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Vega-García E, Palacios G, Pérez JA, Vélez-Tobarias M, Torres-Vega AM, Ascaso-Terrén C, Carmelo E. A molecular toolbox for fast and convenient diagnosis of emerging and reemerging bacterial pathogens causing fever of intermediate duration. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 43:649-657. [PMID: 38270806 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-024-04760-8] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Fever of intermediate duration (FID) is defined as a fever in the community without a specific origin or focus, with a duration between 7 and 28 days. FID is often caused by pathogens associated with animal contact or their arthropods parasites, such as ticks, fleas, or lice. The purpose of this work is to design a collection of molecular tools to promptly and accurately detect common bacterial pathogens causing FID, including bacteria belonging to genera Rickettsia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia, as well as Coxiella burnetii. METHODS Reference DNA sequences from a collection of Rickettsia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia species were used to design genus-specific primers and FRET probes targeted to conserved genomic regions. For C. burnetii, primers previously described were used, in combination with a newly designed specific probe. Real-time PCR assays were optimized using reference bacterial genomic DNA in a background of human genomic DNA. RESULTS The four real-time PCR assays can detect as few as ten copies of target DNA from those five genera of FDI-causing bacteria in a background of 300 ng of human genomic DNA, mimicking the low microbial load generally found in patient's blood. CONCLUSION These assays constitute a fast and convenient "toolbox" that can be easily implemented in diagnostic laboratories to provide timely and accurate detection of bacterial pathogens that are typical etiological causes of febrile syndromes such as FID in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elva Vega-García
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUESTPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38200, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Génesis Palacios
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUESTPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38200, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - José A Pérez
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUESTPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38200, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Microbiología, Biología Celular y Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
| | - Mónica Vélez-Tobarias
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de La Palma (HULP), Breña Alta, La Palma, Spain
| | - Ana María Torres-Vega
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Insular Ntra. Sra. de los Reyes (HINSR), Valverde, El Hierro, Spain
| | | | - Emma Carmelo
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUESTPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38200, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
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Fathi A, Nabavi R, Noaman V, Sarani A, Saadati D, Ben Said M, Ghafar A, Jabbar A, Sazmand A. Molecular identification, risk factor assessment, and phylogenetic analysis of tick-borne pathogens in symptomatic and asymptomatic cattle from South-Eastern Iran. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2024; 92:479-506. [PMID: 38457048 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-023-00886-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) represent a substantial threat to cattle globally, exerting adverse impacts on production, health, and economic viability. This study delves into the prevalence and implications of TTBPs in cattle sourced from resource-limited smallholder livestock farms situated in southeastern Iran, proximate to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Blood and tick specimens were systematically collected from a cohort of 230 cattle, comprising 150 asymptomatic and 80 symptomatic individuals. Genomic DNA isolated from blood samples underwent rigorous examination for the presence of key TBPs, including Anaplasma marginale, A. phagocytophilum, A. bovis, A. centrale, Babesia bigemina, and Theileria annulata, utilizing multiple genetic markers. Nucleotide sequence analysis facilitated the reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships. The study also evaluated various potential risk factors, such as clinical status, gender, age, breed, tick infestation, and management practices, to elucidate their associations with TTBPs. Among the cattle cohort, a staggering 87.8% (202/230) tested positive for at least one pathogen. Prevalence statistics encompassed A. marginale (72.2%), T. annulata (68.3%), A. phagocytophilum/A. platys-like complex (66.1%), A. centrale (16.7%), B. bigemina (10.0%), and A. bovis (6.1%). Remarkably, mixed infections involving two, three, and four pathogens were detected in 23%, 52.1%, and 2.2% of animals, respectively. Notably, all asymptomatic cattle were positive for at least one TBP. Tick infestation was observed in 62.2% (143/230) of cattle, predominantly caused by Hyalomma anatolicum (82.5%), Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (13.1%), and R. sanguineus sensu lato (4.4%). Risk factors linked to TBPs encompassed tick infestation, older age, and crossbred animals. Clinical presentations among symptomatic cattle encompassed fever, anemia, weight loss, anorexia, jaundice, and enlarged superficial lymph nodes. This study underscores the pivotal role of asymptomatic carriers in the propagation of TTBPs within endemic regions. Furthermore, it emphasizes the potential for the implementation of molecular diagnostics to unmask subclinical infections, thereby affording the opportunity for targeted interventions aimed at ameliorating the burden of TTBPs in resource-constrained smallholder dairy farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atefeh Fathi
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Reza Nabavi
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, 6517658978, Iran.
