This document investigates the presence of Theileria genotypes in waterbuck populations in an area endemic to Theileria parva in Kenya. The study found no evidence of T. parva transmission from waterbuck, though novel Theileria types genetically related to pathogenic species were identified in non-equid hosts, indicating the need for further research. The results highlight the complexities of Theileria transmission dynamics between wildlife and livestock.

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Novel Theileria genotypes from wildlife in a Theileria parva-endemic area in Kenya
Naftaly Githaka1, David Odongo2, Isaac Lekolool3 , Saturo Konnai4 and Richard Bishop1
1International Livestock Research Institute, ILRI, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. 2School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100 Nairobi
Kenya. 3Kenya Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 40241-00100 Nairobi Kenya. 4Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo,
Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan.
The results from this investigation provided no evidence that waterbuck plays a role in the transmission of T. parva. However, the finding of
novel Theileria types, genetically related to pathogenic species occurring in both equids and small ruminants is an unexpected result and
worthy of further investigation. The finding of a T. equi-like parasite in a non-equid host species is of interest since recent data suggests that
T. equi occupies an intermediate phylogenetic position with respect to Theileria and Babesia (Kappmeyer et al., 2012).
Naftaly Githaka
n.githaka@cgiar.org ● Box 30709 Nairobi Kenya ● +254 20 422 3655
● www.ilri.org
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In Africa, the primary cause of theileriosis in cattle is the sporozoan parasite Theileria parva that
occurs naturally in the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer). Waterbuck are infested by large numbers of
Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, the tick vector for T. parva, and previous in vitro data suggests that the
species may be a source of T. parva transmission to cattle. However, there is no evidence that
T. parva is transmissible to the waterbuck under field conditions.
TBDs
transmission
Livestock
Wildlife
Host
interface
Pictures
? ?
T. parva
transmission ?
Trends in Parasitology, 2009
Buffalo Cattle
?
?T. parva
transmission ?
Waterbuck
 Sampling sites:
Marula area (a T. parva-endemic area in Kenya)
 Blood samples:
 Detection of parasites:
1)A nested PCR assay targeting a highly conserved region of T. parva single copy gene p104
2)Reverse Line Blot (using oligo probes for all Theileria species so far described in livestock and
wildlife in Kenya)
 Genetic analysis
Cloning and sequencing of the 18S rRNA and ITS gene markers
Cattle (n=86) Waterbucks (n=26)
Marula
Results
Background
Materials and Methods
A
Cattle samples: 1-18
-ve 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 161 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 17 18
Theileria sp (kudus)
Theileria/Babesia catch-all
Theileria catch-all
Theileria annulata
Theileria buffeli
Theileria equi
Theileria sp (giraffe) 1
Theileria sp. (buffalo)
Theileria velifera
Theileria sp (sable)
Theileria mutans
Theileria parva
Theileria tautoragi
Positive controls
-ve
Waterbuck samples: 1-18
RLB assay
PCR No (%). of PCR positive for T. parva-specific p104 gene
WaterbucksCattle
58 / 86 (67.4%) 0 / 26 (0%)
No T. parva
in the Waterbuck
Cattle samples: 1-18 Waterbuck samples: 1-18
PM P M
Detection of new Theileria spp.
-ve 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 161 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 17 18
A
C
B
Conclusion and significance of the findings
• T. parva and Theileria sp (buffalo) detected in the cattle but not waterbuck samples.
• Phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rRNA and ITS sequences within the RLB-positive waterbuck samples revealed the
occurrence of three Theileria genotypes of unknown identity:
• Group A clustered with Theileria equi, a pathogenic Theileria species infective to domestic equids. Group B
parasites clustered closely with Theileria luwenshuni while Group C was closely related to Theileria ovis that is
infective to sheep.