Status of Hepatozoonosis in Wildlife: A Global Overview

Document Type : Review Articles

Authors

1 Pathogens and Vectors Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran

2 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

3 DVM graduate, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

4 Food and Beverages Safety Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran

5 Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Division of Epidemiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Hepatozoon spp. are parasites that are transmitted by ticks and can cause a range of diseases in both wild and domestic animals, varying in severity. These parasites have the ability to infect a diverse range of species such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. They are frequently encountered in tropical and subtropical areas on all continents. Various carnivores, such as foxes (Vulpes vulpes), black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas), golden jackals (Canis aureus), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), leopards (Panthera iridus), and lions (Panthera leo), have been identi ed as hosts for similar species of Hepatozoon based on their physical characteristics. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the  ndings regarding Hepatozoon spp. in both free-roaming and captive wild animals from America, Europe, and Asia. The discovery of Hepatozoon spp. in different types of mammals, including those that are domesticated and those that are wild, indicates that there is a possibility of diseases spreading between animals that live in the wild and those that are domesticated.

Keywords


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