Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria e Patologia Animale, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy.
Vet Parasitol. 2012 Feb 10;183(3-4):364-8. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.07.037. Epub 2011 Jul 27.
This study was carried out to compare different diagnostic techniques to reveal the presence of piroplasms in asymptomatic cattle kept at pasture. Nineteen blood samples were collected from animals of two different areas of Emilia Romagna Region of Italy and processed for microscopic observation, PCR, serological test (IFAT) for Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina antibodies and in vitro cultivation. The cultures were performed on both bovine and ovine erythrocytes. Seventeen blood smears (89%) were positive for piroplasms, while PCR was positive on 18 samples (95%). DNA sequencing of 18S rRNA identified the piroplasms as Theileria spp. In vitro cultures were successful for 6 samples (32%) cultured on bovine blood and subsequent identified these as Babesia major by PCR. On IFAT analyses of 16 samples, 36.8% resulted positive for B. bovis and 31.6% positive for B. bigemina. These results show, in the same animals, the co-infection with Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.; the detection of B. major was possible only using the in vitro cultures.
本研究旨在比较不同的诊断技术，以揭示放牧无症状牛中无形体的存在。从意大利艾米利亚-罗马涅地区的两个不同地区采集了 19 份血液样本，并进行了显微镜观察、PCR、针对牛巴贝斯虫和双芽巴贝斯虫抗体的血清学试验（IFAT）和体外培养。培养在牛和绵羊的红细胞上进行。17 份血涂片（89%）对无形体呈阳性，而 PCR 在 18 个样本中呈阳性（95%）。18S rRNA 的 DNA 测序将无形体鉴定为泰勒虫属。在体外培养中，6 份（32%）在牛血上培养成功，并通过 PCR 进一步鉴定为巴贝斯虫属。在对 16 个样本的 IFAT 分析中，36.8%对 B. bovis 呈阳性，31.6%对 B. bigemina 呈阳性。这些结果表明，在同一动物中，同时感染了巴贝斯虫属和泰勒虫属；仅通过体外培养才能检测到 B. major。
