Parasitological and molecular investigation of Babesia microti in rodents of Sarab district of East Azerbaijan

The cause of Babesiosis, piroplasmosis or red water fever is a small protozoon called babesia. Vast majority of animals including; aquatics, amphibians, rodents, reptiles, birds, mammals and human beings are infected with this parasite. Thus, it is considered one of the most important diseases of zoonotic parasitic infections and is introduced as a health problem in some countries of tropical areas, which at the same time, is of economical importance. The cause of Babesiosis in Iran is Babesia microti and rodents are one of the reservoir's of the disease parasite. This investigation is the first molecular study for determining rodents as reservoir hosts of Babesia microti in Sarab city and surrounding villages. First of all 100 rodents of 4 different species consisting Mus musculus, Meriones persicus, Cricetulus migratorius and Mesocricetus auratus from different villages of Sarab city were hunted using live traps. Then blood samples of all hunted rodents were tested by parasitological studies (preparing Impression smear of spleen tissue and thin peripheral blood smear). By dissection and parasitological studies of all the rodents of 4 different species, in 3 Mus musculus which were mice, no schizont of Babesia was seen in impression smear of spleen tissue but pear shaped intra erythrocytic babesia parasite waspresent in thin blood smear study. Infection Rate was 3% and in the end, parasitological test results were confirmed using molecular method of PCR. The isolated parasite genus was determined to be Babesia microti. It was specified in this study that rodents, especially Mus musculus could be as reservoir hosts for babesiosis in Sarab city of East Azerbaijan province of Iran.