SREL Reprint #3532

Prevalence, distribution, and diversity of cryptic piroplasm infections in raccoons from selected areas of the United States and Canada

Kayla B. Garrett1,2, Sonia M. Hernandez1,2, Gary Balsamo3, Heather Barron4, James C. Beasley1,5, Justin D. Brown6, Erin Cloherty7, Hossain Farid8, Mourad Gabriel9,10, Bethany Groves11, Sarah Hamer12, Julia Hill4, Meghan Lewis1,2,13, Katie McManners1, Nicole Nemeth1,14, Paul Oesterle14, Sebastian Ortiz1,2, Lea Peshock15, Rodney Schnellbacher16, Renee Schott17, Susanne Straif-Bourgeois18, Michael J. Yabsley1,2

1Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 140 Green Street,
University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
2Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, 589 DW Brooks Drive, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
3Louisiana Department of Health, 628 N. 4th Street, Baton Rouge, LA, 70802, USA
4Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), 3883 Sanibel Captiva Road, Sanibel Island, FL, 33957, USA
5Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
6Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA, 17110, USA
7New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, and Rodent Control Board, 2100 Leon C Simon Dr.,
New Orleans, LA, 70122, USA
8Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Campus,
PO Box 550, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 5E3, Canada
9Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine,
Davis, CA, 95616, USA
10Integral Ecology Research Center, 239 Railroad Ave, Blue Lake, CA, 95525, USA
11PAWS, 15305 44th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA, 98087, USA
12Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, TAMU 4458, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX, 77843, USA
13Young Scholars Program at the University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
14Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E., Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
15Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, 5761 Ute Hwy, Longmont, CO, 80503, USA
16Dickerson Park Zoo, 3043 North Fort, Springfield, MO, 65803, USA
17Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, 2530 Dale St N, Roseville, MN, 55113, USA
18Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health,
2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

Abstract: The order Piroplasmida contains a diverse group of intracellular parasites, many of which can cause significant disease in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Two piroplasm species have been reported from raccoons (Procyon lotor), Babesia lotori (Babesia sensu stricto clade) and a species related to Babesia microti (called B. microti-like sp.). The goal of this study was to investigate prevalence, distribution, and diversity of Babesia in raccoons. We tested raccoons from selected regions in the United States and Canada for the presence of Babesia sensu stricto and Babesia microti-like sp. piroplasms. Infections of Babesia microti-like sp. were found in nearly all locations sampled, often with high prevalence, while Babesia sensu stricto infections had higher prevalence in the Southeastern United States (20–45% prevalence). Co-infections with both Babesia sp. were common. Sequencing of the partial 18S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) genes led to the discovery of two new Babesia species, both found in several locations in the eastern and western United States. One novel Babesia sensu stricto sp. was most similar to Babesia gibsoni while the other Babesia species was present in the ‘western piroplasm’ group and was related to Babesia conradae. Phylogenetic analysis of the cox1 sequences indicated possible eastern and western genetic variants for the three Babesia sensu stricto species. Additional analyses are needed to characterize these novel species; however, this study indicates there are now at least four species of piroplasms infecting raccoons in the United States and Canada (Babesia microti-like sp., Babesia lotori, a novel Babesia sensu stricto sp., a novel western Babesia sp.) and a possible fifth species (Babesia sensu stricto) in raccoons in Japan.

Keywords: Babesia; Cryptic species; Piroplasms; Raccoons; Tick-borne pathogens

SREL Reprint #3532

Garrett, K. B., S. M. Hernandez, G. Balsamo, H. Barron, J. C. Beasley, J. D. Brown, E. Cloherty, H. Farid, M. Gabriel, B. Groves, S. Hamer, J. Hill, M. Lewis, K. McManners, N. Nemeth, P. Oesterle, S. Ortiz, L. Peshock, R. Schnellbacher, R. Schott, S. Straif-Bourgeois, and M. J. Yabsley. 2019. Prevalence, distribution, and diversity of cryptic piroplasm infections in raccoons from selected areas of the United States and Canada. IJP: Parasites and Wildlife 9(2019): 224-233.

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).