Publications

a survey of canine haemoprotozoan parasites from turkey, including molecular evidence of an unnamed babesia.	canine tick-borne apicomplexan parasites have emerged in recent years, showing a wider geographic distribution and increased global prevalence. a reverse line blot assay was performed on 219 blood samples collected from domestic dogs for simultaneous detection of all named canine piroplasm species as well as hepatozoon canis. ten samples hybridized to the theileria/babesia and babesia catch all probes but did not hybridize to any species-specific probe tested, suggesting the presence of an unrec ...	2017	28673460
molecular epidemiological surveillance to assess emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne infections in tick samples from china evaluated by nested pcrs.	an investigation was performed to detect eight pathogens in ticks collected from grass tips or animals in the southern, central and northeast regions of china. dna samples extracted from ticks were collected from ten different locations in eight provinces of china and subjected to screening for tick-borne pathogens, including borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, ehrlichia spp., rickettsia spp., babesia/theileria spp., ehrlichia ruminantium, coxiella burnetii, and francisella tularensis, using nested ...	2016	26943995
tick-borne haemoparasites in african buffalo (syncerus caffer) from two wildlife areas in northern botswana.	the african buffalo (syncerus caffer) is a host for many pathogens known to cause economically important diseases and is often considered an important reservoir for livestock diseases. theileriosis, heartwater, babesiosis and anaplasmosis are considered the most important tick-borne diseases of livestock in sub-saharan africa, resulting in extensive economic losses to livestock farmers in endemic areas. information on the distribution of tick-borne diseases and ticks is scarce in northern botswa ...	2015	25589064
molecular and parasitological survey of bovine piroplasms in the black sea region, including the first report of babesiosis associated with babesia divergens in turkey.	clinical cases of babesiosis were evaluated, and the frequency of bovine babesia and theileria parasites was determined in cattle. blood samples and thin blood smears were collected from 23 cattle exhibiting clinical signs of babesiosis. in addition, tick and blood samples were collected from 100 apparently healthy cattle cograzing from the same area. egg masses obtained from fully engorged female ticks were included. dna isolated from blood and tick samples was screened for babesia and theileri ...	2015	26336265
molecular evidence for trans-stadial and transovarial transmission of babesia occultans in hyalomma marginatum and rhipicephalus turanicus in turkey.	a total of 1064 adult ticks identified as hyalomma marginatum (n=965), rhipicephalus turanicus (n=86), haemaphysalis inermis (n=9) and rhipicephalus bursa (n=4) along with 20 egg masses derived from h. marginatum (n=18) and r. bursa were screened for babesia occultans. the ticks were combined into 328 pools and infection rates were calculated as the maximum likelihood estimation (mle) with 95% confidence intervals (ci). of these pools, 23 (7%) were positive for b. occultans, and the overall mle ...	2014	25002306
molecular evidence for bacterial and protozoan pathogens in hard ticks from romania.	the aim of the present study was to provide a preliminary insight into the diversity of tick-borne pathogens circulating at the domestic host-tick interface in romania. for this, feeding and questing ticks were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (pcr) for the presence of anaplasma phagocytophilum, anaplasma platys, ehrlichia canis, borrelia burgdorferi sensu latu, and by pcr and subsequent sequencing for rickettsia spp., babesia spp. and theileria spp. a total of 382 ticks, encompas ...	2013	23428204
clinical bovine piroplasmosis caused by babesia occultans in italy.	a clinical outbreak of bovine piroplasmosis was reported in italy. the etiological agent was characterized as babesia occultans, a parasite regarded as apathogenic and never detected before in continental europe. this report paves the way for further studies to assess the occurrence of this tick-transmitted protozoan in other european regions.	2013	23658262
observation of a novel babesia spp. in eastern grey kangaroos (macropus giganteus) in australia.	the roles and epidemiological features of tick-borne protozoans are not well elicited in wildlife. babesia spp. are documented in many domestic animals, including cattle, horses, pigs, dogs and cats. three cases affecting eastern grey kangaroos are described. the kangaroos exhibited neurological signs, depression and marked anaemia, and microscopic examination of blood smears revealed intraerythrocytic piroplasms. one to seven intraerythrocytic spherical, oval, pyriform and irregularly-shaped pa ...	2012	24533316
