Blood Parasites in Endangered Wildlife-Trypanosomes Discovered During a Survey of Haemoprotozoa from the Tasmanian Devil.

The impact of emerging infectious diseases is increasingly recognised as a major threat to wildlife. Wild populations of the endangered Tasmanian devil, , are experiencing devastating losses from a novel transmissible cancer, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD); however, despite the rapid decline of this species, there is currently no information on the presence of haemoprotozoan parasites. In the present study, 95 Tasmanian devil blood samples were collected from four populations in Tasmania, Australia, which underwent molecular screening to detect four major groups of haemoprotozoa: (i) trypanosomes, (ii) piroplasms, (iii) , and (iv) haemosporidia. Sequence results revealed infections in 32/95 individuals. was identified in 10 Tasmanian devils from three sites and a second sp. was identified in 22 individuals that were grouped within the poorly described clade. A single blood sample was positive for sp., which most closely matched . No other blood protozoan parasite DNA was detected. This study provides the first insight into haemoprotozoa from the Tasmanian devil and the first identification of and in this carnivorous marsupial.