Genetic and Antigenic Evidence Supports the Separation of<i>Hepatozoon canis</i>and<i>Hepatozoon americanum</i>at the Species Level

Abstract

Recognition of Hepatozoon canis and Hepatozoon americanum as distinct species was supported by the results of Western immunoblotting of canine anti-H. canis and anti-H. americanum sera against H. canis gamonts. Sequence analysis of 368 bases near the 3' end of the 18S rRNA gene from each species revealed a pairwise difference of 13.59%.