monitoring piroplasms infection in three cattle farms in minorca (balearic islands, spain) with previous history of clinical piroplamosis.	bovine piroplasmosis are tick-borne protozoan diseases caused by parasites of the genera theileria and babesia. three friesian cattle farms (f1-f3) with previous history of clinical piroplamosis were selected in minorca (balearic islands, spain). blood samples were collected from 8 to 11 animals every two months throughout a year and, a newly developed multiplex dna bead-based suspension array based on the luminex(®) xmap technology was used to monitor for the presence of piroplasms. the assay i ...	2012	22884914
identification of novel babesia and theileria genotypes in the endangered marsupials, the woylie (bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) and boodie (bettongia lesueur).	piroplasms, which include the genera theileria and babesia, are blood-borne parasites transmitted mainly by tick vectors. relatively little is known about their prevalence and clinical impact in australian marsupials. in the present study the occurrence and molecular phylogeny of these parasites were studied in both wild and captive marsupials from western australia (wa) and queensland (qld). blood samples were screened by microscopy and molecular methods, using pcr and dna sequencing of the 18s ...	2012	22433913
first detection of babesia occultans in hyalomma ticks from tunisia.	descriptions of babesia occultans have previously been restricted to sub-saharan africa. here, we report the finding, for the first time, of this low or non-pathogenic bovine babesia species in tunisia, northern africa. b. occultans dna was detected by molecular methods in hyalomma marginatum unfed ticks collected in 3 bioclimatic regions of tunisia. the near-full-length 18s rrna gene was sequenced and compared with related sequences retrieved from genbank. phylogenetic analysis indicated that o ...	2011	21284911
a highly sensitive dna bead-based suspension array for the detection and species identification of bovine piroplasms.	piroplasms are among the most harmful tick-borne pathogens for livestock and sensitive and specific diagnostic methods for rapid detection and identification of the different species are needed for effective control. reverse line blot has been the molecular technique of choice but it is laborious, time-consuming and highly susceptible to subjective variation in the interpretation of the hybridisation signal. here, an oligonucleotide multiplex suspension microarray (luminex® microsphere system) w ...	2011	22233830
identification of a novel babesia sp. from a sable antelope (hippotragus niger harris, 1838).	babesiosis in a sable antelope (hippotragus niger harris, 1838) was first reported in 1930; the parasite was named babesia irvinesmithi. recently, specimens from an adult sable that presented with a sudden onset of disease and that subsequently died during immobilization were submitted for molecular characterization. microscopic examination of thin blood smears revealed the presence of small piroplasms. dna was extracted from blood samples; the v4 variable region of the 18s rrna gene was amplifi ...	2008	18508943
in vitro cultivation of babesia occultans.	babesia occultans, the causative agent of a benign form of cattle babesiosis in south africa, was continuously cultivated in microaerophilous stationary-phase culture. a modified medium, 199, supplemented with either 40% (v/v) bovine or 40% (v/v) horse serum, was used. cultures were initiated in a humidified atmosphere containing 2% o2, 5% co2, and 93% n2. the highest percentage of parasitized erythrocytes (ppe) reached 4.5% in horse-serum- and 2.4% in bovine-serum-supplemented medium. parasite ...	1996	8917864
the isolation and transmission of an unidentified babesia sp. to cattle by hyalomma truncatum koch 1844.	an unidentified babesia sp. which causes a mild disease in cattle was isolated in a splenectomized ox that received pooled blood from field cattle. that this organism is pleomorphic and resembles babesia occultans makes it difficult to differentiate between these organisms microscopically. initially, it was suspected that this babesia could be b. occultans. several attempts to transmit this parasite transovarially with hyalomma marginatum rufipes, the vector of b. occultans, failed. continued ef ...	1990	2293131
an ultrastructural study of the development of babesia occultans in the salivary glands of adult hyalomma marginatum rufipes.	the development of babesia occultans in the salivary glands of adult hyalomma marginatum rufipes was studied with the electron microscope. sporogony involved a process of multiple fission in which sporozoites formed from the periphery of a polymorphous sporont. different stages of development were found concurrently in individual acini as well as within individual acinar cells. mature sporozoites were found on day 3 post-tick attachment and measures 3.0-3.5 x 1.5 micron. the apical complex consi ...	1988	3393374
studies on a bovine babesia transmitted by hyalomma marginatum rufipes koch, 1844.	a babesia sp. was recently observed in hyalomma marginatum rufipes and found to be transmissible to bovines. further observations were carried out on this parasite and a study made of the morphology of stages in both erythrocytes and tick haemolymph. apart from babesia divergens, intra-erythrocytic parasites were not readily distinguishable from bovine babesia spp. merozoites in tick haemolymph morphologically resembled those of babesia bigemina, but they were significantly larger. this babesia ...	1981	7345388