Molecular Characterization of Theileria spp. in Goats from Shaanxi Province, Northwestern China

Theileriosis is an important tick-borne pathogen of livestock globally, causing severe reduction of livestock productivity and economic loss. To systematically investigate the prevalence and species of Theileria spp. in goats from Shaanxi Province, a total of 509 blood samples were collected from dairy, cashmere, and meat goats from 7 counties, and examined by using a microscope and the nested PCR targeting the SSU rRNA gene. Of them, 268 (52.7%, 268/509) were positive for Theileria infection. The prevalence was closely associated with ages and production categories. The highest infection was found in meat goats of 7 to 12 mo, and lowest was detected in cashmere goats of 3 to 6 mo. Sequence analysis indicated the presence of 2 Theileria species, with Theileria luwenshuni as the prevalent species and the first report of Theileria sp. OT3 in goats in China. These findings indicate the wide distribution of Theileria spp. in goats of Shaanxi Province and shed new light on the distribution of this parasite in China.