Babesia microti
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| Species: | Theileria microti
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Theileria microti is a parasitic blood-borne piroplasm transmitted by deer ticks. It was previously in the taxonomic genus Babesia, as Babesia microti, until ribosomal RNA comparisons placed it in the sister genus Theileria.[1][2] T. microti is responsible for the disease human theileriosis, similar to babesiosis, a malaria-like disease which also causes fever and hemolysis.
Genomics
The genome of Babesia microti has been sequenced.[3] The sequence shows that this species does not belong to the either of the established genera - Babesia and Theleria - but instead belongs to a separate genus.
The mitochondrial genome is linear.
Life cycle
An important difference from malaria is that T. microti does not infect liver cells. Additionally, the piroplasm is spread by tick bites (Ixodes scapularis, the same tick that spreads Lyme disease), while the malaria protozoans are spread via mosquito. Finally, under the microscope, the merozoite form of the T. microti lifecycle in red blood cells forms a cross-shaped structure, often referred to as a "Maltese cross", whereas malaria forms more of a diamond ring structure in red blood cells.[4]
Vaccine
In May 2010, it was reported that a vaccine to protect cattle against East Coast fever had been approved and registered by the governments of Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania.[citation needed]
A vaccine to protect humans has yet to be approved.[citation needed]
References
- ^ UILENBERG,G. & GOFF,W.L. (2006). "Polyphasic Taxonomy". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1081: 495. doi:10.1196/annals.1373.073. PMID 17135557.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)[1] - ^ Uilenberg, G (2006). "Babesia--a historical overview". Veterinary Parasitology. 138 (1–2): 3–10. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.01.035. PMID 16513280.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Cornillot E, Hadj-Kaddour K, Dassouli A, Noel B, Ranwez V, Vacherie B, Augagneur Y, Brès V, Duclos A, Randazzo S, Carcy B, Debierre-Grockiego F, Delbecq S, Moubri-Ménage K, Shams-Eldin H, Usmani-Brown S, Bringaud F, Wincker P, Vivarès CP, Schwarz RT, Schetters TP, Krause PJ, Gorenflot A, Berry V, Barbe V, Ben Mamoun C (2012) Sequencing of the smallest Apicomplexan genome from the human pathogen Babesia microti{dagger} Nucleic Acids Res
- ^ Goldberg, Stephen (2007). Clinical Microbiology made Ridiculously Simple (4th ed.). Medmaster. ISBN 978-0-940780-21-7.
External links
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