Risk assessment of transfusion-associated babesiosis in Tyrol: appraisal by seroepidemiology and polymerase chain reaction.

Background: After malaria, babesiosis is the second most common transfusion-transmitted parasitic disease in the United States. In Europe, one reported transfusion case, concerning Babesia microti, occurred in Germany.

Study Design And Methods: Due to the fact that Babesia spp.

Evaluation of a commercial ELISA kit for detection of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in serum, plasma and meat juice from experimentally and naturally infected sheep.

Background: Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common food borne zoonoses worldwide, and can be a serious life-threatening disease in the congenitally infected fetus and in immunosuppressed patients. Among food animals, sheep along with goats and pigs possess the highest incidence of T. gondii cysts in meat, and play a major role as a source of human infection.

Serological and molecular detection of Theileria equi infection in horses in Hungary.

The prevalence of Theileria equi infection was studied in 324 healthy horses from 27 farms in Hungary with cELISA and IFAT and the blood samples of 101 horses selected randomly were also examined by PCR. The results indicate that there are many stud farms where one or more horses are infected with T. equi.

Infection with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy: seroepidemiological studies in Austria.

Seropositivity among pregnant woman in Austria has decreased from 48% to 50% at the end of the 1970s to 35% in recent years. Despite this decrease, knowledge of possible sources and risk factors for Toxoplasma infection remains important. We reviewed seroepidemiological studies that were undertaken to assess the roles of undercooked meat and oocysts in cat faeces as potential sources of infection in pregnant women.

[Arthropod-borne parasites of dogs, especially Leishmania, in the Kosovo and Albania].

Currently no information is available regarding canine arthropod-borne parasites in Albania and the Kosovo, especially the zoonotic protozoan Leishmania infantum. Presumably autochtonous cases of human leishmaniosis have been described for some areas (Kosovo: Ferizaj, Gjakovo, Pec, Malisevo; Albania: Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Shkodra, Vlore). In order to investigate the infection status of dogs of different origin sera from 272 animals (151 from Albania - Tirana, Kamza and Durres; 121 from the Kosovo - Gjakovo, Ferizaj and Prishtina) were obtained.

[Vector-borne parasites of dogs on the Islands of Cabo Verde].

During an animal welfare campaign on the Islands of Cape Verde (in the capital Praia on the island of Santiago) a total of 57 dogs were examined for ectoparasites and blood parasites. 84% of the animals were infested with arthropods, mostly ticks. Haemotropic parasites were examined via blood smear, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or serology.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infection of cats in Hungary.

Blood samples were collected from 330 cats in Hungary in order to evaluate their seroconversion to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). The overall prevalence of toxoplasmosis was 47.6%, the prevalence being 22.

Babesia divergens-like organisms from free-ranging chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) and roe deer (Capreolus c. capreolus) are distinct from B. divergens of cattle origin - an epidemiological and molecular genetic investigation.

In 2005 and 2006, three adult female chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) were found dead with signs of acute babesial infection in the eastern Swiss Alps. PCR on DNA extracted from blood or spleen of the carcasses revealed sequence identity of the amplified part of the 18S rRNA gene with GenBank entries attributed to Babesia divergens of cattle origin or B.

Serological evidence for Babesia canis infection of horses and an endemic focus of B. caballi in Hungary.

In order to evaluate the seroconversion of horses to Babesia caballi and B. canis in Hungary, blood samples were collected from 371 animals on 23 different locations of the country. The presence of antibodies to B.

Imported non-endemic, arthropod-borne and parasitic infectious diseases in Austrian dogs.

Background/aims: An increasing number of imported non-endemic arthropod-borne diseases and other rare parasitic diseases in dogs in Austria were the basics for this report. Number and species of imported pathogens as well as the origin of the carrying dogs were of special interest.

Methods: Symptomatic dogs that have been in a foreign country before were included to the study.

Clinical symptoms and diagnosis of encephalitozoonosis in pet rabbits.

Infections with Encephalitozoon cuniculi in rabbits are observed at increasing frequency and are known as opportunistic infections in immunocompromised humans. 191 pet rabbits with suspected encephalitozoonosis, presented at the Animal Hospital of the Veterinary University of Vienna (Austria), were included in this study. Rabbits were serologically examined for antibodies against E.

Babesia divergens becoming extinct in cattle of Northeast Hungary: new data on the past and present situation.

