medical care and 0.6% of the cases are fatal (2). Anaplasma phagocytophilum is transmitted by Ixodes species. In Eurasia, vector competence has not been experimentally established for any tick species, but the bacterium was detected in many different Ixodes species (1), including Ixodes ricinus (3, 4) and Ixodes hexagonus (1, 5).Recently, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" was identified as a new member of the Anaplasmataceae. This emerging pathogen is also transmitted by Ixodes ticks and can cause severe disease in humans (6-8) and dogs (9). It was first identified in Ixodes ovatus and Rattus norvegicus in Japan (10). Bacterial DNA was detected in liver, heart, and spleen tissue, and intracellular bacteria were found in splenic endothelial cells. In two human cases, the pathogen occurred in granulocytes (11). Previously, very closely related 16S rRNA gene sequences were reported as the Schotti variant of Ehrlichia-like bacteria in the Netherlands (12) and Ehrlichia sp. "Rattus Strain" in China (13). "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" appears to be one of the most prevalent pathogens in I. ricinus in Europe (14-17), suggesting the possibility that many subclinical human infections occur. Therefore, the aim was to develop a real-time high-resolution melt PCR (HRM-PCR) assay discriminating A. phagocytophilum and "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis."Six rodent species were trapped in 2010 and 2011 at four different sites in Berlin (Table 1). Spleen samples were collected during necropsy from cats from animal shelters in Berlin (2006Berlin ( to 2008. Host-associated, nonengorged, or partially engorged I. ricinus and I. hexagonus ticks were collected from dogs in Berlin and Brandenburg by their owners and sent to the Small Animal Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Questing Dermacentor reticulatus ticks were collected ...

Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated from healthy calves and were subsequently infected with sporozoites of Theileria annulata in vitro. The infected cells were passaged for 50 times and thereafter inoculated into animals from which they were previously isolated. Within 4-5 days, schizont-containing cells were demonstrable in the lymph nodes of all animals. Few days later, merozoites were detected in erythrocytes. A slight decrease in the counts of lymphocytes and leucocytes was also found. After 2 months these animals and a group of uninfected calves were heavily infected by tick-infestation and showed severe symptoms of theileriosis with 60 % schizont-containing cells in the lymph nodes and a parasitaemia of about 35 %. Because of the severity of the infection, all control calves were treated with Halofuginone. In contrast, the initially immunized cattle (by inoculation of culture cells), survived the infection without chemotherapy. Less than 10 % of their lymph node cells contained schizonts, whereas less than 1 % of their erythrocytes were found to be infected with merozoites.In all immunized animals, specific cytotoxic PBL, with the capacity to lyse autologous but not allogeneic infected cells, were demonstrated. In addition, a population of PBL were found to be able to inhibit the growth of T. annulata-infected culture cells in vitro. However, in comparison to PBL of immune animals, PBL of acute infected calves were superior in their capacity to inhibit the proliferation of schizont-containing cells.In mixed lymphocyte reactions, T. annulata-infected cells could induce a more pronounced proliferative response in PBL from immune than in PBL of uninfected animals.

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The unforeseen outbreak of bluetongue in north-western Europe in August 2006 raised the question, which Culicoides spp. were involved in the transmission of bluetongue virus (BTV). Based on the decision 2007/20/EU of December 2006, a large-scale entomological surveillance programme was initiated in the five affected EU member states including Germany. This paper reports on the entomological findings obtained from March/April 2007 to May 2008 at 15 sampling sites in the federal states of Lower Saxony (eastern region), Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt: The number of captured biting midges in one trap varied from none or few Culicoides during winter (December 2007 to April 2008) to up to more than 12,500 individuals during summer and autumn. Catches of the C. obsoletus group were consistently higher than those of the C. pulicaris group. C. imicola, the principal afro-asiatic vector of BTV, was not detected. High numbers of midges were caught inside the cattle sheds. Eleven pools of biting midges were RT-PCR-positive to BTV-8 including pools of non-engorged midges of the C. obsoletus and of the C. pulicaris groups. The first BTV-genome positive pool of midges was detected in August 2007; the remaining genome-positive pools were detected during October and November 2007.