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Iype A, Ajith Kumar KG, Joy A, Sebasteena PF, Varghese A, Deepa CK, Chandy G, Ravindran R. Molecular characterisation of Amblyomma integrum circulating in southern India. Parasitol Int 2024; 101:102877. [PMID: 38438076 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Amblyomma integrum is a large gooseberry sized longirostrate tick (when fully repleted) found in India and Sri Lanka. In Kerala (India), this tick is commonly found in the forest and its fringe areas frequently infesting deer and hence it is locally known as "maan chellu / maanunny" (deer tick). In the present study, molecular characterisation and phylogenetic analysis of A. integrum collected from the area grazed by the sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) of Kerala, south India was performed using three molecular markers viz., the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI), mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA, and nuclear 18S ribosomal RNA genes. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene showed better resolving ability for elucidating the evolutionary relationship of A. integrum and identified two distinct clades, viz., A and B. The Tamil Nadu isolates of south India and Marayoor isolate 1 (from Idukki district of Kerala bordering with Tamil Nadu) belonged to clade A. Majority of Wayanad isolates from Kerala, occupied clade B. The intraspecific genetic distance among the A. integrum species ranged from 0.00 to 13.34%. Between clades A and B, the genetic distance observed was 11.49%. The clade B isolates were genetically close to A. geoemydae (GD: 1.22%). Morphological variations between the clades included darker exoskeletal coloration in clade A and distinct differences in the shape of basis capitulum. Further analysis using Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning (ASAP) and Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) provided additional insights. Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning (ASAP) identified 26 Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) at a threshold distance of 5.38%, supporting the species partition of A. integrum clade B. Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) analysis retained the same species complex (A. integrum-geoemydae Complex) inferred from the ASAP analyses. It could be inferred from the present study that the A. integrum clades A and B could be two different putative pseudocryptic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleena Iype
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India; Centre for Wildlife Studies, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India
| | - Karapparambu Gopalan Ajith Kumar
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India.
| | - Anisha Joy
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India; Centre for Wildlife Studies, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India
| | - Peekkunnel Francis Sebasteena
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India; Centre for Wildlife Studies, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India
| | - Anju Varghese
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India
| | - Chundayil Kalarikkal Deepa
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India
| | - George Chandy
- Centre for Wildlife Studies, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India
| | - Reghu Ravindran
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India.
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Hornok S, Farkas R, Duong NN, Kontschán J, Takács N, Keve G, Pham DN, Dao TTH. A morpho-phylogenetic update on ixodid ticks infesting cattle and buffalos in Vietnam, with three new species to the fauna and a checklist of all species indigenous to the country. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:319. [PMID: 39061114 PMCID: PMC11282669 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06384-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Southeast Asia is regarded as a hotspot for the diversity of ixodid ticks. In this geographical region, Vietnam extends through both temperate and tropical climate zones and therefore has a broad range of tick habitats. However, molecular-phylogenetic studies on ixodid tick species have not been reported from this country. METHODS In this study, 1788 ixodid ticks were collected from cattle, buffalos and a dog at 10 locations in three provinces of northern Vietnam. Tick species were identified morphologically, and representative specimens were molecularly analyzed based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) and 16S rRNA genes. Fifty-nine tick species that are indigenous in Vietnam were also reviewed in the context of their typical hosts in the region. RESULTS Most ticks removed from cattle and buffalos were identified as Rhipicephalus microplus, including all developmental stages. Larvae and nymphs were found between January and July but adults until December. Further species identified from cattle were Rhipicephalus linnaei, Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, Amblyomma integrum and Haemaphysalis cornigera. Interestingly, the latter three species were represented only by adults, collected in one province: Son La. The dog was infested with nymphs and adults of R. linnaei in July. Phylogenetically, R. microplus from Vietnam belonged to clade A of this species, and R. haemaphysaloides clustered separately from ticks identified under this name in China, Taiwan and Pakistan. Amblyomma integrum from Vietnam belonged to the phylogenetic group of haplotypes of an Amblyomma sp. reported from Myanmar. The separate clustering of H. cornigera from Haemaphysalis shimoga received moderate support. CONCLUSIONS Three tick species (R. linnaei, A. integrum and H. cornigera) are reported here for the first time in Vietnam, thus increasing the number of indigenous tick species to 62. Clade A of R. microplus and at least R. linnaei from the group of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato occur in the country. There is multiple phylogenetic evidence that different species might exist among the ticks that are reported under the name R. haemaphysaloides in South and East Asia. This is the first report of A. integrum in Southeastern Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sándor Hornok
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
- Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN) - University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest (UVMB) Climate Change: New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Róbert Farkas
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ngoc Nhu Duong
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Veterinary Research, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Jenő Kontschán
- Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN) Centre for Agricultural Research, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Mosonmagyaróvár, Széchenyi István University, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary
| | - Nóra Takács
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN) - University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest (UVMB) Climate Change: New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergő Keve
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN) - University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest (UVMB) Climate Change: New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Duan Ngoc Pham
- Department of Parasitology, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Thanh Thi Ha Dao
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Veterinary Research, Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Athira KK, Anis KV, Aneesh EM. Molecular characterization of Amblyomma geoemydae using CO1 mitochondrial gene to validate phenotypic taxonomical evaluation. J Parasit Dis 2023; 47:376-386. [PMID: 37181408 PMCID: PMC10088647 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-023-01582-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal ectoparasites are linked to the spread of serious medical and veterinary important pathogens. Our research intends to close the knowledge gap concerning the numerous ectoparasites that inhabit animals in Wayanad. Ectoparasites in animals brought to the veterinary dispensaries in Wayanad were retrieved and identified morphologically and molecularly. Using a high-quality stereomicroscope, the taxonomic features of the four following species were examined and identified: Haemaphysalis bispinosa, Rhipicephalus annulatus, R. microplus, and Amblyomma geoemydae. The important disease vector A. geoemydae was reported for the first time in Kerala. The important phenotypic characters of the highlighted species A. geoemydae are the edge of the basis capituli is circular without cornua, and the hypostomal dental formula is 2/2. The taxonomically identified four species were subjected to CO1 gene sequence analysis. The evolutionary relationship was inspected through the neighbour-joining method, and the phylogenetic tree was built through the Maximum Likelihood method. The present study has also estimated the diversity index of R. microplus, R. annulatus, H. bispinosa, and A. geoemydae. Among them, R. microplus 0.36638 have reported with the maximum diversity index score. The significance of the study is the presence of Lyme disease vector A. geoemydae, in the Wayanad District of Kerala, and it is the first report of the species from where an outbreak of Lyme disease occurred in 2013.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumichiyil Kumaran Athira
- Centre for Research in Emerging Tropical Diseases (CRET-D), Department of Zoology, University of Calicut, Malappuram, Kerala India
- Department of Zoology, Christ College Irinjalakuda, Thrissur, Kerala India
| | | | - Embalil Mathachan Aneesh
- Centre for Research in Emerging Tropical Diseases (CRET-D), Department of Zoology, University of Calicut, Malappuram, Kerala India
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