| | - Vahid Noaman
- Department of Parasitic Disease Research, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Karaj, Iran
| | - Ali Sarani
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Bonjar Road, Zabol, 9861335856, Iran
| | - Dariush Saadati
- Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Bonjar Road, Zabol, 9861335856, Iran
| | - Mourad Ben Said
- Department of Basic Sciences, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, 2010, Manouba, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Microbiology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, 2010, Manouba, Tunisia
| | - Abdul Ghafar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, 3030, Australia
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, 3030, Australia
| | - Alireza Sazmand
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, 6517658978, Iran
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Benyedem H, Hajji T, Romdhane R, Obara I, Mhadhbi M, Sebai E, Elati K, Chaari S, Rekik M, Darghouth MA. Genetic diversity of Hyalomma marginatum in Tunisia is not influenced by the bio-climate. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:3013-3025. [PMID: 37823993 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07990-5] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are important ectoparasites responsible for the transmission of several pathogens with significant medical, veterinary, and economic impacts. Climate and social changes have generated substantial changes in ticks' distribution, abundance, and activity patterns, including ticks belonging to the Hyalomma marginatum species. Knowledge on the genetic structure and dynamics of H. marginatum populations might contribute to a better understanding of their current and future evolution under the effects of anthropogenic factors and eco-climatic changes. In the present study, we investigated the genetic structure and phylogenetic distribution of H. marginatum across three bioclimatic regions in Tunisia using two mitochondrial markers (16S and 12S rRNA). The molecular investigations were based on 47 adult H. marginatum ticks collected from humid, upper semi-arid, and sub-humid regions of Tunisia. Our results revealed a genetic diversity of 0.278% and 0.809% using the 16S and 12S markers, respectively. The low genetic diversity that we observed raises the hypothesis of a bottleneck event occasioned by a reduction in the size of the tick population under the effects of environmental factors and/or human activities. This hypothesis is supported by the population's demographic history analysis, which revealed a clear deviation from neutrality and supports the occurrence of a bottleneck event followed by a demographic expansion. The fact that most 16S and 12S variability was present in the ticks from the humid bioclimatic zone may suggest that those ticks represent the ancestral population. Overall, the analysis has shown that the phylogenetic clusters do not correspond to the bioclimatic zones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayet Benyedem
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Institution de La Recherche et de L'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles and Univ. Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia.
- Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
| | - Tarek Hajji
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorization of Bio-Geo-Resources (LR11ES31), Higher Institute of Biotechnology - Sidi Thabet, Univ. Manouba, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Rihab Romdhane
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Institution de La Recherche et de L'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles and Univ. Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
| | - Isaiah Obara
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-Von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Moez Mhadhbi
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Institution de La Recherche et de L'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles and Univ. Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
| | - Essia Sebai
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Institution de La Recherche et de L'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles and Univ. Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
| | - Khawla Elati
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Institution de La Recherche et de L'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles and Univ. Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-Von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
- Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-Von-Ostertag-Str. 8, Berlin, Germany
| | - Soufiene Chaari
- Laboratoire Pharmaceutique Vétérinaire MEDIVET, Soliman, Tunisia
| | - Mourad Rekik
- International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Aziz Darghouth
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Institution de La Recherche et de L'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles and Univ. Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia.
