International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife最新文献

{"title":"Renal myxosporidiosis by an unknown Bivalvulidan myxozoan parasite in Murray River turtles (Emydura macquarii) in Australia","authors":"Zachary Low ,&nbsp;Telleasha L. Greay ,&nbsp;Swaid Abdullah ,&nbsp;Phoebe A. Chapman ,&nbsp;Viviana Gonzalez-Astudillo","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101061","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101061","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This case series provides the first published record of a myxozoan parasite in Murray River turtles (<em>Emydura macquarii</em>) in Australia. Thirteen turtles were captured for an eco-toxicology study and underwent postmortem examinations. From these, three were found to have interstitial nephritis and spores within the affected renal tubules. Molecular characterisation was performed with PCR which yielded positive results for myxozoan DNA in the three infected samples. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA sequences positioned the unknown species in a distinct clade, closely related to, but separate from, histozoic clades II and III. This discovery contributes significantly to the understanding of myxozoan diversity and ecology, highlighting a potential new threat to the health of Murray River turtle populations and possibly other aquatic reptiles. The discovery of this myxozoan species not only broadens the known host range of myxozoans but also raises concerns about the conservation of affected turtle populations due to its possible pathogenic nature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"27 ","pages":"Article 101061"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143735005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Statewide surveillance of tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected in Delaware using novel multiplex PCR assays","authors":"Michael H. Buoni ,&nbsp;Ashley C. Kennedy ,&nbsp;Virginia Hughes ,&nbsp;Esther Biswas-Fiss","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tick-borne pathogens are responsible for most vector-borne human diseases in the United States. With the growing recognition of tick-borne diseases and the expanding range of ticks, it is imperative to understand which pathogens, and in what prevalence, are carried by tick species in areas populated by humans. Few studies exist surveying the presence and distribution of tick-borne pathogens in the state of Delaware. The goal of this study was to create multiplex real-time PCR assays to identify <em>Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Babesia microti, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis,</em> and <em>Ehrlichia ewingii</em> from their respective tick vectors collected across the state of Delaware.</div><div>Two multiplex, real-time PCR assays were developed and tested on 1027 ticks comprising <em>Ixodes scapularis</em> and <em>Amblyomma americanum</em>, two species of ticks commonly encountered in Delaware. The results showed that in a sample of 500 <em>Ixodes scapularis</em> ticks, 30.20 % were positive for <em>Borrelia burgdorferi</em>, 2.60 % were positive for <em>Babesia microti</em>, and 1 % were positive for <em>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</em>. Testing of 527 <em>A. americanum</em> ticks showed that 4.74 % were positive for <em>E. chaffeensis</em> and 1.14 % were positive for <em>E. ewingii</em>. These findings suggest that these five tick-borne pathogens are present across the state of Delaware and therefore pose a risk to the public.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 101058"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143704778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Host personality and seasonal parasitism risk do not account for egg rejection behavior in the azure-winged magpie","authors":"Xingyi Jiang ,&nbsp;Wei Liang ,&nbsp;Yanyun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101056","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101056","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Brood parasitism reduces the reproductive success of hosts and many host birds have evolved a range of anti-parasitism strategies, including egg recognition and egg rejection. Recent studies have shown that host egg rejection behavior can vary according to personality traits and parasitism risk. However, these relationships have not been clearly determined. The aim of this study was to further investigate the influence of seasonal parasitism pressure and host personality traits on egg rejection behavior in the azure-winged magpie (<em>Cyanopica cyanus</em>). Our results showed no significant difference in the proportion of egg rejection between hosts with low (before the arrival of cuckoos) and high (after the arrival of cuckoos) parasitism pressure. In addition, no significant difference was detected in the proportion of egg rejection between bold individuals (shorter flight initiation distance, FID) and shy individuals (longer FID). We hypothesized that the relatively weak effect of the presence or absence of cuckoos on this species could be attributed to their inherently strong egg recognition abilities. Moreover, the quantification of host behavior along a single personality axis (boldness-shyness) may be insufficient to capture behavioral differences that arise from the combined effects of various personality traits. Our study provides novel insights into the