Detection of Theileria Luwenshuni in Sheep from Great Britain

Overview

Journal Parasit Vectors

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Parasitology
Tropical Medicine

Date 2016 Apr 15

PMID 27075661

Citations 11

Authors

L Paul Phipps

Luis M Hernandez-Triana

Hooman Goharriz

David Welchman

Nicholas Johnson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Theileria spp. are tick-borne protozoan parasites of the Phylum Apicomplexa, Order Piroplasmida that infect a wide range of wild and domestic animals. In Great Britain, Theileria spp. have been reported from livestock associated with transmission by the tick Haemaphysalis punctata. However, these reports have not been associated with disease. This study has investigated the cause of a disease outbreak accompanied by mortality in a flock of sheep grazing reclaimed marshland in north Kent.

Findings: A polymerase chain reaction-reverse line blot assay indicated the presence of Theileria spp. in blood samples from five animals. Subsequent testing with a pan-piroplasm PCR of a larger panel of blood samples detected a piroplasm amplicon in 19 of 21 sheep submitted from the affected flock. Automated sequencing confirmed that these amplicons shared 99-100% identity with T. luwenshuni.

Conclusions: The clinical and PCR data suggest infection with T. luwenshuni was associated with disease and mortality in this flock.

Citing Articles

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Small Ruminant Piroplasmosis: High Prevalence of n. sp. in Goats in Türkiye.

Ulucesme M, Ozubek S, Karoglu A, Turk Z, Olmus I, Irehan B Pathogens. 2023; 12(4).

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Anaemia in Sheep Caused by and Haemoparasites.

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Identification of Theileria spp. and investigation of hematological profiles of their infections in goats in Hainan Island, China.

Yang L, Wang J, Upadhyay A, Zhao J, Huang L, Liao C Parasite. 2022; 29:13.

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The Piroplasmida Babesia, Cytauxzoon, and Theileria in farm and companion animals: species compilation, molecular phylogeny, and evolutionary insights.

Schnittger L, Ganzinelli S, Bhoora R, Omondi D, Nijhof A, Florin-Christensen M Parasitol Res. 2022; 121(5):1207-1245.

PMID: 35098377 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07424-8.

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