Identification of Babesia canis genotypes in dogs from Lithuania

Abstract

Canine babesiosis is a widespread tick-borne disease caused by haematozoan parasites of the genus Babesia. The vast majority of clinical babesiosis cases in dogs in Europe is caused by Babesia canis. Canine babesiosis has become quite frequent in Lithuania during the past decade. Babesiosis caused by B. canis may range from mild to severe disease in dogs. Such difference in the virulence of B. canis strains is associated with genetic heterogeneity among B. canis strains. We aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of B. canis strains isolated from naturally infected dogs in Lithuania using PCR-RFLP assay and sequence analysis based on 18S rRNR gene. In total 138 blood samples from dogs suspected of babesiosis were collected in Lithuania during 2016-2017. DNA was isolated from EDTA-anticoagulated whole blood. A partial region of the 18S rRNA gene of B. canis was amplified through PCR. PCR products were submitted to digestion with HincII restriction enzyme and evaluated by agarose gel electrophoresis. PCR products of 18S rRNA gene were sequenced and then analyzed using the Mega software.[...]