Molecular Detection and Characterization of Theileria Infecting Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Lucy Wamuyu,Vincent Obanda,Moni Makanda,Francis Gakuya,Sheila Ommeh,Daniel Kariuki,Moses Otiende

doi:10.3390/pathogens4030626

Lucy Wamuyu, Vincent Obanda + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens4030626

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Abstract

Theileria is a genus of tick-borne protozoan that is globally widespread and infects nearly all ungulates in which they cause either latent infection or lethal disease. Wild animals are considered reservoir hosts of many species of Theileria and their diversity in wildlife species is increasingly becoming of interest. The molecular characterization and identification of Theileria infecting wildlife has been studied in a few species including buffalo, which are considered reservoir host for Theileria parva infecting cattle. In this study, we sequenced Theileria species infecting wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and used molecular-genetic and phylogenetic analysis of the 18 Small Subunit of the Ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) to identify their relationships with known species of Theileria. Our results revealed three new Theileria haplotypes infecting wildebeest. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that haplotype 1 and 2 clustered in the same clade as Theileria separata and with Theileria sp. isolated from other small to medium sized antelopes. Haplotype 3 clustered close to the Theileria ovis clade. This is the first molecular description and characterization of Theileria species infecting blue wildebeest in East Africa. This study demonstrates the potential for Theileria transmission between wildebeest and small domestic ungulates, such as sheep and goats.

Highlights

Theileria are protozoan parasites that infect a wide range of wild and domestic ungulates worldwide, causing diseases that are of great economic importance because of their impact on livestock health and production [1,2,3]
We analyzed the sequences and all the 29 good sequences were positive for Theileria sp
By using advanced molecular techniques we identified three new haplotypes in the wildebeest population in which the most abundant haplotype clustered in Theileria ovis clade and the other two were within the T. separata cluster (Figure 3)

Summary

Introduction

Theileria are protozoan parasites that infect a wide range of wild and domestic ungulates worldwide, causing diseases that are of great economic importance because of their impact on livestock health and production [1,2,3]. The high prevalence of and the prolonged carrier state of Theileria infections in many wildlife populations studied so far suggests that wildlife species are reservoir hosts for Theileria species infecting domestic ungulates [5,6,7,8,9]. The role of wildlife as reservoir hosts (because they have high prevalence and asymptomatic infections of Theileria species) has stimulated research on the molecular characterization, identification and epidemiology of Theileria infecting wildlife. Most of these studies have focused on the role of buffalo as a reservoir for Theileria parva lawrenci, which causes lethal corridor disease in cattle.

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