Molecular detection of Babesia divergens and Mycoplasma wenyonii infection in cattle from Bosnia And Herzegovina

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) Vol. 119; no. 4; pp. 1423 - 1427
• Main Authors: Stevanović, Oliver, Jurković, Daria, Polkinghorne, Adam, Ćeleš, Amna, Ilić, Tamara, Dimitrijević, Sanda, Nedić, Drago, Beck, Relja
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2020; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Aspartate aminotransferase; Babesia divergens; Babesiosis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cattle; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Farms; Fever; Health aspects; Hypophosphatemia; Immunology; Leukopenia; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Mycoplasma wenyonii; Phosphates; Protozoa; Protozoology - Short Communication; Thrombocytopenia; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Germany; Europe; Bosnia-Hercegovina; Babesiosis; Cattle; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Mycoplasma wenyonii; Babesia divergens
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06630-6

We report two cases of bovine babesiosis caused by Babesia divergens in a region of central Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cases were detected in June 2017 and July 2018 from two small backyard farms. Routine clinical assessments, including physical examination and haematology, revealed lethargy, fever, anaemia, leukopenia and haemoglobinuria in the affected animals. Serum alterations included an elevation of aspartate aminotransferase and a decrease of serum phosphate or hypophosphatemia. Thrombocytopenia was detected in the first clinical case. Microscopic examination of blood smears revealed intracytoplasmic protozoan parasites from the genus Babesia . Molecular screening of both animals confirmed the presence of Babesia divergens , the causative agent of bovine babesiosis. B. divergens DNA was also detected in two engorged female Ixodes ricinus ticks removed from these animals. In addition, Mycoplasma wenyonii DNA was identified by molecular screening in the animal examined in June 2017, and in I. ricinus ticks feeding on this animal. This study provides molecular confirmation of B. divergens as a cause of piroplasmosis in cattle in South-East Europe. The detection of M. wenyonii DNA ain I. ricinus also provides the first evidence of this bacterium in ticks in Europe.