Folia Parasitologica 65:015 (2018) | DOI: 10.14411/fp.2018.015

Diversity of haemoprotozoan parasites infecting the wildlife of South Africa

D. James Harris^1,2, Ali Halajian³, Joana L. Santos¹, Lourens H. Swanepoel⁴, Peter John Taylor^5,6,7, Raquel Xavier¹

¹ CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal;

² Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal;

³ Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo, South Africa;

⁴ Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa;

⁵ NRF/DET SARCHI Chair on Biodiversity Value and Change, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa;

⁶ Core Team Member, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Republic of South Africa;

⁷ Honorary Research Associate, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, Republic of South Africa

Tissue samples from wildlife from South Africa were opportunistically collected and screened for haemoprotozoan parasites using nonspecific PCR primers. Samples of 127 individuals were tested, comprising over 50 different species. Haemogregarines were the most commonly identified parasites, but sarcocystids and piroplasmids were also detected. Phylogenetic analyses estimated from the 18S rDNA marker highlighted the occurrence of several novel parasite forms and the detection of parasites in novel hosts. Phylogenetic relationships, which have been recently reviewed, appear to be much more complex than previously considered. Our study highlights the high diversity of parasites circulating in wildlife in this biodiverse region, and the need for further studies to resolve taxonomic issues.

Keywords: Babesia, Theileria, Hepatozoon, Sarcocystis, Cytauxzoon, phylogeny, 18S rDNA

Received: November 30, 2017; Accepted: May 31, 2018; Published online: October 2, 2018  Show citation