Untersuchungen zur Piroplasmose bei Hauskatzen in Südafrika
type: CreativeWork
description: Investigations on piroplasmosis in domestic cats in South Africa Domestic cats originating from an area in South Africa known to be endemic for babesiosis were included in an investigation on feline piroplasmosis. In order to receive some information about the range of species involved, molecular biological methods were used to characterize the causal agents genotypically. Two segments of the rDNA gene, the regions of the 18S and of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS) were sequenced and phylogenetic analyses were performed. Based on these sequence data a modern and sensitive diagnostic test for a specific detection of B. felis, a real-time PCR, was developed and validated. Using this test, 206 blood samples of cats belonging to the patients of a small animal surgery in Port Elizabeth were screened for infections with B. felis and the test results were compared with results of examinations of stained blood smears and an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Sequence analysis of the 18S rDNA and comparison with available sequence data from the Genbank NCBI demonstrated that at least 2, possibly 3 species are responsible for piroplasm infections in domestic cats in Port Elizabeth. The species B. felis was diagnosed in 11 of the 13 isolates. In one isolate, K 8, the parasites were identified as B. leo, a piroplasm species which had been documented to occur in lions before. This represents the first detection of B. leo in a naturally infected domestic cat. The sequence of the isolate K 68 could not be assigned to any known species, but it was closely related to the other feline piroplasms. The genetic relationship was slightly closer to B. leo with an identity of 98,3 % than to B. felis where an identity of 97,8 % was found. Compared to two other feline piroplasms isolated from a caracal, Babesia sp. Caracal Strain A and B, the isolate K 68 shared identities of 96,8 % and 96,7 % respectively. Phylogenetic trees clearly separated the isolate…
abstract: Investigations on piroplasmosis in domestic cats in South Africa Domestic cats originating from an area in South Africa known to be endemic for babesiosis were included in an investigation on feline piroplasmosis. In order to receive some information about the range of species involved, molecular biological methods were used to characterize the causal agents genotypically. Two segments of the rDNA gene, the regions of the 18S and of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS) were sequenced and phylogenetic analyses were performed. Based on these sequence data a modern and sensitive diagnostic test for a specific detection of B. felis, a real-time PCR, was developed and validated. Using this test, 206 blood samples of cats belonging to the patients of a small animal surgery in Port Elizabeth were screened for infections with B. felis and the test results were compared with results of examinations of stained blood smears and an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Sequence analysis of the 18S rDNA and comparison with available sequence data from the Genbank NCBI demonstrated that at least 2, possibly 3 species are responsible for piroplasm infections in domestic cats in Port Elizabeth. The species B. felis was diagnosed in 11 of the 13 isolates. In one isolate, K 8, the parasites were identified as B. leo, a piroplasm species which had been documented to occur in lions before. This represents the first detection of B. leo in a naturally infected domestic cat. The sequence of the isolate K 68 could not be assigned to any known species, but it was closely related to the other feline piroplasms. The genetic relationship was slightly closer to B. leo with an identity of 98,3 % than to B. felis where an identity of 97,8 % was found. Compared to two other feline piroplasms isolated from a caracal, Babesia sp. Caracal Strain A and B, the isolate K 68 shared identities of 96,8 % and 96,7 % respectively. Phylogenetic trees clearly separated the isolate…
author: Würth, Stephanie
date published: 2004-02-13
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:51:53Z
provider: Ludwig Maxmilians Universität München
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität