Comparative study of Theileria parasites in Northern Asia

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Theileria sergenti is mainly distributed in North Asia. Similarities and differences among isolates from these different countries are very important for control of T.sergenti infection. We obtained parasite isolates from China (5 stocks), Korea (47 stocks) and Taiwan (22 stocks), and analyzed these parasites by Western blot, Southern blot and allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR).The results of Western blot and Southern blot indicated most of Korean and Chinese isolates showed similar parasite protein and DNA patterns to that of japanese isolates. To differentiate parasite populations bearing 3 allelic forms of p32, an immunodominant piroplasm surface protein of T.sergenti, 3 sets of oligonucleotide primers were designed to amplify either of the 3 allele by PCR.Each set of primers differentially amplified either of Ikeda (I), Chitose (C) or T.buffeli (B)-type p32 genes.The majority of T.sergenti-infected calves in Japan harbored mixed parasite (I and C) populations. B type parasite was very rare but also isolated in Japan. Three types of parasites were detected in Chinese isolates. In Korea, all the infected calves harbored I type parasite and mixed infected with either C or B type parasites. In contrast, non of the T.sergenti-infected calves in Taiwan harbored I type parasite. They infected with either C or B type parasite or mixed population (C and B).Results from the present study indicated that T.sergenti distributed in Northern Asian countries are similar to Japanese isolates in protein and DNA leveles with minor differences.