Dataset Information

Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of the ticks from the Sinai Massif, Egypt, and their possible role in the transmission of Babesia behnkei.

ABSTRACT: Following the description of Babesia behnkei in the region of St. Katherine, Sinai, the present study was undertaken to determine the role of local tick species as vectors of piroplasms. First we assessed the local fauna of ticks, especially species occurring on rodents, camels and encountered in the environment, and then we compared genotypes of ticks from isolated wadis. Finally, we assessed the role of local tick species as potential vectors of Babesia spp. During our expedition to the Sinai Massif in a 4-week period in August-September 2012, 393 ticks were collected, including 235 adult questing ticks collected from the environment (ground level in the wadis) and 158 engorging ticks from camels and rodents. Amplification and sequencing of a 600 bp fragment of the conservative 18S rDNA and a 440 bp fragment of the more variable mitochondrial (mt) 16S rDNA were carried out to enable the identification of 54 ticks and to assess the genetic variability of ticks collected from two distant isolated wadis. The camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii constituted the majority (80-90%) of adult ticks collected from three wadis in the Sinai Mountains near St. Katherine. Among juvenile ticks collected from rodents, three genotypes were identified: H. dromedarii; Hyalomma sp. showing low homology with H. dromedarii, H. lusitanicum or H. aegyptium; and Rhipicephalus sp. A new genotype of Hyalomma was identified in an isolated montane valley, W. Gebal. Babesia/Theileria DNA was not detected in any of the ticks, which is likely due to the low infection rate in the limited number of ticks that were examined.

SUBMITTER: Alsarraf M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5583268 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of the ticks from the Sinai Massif, Egypt, and their possible role in the transmission of Babesia behnkei.

Alsarraf Mohammed M Mierzejewska Ewa J EJ Mohallal Eman M E EME Behnke Jerzy M JM Bajer Anna A

Experimental & applied acarology 20170828 4

Following the description of Babesia behnkei in the region of St. Katherine, Sinai, the present study was undertaken to determine the role of local tick species as vectors of piroplasms. First we assessed the local fauna of ticks, especially species occurring on rodents, camels and encountered in the environment, and then we compared genotypes of ticks from isolated wadis. Finally, we assessed the role of local tick species as potential vectors of Babesia spp. During our expedition to the Sinai ...[more]

PMID: 28849399

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Project description:Water buffaloes can be infected by tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in endemic areas where cattle and buffalo coexist. Among TBPs affecting buffaloes is the Apicomplexan hemoparasites Babesia bovis and B. bigemina, transmitted by Rhipicephalus microplus ticks. However, little empirical evidence exists on whether buffalo can support TBPs' infection and transmission. A cohort study was designed to measure the infestation levels of R. microplus in buffaloes as well as the ability of buffalo-fed ticks to transmit B. bovis and B. bigemina to their offspring. Tick infestation of different life stages was quantified in cattle and buffalo kept in field conditions in western Cuba. Engorged adult female ticks were allowed to lay eggs in controlled conditions of humidity and temperature, and reproductive parameters were measured and analyzed. Hosts and tick larvae were tested for the presence of Babesia spp. using species-specific qPCR assays. Tick infestation was not observed in adult buffaloes. However, buffalo and cattle calves were equally infested, although the larval survival rate was higher in cattle calves than in buffalo calves. All larval pools (31) obtained from the adult female ticks were positive for B. bovis, whereas only 68% (21/31) was positive for B. bigemina. Among the 10 larval pools negative for B. bigemina, three proceeded from adult females fed on Babesia-negative buffaloes. The other seven pools were from Babesia-positive animals, three from cattle and four from buffalo calves. Babesia infection levels in tick larvae, quantified by qPCR, were similar in female ticks fed on buffalo and bovine calves. We conclude that water buffalo can sustain tick vector populations and support Babesia infection in levels high enough as to be infective for ticks. Our results also validated the hypothesis that adult female ticks fed on buffalo can transmit the pathogens B. bovis and B. bigemina to their offspring. Nevertheless, further laboratory studies are needed to address the question of whether the transovarial transmission of Babesia occurs in the following settings: (1) When adult females are infected previous to the feeding on the buffalo or/and (2) when the adult females acquire the infection while feeding on the buffalo.

Project description:BackgroundThe incidence or recurrence of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in animals and humans is increasing rapidly worldwide, but there is insufficient information about TBDs infecting dogs in Egypt. Thus, the present study was conducted to screen and genetically identify tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in dogs and associated ticks by microscopic examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).MethodsIn Cairo and Giza governorates, 208 blood samples were collected from dogs of different breeds, ages, and sex. In addition, 1266 dog-associated ticks were collected (546 ticks were used to prepare hemolymph smears, and 720 ticks were kept in 70% ethanol until PCR analysis). PCR was applied to 124 dog blood samples and 144 tick pools prepared from 720 ticks.ResultsAll ticks collected from dogs were Rhipicephalus sanguineus (s.l.). Microscopic examination revealed that TBP prevalence among dogs was 23.56% (49/208), including Anaplasma and Ehrlichia with 11.1% (23/208) and Babesia canis with 8.2% (17/208). Hepatozoon canis was not detected in blood smears. Co-infections with two pathogens were visible in 4.33% (9/208) of examined dogs. The prevalence of TBPs in hemolymph smears was 45.97% (251/546) including 35.89% (196/546) for H. canis, 8.1% (44/546) for B. canis, and 2.01% (11/546) for Anaplasmataceae (A. phagocytophilum, A. marginale, A. platys, and E. canis). The overall molecular prevalence rate of TBPs was 25.81% and 29.17% in the blood of examined dogs and in ticks, respectively. The molecular prevalence of Anaplasmataceae family, Babesia canis, and H. canis in dog blood samples was 19.35%, 6.45%, and 0.0%, respectively, while in ticks, it was 20.83%, 5.55%, and 2.8%, respectively. A sequential analysis identified six different species of TBPs, namely B. canis vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, A. phagocytophilum, A. marginale, A. platys, and E. canis. The obtained sequences were submitted to GenBank and assigned accession numbers.ConclusionsThe present study detected a wide range of TBPs (B. canis, H. canis, A. platys, A. phagocytophilum, A. marginale, and E. canis) that are considered a threat to domestic animals and humans in Egypt. Hepatozoon canis and A. marginale were reported in dogs and associated ticks for the first time in Egypt.

Dataset Information

Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of the ticks from the Sinai Massif, Egypt, and their possible role in the transmission of Babesia behnkei.

Publications

Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of the ticks from the Sinai Massif, Egypt, and their possible role in the transmission of Babesia behnkei.

Similar Datasets

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