Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of Hepatozoon spp. in rodents from Valdivia, Chile. A total of 74 rodents (synanthropic n=38; wild n=36) were trapped in Valdivia. We performed conventional PCR assays for Apicomplexa organisms targeting two overlapping 18S rDNA gene fragments (600 bp and 900 bp) followed by sequencing of selected amplicons. Hepatozoon spp. occurrence was 82.43% (61/74). Twelve sequences obtained from the 600 bp and ten from the 900 bp 18S rDNA fragments were identified as Hepatozoon sp. Six sequences obtained from 18S rDNA-based overlapping PCR protocols were used for concatenated (1,400 bp) phylogenetic, haplotype and distance analyses. Hepatozoon spp. 18S rDNA concatenated sequences from the present study were detected in Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, Rattus norvegicus, Mus musculus, and Abrothrix longipilis grouped with Hepatozoon species earlier described in rodents and reptiles from Chile and Brazil. Nucleotide polymorphism of the six 18S rDNA sequences (1,400 bp) from this study, and other Chilean sequences from rodents and rodent's ticks, showed high diversity with a total of nine Chilean haplotypes. Three haplotypes from Valdivia were identified for the first time in this study, suggesting the circulation of novel haplotypes in rodents from southern Chile.
Highlights
The genus Hepatozoon (Adeleorina; Hepatozoidae) comprises apicomplexan parasites that were first detected in India (Bentley, 1905)
M. musculus showed an occurrence of 4.05% (3/74), R. norvegicus 17.56% (13/74) and R. rattus 18.91% (14/74) and in the wild rodents’ group are included A. longipilis which showed an occurrence of 16.21% (12/74), A. olivaceus 10.81% (8/74), Abrothrix spp. 2.70% (2/74) and O. longicaudatus 12.16% (9/74)
Hepatozoon 18S rDNA partial sequences obtained from five rodents in this study (MH216195 [M. musculus], MH216196 [R. norvegicus], MH216199 [A. longipilis], MH594205 [A. olivaceus], MH594208 [A. olivaceus]) showed 100% identity with Hepatozoon sp. detected in A. olivaceus (FJ719818) and A. sanborni (FJ719819) rodents from Chile (Merino et al, 2009); three sequences (MH594204 [O. longicaudatus], MH594206 [O. longicaudatus], MH594207 [O. longicaudatus]) were 99% identical to Hepatozoon spp. detected in Oecomys marmorae (KX776332) rodents from Brazil; two sequences (MH216197 [R. norvegicus], MH216198 [R. norvegicus]) presented 99% identity with Hepatozoon sp. detected in Tarentola deserti (KU680460) reptile from Morocco (Tomé et al, 2016)
Summary
The genus Hepatozoon (Adeleorina; Hepatozoidae) comprises apicomplexan parasites that were first detected in India (Bentley, 1905). Many species have been described, from various vertebrate hosts, such as mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Even though Hepatozoon spp. were detected in rodents from several geographical locations, such as Europe (Criado-Fornelio et al, 2006; Laakkonen et al, 2001; Rigó et al, 2016), Africa (Harris et al, 2017; Maia et al, 2014), North America (Johnson et al, 2007, 2008a), and South America (de Sousa et al, 2017; Demoner et al, 2016; Perles et al, 2019; Wolf et al, 2016), their role as intermediate hosts for carnivore-associated Hepatozoon species has only been confirmed in the USA (Johnson et al, 2008a). Hepatozoon americanum is transmitted due to the predation of infected rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and rodents [S. hispidus, Mus musculus, and Rattus rattus] (Johnson et al, 2008a, b, 2009)
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Schedule a callMore From: Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria = Brazilian journal of veterinary parasitology : Orgao Oficial do Colegio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria
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