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Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical

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Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases

Detection of Theileria and Babesia infections amongst asymptomatic cattle in Portugal

Piroplasmosis caused by tick-borne hemoprotozoans of several Theileria and Babesia species has a major impact on livestock production worldwide. A reverse line blotting assay that includes genus- and species-specific probes for Theileria and Babesia species was used to assess the occurrence of these parasites in blood samples collected from 1407 healthy bovines throughout mainland Portugal.
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Artificial feeding of Rhipicephalus microplus female ticks with anti calreticulin serum do not influence tick and Babesia bigemina acquisition

Ticks are obligate haematophagous ectoparasites considered the principal vectors of disease among animals. Rhipicephalus microplus and R. annulatus ticks are the most important vectors for Babesia bigemina and B. bovis, two of the most important intraerythrocytic protozoan parasites species in cattle, responsible for babesiosis which together with anaplasmosis account for substantial economic losses in the livestock industry worldwide.
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Molecular detection of bacterial and parasitic pathogens in hard ticks from Portugal

Ticks are important vector arthropods of human and animal pathogens. As information about agents of disease circulating in vectors in Portugal is limited, the aim of the present study was to detect bacteria and parasites with veterinary and zoonotic importance in ticks collected from dogs, cats, and field vegetation. A total of 925 ticks, comprising 888 (96.0%) adults, 8 (0.9%) nymphs, and 29 (3.1%) larvae, were collected in 4 geographic areas (districts) of Portugal.
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