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Nahal A, Ben Said M. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Piroplasma spp. Infection and Co-infection with Anaplasma marginale in Domestic Ruminants from Algeria. Acta Parasitol 2024; 69:135-151. [PMID: 38157135 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00768-w] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Piroplasmosis and anaplasmosis stand out as the primary diseases affecting livestock during periods of tick activity. These vector-borne diseases continue to emerge worldwide, exerting a detrimental impact on both animal health and national economies. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of Piroplasma spp. and its co-occurrence with Anaplasma marginale in domestic ruminants in Algeria. METHODS Three databases were systematically reviewed to identify eligible studies for the final meta-analysis, following the PRISMA statement. The 'meta' package in the R software was employed for the meta-analysis with the random effects model chosen for data pooling. RESULTS The meta-analysis encompasses 14 research papers spanning a 19-year period (2004-2023). Theileria spp. was identified in all studies, covering 1675 cattle, 190 sheep, and 128 goats, yielding an overall Theileria infection rate of 45% (95% CI 26-65%). Specifically, cattle had a 59% infection rate, while sheep and goats had rates of 18% and 20%, respectively. Babesia spp. was found in nine studies, involving 1183 cattle and 190 sheep, resulting in an overall Babesia infection rate of 7% (95% CI 4-15%), with cattle and sheep having rates of 10% and 3%, respectively. Notably, eight Piroplasma species T. annulata, T. orientalis, T. buffeli, T. equi, Theileria sp., B. bovis, B. bigemina, and B. occultans were detected in cattle, with T. annulata being the most prevalent at 54%. Regional disparities and host factors also impacted infection rates, with higher rates in Northeastern Algeria and among suspected disease cattle. Additionally, gender, age, and breed influenced cattle susceptibility to Theileria infection. Furthermore, six distinct co-infections between Piroplasma spp. and A. marginale were observed, with T. annulata/A. marginale identified in six studies, demonstrating an 8.3% co-infection rate. CONCLUSION This analysis offers crucial insights into the current status of Piroplasmosis and its co-infection with A. marginale in Algerian domestic ruminants, providing valuable data for surveillance and prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Nahal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Life, Chadli Bendjedid University- El-Tarf, B.P 73, 36000, El-Tarf, Algeria.
| | - Mourad Ben Said
- Laboratory of Microbiology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, 2010, Manouba, Tunisia
- Department of Basic Sciences, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, 2010, Manouba, Tunisia
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Jamil S, Chiou CC, Muqaddas H, Ullah H, Asif M, Rao S, Hussain H, Fatima Q, Nasreen N, Niaz S, Dzul-Rosado K, Khan A, Iqbal F, Chen CC. Simultaneous molecular detection of Anaplasma marginale and Theileria annulata in cattle blood samples collected from Pakistan-Afghanistan boarder region. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288050. [PMID: 37471404 PMCID: PMC10358909 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Theileria annulata (T. annulata) and Anaplasma marginale (A. marginale) are among the most extensively reported tick borne pathogens and are associated with huge economic losses worldwide. A total of 298 cattle blood samples were screened to report the presence of these two pathogens. The samples were collected from apparently healthy cattle (Achai, n = 155, Jersy, n = 88 and crossbred, n = 55) in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) during June and July of 2022. A total of 31 out of 298 cattle (10.4%) were found infected with T. annulata as PCR amplified a 156 base pair fragment from Tams-1 gene of T. annulata from their blood. While 16/298 animals (5.4%) were found infected with A. marginale as they amplified a 382 base pair fragment specific for msp5 gene of this bacterium. Three animals (1%) were found co infected. Cattle susceptibility to T. annulata infection was significantly higher than A. marginale infection (P < 0.001). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Pakistani isolates of both detected pathogen clustered together and were closely related isolates from worldwide countries. Prevalence of T. annulata varied significantly among the sampling sites (P = 0.05) while no such association was observed for A. marginale among the tested cattle. Epidemiological data analysis revealed that none of the studied risk factors was found associated either with the prevalence of T. annulata or A. marginale (P > 0.05) among enrolled cattle. In conclusion, our study has revealed a relatively higher prevalence of T. annulata than A. marginale in cattle from the Bajaur district in KPK. This information is important for improving the productivity of the livestock sector, which is one of the main sources of income in the country. It is recommended that this data be taken into account for the development and implementation of effective tick control programs, as well as for the improvement of livestock management practices to prevent and manage TBDs in Pakistan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sania Jamil
- Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Chien-Chun Chiou
- Department of Dermatology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Hira Muqaddas
- Department of Zoology, The Women University Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Hayat Ullah
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Asif
- Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Sana Rao
- Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Hafsa Hussain
- Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Qandeel Fatima
- Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Nasreen Nasreen
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Sadaf Niaz
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Karla Dzul-Rosado
- Center for Regional Studies Hideyo Noguchi, Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Adil Khan
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Furhan Iqbal
- Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Chien-Chin Chen
- Department of Pathology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
- Department of Cosmetic Science, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Translational Medicine, Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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Nehra AK, Kumari A, Moudgil AD, Vohra S. An insight into misidentification of the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene sequences of Theileria spp. as Theileria annulata. BMC Vet Res 2022; 18:454. [PMID: 36577977 PMCID: PMC9795727 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03540-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There had been isolated reports of the presence of novel Theileria annulata genotypes based on the 18S rRNA gene sequence data from India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia; but, these studies were restricted to limited field samples. Additionally, no comparative study has been conducted on all the isolates of this parasite from different countries whose sequences are available in the nucleotide databases. Therefore, we aimed to study the genetic diversity of T. annulata based on all available nearly complete 18S rRNA gene sequences in the GenBank™. Out of a total of 312 gene sequences of T. annulata available in the NCBI database, only 70 nearly complete sequences (> 1527 bp) were used for multiple sequence alignment. RESULTS The maximum likelihood tree obtained using TN93 + G + I model manifested two major clades. All the valid host-cell transforming Theileria species clustered in one clade. The T. annulata designated sequences occupying this clade clustered together, excluding two isolates (DQ287944 and EU083799), and represented the true T. annulata sequences (n = 54). DQ287944 and EU083799 exhibited close association with Theileria lestoquardi. In addition, 14 Indian sequences formed a large monophyletic group with published Theileria orientalis sequences. The broad range of sequence identity (95.8-100%) of T. annulata designated sequences indicated the presence of different Theileria spp. A closer analysis revealed the presence of three Theileria spp., namely, T. annulata, T. orientalis, and two isolates (DQ287944 and EU083799) closely related to T. lestoquardi. The true T. annulata sequences manifested 98.8-100% nucleotide identity within them. EU083799 and 14 misidentified Indian T. annulata sequences exhibited the highest similarity with T. lestoquardi (98.6-98.8%) and T. orientalis (98.0-99.9%) in comparison with the other Theileria spp. of domestic and wild ruminants. CONCLUSION In the course of analyzing the genetic diversity of T. annulata, we identified the nearly complete 18S rRNA gene sequences of other Theileria spp. that have not only been misidentified as T. annulata in the GenBank™, but are also published as T. annulata. Moreover, a high level of sequence conservation was noticed in the 18S rRNA gene of true T. annulata and T. orientalis sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil Kumar Nehra
- grid.448922.10000 0004 5910 1412Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 125004 Hisar, Haryana India
| | - Ansu Kumari
- grid.448922.10000 0004 5910 1412Department of Veterinary Medicine, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 125004 Hisar, Haryana India
| | - Aman Dev Moudgil
- grid.448922.10000 0004 5910 1412Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 125004 Hisar, Haryana India
| | - Sukhdeep Vohra
- grid.448922.10000 0004 5910 1412Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 125004 Hisar, Haryana India
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Alanazi AD, Ben Said M, Shater AF, Al-Sabi MNS. Acaricidal, Larvacidal, and Repellent Activity of Elettaria cardamomum Essential Oil against Hyalomma anatolicum Ticks Infesting Saudi Arabian Cattle. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:1221. [PMID: 35567222 PMCID: PMC9103141 DOI: 10.3390/plants11091221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Background: In this experimental study, we aimed to assess the acaricidal effects of Elettaria cardamomum L. essential oil (ECEO) against Hyalomma anatolicum tick in cattle from Saudi Arabia. Methods: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was performed to identify the chemical composition of ECEO. The acaricidal, larvicidal, and repellent activity of ECEO against H. anatolicum was studied through the adult immersion test (AIT), the larval packet test (LPT), the vertical movement behavior of tick’s larvae technique, anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and oxidative enzyme activity. Results: By GC/MS, the most compounds were 1,8-cineole (34.3%), α-terpinyl acetate (23.3%), and α-pinene (17.7%), respectively. ECEO significantly (p < 0.001) increased the mortality rate as a dose-dependent response. After ECEO Treatment, number of eggs, egg weight, and hatchability significantly declined as a dose-dependent response. ECEO at concentrations of 5 µL/mL and above completely killed the larva. The LC50 and LC90 values for ECEO were 1.46 and 2.68 µL/mL, respectively. ECEO at concentrations of 10, 20, and 40 µL/mL showed 100% repellency activity up to 60, 120, and 360 min incubation, respectively. ECEO, especially at ½ LC50 and LC50, significantly inhibited GST and AChE activities of H. anatolicum larvae compared to the control group. Conclusions: We found promising adulticidal, larvicidal, and repellent effects of ECEO against H. anatolicum as a vector of theileriosis in Saudi Arabia. We also found that ECEO displayed these activities through inhibiting AChE and GST. Nevertheless, additional investigations are required to confirm the accurate mechanisms and the relevance of ECEO in practical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah D. Alanazi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Shaqra University, 1040, Ad-Dawadimi 11911, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mourad Ben Said
- Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia;
- Laboratory of Microbiology at the National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia
| | - Abdullah F. Shater
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia;
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Metwally DM, Alajmi R, Alsulami MN, Al-Turaiki IM, Abdel-Gaber R, Alkhuriji AF, Albohiri HH, Mohamed K, Baghdadi HB, El-Khadragy MF, Isaias GT, El-Ashram S. Identification of Theileria spp. in sheep and goats from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, using molecular techniques. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12596. [PMID: 34966592 PMCID: PMC8667737 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Thileriosis is a tick -born disease caused by hemoprotozoan parasites which has global veterinary and economic implications. Methods Blood samples were collected from 216 sheep and 83 goats from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, were analyzed to determine whether the animals were infected with Theileria spp. parasites. The parasites were detected using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the gene of 18S rRNA followed by sequencing. Results According to obtained findings, Theileria spp. were detected in sheep (57.8%, 48/83) and goats (51.9%, 112/216). Phylogenetic analysis to sequence data showed that T. ovis identified in this study were found to be closely connected to an isolate from Turkey, with 84.4–99.8% pairwise identity and 52.35–99.79% coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina M Metwally
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Reem Alajmi
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muslimah N Alsulami
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Isra M Al-Turaiki
- Department of Information Technology, College of Computer and Information Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rewaida Abdel-Gaber
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Afrah F Alkhuriji
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Haleema H Albohiri
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalil Mohamed
- Epidemioligy Department, Faculty of Public Health and Health Informatics, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hanadi B Baghdadi
- Biology Department, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.,Basic and Applied Scientific Research Center, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam City, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manal F El-Khadragy
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Science, University of Helwan, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Guillermo T Isaias
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Saeed El-Ashram
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.,Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr el-Sheikh, Egypt.,College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong Province, China
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Molecular Epidemiology of Theileria annulata in Cattle from Two Districts in Punjab (Pakistan). Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11123443. [PMID: 34944220 PMCID: PMC8697919 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pakistan is a tropical country where climate is favourable for tick growth and hence its incidence of tick-borne diseases is high, affecting the output of the livestock sector. In the present study the infection rate of Theileria annulata, the causative agent of bovine theileriosis, was compared in apparently healthy cattle enrolled from two different regions in Pakistan. Parasite prevalence was found to be higher in Dera Ghazi Khan District than in Lodhran. The infection rate was higher in cattle that were infested with ticks and in those animals that were housed indoors at dairy farms with other animals. This prophylactic detection of parasite will help to design strategies to control tick and tick-borne diseases in study areas. Abstract The present study was designed to report the molecular prevalence of T. annulata in cattle blood samples collected from Punjab in Pakistan. A total of 428 cattle blood samples were collected from Districts Lodhran (n = 218) and Dera Ghazi Khan (n = 210). The prevalence of T. annulata was determined by the amplification of a fragment from its cytochrome b gene and parasite prevalence was significantly higher (p = 0.03) in the blood samples of cattle collected from Dera Ghazi Khan (70/210; 33%) as compared to Lodhran (52/218; 24%). Presence of T. annulata was also confirmed by the amplification of a fragment from their 30 kDa gene. The amplified PCR products of both genes were confirmed by DNA sequencing and these partial DNA sequences were submitted to GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that amplified partial gene sequences resembled previously reported T. annulata sequences in cattle from India, China, Iran, Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt. The incidence of T. annulata infection was higher in Sahiwal cattle (p = 0.04) than the other enrolled cattle breed from Dera Ghazi Khan. Female cattle from Lodhran (p = 0.02), while males (p = 0.02), animals housed in close compounds (p = 0.04), animals with a tick burden (p = 0.005) and farms with only cattle (p = 0.01) in Dear Ghazi Khan were found to be more susceptible to T. annulata infection. We recommend that large-scale tick and tick-borne disease control strategies be implemented in both districts under investigation, especially in Dera Ghazi Khan.
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Alghamdi SQ, Low VL, Alkathiry HA, Alagaili AN, McGarry JW, Makepeace BL. Automatic barcode gap discovery reveals diverse clades of Rhipicephalus spp. and Haemaphysalis spp. ticks from small mammals in 'Asir, Saudi Arabia. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:541. [PMID: 34666829 PMCID: PMC8527726 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05049-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The ixodid tick genera Rhipicephalus and Haemaphysalis contain several species of medical and/or veterinary importance, but their diversity in some regions of the world remains under-explored. For instance, very few modern studies have been performed on the taxonomy of these genera on the Arabian Peninsula. Methods In this study, we trapped small mammals in the 'Asir Mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia and collected tick specimens for morphological examination and molecular barcoding, targeting three mitochondrial loci: cox1, 16S rRNA and 12S rRNA. Results We obtained a total of 733 ticks (608 Haemaphysalis spp. and 125 Rhipicephalus spp.) from 75 small mammal hosts belonging to six species. All tick specimens were immature except for nine adults recovered from a hedgehog (Paraechinus aethiopicus). Morphologically, the Rhipicephalus ticks resembled R. camicasi, but the Haemaphysalis ticks showed differences in palp morphology compared with species previously described from Saudi Arabia. Phylogenetic analysis and automatic barcode gap discovery identified a novel clade of Rhipicephalus sp. representing most of the nymphs. This was most closely related to R. leporis, R. guilhoni and R. linnaei. The adult ticks and a small proportion of nymphs clustered with R. camicasi sequences from a previous study. Finally, the Haemaphysalis nymphs formed two distinct clades that were clearly separated from all reference sequences but closest to some African species. Conclusions This apparent high level of tick diversity observed in a single study site of only ~ 170 km2, on a relatively small number of hosts, highlights the potential for the discovery of new tick species on the Arabian Peninsula. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05049-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samia Q Alghamdi
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.,College of Science, Al Baha University, Al Baha Province, Alaqiq, 65779-77388, Saudi Arabia
| | - Van Lun Low
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Hadil A Alkathiry
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.,Department of Biology, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, 13318, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz N Alagaili
- Department of Zoology, King Saud University Mammals Research Chair, King Saud University, Riyadh, 12372, Saudi Arabia
| | - John W McGarry
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK
| | - Benjamin L Makepeace
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.
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Four Tick-Borne Microorganisms and Their Prevalence in Hyalomma Ticks Collected from Livestock in United Arab Emirates. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10081005. [PMID: 34451469 PMCID: PMC8398371 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10081005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks and associated tick-borne diseases in livestock remain a major threat to the health of animals and people worldwide. However, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), very few studies have been conducted on tick-borne microorganisms thus far. The purpose of this cross-sectional DNA-based study was to assess the presence and prevalence of tick-borne Francisella sp., Rickettsia sp., and piroplasmids in ticks infesting livestock, and to estimate their infection rates. A total of 562 tick samples were collected from camels, cows, sheep, and goats in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah from 24 locations. DNA was extracted from ticks and PCR was conducted. We found that Hyalomma dromedarii ticks collected from camels had Francisella sp. (5.81%) and SFG Rickettsia (1.36%), which was 99% similar to Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae and uncultured Rickettsia sp. In addition, Hyalomma anatolicum ticks collected from cows were found to be positive for Theileria annulata (4.55%), whereas H. anatolicum collected from goats were positive for Theileria ovis (10%). The widespread abundance of Francisella of unknown pathogenicity and the presence of Rickettsia are a matter of concern. The discovery of T. ovis from relatively few samples from goats indicates the overall need for more surveillance. Increasing sampling efforts over a wider geographical range within the UAE could reveal the true extent of tick-borne diseases in livestock. Moreover, achieving successful tick-borne disease control requires more research and targeted studies evaluating the pathogenicity and infection rates of many microbial species.
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