influence of seasonal parasitism risk and personality traits on host egg rejection behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 101056"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143682784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acanthostomum yahuarcaquense n. sp. (Digenea: Cryptogonimidae) infecting the intestine of an aquatic coral snake, Micrurus surinamensis (Cuvier, 1817) (Serpentes: Elapidae) from the flooded rainforest habitat of the Yahuarcaca Lake System (Amazon River, Colombia) and phylogenetic analysis of Cryptogonimidae","authors":"Kamila Cajiao-Mora ,&nbsp;John H. Brule ,&nbsp;Haley R. Dutton ,&nbsp;José Rancés Caicedo-Portilla ,&nbsp;Stephen A. Bullard","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We herein describe <em>Acanthostomum yahuarcaquense</em> Cajiao-Mora and Bullard n. sp. (Digenea: Cryptogonimidae) based on specimens we collected from the intestine of an aquatic coral snake, <em>Micrurus surinamensis</em> (Cuvier, 1817) (Serpentes: Elapidae) captured within the flooded rainforest habitat of the Yahuarcaca Lake System (Amazon River) Leticia, Amazonas, Colombia. We assign the new species to <em>Acanthostomum</em> Looss, 1899because it lacks a gonotyl and has an elongate body, spinose tegument, funnel-shaped oral sucker with circumoral spines, ceca each having a posterolateral and nearly terminal pore, and excretory vesicle arms reaching anteriad to the pharynx. The new species differs from its 19 accepted congeners by having 24–30 circumoral spines (vs. fewer than 20 or aspinose), a vitellarium extending from the anterior margin of the ovary to the posterior half of the body (vs. from testis or ovary but ending in anterior half of body), and paired elongate, symmetrical ceca each having an anal pore (vs. asymmetrical ceca, a single cecum, or lacking anal pores). Our <em>28S</em> phylogenetic analysis recovered a paraphyletic <em>Acanthostomum</em> (including <em>Neocladocystis</em> spp. and <em>Tanganyikatrema fusiforme</em> Kmentová, Georgieva, and Bray, 2020; both Cryptogonimidae) within a clade sister to other cryptogonimids. We discuss the implications of using nonugens and excessively short nucleotide sequences to compare species and to test phylogenetic relationships. Regarding advancing the systematics of the family, we discuss oral sucker shape and position, circumoral spine distribution, tegumental spine distribution, ceca symmetry, anal pore presence/absence and position, and gonotyl presence/absence and position as useful genus-level features. Many of these features remain indeterminate for several species. This is the first published study of a parasite infecting a tetrapod in the Yahuarcaca Lake System, first to record a parasite infecting a coral snake (<em>Micrurus</em> spp.) in Colombia, and only the second trematode species reported from the aquatic coral snake.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 101055"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143704229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Demodex galagoensis sp. nov. (Acariformes: Demodecidae) from the Senegal bushbaby Galago senegalensis in the light of the current understanding of the demodecid mite fauna of primates, with notes on a case report","authors":"Joanna N. Izdebska ,&nbsp;Leszek Rolbiecki ,&nbsp;Łukasz Skomorucha","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101053","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101053","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Demodecidae fauna of primates is very poorly known, not only with regard to its host range, but also the possibility of the co-occurrence of different mite species in individual host species. So far, only seven species, from five host species, have been described from primates, including five species identified in three species from the suborder Haplorrhini, including <em>Demodex brevis</em>, <em>D. folliculorum</em>, which are associated with humans, in whom they can cause various disease symptoms. The three remaining species have been found only once in captivity: in the rhesus macaque <em>Macaca mulatta</em>, the Guianan squirrel monkey <em>Saimiri sciureus</em> and the red-handed tamarin <em>Saguinus midas</em>. However, two species were found in one representative of the suborder Strepsirrhini, the moholi bushbaby <em>Galago moholi</em> from Rwanda. A new species, <em>Demodex galagoensis</em> sp. nov, has now been described from the Senegal bushbaby <em>Galago senegalensis</em>, kept as a pet; the demodecid mites caused disease symptoms in the skin of the head. Studies highlight the importance of coordinating veterinary examinations with correct identification and taxonomic analyses; such an approach contributes new data to our understanding of biodiversity, and consequently, correct identification is an important factor in the development of effective treatment methods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 101053"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143593452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Different drivers, same tick: Effect of host traits, habitat, and climate on the infestation of three rodent species by larval Dermacentor ticks","authors":"Gabriel P. Andrade-Ponce ,&nbsp;Brandi G. Giles ,&nbsp;Brent C. Newman ,&nbsp;Andrés M. López-Pérez ,&nbsp;Cord B. Eversole","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101054","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101054","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a