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Screening for Hepatozoon parasites in gerbils and potential predators in South Africa
Submitted: 09 September 2015 | Published: 08 February 2017
About the author(s)
D. James Harris, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, PortugalAna Pereira, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Ali Halajian, Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo, South Africa
Wilmien J. Luus-Powell, Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo
Katlego D. Kunutu, Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo, South Africa
Abstract
Samples of gerbils and their potential predators were screened for the presence of Hepatozoon parasites (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina) using both microscopic examination and sequencing of partial 18S rRNA sequences. Positive samples were compared to published sequences in a phylogenetic framework. The results indicate that genets can be infected with Hepatozoon felis. A Cape fox was infected with Hepatozoon canis, whereas the sequence from an infected rodent fell within a group of parasites primarily recovered from other rodents and snakes.
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Crossref Citations
1. Diversity of haemoprotozoan parasites infecting the wildlife of South Africa
D. James Harris, Ali Halajian, Joana L. Santos, Lourens H. Swanepoel, Peter John Taylor, Raquel Xavier
Folia Parasitologica vol: 65 year: 2018
doi: 10.14411/fp.2018.015