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Criado-Fornelio, A.; Buling, A.; Casado, N.; Gimenez, C.; Ruas, J.; Wendt, L.; da Rosa-Farias, N.; Pinheiro, M.; Rey-Valeiron, C.; Barba-Carretero, J.C.
Molecular characterization of arthropod-borne hematozoans in wild mammals from Brazil, Venezuela and Spain
2009  Acta Parasitologica (54): 187-193

A survey of _Babesia, Theileria_ and _Hepatozoon_ was conducted in wild mammals, including the capybara (_Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris_; n = 14) from Brazil, the jaguar (_Panthera onca_; n = 2) and crab-eating raccoon (_Procyon cancrivorus_; n = 4) from Venezuela, and the red deer (_Cervus elaphus_; n = 70), red squirrel (_Sciurus vulgaris_; n = 5) and Eurasian pine marten (_Martes martes_; n = 3) from Spain. Diagnostic procedures included both microscopy and molecular methods (PCR and sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene). Microscopic examination of blood smears revealed no hematozoan infections - unlike the molecular analyses. Nine Brazilian capybaras were found to be infected with _Hepatozoon canis_ (prevalence 64%), two of which were coinfected with a previously unknown babesid (prevalence 14%) loosely related to _Theileria equi_ (90% 18S rRNA gene similarity according to BLASİ analysis). One jaguar and one crab-eating raccoon from Venezuela were infected by _H. canis_. Four of the red deer were infected with theilerids (5.7% prevalence), two with _Theileria_ sp. and two with _T. annulata_. One red squirrel and three pine martens were infected with _Hepatozoon_ sp. The isolate form the red squirrel was phylogenetically related to _Hepatozoon_ sp. reported in Spanish bank voles, whereas those infecting the pine martens were related to _Hepatozoon felis_ reported in Spanish cats. In conclusion, the molecular findings show that some non-canid mammals are carriers of _H. canis_ in South America, while red deer may carry _T. annulata_ in Europe. Small mammals in Europe appear to be unlikely hosts of _H. canis_ and _H. felis_.

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