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First evidence of tick-borne protozoan pathogens, Babesia sp. and Hepatozoon canis, in red foxes (vulpes vulpes) in Serbia
- Source :
- Acta Veterinaria Hungarica
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- Akademiai Kiado Zrt., 2019.
-
Abstract
- Tick-borne haematozoans cause severe diseases in domestic animals, and some of them have zoonotic potential. The results of previous studies in Europe point to the important role of foxes in natural endemic cycles of several tick-borne pathogens, including protozoa. The aim of the present research was to acquire information on the prevalence and distribution of tick-borne protozoan parasites among foxes in Serbia. Legally hunted foxes from 14 localities throughout Serbia were analysed. Spleen samples were collected from 129 animals and tested for the presence of Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. by PCR. In total, 79/129 (61.2%) of the tested foxes were positive for H. canis, while the presence of two Babesia species was confirmed: B. vulpes (37/129, 28.7%) and B. canis (1/129, 0.8%). Coinfection with B. vulpes and H. canis was present in 26/129 (20.2%) foxes and one animal (1/129, 0.8%) was co-infected by B. canis and H. canis. The results of this study indicate the important role of foxes in the epizootiology of B. vulpes and H. canis in the Republic of Serbia and stress the need for further research to clarify all elements of the enzootic cycle of the detected pathogens, including other reservoirs, vectors, and transmission routes.
- Subjects :
- Male
Vulpes
030231 tropical medicine
Babesia
Foxes
Zoology
Polymerase Chain Reaction
030308 mycology & parasitology
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
red fox
parasitic diseases
medicine
Babesia vulpes
Animals
Protozoan Infections, Animal
0303 health sciences
General Veterinary
biology
biology.organism_classification
medicine.disease
Epizootiology
3. Good health
Hepatozoon
PCR
Canis
Tick-Borne Diseases
Babesia canis
Coinfection
Enzootic
Female
Hepatozoon canis
Apicomplexa
Serbia
Spleen
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15882705 and 02366290
- Volume :
- 67
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Acta Veterinaria Hungarica
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....568c334a2241f05cd1de4b70948b49b2
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1556/004.2019.008