A molecular study on <i>Babesia</i> spp. in cattle and ticks in West-Azerbaijan province, Iran

Abstract

A total number of 450 blood samples were collected from 45 different randomly selected cattle herds. Light microscopic examination of blood smears revealed <em>Babesia </em>spp. infection in 4.2%, while 8.9% of blood samples were positive using PCR. Upon multiplex-PCR (mPCR), <em>B. bigemina</em> and <em>B. bovis</em> infections were detected in 37/40 (92.5%) and 3/40 (7.5%) samples, respectively. 530 ticks of 10 Ixodid species were collected from the same cattle. <em>Hyalomma anatolicum</em> was the most prevalent tick species (19.9%). An expected 520 bp fragment of <em>Babesia </em>spp. was generated in 22 (48.8%) of <em>Rhpicephalus annulatus</em>, 18 (40.0%) of <em>R</em>. <em>bursa </em>and 12 (30.0%) <em>R. sanguineus sensu lato</em>. The mPCR findings revealed that all infected ticks including <em>R. annulatus</em>, <em>R</em>. <em>bursa </em>and <em>R</em>. <em>sanguineus</em> were totally infected with <em>B. bigemina</em>. The DNA amplification of <em>B. bovis</em> and <em>B. bigemina</em> in egg samples showed that only <em>B. bigemina</em> was detected in two specimens of <em>R. annulatus</em>. It could be concluded that <em>B. bigemina </em>was the dominant causative agent in this region but the evidence of <em>B. bovis </em>infection of cattle in a few cases was noted, as well. The results suggested that <em>B. bigemina </em>and <em>B. bovis</em> could be detected in the DNA extracted from <em>R. annulatus</em>, <em>R. bursa</em> and <em>R. sanguineus sensu lato </em>confirming previous reports. Since <em>B. bigemina</em> is transmitted transovarially by <em>R. annulatus</em>, it might act as an important vector for <em>B. bigemina</em>.