Ixodes persulcatus Ticks as Vectors for the Babesia microti U.S. Lineage in Japan.

ABSTRACT: The U.S. lineage, one of the major clades in the Babesia microti group, is known as a causal agent of human babesiosis mostly in the northeastern and upper midwestern United States. This lineage, however, also is distributed throughout the temperate zone of Eurasia with several reported human cases, although convincing evidence of the identity of the specific vector(s) in this area is lacking. Here, the goal was to demonstrate the presence of infectious parasites directly in salivary glands of Ixodes persulcatus, from which U.S. lineage genetic sequences have been detected in Asia, and to molecularly characterize the isolates. Five PCR-positive specimens were individually inoculated into hamsters, resulting in infections in four; consequently, four strains were newly established. Molecular

SUBMITTER: Zamoto-Niikura A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5086556 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature