摘要：Background. In 2012-2013, an investigation was carried out in the Viterbo province,Lazio region, on ticks and tick-borne Apicomplexan protozoa of the Babesia and Theileriagenera. This followed the reporting of high density of ticks by soldiers operating in amilitary shooting range, and the signaling by owners and local veterinary authorities ofseveral cases of babesiosis among cattle.Methods. A total of 422 ticks were collected from 35 heads, whereas 96 ticks were collectedby dragging. Ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus Say (n =373), Rhipicephalus bursa Canestrini & Fanzago (n = 63), Rhipicephalus sanguineus/turanicus(n = 32), Hyalomma marginatum Koch (n = 49) and Dermacentor marginatus Sulzer,1776 (n = 1). A randomly selected sample of ticks (235 from animals and 36 by dragging)was analyzed using molecular methods to detect species of Babesia and Theileria.Results. In total, 11 ticks collected from animals (4.7%) and two ticks (5.5%) collectedby dragging were positive. Sequencing of PCR products of the small subunit ribosomalRNA gene revealed Babesia caballi (n = 2), Babesia bigemina (n = 3), Theileria sergenti/buffeli/orientalis (n = 7) and Theileria equi (n = 1). None of the detected species has beenassociated with human infection.
关键词：ticks; Babesia; Theileria; DNA sequencing; Italy
