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. 2014 Jun;76(6):869-75.
doi: 10.1292/jvms.13-0365. Epub 2014 Mar 7.

Retrospective study of hemoparasites in cattle in southern Italy by reverse line blot hybridization

Luigi Ceci  1 , Fabrizio Iarussi, Beatrice Greco, Rosanna Lacinio, Stefania Fornelli, Grazia Carelli
Affiliations

Retrospective study of hemoparasites in cattle in southern Italy by reverse line blot hybridization

Luigi Ceci et al. J Vet Med Sci. 2014 Jun.

Abstract

Tick-borne diseases are widespread in tropical and temperate regions and are responsible for important economic losses in those areas. In order to assess the presence and prevalence of various pathogens in southern Italy, we retrospectively analyzed cattle blood samples collected for a previous study in 2000 using reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization. The study had been carried out in three regions of southern Italy on 1,500 randomly selected and apparently healthy adult cattle. RLB showed that 43.7% of the cattle were positive for nine different species of hemoparasites with either a single infection or a mixed infection. Theileria buffeli was the most common species found, being present in 27.3% of the animals, followed by Anaplasma marginale in 18.1%, Anaplasma centrale in 13.8%, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma bovis in 4.2%, Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 1.7%, Babesia bovis in 1.6%, Babesia major in 0.2% and Babesia divergens in 0.1%. Complete blood counts showed different degrees of anemia in 363 animals (24.2%) and of these, 169 were RLB-positive for at least one pathogen. Among the ticks that were collected from the cattle, the following species were identified: Rhipicephalus bursa, Ixodes ricinus, Hyalomma marginatum, Boophilus annulatus, Dermacentor marginatus and Haemaphysalis (sulcata, parva, inermis and punctata). The results obtained confirmed the spread of endemic tick-borne pathogens in the regions studied.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Map of the eight local health units in the three regions of southern Italy where the sampling was carried out. The 150 farms are indicated with •
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
RLB for the Babesia/Theileria group. PCR products were hybridized with genera- and species specific probes. Lines 1−23, samples; − negative control; + positive control.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
RLB for the Ehrlichia/Anaplasma group. PCR products were hybridized with genera- and species specific probes. Lines 1−21, samples; − negative control; + positive control.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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