growing concern for public and wildlife health. Understanding how host traits and environmental factors influence tick infestation in small mammals is critical for improving TBD management strategies. We investigated the presence and load of <em>Dermacentor</em> spp. Larvae on three rodent species: <em>Peromyscus leucopus, Sigmodon hispidus,</em> and <em>Onychomys leucogaster</em>, in the arid brushland ecosystem of South Texas. We used generalized linear models to quantify how host, habitat structure, and climatic variables impact tick presence and load. Our results show that different drivers influenced tick infestation across species; <em>O. leucogaster</em> experienced higher tick loads in smaller individuals and habitats with more leaf litter, whereas for <em>P. leucopus,</em> infestation was determined by the reproductive state and sex of the host as well as larval activity throughout the year. None of the variables measured in this study adequately explained the presence and parasite load in <em>S. hispidus</em>. These findings highlight the importance of considering species-specific interactions between host traits and environmental factors for understanding the dynamics of ticks infestation in rodents. Our results contribute to a growing body of evidence on the complexity of tick-rodent host dynamics and offer insights for predicting changes in parasitism patterns and managing wildlife health in response to a changing environment in South Texas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 101054"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143579143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal change and phylogenetic position of Kamegainema cingula (Nematoda: Dracunculidae) parasitic in Japanese giant salamanders","authors":"Karin Tsuchida ,&nbsp;Misako Urabe ,&nbsp;Kanto Nishikawa","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Kamegainema cingula</em> (Linstow, 1902) (Nematoda: Dracunculidae) parasitizes subcutis of cryptobranchid salamanders in Japan and the U.S.A. <em>Kamegainema</em> is a monotypic genus including only <em>K. cingula</em>. Here, we analyzed the phylogenetic relationship of <em>K. cingula</em> in other dracunculid and micropleurid species. We also reported the seasonal change of the present species in the infection rate in the skin of <em>Andrias</em> species in Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures, Japan. We collected this species from the skin of <em>Andrias japonicus</em> and hybrids (<em>A. japonicus</em> × <em>Andrias davidianus</em>) from spring to early summer. Female <em>K. cingula</em> likely mature and release larvae during this season in Japan. In addition, <em>K. cingula</em> formed a sister clade to <em>Micropleura</em> as well as <em>Dracunculus</em> in our phylogenetic analysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 101052"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143551615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Waterborne protozoan and microsporidian parasites in Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber)","authors":"Júlia Šmigová ,&nbsp;Viliam Šnábel ,&nbsp;Serena Cavallero ,&nbsp;Ľubomír Šmiga ,&nbsp;Ingrid Papajová ,&nbsp;Bohumil Sak ,&nbsp;Nikola Holubová ,&nbsp;Martin Kváč","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Eurasian beaver (<em>Castor fiber</em>) is an expanding species in Europe in recent decades due to reintroductions and natural population growth. Beavers expanded rapidly in the second half of the 20th century, and their expansion was particularly rapid in the Danube basin. Nowadays, the majority of the continuous population located in the central and eastern parts of the continent and a large disjunct population in Norway and Sweden. Despite the increasing population size, the role of the beaver as a source of waterborne pathogens is not firmly established or is often inferred from circumstantial data. In order to extend knowledge about the composition of the parasite fauna of beavers occurring in Slovakia, 21 faecal samples taken near their burrows from three sites (located in the Topľa, Poprad and Danube river basin) were examined microscopically and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR-positive specimens were further examined by DNA sequencing. Parasites were detected in 21% of the examined beavers, specifically the protozoa <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. (n = 2), <em>Blastocystis</em> sp. (n = 1), and microsporidia <em>Enterocytozoon bieneusi</em> (n = 1) and <em>Encephalitozoon</em> spp. (n = 1). Using the sequence analysis, two variants of <em>Cryptosporidium proliferans</em>, a new subtype of <em>Blastocystis</em> sp., genotype D of <em>E. bieneusi</em> and <em>Encephalitozoon intestinalis</em> were identified. A putatively novel <em>Blastocystis</em> subtype (ST), originated from a site near the Danube river (southwestern Slovakia), was proposed based on high genetic divergence from the closest described subtype ST12 (11.9%) and unique phylogenetic position in a clade composed of ST's 35–38. The increased risk of zoonotic transmission or transmission to other animals was particularly evident in the site near the Topľa river (northeastern Slovakia), where fungal spores of zoonotic genotype D of <em>E. bieneusi</em> and <em>E. intestinalis</em>, together with oocysts of the potentially zoonotic <em>C. proliferans</em>, were found.