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Ali A, Ullah S, Numan M, Almutairi MM, Alouffi A, Tanaka T. First report on tick-borne pathogens detected in ticks infesting stray dogs near butcher shops. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1246871. [PMID: 37799410 PMCID: PMC10548827 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1246871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Public health is a major concern for several developing countries due to infectious agents transmitted by hematophagous arthropods such as ticks. Health risks due to infectious agents transmitted by ticks infesting butcher-associated stray dogs (BASDs) in urban and peri-urban regions have been neglected in several developing countries. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study assessing public health risks due to ticks infesting BASDs in Pakistan's urban and peri-urban areas. A total of 575 ticks (390 from symptomatic and 183 from asymptomatic BASDs) were collected from 117 BASDs (63 symptomatic and 54 asymptomatic); the ticks belonged to 4 hard tick species. A subset of each tick species' extracted DNA was subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the 16S rDNA and cox1 sequences of the reported tick species, as well as bacterial and protozoal agents. The ticks' 16S rDNA and cox1 sequences showed 99-100% identities, and they were clustered with the sequence of corresponding species from Pakistan and other countries in phylogenetic trees. Among the screened 271 ticks' DNA samples, Anaplasma spp. was detected in 54/271 (19.92%) samples, followed by Ehrlichia spp. (n = 40/271, 14.76%), Rickettsia spp. (n = 33/271, 12.17%), Coxiella spp. (n = 23/271, 4.48%), and Hepatozoon canis (n = 9/271, 3.32%). The obtained sequences and phylogenetic analyzes revealed that the pathogens detected in ticks were Ehrlichia minasensis, Ehrlichia sp., Hepatozoon canis, Coxiella burnetii, Coxiella sp., Anaplasma capra, Anaplasma platys, Anaplasma sp., Rickettsia massiliae, "Candidatus Rickettsia shennongii" and Rickettsia aeschlimannii. Tick-borne pathogens such as E. minasensis, H. canis, A. capra, A. platys, and R. aeschlimannii, were detected based on the DNA for the first time in Pakistan. This is the first report on public health risks due to ticks infesting BASDs. These results not only provided insights into the occurrence of novel tick-borne pathogens in the region but also revealed initial evidence of zoonotic threats to both public health and domestic life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Shafi Ullah
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Numan
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Mashal M. Almutairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz Alouffi
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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Nasirian H. Monitoring of hard tick parasitism in domestic ruminants: A scale evidence for policymakers. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023; 41:100878. [PMID: 37208083 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100878] [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: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Domestic ruminants such as camels, cattle, goats, and sheep represent a substantial part of the global world economy. Hard ticks are well-known as obligatory bloodsucking ectoparasites of domestic ruminants. Policymakers need to get results that show the global distribution of tick genera and species, their parasitic levels, and their roles as disease vectors in camels, cattle, goats, and sheep. Iran is endemic to a broad range of hard tick-borne diseases. A study that reviews the tick genera and species, life stage, seasonal and attachment site parasitism levels, the global mean ranks of tick species parasitism rates and records, and their distribution in target animals would be of particular importance. Accordingly, this review aims to summarize the above objectives. After evaluating the identified articles, 147 were selected to be part of the survey based on the study objectives. Globally, tick parasitism levels were 28.7, 29.9, 36.0 and 47.6% for goats, cattle, sheep, and camels, respectively. The tick parasitism trends have exhibited an increasing trend for camels and sheep over the years while remaining constant for cattle and goats, indicating that current tick control measures are not being properly followed. Ticks tend to parasitize females more than males because males are more resistant to certain pests than females. The distribution of tick genera and species, their parasitism levels, and their roles as disease vectors provided. This information addresses the needs of decision-makers to make decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Nasirian
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran; Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
