Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate Babesia parasites infecting sheep in eight districts of Sulaimani governorate/north Iraq from April to October 2017. Forty flocks of small ruminants were selected to collect blood samples randomly from 450 sheep. The samples were examined for babesiosis by microscopic examination and PCR. Primers based on the 18S rRNA were used for Babesia diagnosis, followed by sequencing of the amplicons for confirmation of the PCR product identities. Seventy-four samples (16.44%) showed the presence of Babesia piroplasms microscopically, while 116 (25.78%) samples were positive using PCR. Results showed that B. ovis was reported in 15.78% (n = 71), and B. motasi in 10.0% (n = 45) of the samples. Also, BLAST analysis of the obtained partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene from current study isolates revealed the existence of both B. ovis and B. motasi, with a high homology degree of nucleotide identity with other nucleotide sequences of Babesia spp. in GenBank database. Distribution of babesiosis, according to the sampling time, revealed that high-frequency rates occur during July and August. Based on the result data, babesiosis was mainly caused by B. ovis and B. motasi.
Highlights
Protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia are known to cause babesiosis (13)
Babesiosis is a crucial hemoparasitic disease caused by Babesia ovis, B. motasi, B. crassa, and Babesia sp
The main tick vectors responsible for the transmission of B. motasi and B. ovis are Haemaphysalis sp. and Rhipicephalus bursa, respectively (14), B. ovis infection has been confirmed in Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum and Hyalomma marginatum too (9)
Summary
Protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia are known to cause babesiosis (13). The genus includes a large number of classified and unclassified species that infect different wild and domestic animals, humans, and birds. Detection of Babesia infection in carrier animals by DNA amplification is considered a powerful tool for epidemiological investigations, since it is more sensitive and specific than Giemsa-stained blood smears (2). A comprehensive molecular study has not been previously conducted to determine the prevalent Babesia species in the area, especially in clinically healthy animals. This study was designed to investigate the occurrence of Babesia in naturally infected sheep from Sulaimani governorate in the north region of Iraq and to conduct molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the isolates with reference isolates of Babesia spp., deposited in the GenBank database. Molecular detection All DNA samples were screened using PCR with primers designed based on the 18S rRNA. The second step included PCR amplification for DNA samples being positive in the first PCR step by using the previously described primer sets Bbo-F5'-. 1% agarose gels in 1 × Tris/Borate/EDTA buffer for electrophoresis and visualized using ethidium bromide for checking the amplicon size, and by comparing them to a 100 bp DNA ladder
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