Significant morphological but little molecular differences between Trypanosoma of rodents from Alaska

J Parasitol. 2005 Feb;91(1):201-3. doi: 10.1645/GE-3385RN.

Abstract

We examined blood smears of 173 rodents and 33 shrews captured at 4 sites in the Gates of the Arctic National Park, northern Alaska, in summer 2002. Trypanosoma spp. were detected in the plasma of 5 Microtus oeconomus, 4 Microtus miurus, and 1 Lemmus trimucronatus. The trypomastigote morphology from different individuals of M. oeconomus caught at the same site and of M. miurus from different sites varied significantly. The 4 DNA sequences obtained from the blood smear positive samples contained 2 different haplotypes very similar to each other and to that of Trypanosoma microti. Of possible vectors of blood parasites, the flea Amalaraeus dissimilis was collected from M. miurus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alaska
  • Animals
  • Arvicolinae / parasitology*
  • DNA, Protozoan / isolation & purification
  • Electrophoresis, Agar Gel / veterinary
  • Erythrocytes / parasitology
  • Female
  • Haplotypes
  • Insect Vectors / parasitology
  • Male
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Pregnancy
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics
  • Rodent Diseases / parasitology*
  • Shrews / parasitology
  • Siphonaptera / parasitology
  • Trypanosoma / classification
  • Trypanosoma / genetics
  • Trypanosoma / ultrastructure*
  • Trypanosomiasis / parasitology
  • Trypanosomiasis / veterinary*

Substances

  • DNA, Protozoan
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S