Multiple Piroplasm Parasites (Apicomplexa: Piroplasmida) in Northeastern Populations of the Invasive Asian Longhorned Tick, Neumann (Ixodida: Ixodidae), in the United States

Piroplasms, which include the agents of cattle fever and human and dog babesiosis, are a diverse group of blood parasites of significant veterinary and medical importance. The invasive Asian longhorned tick, , is a known vector of piroplasms in its native range in East Asia and invasive range in Australasia. In the USA, has been associated with Ikeda outbreaks that caused cattle mortality. To survey invasive populations of for a broad range of piroplasms, 667 questing collected in 2021 from 3 sites in New Jersey, USA, were tested with generalist piroplasm primers targeting the 18S small subunit rRNA (395–515 bp, depending on species) and the cytochrome b oxidase loci (1009 bp). Sequences matching type F (1 adult, 5 nymphs), an unidentified species (in 1 nymph), an undescribed sensu stricto (‘true’ , 2 adults, 2 nymphs), a sp. Coco (also a ‘true ’, 1 adult, 1 nymph), as well as S837 (1 adult, 4 nymphs) were recovered. S837 is closely related to the human pathogen US-type. Additionally, a 132 bp sequence matching the cytochrome b locus of deer, , was obtained from 2 partially engorged The diverse assemblage of piroplasms now associated with in the USA spans 3 clades in the piroplasm phylogeny and raises concerns of transmission amplification of veterinary pathogens as well as spillover of pathogens from wildlife to humans.