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Rahravani M, Moravedji M, Mostafavi E, Mozoun MM, Zeeyaie AH, Mohammadi M, Seyfi H, Adhami G, Esmaeili S, Ameri M. Clinical, hematological and molecular evaluation of piroplasma and Anaplasma infections in small ruminants and tick vectors from Kurdistan province, western Iran. Res Vet Sci 2023; 159:44-56. [PMID: 37080001 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2023.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne haemoparasite infections are a major challenge in small ruminant (SR) production across tropical areas. The present study evaluated the prevalence of Theileria, Babesia and Anaplasma in SRs and their tick vectors and estimated the association between pathogen prevalence with clinical hematological findings among SR populations in Kurdistan province, western Iran. In total, 250 blood samples and 250 tick species (one per animal) were collected from SR populations, along with clinical and hematological examinations. Microscopy of blood smears and molecular analysis were performed to detect potential infection with Theileria, Babesia and Anaplasma. Moreover, haemoparasites were explored in the isolated ticks using semi-nested PCR. Based on microscopy, the prevalence of Theileria, Anaplasma and Babesia infections was 91.2%, 23.2% and 2.4%, respectively. Semi-nested PCR analysis of blood samples demonstrated 86.8%, 78.8% and 14% prevalence for T. ovis, A. ovis and B. ovis, respectively. Dermacentor marginatus and Rhipicephalus turanicus were predominant isolated tick vectors from SR, while D. marginatus was the most contaminated tick in all investigated counties. There were, also, a statistically significant association between the estimated molecular prevalence rates with semi-yellow conjunctiva (A. ovis), body temperature (T. ovis and A. ovis), heart rate (T. ovis and B. ovis), mean white blood cell count (T. ovis and A. ovis), mean red blood cell count (T. ovis and B. ovis), as well as mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration in all haemoparasite infections. Future studies are recommended to reveal the epidemiology of such infections in SRs in Iran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Rahravani
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran.
| | - Meysam Moravedji
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran.
| | - Ehsan Mostafavi
- National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | | | | | - Ghazaaleh Adhami
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Saber Esmaeili
- National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Ameri
- Clinical Pathology, Non-Clinical Safety (NCS), In Vitro/In Vivo Translation (IVIVT), GlaxoSmithKline, 1250 S. Collegeville Rd., Collegeville, PA. 19426, United States of America
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Bonnet SI, Bertagnoli S, Falchi A, Figoni J, Fite J, Hoch T, Quillery E, Moutailler S, Raffetin A, René-Martellet M, Vourc’h G, Vial L. An Update of Evidence for Pathogen Transmission by Ticks of the Genus Hyalomma. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12040513. [PMID: 37111399 PMCID: PMC10146795 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Current and likely future changes in the geographic distribution of ticks belonging to the genus Hyalomma are of concern, as these ticks are believed to be vectors of many pathogens responsible for human and animal diseases. However, we have observed that for many pathogens there are no vector competence experiments, and that the level of evidence provided by the scientific literature is often not sufficient to validate the transmission of a specific pathogen by a specific Hyalomma species. We therefore carried out a bibliographical study to collate the validation evidence for the transmission of parasitic, viral, or bacterial pathogens by Hyalomma spp. ticks. Our results show that there are very few validated cases of pathogen transmission by Hyalomma tick species.
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Zeb J, Song B, Senbill H, Aziz MU, Hussain S, Khan MA, Qadri I, Cabezas-Cruz A, de la Fuente J, Sparagano OA. Ticks Infesting Dogs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: Detailed Epidemiological and Molecular Report. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12010098. [PMID: 36678446 PMCID: PMC9862609 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010098] [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: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks and tick-borne diseases are considered a major challenge for human and animal health in tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate regions of the world. However, only scarce information is available on the characterization of tick species infesting dogs in Pakistan. In this study, we present a comprehensive report on the epidemiological and phylogenetic aspects of ticks infesting dogs in Pakistan using the mitochondrial markers i.e. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) nucleotide sequences. A total of 300 dogs were examined and 1150 ixodid ticks were collected across central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The morpho-molecular characterization of hard ticks revealed the presence of two ixodid tick genera on dogs, i.e., Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus, including six tick species viz. Hyalomma dromedarii (15.9%), Hyalomma excavatum (3%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (41.3%), Rhipicephalus turanicus s.s. (28.7%), Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (10.2%), and Rhipicephalus microplus (2%). The total prevalence of tick infestation in dogs was 61%. The district with the highest tick prevalence rate in dogs was Mardan (14.7%), followed by Peshawar (13%), Swabi (12%), Charsadda (11%), and Malakand (10.3%), respectively. Risk factors analysis indicated that some demographic and host management-associated factors such as host age, breed, exposure to acaricides treatment, and previous tick infestation history were associated with a higher risk of tick infestation on dogs. This is the first molecular report confirming the infestation of Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus tick species in the dog population from the study area. The present study also reported a new tick−host association between Hy. excavatum, Hy. dromedarii, and dogs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that cox1 partial nucleotide sequences of Hy. excavatum in our dataset were 100% identical to similar tick specimens identified in Turkey, and those of Hy. dromedarii were identical to tick specimens from Iran. Whereas, Rh. haemaphysaloides and Rh. microplus’ cox1 partial nucleotide sequences were identical to sequences previously published from Pakistan. Rhipicephalus turanicus s.s. ‘s cox1 isolates from the present study were 99.8−100% identical to Pakistani-reported isolates, and those of Rh. sanguineus s.l. were 100% identical to Chinese specimens. Results on the genetic characterization of ticks were further confirmed by 16S rRNA partial nucleotide sequences analysis, which revealed 100% identity between the tick isolates of this study and those of Hy. excavatum reported from Turkey; Hy. dromedarii specimens reported from Senegal; Rh. haemaphysaloides, Rh. microplus, and Rh. turanicus s.s., previously published from Pakistan, and Rh. sanguineus s.l., published from China. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis showed that the Rh. sanguineus s.l. isolates of this study clustered with specimens of the tropical lineage with 7.7−10% nucleotide divergence from the specimens of the temperate lineage. Further molecular works need to be performed throughout Pakistan to present a more detailed map of tick distribution with information about dog host associations, biological characteristics, and pathogen competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jehan Zeb
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (O.A.S.)
| | - Baolin Song
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Haytham Senbill
- Department of Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21545, Egypt
| | - Muhammad Umair Aziz
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Sabir Hussain
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Munsif Ali Khan
- Vector-Borne Diseases Control Unit, District Health Office, Abbottabad 22010, Pakistan
| | - Ishtiaq Qadri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigaci’on en Recursos Cineg´eticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Olivier Andre Sparagano
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (O.A.S.)
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Yasmeen N, Kashif M, Arif T, Khan A, Ali M, Khan MA, Farooq M, Said MB, Iqbal F. Distribution, prevalence and diversity of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting one-humped camels from Southwest Punjab, Pakistan. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023; 37:100825. [PMID: 36623905 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100825] [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: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In tropical countries like Pakistan, ticks are the most prevalent vectors for transmitting diseases to wild and domestic animals leading to their morbidity and mortality. In the present study, a total of 593 ticks infesting one-humped camels (n = 244) were collected during April till June 2021 from two tehsils of Layyah district located in Punjab (Pakistan) in order to investigate their diversity, prevalence and distribution. Data analysis revealed that camels located in Tehsil Choubara were significantly more tick infested than camels from Tehsil Layyah (P = 0.02). It was observed that the older camels were more prone to tick infestation that younger ones. Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus were the two tick genera identified during the present study and tick specimens of Hyalomma genus were the most prevalent (n = 590, 99.5%). In particular, Hyalomma dromedarii was the most prevalent tick species (n = 559, 94.3%), followed by Hyalomma anatolicum (n = 24, 4%), Hyalomma marginatum (n = 7, 1.2%) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (n = 3, 0.5%). The overall abundance of male ticks was higher than the female ticks with a ratio of 1:2.1. Neck was the most preferred site for the tick infestation followed by ventral, sternum, under tail, head, udder and back of analyzed camels. To our knowledge, this is the first report regarding tick diversity on camels from Layyah district and based on our finding, we recommend large-scale tick control strategies to be implemented in this district to uplift the livestock sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nusrat Yasmeen
- Department of Zoology, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Kashif
- Department of Zoology, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
| | - Tehreem Arif
- Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
| | - Adil Khan
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda 24420, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali
- College of Veterinary Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Bahadur Sub Campus Layyah, 31200, Pakistan
| | - Muzaffar Ali Khan
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Farooq
- Department of Zoology, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
| | - Mourad Ben Said
- Department of Basic Sciences, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia; Laboratory of Microbiology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia.
| | - Furhan Iqbal
- Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.
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Luo J, Wu F, Liu W, Ren Q, Diao P, Guan G, Luo J, Yin H, Liu G. A Novel MicroRNA and the Target Gene TAB2 Can Regulate the Process of Sucking Blood in and the Spawn Rate of Hyalomma asiaticum (Acari: Ixodidae) Ticks. Front Immunol 2022; 13:930532. [PMID: 35865515 PMCID: PMC9294593 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.930532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are blood-sucking parasites that are harmful to humans and animals. MicroRNAs are a class of conserved small noncoding RNAs that play regulatory roles in the expression of many genes at the posttranscriptional level. Here, a novel miRNA (nov-miR-17) was identified from a small RNA data library of Hyalomma asiaticum by next-generation sequencing. PCR was used to obtain precursor nov-miR-17 by RACE using mature loop primers. The secondary structure was predicted with UNAFold. The interaction of nov-miR-17 with its target gene TAB2 was predicted using RNAhybrid software and identified in vitro by luciferase assays. Moreover, the interaction was confirmed in vivo by phenotype rescue experiments in which dsTAB2 was used for RNA interference (RNAi) and an antagomir of nov-miR-17 was used for miRNA silencing. The expression levels of nov-miR-17 and TAB2 in ticks at different developmental stages and the expression of nov-miR-17 in different tissues were analyzed by real-time qPCR. All data were analyzed using GraphPad Prism version 5. Results: The results showed that TAB2 was a target gene of nov-miR-17. When the blood-sucking process of larval, nymph and adult ticks was prolonged, the expression of nov-miR-17 was decreased, and TAB2 expression was increased. However, the level of nov-miR-17 in the midgut of engorged ticks was highest at all stages. Therefore, nov-miR-17 plays an important role in the blood-sucking process. The overexpression of nov-miR-17 indicated that this miRNA affected the engorged weight (P < 0.001) and spawn rate (P < 0.001) of female ticks. RNAi of TAB2 also had the same effect. dsRNA not only impacted the weight (P < 0.01) but also reduced the spawn rate (P < 0.001) of the ticks. Furthermore, significant recovery was observed in nov-miR-17-silenced ticks after TAB2 silencing by RNAi. nov-miR-17 silencing by antagomir not only impacted the engorged weight of the female ticks (P < 0.001) but also the number of days that the females needed to progress from engorgement to spawning (P < 0.001). The study showed that nov-miR-17, as a new miRNA, plays an important role along with its target gene TAB2 in the blood-sucking and spawning processes in female ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, China
| | - Feng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wenge Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qiaoyun Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, China
| | - Peiwen Diao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guiquan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jianxun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Guangyuan Liu, ; Hong Yin,
| | - Guangyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Guangyuan Liu, ; Hong Yin,
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Khan Z, Shehla S, Alouffi A, Kashif Obaid M, Zeb Khan A, Almutairi MM, Numan M, Aiman O, Alam S, Ullah S, Zaman Safi S, Tanaka T, Ali A. Molecular Survey and Genetic Characterization of Anaplasma marginale in Ticks Collected from Livestock Hosts in Pakistan. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12131708. [PMID: 35804607 PMCID: PMC9264954 DOI: 10.3390/ani12131708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Ticks transmit different disease-causing agents to humans and animals. Pakistan is an agricultural country, the rural economy mainly relies on livestock farming, and tick infestation is a severe constraint to its livelihood. The genus Anaplasma comprises obligate Gram-negative intracellular bacteria multiplying within the host cells and can be transmitted to humans and animals through the tick vector. The current study aimed to molecularly characterize the Anaplasma spp. in hard ticks infesting livestock in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The present study reported nine species of hard ticks infesting different hosts. The most prevalent tick life stage was adult