Epidemiology and molecular phylogeny of Babesia sp. in Little Penguins Eudyptula minor in Australia.

ABSTRACT: Blood parasites are potential threats to the health of penguins and to their conservation and management. Little penguins Eudyptula minor are native to Australia and New Zealand, and are susceptible to piroplasmids (Babesia), hemosporidians (Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium) and kinetoplastids (Trypanosoma). We studied a total of 263 wild little penguins at 20 sites along the Australian southeastern coast, in addition to 16 captive-bred little penguins. Babesia sp. was identified in seven wild little penguins, with positive individuals recorded in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. True prevalence was estimated between 3.4% and 4.5%. Only round forms of the parasite were observed, and gene sequencing confirmed the identity of the parasite and demonstrated it is closely related

SUBMITTER: Vanstreels RE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4383760 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature