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Sioutas G, Gelasakis AI, Papadopoulos E. Spatial Distribution of Dermanyssus gallinae Infestations in Greece and Their Association with Ambient Temperature, Humidity, and Altitude. Pathogens 2024; 13:347. [PMID: 38668302 PMCID: PMC11053509 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Dermanyssus gallinae, the poultry red mite (PRM), is the most prevalent and harmful ectoparasite of laying hens globally. Although prevalence and risk factor studies can help veterinarians make decisions regarding farm treatments, relevant data are scarce. The present study investigated the prevalence and infestation severity of PRM in poultry farms across Greece and examined potential risk factors. AviVet traps were used to sample 84 farms (51 backyard, 33 industrial) over three years. Farm altitude, temperature, humidity, region, and production systems were assessed as potential risk factors with chi-square tests, initially for all the studied farms and then exclusively for backyard farms. The overall prevalence was 75.0% and was higher in backyard farms (80.4%) compared with industrial ones (66.7%), varying regionally from 66.7 to 90.9%. Altitude and temperature were not significant risk factors, but farms with humidity <60% had a lower infestation risk. Infestation severity did not significantly differ by risk factors. The poultry red mite is highly prevalent across Greek poultry production systems and regions. In the future, global warming, reduced acaricide options, and a ban on cage systems will all threaten a wider spatio-temporal distribution of the PRM, justifying the urgent need for effective monitoring and control methods to protect hen production and welfare and workers' health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Sioutas
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Athanasios I. Gelasakis
- Laboratory of Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, Department of Animal Science, School of Animal Biosciences, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece;
| | - Elias Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
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Sioutas G, Petridou E, Minoudi S, Papageorgiou KV, Symeonidou I, Giantsis IA, Triantafyllidis A, Papadopoulos E. Isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) infesting a backyard chicken farm in Greece. Sci Rep 2023; 13:685. [PMID: 36639408 PMCID: PMC9839678 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27862-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, is arguably the most harmful, ubiquitous haematophagous ectoparasite infesting egg-laying hens. PRM is a vector of various microorganisms, with some being important for food microbiology and public health. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of specific pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp., carried by PRM infesting a chicken farm in Greece. Mites were caught using cardboard traps (Avivet), and 100 unwashed PRM were homogenized and used for microbiological cultures. Microbiological cultures were carried out on general and selective substrates to detect the above-mentioned bacteria. Specifically for Listeria spp., DNA was extracted from bacteria grown in Tryptone Soya Yeast Extract Agar using a commercial kit. The hly gene encoding the Listeriolysin O protein was amplified by PCR. Mites were identified as D. gallinae using morphological keys as well as by COI DNA barcoding. Microbiological cultures and PCR assays were positive for Listeria monocytogenes. No other bacteria were detected. The current study constitutes the first molecular isolation of L. monocytogenes from D. gallinae, confirming that PRM can carry this food-borne pathogen. PRM control measures and hygiene practices should be applied to minimize any possible contamination risk of poultry products with L. monocytogenes and safeguard public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Sioutas
- grid.4793.90000000109457005Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evanthia Petridou
- grid.4793.90000000109457005Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Styliani Minoudi
- grid.4793.90000000109457005Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos V. Papageorgiou
- grid.4793.90000000109457005Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Isaia Symeonidou
- grid.4793.90000000109457005Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioannis A. Giantsis
- grid.184212.c0000 0000 9364 8877Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Western Macedonia, 53100 Florina, Greece
| | - Alexandros Triantafyllidis
- grid.4793.90000000109457005Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Elias Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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Effects of the poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) load on the plumage condition in commercial laying hen farms. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277513. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plumage damage (PD) resulting from severe feather pecking (SFP) is a significant problem for animal welfare, performance, and economics in commercial laying hen farms. Genetics, nutrition, and housing conditions are central complexes that contribute to the multifactorial cause of SFP. Practical experience suggests that infestation by the poultry red mite (PRM), which is the most severe ectoparasite of laying hens in cage-free housing systems, may be a risk factor for the occurrence of PD, although evidence-based findings are lacking. The objective of this longitudinal observational field study was to investigate the effects of PRM infestation of commercial laying flocks on the occurrence of PD. Integument scoring (plumage damage and skin lesions) and the quantification of PRM infestation using mite traps were conducted during the laying period of 28 laying flocks, with an average flock size of 12,357 birds in barn (n = 21) or free-range (n = 7) systems. Across all flocks and survey times, the median PRM mass per trap was 0.7 mg (1.-3. quartile: 0.0–19.3 mg/trap), corresponding to a median count of 65.2 mites/trap (1.-3. quartile: 0.0–246.8 mites/trap). Binary logistic regression models revealed an association between PD and skin lesions with hen age, housing system, and hybrid type (p<0.001). The PRM load also affected the plumage condition, where PD increased with increasing PRM infestation (p<0.001). In addition, the PRM load tended to have an effect on skin injuries (p = 0.097). In conclusion, this longitudinal study identified the PRM load in laying hen flocks as a risk factor for PD.
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Sparagano O, Song B, Aziz U, Hussain S, Yang G, George D, Zeb J. Poultry Mites: Ubiquitous, Spreading, and Still a Growing Threat. Avian Dis 2022; 66:1-7. [PMID: 36198007 DOI: 10.1637/aviandiseases-d-22-00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Poultry mites continue to be a major threat to poultry meat and egg production all over the world, with some species being blood-feeding arthropods that spend most of their time off-host and others burrowing under the bird's skin. Regardless of feeding strategy, these mites create welfare issues and production losses in poultry production systems in terms of bird growth, egg quality, and egg quantity. Furthermore, some species are able to transmit pathogens, introducing secondary infections that affect the birds' development and survival. Because of national restrictions on acaricide use and the development of mite resistance to available control products, the eradication of poultry mites is far from being achieved. However, new drugs and a better understanding of mite genetic and transcriptomic factors should aid the development of new control and treatment strategies. This review focuses on the main poultry mite species, their significance, and their current and future control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Sparagano
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Jockey Club College of Life Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,
| | - Baolin Song
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Jockey Club College of Life Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Umair Aziz
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Jockey Club College of Life Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sabir Hussain
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Jockey Club College of Life Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Guan Yang
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Jockey Club College of Life Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David George
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Jehan Zeb
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Jockey Club College of Life Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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