Previously unpublished data from 1958 to 1967 attest the occurrence of Babesia divergens in cattle in several endemic foci of Northeast Hungary. During that period the number of clinical cases showed fluctuation with intervals of 4-5 years and monophasic seasonality (peaking in June). In order to assess the current status of bovine babesiosis in that region, blood samples were collected from 654 cattle on 44 farms of 36 settlements in or near the endemic area during 2005, and serum levels of IgG antibodies to B.

Seroprevalence of neosporosis in beef and dairy cattle breeds in Northeast Hungary.

In order to assess the seroprevalence of bovine neosporosis with indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), blood samples were collected randomly from 1063 beef and dairy cattle belonging to 12 different breeds in Northeast Hungary. Antibodies to Neospora caninum were detected in 27 (2.5%) of the animals, kept on 19 of the 42 settlements included in this survey.

[Tick infestation and the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia divergens in cattle in Bavaria].

During the grazing period 2002 319 cattle from 31 farms located in 6 districts of southern Bavaria were examined for the presence of ticks in 4- to 5-week intervals, and 287 serum samples were tested for the presence of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia divergens. Ticks were detected in all 31 farms with a mean prevalence of 69%. 3218 out of 3453 collected ticks were Ixodes ricinus; 139 nymphs, 19 larvae and 77 damaged adult specimens could only be determined to the Genus level (Ixodes).

Seroprevalence of canine babesiosis in Hungary suggesting breed predisposition.

Six hundred fifty-one blood samples were collected from urban and rural dogs in various parts of Hungary to measure antibody levels to Babesia canis with indirect fluorescent antibody test. Thirty-seven (5.7%) of the sera showed positivity with titers between 1:80 and 1:10,240.

Canine neosporosis in Hungary: screening for seroconversion of household, herding and stray dogs.

In order to assess the seroprevalence of canine neosporosis 651 blood samples were collected from 586 household, 41 herding and 24 stray dogs, at small animal clinics in four large cities and other places of Hungary. Nineteen (2.9%) showed positivity in the IFAT with titres between 1:80 and 1:10240.

Genetic and biologic characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii infections in free-range chickens from Austria.

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging chickens is a good indicator of the prevalence of T. gondii oocysts in the soil because chickens feed from the ground. The prevalence of T.

Toxoplasmosis in Pallas' cats (Otocolobus manul) raised in captivity.

Manuls or Pallas' cats (Felis manul, syn. Otocolobus manul) are endangered wild cats from Central Asia kept and bred in many zoos. Despite good breeding success young cats frequently die from acute toxoplasmosis.

Prevalence of antibodies against Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in dogs and foxes in Austria.

Sera from 1770 dogs and 94 red foxes from Austria were examined for antibodies against Neospora caninum using the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). 3.6% of the dogs were seropositive with titres ranging from 1:50 to 1:6400.

Cross-sectional survey in pig breeding farms in Hesse, Germany: seroprevalence and risk factors of infections with Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis spp. and Neospora caninum in sows.

A cross-sectional survey was performed to estimate the prevalences of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii (ELISA, IFAT), Sarcocystis spp. (ELISA, using S. miescheriana as antigen) and Neospora caninum (ELISA, immunoblotting) in sows from breeding farms in southern Hesse, Germany.

Differentiation of Babesia bigemina, B. bovis, B. divergens and B. major by Western blotting--first report of B. bovis in Austrian cattle.

To establish an assay for the serological differentiation of bovine Babesia species ( B. bigemina, B. bovis, B.

Molecular characterization of a non-Babesia divergens organism causing zoonotic babesiosis in Europe.

In Europe, most reported human cases of babesiosis have been attributed, without strong molecular evidence, to infection with the bovine parasite Babesia divergens. We investigated the first known human cases of babesiosis in Italy and Austria, which occurred in two asplenic men. The complete 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene was amplified from specimens of their whole blood by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Use of purified tachyzoite surface antigen p38 in an ELISA to diagnose bovine neosporosis.

Affinity-purified 38 kDa surface antigen of Neospora caninum tachyzoites was used to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to diagnose N. caninum-associated abortion in cattle. The specificity of this antigen was demonstrated by using sera from cattle experimentally infected with other apicomplexan parasites.

Serological differences in Neospora caninum-associated epidemic and endemic abortions.

A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the sensitive and specific detection of bovine antibodies to Neospora caninum was developed and evaluated using sera from cattle experimentally infected with N. caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis cruzi, Sarcocystis hominis, Sarcocystis hirsuta, Eimeria bovis, Cryptosporidium parvum, Babesia divergens, and field sera from naturally exposed animals. Field sera were classified using a gold standard that included the results from an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and an immunoblot (IB).