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- Title
First evidence of tick-borne protozoan pathogens, Babesia sp. and Hepatozoon canis, in red foxes (vulpes vulpes) in Serbia.
- Authors
Juwaid, Salem; Sukara, Ratko; Penezić, Aleksandra; Mihaljica, Darko; Veinović, Gorana; Kavallieratos, Nickolas G.; Ćirović, Duško; Tomanović, Snežana
- 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
TICK-borne diseases; RED fox; POLYMERASE chain reaction; MIXED infections; BABESIA canis; BABESIA bigemina; VETERINARY epidemiology
- Publication
Acta Veterinaria Hungarica, 2019, Vol 67, Issue 1, p70
- ISSN
0236-6290
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1556/004.2019.008