Epidemiology and molecular phylogeny of Babesia sp. in Little Penguins Eudyptula minor in Australia

Vanstreels, Ralph Eric Thijl; Woehler, Eric J.; Ruoppolo, Valéria; Vertigan, Peter; Carlile, Nicholas; Priddel, David; Finger, Annett; Dann, Peter; Herrin, Kimberly Vinette; Thompson, Peggy; Ferreira, Francisco C.; Braga, Érika Martins; Hurtado, Renata; Epiphânio, Sabrina; Catão‐Dias, José Luiz

doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2015.03.002

Cited by 17 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(60 reference statements)

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“…However, considering that the partial 18S rRNA gene sequence produced by Montero et al (2016) has a high identity to the sequence of Babesia sp. from little penguins (226/228 nucleotides; 99.1% ) that was produced using the same methods as in this study (see Vanstreels et al 2015), it seems reasonable to assume that the primers and protocols employed in this study would have been successful in detecting the Babesia sp. strain reported by Montero et al (2016) if it had been present in the studied samples.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…The fact that the primers used to target the 18S rRNA gene of piroplasmids can also amplify the gene sequences of non-target fungal organisms is not unexpected considering that they were originally intended for phylogenetic studies and were designed to target highly conserved regions (Medlin et al 1988;Gubbels et al 1999;Criado-Fornelio et al 2003), hence they were not designed to be genus-specific for diagnostic purposes. Previous studies have shown that primers targeting the 18S rRNA gene of avian piroplasmids may also occasionally cross-amplify host DNA (Vanstreels et al 2015;Montero et al 2016). Our results underscore that when using primers targeting highly conserved sequences such as the 18S rRNA gene, it is imperative to sequence amplification products, and only sequencing-confirmed results should be considered as positive in estimates of piroplasmid prevalence.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite their inherent limitations in terms of specificity, the primers targeting the 18S rRNA gene employed in this study have been successfully employed in other studies to detect Babesia spp. in birds (Yabsley et al 2006;Yabsley et al 2009), including penguins (Vanstreels et al 2015;Yabsley et al 2017). Unfortunately, the 18S rRNA gene sequence produced by Montero et al (2016) for Babesia sp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1800 bp amplicon) followed by BabRLBF and BabRLBR to amplify a 460-520 bp fragment, and (b) nested PCR 2 employs primers Bab5.1 and BabB followed by Bab5.1v2 and Bab3.1 to amplify a 1620-1720 bp fragment. PCR protocols were identical to those described by Vanstreels et al (2015). Gel electrophoresis was conducted to visualize amplification products, using 2% agarose gel electrophoresis with SYBR Safe (S33102, Invitrogen) and 6% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with silver staining.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Investigation ofBabesiasp. in pygoscelid penguins at the South Shetland Islands

et al. 2018

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Babesia spp. are tick-borne parasites, and 16 avian-infecting species have been described to date, including one species (Babesia peircei) that infects penguins. Considering the results of a recent study reporting Babesia sp. in penguins on Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, we reexamined the samples obtained in a previous investigation on the occurrence of blood parasites in adult Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae), chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarcticus) and gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) on King George and Elephant islands, South Shetland Islands. Notwithstanding a comprehensive re-examination of the blood smears, Babesia sp. was not detected. When we employed two nested PCR tests targeting the 18S rRNA gene of Babesia, a considerable proportion of the samples produced positive results; however, gene sequencing revealed these were due to crossamplification of non-target organisms. We therefore did not detect Babesia sp. infection in penguins on King George and Elephant islands. Additional studies will be valuable to clarify the distribution and epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic seabirds.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Investigation ofBabesiasp. in pygoscelid penguins at the South Shetland Islands

et al. 2018

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“…Recently, the description of piroplasmids in avian species around the world has been raised [9][10][11][12][48][49][50][51][52]. According to Chavatte et al [53] avian piroplasmids form a poliphyletic group that is currently divided into three clades: the first one is related to Babesia duncani and protheilerids and formed by B. ardeae from Ardea cinerea, B. poelea and Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arthropod-borne agents in wild Orinoco geese ( Neochen jubata ) in Brazil

Werther

Luzzi

Gonçalves

et al. 2017

Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

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Although Orinoco goose (Neochen jubata) is an anatid species widely distributed in South America, scarce are the reports on the occurrence of arthropod-borne pathogens in this avian species. The present work aimed to verify, by serological and molecular methods, the occurrence of haemosporida piroplasmids and Anaplasmataceae agents in wild Orinoco geese captured in Brazil. Between 2010 and 2014, 62 blood samples were collected from free-living geese captured in the Araguaia River, Goiás State, Brazil. Six geese (10%) were seropositive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, showing titers ranging from 40 and 80. Twenty out of 62 blood samples (32.25%) were positive in nested PCR for hemosporidia (cytochrome b gene). Fifteen and five sequences shared identity with Haemoproteus and Plasmodium, respectively. Six out of 62 blood samples (9.68%) were positive in nested PCR for Babesia spp. (18S rRNA gene); one sequence showed to be closely related to Babesia vogeli. Thirty (48.38%) out of 62 Orinoco geese blood samples were positive in nested cPCR assays for Anaplasmataceae agents (16S rRNA gene): three for Anaplasma spp. and 27 for Ehrlichia. Six geese were simultaneously positive to Haemoproteus and Ehrlichia; three animals were co-positive to different Ehrlichia species/genotypes; and one goose sample was positive for both Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. The present work showed the occurrence of Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Babesia, Plasmodium, and Haemoproteus species in free-living N. jubata in Brazil. The threat of these arthropod-borne pathogens in Orinoco goose's fitness, especially during the breading season, should be assessed in the future.

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Redescription of Babesia ardeae Toumanoff, 1940, a parasite of Ardeidae, including molecular characterization

Chavatte

Okumura²,

Landau

2017

Parasitol Res

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Among the actual 16 identified and thought to be valid avian piroplasm species, certain parasites are only known from their original description with no subsequent report. Babesia ardeae Toumanoff, 1940 is one of them. It was described from a single sacrificed gray heron (Ardea cinerea) from Vietnam and had never been reported since this date despite inhabiting a very common avian host. The present study reports the accidental rediscovery of B. ardeae from an injured wild gray heron rescued in Singapore. This report confirms the existence of this parasite species in the gray heron from Southeast Asia, highlights the similarities with the original description, provides additional morphologic and morphometric data, and designates neotype material for B. ardeae. Additionally, the report also furnishes the first molecular data about B. ardeae with the amplification and sequencing of the near-full-length 18S rRNA gene sequence and its comparison with the other available sequences of avian piroplasms. Phylogenetic analysis based on this gene was performed to study the relationship of B. ardeae with the other piroplasms from mammals and birds and indicated that B. ardeae appears as a brother group of a clade formed by several avian piroplasm species isolated from seabirds, altogether clustering in a well-supported clade related to the "Babesia duncani group" and protothelerids. Scarcity of this parasite is discussed as well as its taxonomy in relation to the conundrum about the systematics of piroplasms.

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Epidemiology and molecular phylogeny of Babesia sp. in Little Penguins Eudyptula minor in Australia

Cited by 17 publications

References 41 publications

Investigation ofBabesiasp. in pygoscelid penguins at the South Shetland Islands

Investigation ofBabesiasp. in pygoscelid penguins at the South Shetland Islands

Arthropod-borne agents in wild Orinoco geese ( Neochen jubata ) in Brazil

Redescription of Babesia ardeae Toumanoff, 1940, a parasite of Ardeidae, including molecular characterization

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