females, followed by nymphs and adult males. In the phylogenetic tree, 16S rDNA sequences of Anaplasma spp. clustered with sequences of A. marginale. The hard ticks act as a carrier for the transmission of A. marginale. Further extensive country-wide research is required to explore the diverse tick species and the associated pathogens in Pakistan. Abstract Ticks transmit pathogens to animals and humans more often than any other arthropod vector. The rural economy of Pakistan mainly depends on livestock farming, and tick infestations cause severe problems in this sector. The present study aimed to molecularly characterize the Anaplasma spp. in hard ticks collected from six districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Ticks were collected from various livestock hosts, including cattle breeds (Holstein-Friesian, Jersey, Sahiwal, and Achai), Asian water buffaloes, sheep, and goats from March 2018 to February 2019. Collected ticks were morphologically identified and subjected to molecular screening of Anaplasma spp. by amplifying 16S rDNA sequences. Six hundred seventy-six ticks were collected from infested hosts (224/350, 64%). Among the nine morphologically identified tick species, the highest occurrence was noted for Rhipicephalus microplus (254, 37.6%), followed by Hyalomma anatolicum (136, 20.1%), Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (119, 17.6%), Rhipicephalus turanicus (116, 17.1%), Haemaphysalis montgomeryi (14, 2.1%), Hyalomma dromedarii (11, 1.6%), Haemaphysalis bispinosa (10, 1.5%), Hyalomma scupense (8, 1.2%), and Haemaphysalis kashmirensis (8, 1.2%). The occurrence of tick females was highest (260, 38.5%), followed by nymphs (246, 36.4%) and males (170, 25.1%). Overall, the highest occurrence of ticks was recorded in the Peshawar district (239, 35.3%), followed by Mardan (183, 27.1%), Charsadda (110, 16.3%), Swat (52, 7.7%), Shangla (48, 7.1%), and Chitral (44, 6.5%). Among these ticks, Anaplasma marginale was detected in R. microplus, R. turanicus, and R. haemaphysaloides. The 16S rDNA sequences showed high identity (98–100%) with A. marginale reported from Australia, China, Japan, Pakistan, Thailand, Uganda, and the USA. In phylogenetic analysis, the sequence of A. marginale clustered with the same species reported from Australia, China, Pakistan, Thailand, Uruguay, and the USA. Further molecular work regarding the diversity of tick species and associated pathogens is essential across the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaibullah Khan
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (Z.K.); (S.S.); (M.K.O.); (M.N.); (O.A.); (S.A.); (S.U.)
| | - Shehla Shehla
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (Z.K.); (S.S.); (M.K.O.); (M.N.); (O.A.); (S.A.); (S.U.)
| | - Abdulaziz Alouffi
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Muhammad Kashif Obaid
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (Z.K.); (S.S.); (M.K.O.); (M.N.); (O.A.); (S.A.); (S.U.)
| | - Alam Zeb Khan
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA;
| | - Mashal M. Almutairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Muhammad Numan
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (Z.K.); (S.S.); (M.K.O.); (M.N.); (O.A.); (S.A.); (S.U.)
| | - Ome Aiman
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (Z.K.); (S.S.); (M.K.O.); (M.N.); (O.A.); (S.A.); (S.U.)
| | - Shumaila Alam
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (Z.K.); (S.S.); (M.K.O.); (M.N.); (O.A.); (S.A.); (S.U.)
| | - Shafi Ullah
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (Z.K.); (S.S.); (M.K.O.); (M.N.); (O.A.); (S.A.); (S.U.)
| | - Sher Zaman Safi
- Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom 42610, Selangor, Malaysia;
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials, Lahore Campus, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
- Correspondence: (T.T.); (A.A.)
| | - Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (Z.K.); (S.S.); (M.K.O.); (M.N.); (O.A.); (S.A.); (S.U.)
- Correspondence: (T.T.); (A.A.)
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Bakhshi H, Khoobdel M, Jafari A, Telmadarraiy Z, Sedaghat M. Tick-borne pathogens in Iran: A meta-analysis. ASIAN PAC J TROP MED 2021. [DOI: 10.4103/1995-7645.329009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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