A trypanosome species isolated from naturally infected Haemaphysalis hystricis ticks in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan

Common arthropod vectors for trypanosomes are flies, fleas and bugs. This study reports on an unknown trypanosome species isolated from naturally infected Haemaphysalis hystricis ticks, hereby, referred to as Trypanosoma KG1 isolate. The parasite has been Successfully cultured in vitro with L929 or HEK 293T cell line as feeder cells. This trypanosome cannot survive in vitro without feeder cells. Following experimental infections of ticks, the trypomastigote-like and the epimastigote-like forms of this trypanosome could be detected by Giemsa-stained smears of the midgut and salivary glands of Ornithodoros moubata ticks which were made to feed on a culturing medium containing Trypanosoma KG1 isolate through an artificial membrane. Trypanosoma KG1 isolate could also be detected from Giemsa-stained smears of the haemolymph up to 30 days post-inoculation into the O. moubata haemocoel. Trypanosoma KG1 isolate cannot be propagated in laboratory animals including mice, rats, rabbits and sheep. A phylogenetic tree constructed with the 18S rRNA gene indicates that Trypanosoma KG1 is a member of the stercorarian trypanosomes.