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Babesia banethi sp. nov. in red foxes
Domenico Otranto1,2, Mariaelisa Carbonara3, Antonio Camarda3
1Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy. domenico.otranto@uniba.it.
Parasites & Vectors
|December 10, 2025
Summary
A new Babesia species, Babesia banethi, was identified in red foxes from Italy. This tick-borne protozoan is morphologically distinct and genetically different from Babesia vulpes, impacting wildlife babesiosis research.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Parasitology
- Protozoology
- Molecular Epidemiology
Background:
- Babesia spp. are tick-borne protozoa infecting vertebrates, with red foxes acting as reservoirs for Babesia vulpes.
- Another Babesia species, provisionally named Babesia sp. MML-2014, has been detected in red foxes but lacked morphological description.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and describe a novel Babesia species found in a red fox from Southern Italy.
- To differentiate this new species from Babesia vulpes using molecular and morphological analyses.
Main Methods:
- Microscopy of stained blood smears for initial detection and morphological description.
- PCR amplification and sequencing of nuclear (18S rRNA, ITS) and mitochondrial (cox1) genes for molecular characterization.
- Phylogenetic analysis to determine the evolutionary relationship of the new species.
Main Results:
- A new Babesia species, named Babesia banethi sp. nov., was identified and morphologically described.
- Phylogenetic analysis placed B. banethi in clade III, distinct from B. vulpes (clade I).
- Unique Maltese cross forms were observed, and B. banethi DNA was detected in Ixodes kaiseri ticks.
Conclusions:
- Babesia banethi sp. nov. is a newly identified species of Babesia found in red foxes.
- The study provides essential genetic and morphological data for the formal description of B. banethi.
- This discovery contributes to understanding the diversity and epidemiology of Babesia in wildlife.
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