National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH)

Topics in Animal Health Research 2007

17. Isolation of a Megatrypanum trypanosome from a sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Japan

Japanese

  A trypanosome was isolated from a sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Hokkaido, Japan, during the primary culture of sika deer renal cells. This is the first report of isolation of a Megatrypanum trypanosome from Japanese Cervidae. The trypanosome, designated TSD1, was propagated and maintained in Eagle's modified essential medium containing 20% fetal bovine serum with sika deer renal cells as feeder. The TSD1 trypanosome was morphometrically similar to T. Trypanosoma cervi, which is commonly isolated from American and European deer. PCR analysis with primers for 18S ribosomal DNA and nucleotide sequencing showed that TSD1 is a member of the genus Trypanosoma, subgenus Megatrypanum. Phylogenetically, TSD1 is closely related to T. theileri, a common trypanosome of cattle, but is distinguishable from T. theileri by several morphometrical and biological features.
(Research Team for Environmental/Enzootic Diseases, Hokkaido Research Station, TEL +81-29-838-7708)

Reference:

Hatama et al. (2007) Vet. Parasitol. 149 : 56-64.

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