Hepatozoon canis in wolf (Canis lupus) and jackal (Canis aureus) populations on the territory of Serbia

[M. Kuručki]

83 str.

Ekologija - Parazitologija / Ecology - Parasitology

Tokom ove studije je prvi put analiziran značaj vuka (Canis lupus) i šakala (Canis aureus) kao potencijalnih rezervoara patogena Hepatozoon canis u Srbiji. Protozoa H. canis se na domaćina prenosi ingestijom zaraženih vektora, najčešće smeđeg psećeg krpelja (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). Prisustvo H. canis je detektovano molekularnim metodama u slezinama vuka i šakala. Tokom studije analizirana je ukupno 221 životinja, od toga 107 vukova i 114 šakala. Uzorak šakala obuhvatao je pored adultnih i 15 juvenilnih jedinki. Uzorci šakala su sakupljeni sa 30 lokaliteta, a vukova sa 23 lokaliteta u Srbiji. Molekularne analize utvrdile su prisustvo DNK H. canis sa prevalencijom 57,94% (62/107) u analiziranom uzorku vuka i prevalencijom 78,95% (90/114) u analiziranom uzorku šakala. Sekvenciranje reprezentativnih uzoraka je ukazalo na pet varijabilnih pozicija u sekvencama H. canis poreklom od vuka, te je definisalo pet različitih tipova sekvenci (S1-S5). U analiziranom uzorku šakala genetički diverzitet H. canis je bio manji. Kod njih je na osnovu tri varijabilna mesta, detektovano četiri različita tipa sekvenci (S4-S7). Filogenetske analize sekvenci H. canis dobijenih u okviru ove doktorske disertacije i sekvenci dostupnih u banci gena (GenBank®) potvrdile su da je S4 tip sekvence zajednički za sve tri autohtone kanide u Srbiji, vuka, šakala i lisicu, dok su S1 i S2 tip svojstveni samo za vuka, a S6 i S7 samo za šakala. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju na ulogu vuka i šakala kao potencijalnih rezervoara H. canis. Veliki broj zaraženih štenaca šakala ukazuje na mogućnost transplacentalne transmisije patogena ili slučajnu ingestiju zaraženog krpelja. Filogenetske analize ukazuju na blisku povezanost i mogući zajednički obrazac prenosa između kohabitirajućih populacija divljih kanida: vuka, šakala i lisice

In this study, the importance of wolves (Canis lupus) and jackals (Canis aureus) as potential reservoirs of the pathogen Hepatozoon canis in Serbia was analyzed for the first time. The protozoan H. canis is transmitted to the host by ingesting infected vectors, usually the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). The presence of H. canis was detected in the spleen of wolves and jackals using molecular methods. A total of 221 animals were analyzed in the study, 107 of which were wolves and 114 jackals. In addition to the adult animals, the jackal sample also included 15 young animals. The jackal samples were collected from 30 locations and the wolf samples from 23 locations in Serbia. Molecular analyzes revealed the presence of H. canis DNA with a prevalence of 57.94% (62/107) in the analyzed wolf sample and a prevalence of 78.95% (90/114) in the analyzed jackal sample. The sequencing of the representative samples revealed five variable positions in the H. canis sequences of wolves, resulting in five different sequence types (S1-S5). In the jackal sample analyzed, the genetic diversity of H. canis was lower. In them, four different sequence types (S4-S7) were detected based on three variable sites. Phylogenetic analyzes of the H. canis sequences obtained in this PhD thesis and the sequences available in the gene bank (GenBank®) confirmed that sequence type S4 is common to all three autochthonous canids in Serbia, wolf, jackal and fox, while types S1 and S2 are characteristic only for the wolf and S6 and S7 only for the jackal. The results obtained indicate the role of wolves and jackals as potential reservoirs of H. canis. A large number of infected jackal pups indicates the possibility of transplacental transmission of the pathogen or accidental ingestion of an infected tick. Phylogenetic analyzes indicate a close relationship and a possible common transmission pattern between cohabiting populations of wild canids: wolf, jackal and fox.

Hepatozoon canis, vuk, Canis lupus, šakal, Canis aureus, Srbija

Hepatozoon canis, wolf, Canis lupus, jackal, Canis aureus, Serbia

591.5:599.744.111(497.11)(043.3)

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