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 101050"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143534981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occurrence of tick-borne haemoparasites in South African rodent species evidence of Babesia microti-like sequence variants in two Rhabdomys species","authors":"Milana Troskie ,&nbsp;Sonja Matthee ,&nbsp;Barend L. Penzhorn ,&nbsp;Raymond Jansen ,&nbsp;Marinda Oosthuizen","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101051","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101051","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, vector-borne viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases have emerged or re-emerged in many geographic regions, causing health and economic problems. Wildlife can act as reservoirs for many human and livestock diseases and that arthropods are often involved in the transmission of these pathogens. Little is known about the zoonotic pathogens that naturally occur in wild rodent and insectivorous shrew species in South Africa. The aims of the study were to: 1) record the tick-borne haemoparasite diversity associated with rodents and shrews at several localities in South Africa, and 2) characterise <em>Babesia microti</em> that occur in rodents using Sanger sequencing of the parasite 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS1). Nine wild rodent genera (species: n = 412) and two insectivorous shrew genera (species: n = 11) were simultaneously screened for the presence of <em>Theileria</em>, <em>Babesia</em>, <em>Ehrlichia</em> and <em>Anaplasma</em> species using the Reverse Line Blot (RLB) hybridization assay. The RLB PCR amplicons obtained from <em>Mastomys</em> spp., <em>Micaelamys namaquensis</em>, <em>Mus musculus</em>, <em>Rhabdomys dilectus</em> and <em>R. pumilio</em> hybridized with the following RLB species-specific probes: <em>Babesia microti</em> (11.3%), <em>Anaplasma bovis</em> (3.5%)<em>, Anaplasma phagocytophilum</em> (1.8%) and <em>Ehrlichia ruminantium</em> (3.5%). The near full-length 18S rRNA gene and partial ITS1 spacer region of 12 of the specimens were cloned and the recombinants sequenced. <em>Babesia microti-</em>like 18S rDNA and ITS1 sequence variants were recorded in two rodent species (<em>Rhabdomys dilectus</em> and <em>Rhabdomys pumilio</em>). The <em>B. microti</em>-like 18S rDNA sequence variants, obtained in this study, clustered phylogenetically within the established <em>B. microti</em>-like clade (Clade I). Nevertheless, they formed a distinct South African group that seems to differ significantly from <em>B. microti sensu stricto</em> and could potentially represent a fifth distinct lineage within the <em>B. microti</em>-like clade.The study highlights the potential of small mammals acting as important reservoirs for vector-borne haemoparasites in South Africa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 101051"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143562578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Life cycle stages of Hepatozoon ingwe (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina: Hepatozoidae) in an Ixodes sp. tick vector (Arthropoda: Ixodida: Ixodidae) and an African leopard Panthera pardus pardus","authors":"Michelle van As ,&nbsp;Edward C. Netherlands ,&nbsp;Johann van As ,&nbsp;Courtney A. Cook ,&nbsp;Nico J. Smit","doi":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intracellular apicomplexan haemoparasites from the genus <em>Hepatozoon</em> Miller 1908 have been described from a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including wild carnivores in Africa. Reports from the African leopard, <em>Panthera pardus pardus</em> (Linnaeus 1758) are scarce and generally non-specific, and description on the mode of transmission and life cycle stages in infected vectors remains relatively rare. The aim of this study was to explore the role of ticks as potential vectors of a species of <em>Hepatozoon</em> infecting African leopards in South Africa. Peripheral blood samples and engorged ticks were collected from five wild leopards (three females and two males) while under sedation. Giemsa stained smears of peripheral blood were screened for <em>Hepatozoon</em> gamont stages, both extra- and intraleukocytic. Engorged ticks from infected leopards were subsequently kept alive in a fasting state for seven days before being dissected and smeared on clean microscope slides, stained with Giemsa solution, and screened for various possible developmental stages. Sporogonic stages, including microgametes, immature and mature oocysts and infective sporozoites, were observed in a tick (<em>Ixodes</em> sp.) collected from a male leopard infected with gamont stages of <em>Hepatozoon ingwe</em> Van As, Netherlands and Smit 2020. Developmental stages were photographed, differentiated and measured with ImageJ software. One tick-smear microscope slide was scraped and used for genetic confirmation of the identity of this haemogregarine. This is the first report on the characteristics of different developmental stages of a feline species of <em>Hepatozoon</em> in both its potential tick vector and African leopard host.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54278,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Parasitology-Parasites and Wildlife","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 101049"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143611571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}