背景:胞体和肝体属的多个物种可以感染野生猫科动物,但是欧亚山猫中这些和其他牙峰寄生虫的多样性鲜为人知。本研究的目的是用分子方法检测中国西北地区欧亚山猫及其蜱中的胞体和肝体。
方法:从心脏提取DNA,肝脏,脾,脾肺,三只欧亚山猫的肾脏样本以及它们的五只ixodid蜱。这些DNA样品用聚合酶链反应(PCR)筛选具有部分细胞色素b基因(CytB)的细胞生长素,细胞色素C氧化酶亚基I基因(COI),和小亚基核糖体RNA基因(18SrRNA),和肝动物具有三个不同的小亚基核糖体RNA基因(18SrRNA)片段。对PCR产物进行测序,对齐,并进行了系统发育分析。
结果:一名欧亚山猫成年雌性(#1,成年雌性)与Cytauxzoonmanul和Hepatozoonfelis基因型I共同感染,而成年雄性山猫(#2)感染了C.manul。有趣的是,H.felis基因型I均在雄性幼崽(#3)和五个受感染的Hyalomma亚洲蜱中的两个中检测到。
结论:第一次,据报道,这里来自欧亚山猫。此外,在中国和中亚,尚未发现H.felis在该宿主物种中存在。因此,这项研究的发现扩展了我们对这些血液原生动物寄生虫的地理分布和寄主范围的认识。此外,这也是欧亚山猫中C.manul和H.felis共感染的第一个证据。
BACKGROUND: Multiple species of the genera Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon can infect wild felines, but the diversity of these and other apicomplexan parasites in Eurasian lynx is scarcely known. The aim of this study was to detect Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon species with molecular methods in Eurasian lynxes and their ticks in northwestern China.
METHODS: DNA was extracted from the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney samples of three Eurasian lynxes as well as from their five ixodid ticks. These DNA samples were screened with polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) for Cytauxzoon with the partial cytochrome b gene (CytB), cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI), and small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (18S rRNA), and Hepatozoon with three different fragments of small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (18S rRNA). PCR products were sequenced, aligned, and phylogenetically analyzed.
RESULTS: One adult female of Eurasian lynx (#1, adult female) was co-infected with Cytauxzoon manul and Hepatozoon felis genotype I, while an adult male lynx (#2) was infected with C. manul. Interestingly, H. felis genotype I was both detected in a male cub (#3) and two out of five infesting Hyalomma asiaticum ticks.
CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, Cytauxzoon manul is reported here from Eurasian lynx. In addition, H. felis has not been known to occur in this host species in China and Central Asia. Thus, the findings of this study extend our knowledge on the geographical distribution and host range of these haemoprotozoan parasites. Moreover, this is also the first evidence of C. manul and H. felis co-infection in Eurasian lynx.