Korean J Parasitol.  2014 Aug;52(4):443-447. 10.3347/kjp.2014.52.4.443.

Molecular Detection and Seroprevalence of Babesia microti among Stock Farmers in Khutul City, Selenge Province, Mongolia

• Hong SH
• Anu D
• Jeong YI
• Abmed D
• Cho SH
• Lee WJ
• Lee SE

• KMID: 1792208
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2014.52.4.443

Abstract

Babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne disease in humans worldwide; however, little is known about the frequency of infection or prevalence of this disease in other parts of the world, excluding North America. In this study, we aimed to investigate Babesia microti infection frequency in a human population in Mongolia. One hundred blood samples were collected from stock farmers living in Khutul city of Selenge province, Mongolia. The sera and DNA from blood samples were evaluated for the presence of B. microti infection by using indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) tests and PCR. The positive detection rates obtained using the IFA tests and PCR assays were 7% and 3%, respectively. This study is the first to detect of B. microti infections based on antibody seroprevalence or PCR assays for the presence of B. microti DNA in a Mongolian population.

Keyword

Babesia microti; IFA test; PCR; Mongolia

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
*Animal Husbandry
Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood
Babesia microti/genetics/*isolation & purification
Babesiosis/diagnosis/*epidemiology/immunology/pathology
Child
Child, Preschool
DNA, Protozoan/*blood
Female
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Mongolia/epidemiology
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Young Adult
Antibodies, Protozoan
DNA, Protozoan