First evidence of tick-borne protozoan pathogens, Babesia sp. and Hepatozoon canis, in red foxes (vulpes vulpes) in Serbia

Juwaid, Salem; Sukara, Ratko; Penezić, Aleksandra; Mihaljica, Darko; Veinović, Gorana; Kavallieratos, Nickolas G.; Ćirović, Duško; Tomanović, Snežana

doi:10.1556/004.2019.008

Cited by 13 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Babesia canis was confirmed by PCR and sequencing in 4.2% (9/216) of golden jackals [ 66 ]. In red foxes, two Babesia species were identified by molecular methods: B. vulpes (28.7%) and B. canis in a single fox (0.8%) [ 67 ]. Co-infection with B. vulpes and H. canis was present in 20.2% of foxes.…”

Section: South-eastern Europementioning

confidence: 99%

Babesiosis in Southeastern, Central and Northeastern Europe: An Emerging and Re-Emerging Tick-Borne Disease of Humans and Animals

Bajer

Beck

et al. 2022

Microorganisms

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There is now considerable evidence that in Europe, babesiosis is an emerging infectious disease, with some of the causative species spreading as a consequence of the increasing range of their tick vector hosts. In this review, we summarize both the historic records and recent findings on the occurrence and incidence of babesiosis in 20 European countries located in southeastern Europe (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia), central Europe (Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland), and northern and northeastern Europe (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway), identified in humans and selected species of domesticated animals (cats, dogs, horses, and cattle). Recorded cases of human babesiosis are still rare, but their number is expected to rise in the coming years. This is because of the widespread and longer seasonal activity of Ixodes ricinus as a result of climate change and because of the more extensive use of better molecular diagnostic methods. Bovine babesiosis has a re-emerging potential because of the likely loss of herd immunity, while canine babesiosis is rapidly expanding in central and northeastern Europe, its occurrence correlating with the rapid, successful expansion of the ornate dog tick (Dermacentor reticulatus) populations in Europe. Taken together, our analysis of the available reports shows clear evidence of an increasing annual incidence of babesiosis across Europe in both humans and animals that is changing in line with similar increases in the incidence of other tick-borne diseases. This situation is of major concern, and we recommend more extensive and frequent, standardized monitoring using a “One Health” approach.

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Section: South-eastern Europementioning

confidence: 99%

Babesiosis in Southeastern, Central and Northeastern Europe: An Emerging and Re-Emerging Tick-Borne Disease of Humans and Animals

Bajer

Beck

et al. 2022

Microorganisms

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“…Recent research has shown a high prevalence of H. canis in red foxes in Serbia, while no data are available for the other canids that are present [ 17 ]. Together with the golden jackal and red fox, the grey wolf is one of the three autochthonous species of wild carnivores in Serbia.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Prevalence and Genetic Variability of Hepatozoon canis in Grey Wolf (Canis lupus L. 1758) Population in Serbia

Kuručki

Tomanović

Sukara

et al. 2022

Animals

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Wild canids are globally recognised as hosts and reservoirs of a large number of ecto- and endoparasites. Data that reveal the importance of the grey wolf (Canis lupus L.1758) in the spread of hepatozoonosis are very scarce. There are a large number of different potential host species that can be infected by Hepatozoon canis, but the most common are domestic and wild carnivores, such as dogs, jackals, foxes, and wolves. In this study, the epidemiological significance of the grey wolf as a host for the pathogen was analysed for the first time in Serbia, as well as the genetic variability of H. canis. The presence of H. canis in wolf spleens has been demonstrated using molecular methods. A total of 107 wolf spleen samples from 30 localities in Serbia were analysed. The presence of H. canis was confirmed in 62 (57.94%) individuals from 26 out of 30 localities. According to the analysis, the sampled H. canis sequences were found to be characterised by a certain heterogeneity. Based on five mutated nucleotide sites in the sequences, H. canis could be divided into five sequence types, S1 to S5. The five sequence types can potentially circulate in grey wolf populations as well as among other domestic and wild canids. This study is the first confirmation of the presence of H. canis in grey wolf populations in Serbia. Considering that the role of this vector-borne disease is poorly researched in wild carnivores, it is very important to indicate the role of this species in the circulation of this pathogen in natural ecosystems.

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“…In Serbia, the occurrence of H. canis has been previously described in epidemiological surveys conducted on dogs [ 43 ], red foxes [ 44 ] and I. ricinus [ 19 ]. This study reports the presence of H. canis in R. sanguineus for the first time in the country.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A One Health approach to study the circulation of tick-borne pathogens: A preliminary study

et al. 2021

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Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) have complex life cycles involving tick vectors and vertebrate hosts. However, there is limited empirical evidence on the zoonotic circulation of TBPs. In this study, we used a One Health approach to study the possible circulation of TBPs in ticks, animals and humans within a rural household in the foothills of the Fruška Gora mountain, northern Serbia. The presence of TBP DNA was assessed using microfluidic PCR (25 bacterial species, 7 parasite species, 5 bacterial genera, 3 parasite genera) in animal, human and tick samples and the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) RNA was screened for using RT-qPCR on tick samples. In addition, Lyme borreliosis serology was assessed in patients sera. Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ixodes ricinus ticks were identified on dogs and Haemaphysalis punctata was identified on house walls. Rickettsia helvetica was the most common pathogen detected in pooled R. sanguineus and I. ricinus tick samples, followed by Hepatozoon canis . None of the H. punctata tick samples tested positive for the presence of TBPs. Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia monacensis were the most frequent pathogens detected in dogs, followed by Rickettsia felis , whereas Anaplasma bovis was the only pathogen found in one of the goats tested. None of the human blood samples collected from family members tested positive for the presence of TBPs. Although microfluidic PCR did not detect Borrelia sp. in any of the tested tick or blood samples, a family member with a history of Lyme disease was seropositive for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). We conclude that, despite the presence of TBPs in tick and vertebrate reservoirs, there is no evidence of infection with TBPs across various components of the epidemiological chain in a rural Fruška Gora household.

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First evidence of tick-borne protozoan pathogens, Babesia sp. and Hepatozoon canis, in red foxes (vulpes vulpes) in Serbia

Cited by 13 publications

References 33 publications

Babesiosis in Southeastern, Central and Northeastern Europe: An Emerging and Re-Emerging Tick-Borne Disease of Humans and Animals

Babesiosis in Southeastern, Central and Northeastern Europe: An Emerging and Re-Emerging Tick-Borne Disease of Humans and Animals

High Prevalence and Genetic Variability of Hepatozoon canis in Grey Wolf (Canis lupus L. 1758) Population in Serbia

A One Health approach to study the circulation of tick-borne pathogens: A preliminary study

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