CONVENTIONAL AND MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTIC STUDY OF BABESIA SPECIES INFECTED CAMELS (CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS) IN AL-NAJAF AL-ASHRAF PROVINCE, IRAQ

The current study was carried out to determine Babesia species infections in Iraqi one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) based on microscopic and molecular methods. During the period from the beginning of December 2020 to the end of August 2021, 180 blood samples were randomly collected from camels of various ages and both sexes at the slaughter house of Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf province, Iraq. Giemsa stained blood smear examination revealed that 19/180 (10.55%) of camels positive for Babesia spp. infections. In relation to Babesia prevalence and the risk factors, the highest infection rate was at the age of > 1 year (adults) 18/133 (13.53%), females had the highest infection rate 5/27 (18.51%) compared to males was 14/153 (9.15%); the prevalence of Babesia spp. is distributed over the months of the study, except for January and February. However, the highest infection rate was recorded on August 6/20 (30%). Molecular study results based on nested PCR for the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (coxI) gene showed that two species of Babesia, including Babesia bigemina with a high prevalence 21/100 (21%) and Babesia bovis 3/100 (3%) infected camels. For confirmation, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic tree relationship analysis (Mega 6.0) of local Babesia species and isolates related to the NCBI-Blast homology sequence indicated that the local Babesia bigemina camel blood isolates No.1- 5 showed closed genetic related into NCBI-BLAST Babesia bigemina China isolate (JQ518300.1) with genetic homology sequence identity (98.39%-99.60%) and local Babesia bovis camel blood isolates No. 1 and 2 showed closed genetic related into NCBI-BLAST Babesia bovis China isolate (JQ518301.1) with genetic homology sequence identity (99.13%-99.34%) then local Babesia species isolates were submitted into NCBI Genbank and identified by accession numbers (ON454068.1, ON454069.1, ON454070.1, ON454071.1 and OP094087.1) for B. bigemina (OP146607.1 and OP146608.1) for B. bovis.