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First molecular detection of Babesia vogeli in dogs from Brazil
Lygia Maria Friche Passos1, Stefan M Geiger, Múcio Flávio Barbosa Ribeiro
1Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), C.P. 567, Belo Horizonte 30123-970, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Abstract:
The present work describes the detection and first molecular characterization of Babesia vogeli in dogs, naturally infected in Brazil and even in South America. Microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained peripheral blood smears collected from dogs originating from four different locations in Brazil revealed the presence of large Babesia merozoites and trophozoites (>2.5 microm). DNA was extracted from infected blood samples and PCR amplifications of the 18S rDNA were carried out. As a reference, DNA from an isolate of B. vogeli originated from Egypt was used. PCR products were purified and sequenced. The DNA sequences demonstrated 100% identity among the Brazilian isolates. Comparisons with the 18S rDNA sequence of the B. vogeli isolate from Egypt and with other B. vogeli sequences from Spain, France, Japan, Australia and South Africa confirmed the affiliation of all Brazilian isolates to the species B. vogeli.
