Prevalence of the species Beauveria pseudobassiana among tick-associated fungal isolates from the Republic of Moldova

Fungal strains isolated from ixodid ticks in the Republic of Moldova were genetically characterized using the ribosomal RNA operon internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions together with the 5.8S rRNA gene as well as the nuclear genes ef1ƒÑƒnencoding the alpha subunit of eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1ƒÑ as phylogenetic markers. On the basis of the sequence data obtained, eight out of ten isolates were assigned to the Beauveria species B. pseudobassiana. The two remaining isolates were consistently characterized as Isaria farinosa and as an Aspergillus species, respectively. Further work to elucidate if the prevalence of the species B. pseudobassiana in ticks is or not a regional phenomenon is in progress.