First detection of Babesia sp. in Bornean sun bear (Helarctos malayanus euryspilus Horsfield) in Sabah, Malaysia

Chua, T.H. and Yeoh, B.N. and Benny Obrain Joseph Manin and Wong, S.T. (2022) First detection of Babesia sp. in Bornean sun bear (Helarctos malayanus euryspilus Horsfield) in Sabah, Malaysia. Tropical Biomedicine, 39. pp. 179-184. ISSN 0127-5720

	Text First detection of Babesia sp. in Bornean sun bear (Helarctos malayanus euryspilus Horsfield) in Sabah, Malaysia.pdf Restricted to Repository staff only Download (523kB) \| Request a copy
	Text First detection of Babesia sp. in Bornean sun bear (Helarctos malayanus euryspilus Horsfield) in Sabah, Malaysia _ABSTRACT.pdf Download (61kB)

URL: https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.109.7/114.7f7.m...

Abstract

The Bornean sun bear, a subspecies of the endangered Malayan sun bear, resides only on Borneo Island and little is known about diseases or parasites that may impact their health. In 2019, blood and ticks were collected from 46 captive bears held at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sabah, Malaysia during annual health examinations in response to previous blood smear analysis that revealed presumptive haemoparasites in more than half the resident bears. Polymerase chain reaction detected a unique Babesia sp. in one of the bears. Disease surveillance of mosquitoes trapped along the outer perimeter of the bears’ outdoor enclosure did not reveal any malaria parasites. This research marks the first documented case in Bornean sun bears of both a Babesia sp. and the Ixodes tick Haemaphysalis nr koningsbergeri. More research on incriminating the vector and the effects of Babesia infection on the health of Bornean sun bears is needed. Due to the zoonotic nature of babesiosis, mitigative actions should be taken to protect any humans that work with or come into close contact with these captive bears or their enclosures.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Babesia , Bornean Sun Bear , Haemaphysalis nr koningsbergeri , Sabah
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SF Animal culture > SF1-1100 Animal culture > SF600-1100 Veterinary medicine > SF951-997.5 Diseases of special classes of animals
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Depositing User:	SAFRUDIN BIN DARUN -
Date Deposited:	15 Aug 2022 11:20
Last Modified:	15 Aug 2022 11:20
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/33754

Actions (login required)

View Item