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Updated: May 7, 2026

Feeding of Ticks on Animals for Transmission and Xenodiagnosis in Lyme Disease Research
Published on: August 31, 2013
Tick-borne Apicomplexa in wildlife and ticks of French Guiana
Rachid Koual1, Benoit de Thoisy2, Xavier Baudrimont3
1MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France.
Abstract:
Tick-borne Apicomplexa encompass a group of parasites responsible for significant medical and veterinary diseases, including babesiosis, theileriosis, and hepatozoonosis. In this study, we investigated the presence and diversity of tick-borne Apicomplexa in wildlife and ticks inhabiting the Amazon rainforests of French Guiana. To this end, we conducted molecular screening and typing using 18S rRNA sequences on a collection of 1161 specimens belonging to 71 species, including 44 species of wild mammals, five species of passerines, and 22 species of ticks. We characterized eight genovariants of Babesia, Theileria, Hemolivia, and Hepatozoon parasites, some matching known species, while others suggested potential novel species. These parasites were detected in wild mammals, including opossums, sloths, armadillos, porcupines, margays, greater grisons, and ticks, but not in passerines. Finally, similarities with surveys conducted in Brazil highlight the specific sylvatic transmission cycles of South American tick-borne Apicomplexa.
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