Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu khoa học quốc tế về bệnh thú y đề tài: Antigenic diversity of Theileria major piroplasm surface protein gene in Jeju black cattle | J. Vet. Sci. 2008 9 2 155-160 JOURNAL OF Veterinary Science Antigenic diversity of Theileria major piroplasm surface protein gene in Jeju black cattle 1 1 1 2 2 Myung-Soon Ko Kyoung-Kap Lee Kyu-Kye Hwang Byung-Sun Kim Gui-Cheol Choi Young-Min Yun1 College of Veterinary Medicine Cheju National University Jeju 690-756 Korea 2Equine Center Korea Racing Authority Gwacheon 427-711 Korea Piroplasms are tick-transmitted intracellular hemoprotozoan parasites that cause anorexia fever anemia and icterus. Theileriosis is caused by Theileria sergenti and causes major economic losses in grazing cattle in Japan and Korea. In May 2003 we examined the antigenic diversity of the major piroplasm surface protein MPSP gene in 35 healthy Jeju black cattle that were born and raised at the National Institute of Subtropical Agriculture. On microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears 9 of 35 cattle had intra-erythrocytic piroplasms. Hematological data were within normal range for all 35 cattle. Amplification of DNA from all blood samples using universal MPSP gene primers showed mixed infections with C I and B type Theileria spp. Type C was identified in 20 of 35 blood samples and type B was identified in 17 samples. Allelic variation was seen in type B. Keywords cattle MPSP gene piroplasma surface protein thei-leriosis Introduction Theileria spp. are tick-transmitted intracellular hemoprotozoan parasites that cause anorexia fever anemia and icterus. Bovine theileriosis caused by T. sergenti is a major source of economic losses in grazing cattle in Japan and Korea. In Korea bovine piroplasmosis is caused by T ser-genti 1 6 and B. ovata 2 . Infected cattle suffer from chronic anemia owing to intra-erythrocytic piroplasms and occasionally die in severe cases. After the acute phase the infection may follow a chronic subclinical course and animals can become piroplasm carriers acting as reservoirs. Major piroplasm surface protein MPSP is a major target antigen recognized by the host
