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Haji I, Simuunza M, Jiang N, Chen Q. Tick populations and molecular detection of selected tick-borne pathogens in questing ticks from northern and central Tanzania. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2023; 90:389-407. [PMID: 37464132 PMCID: PMC10406711 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-023-00816-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are vectors and reservoirs of a variety of pathogens including protozoa, bacteria and viruses which cause tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in humans and livestock. TBDs pose serious constraints to the improvement of livestock production in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Despite their wide distribution, information on the tick and pathogen relationship is scarce in Tanzania. We used nested PCR and sequencing to screen pathogens of public and veterinary health importance in ticks collected by flagging from four districts of Tanzania. In total, 2021 ticks comprising nine species were identified. DNA from ticks was pooled according to tick species, developmental stage, and location, then screened for Babesia bigemina, Babesia bovis, Theileria parva and Coxiella burnetii. Out of 377 pools, 34.7% were positive for at least one pathogen. Theileria parva was the most abundant with a minimum infection rate (MIR) of 2.8%, followed by B. bigemina (MIR = 1.8%) and B. bovis (MIR = 0.8%). Multiple pathogens detection was observed in 7.2% of the tested pools. However, PCR screening of individual tick DNA revealed that only 0.3% of the examined pools had co-infection. DNA of C. burnetii was never detected in any tick DNA pool. The MIR of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) differed significantly among districts, seasons, tick species, and tick developmental stages. Sequence analysis showed that B. bigemina RAP-1a, B. bovis SBP-4, and T. parva p104 genes were conserved among pathogens in the four districts. Despite the absence of C. burnetii in ticks, considering its pathogenic potential, it is essential to continue monitoring for its possible recurrence in ticks. This information adds to the knowledge of TBPs epidemiology and will contribute to the scientific basis for planning future control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isihaka Haji
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China.
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Parasitology and Biotechnology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 3019, Morogoro, Tanzania.
| | - Martin Simuunza
- Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P. O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals, University of Zambia, P. O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Ning Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China
- Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang, 110866, China
| | - Qijun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China.
- Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang, 110866, China.
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Corduneanu A, Taulescu M, Ursache TD, Ionică AM, Mihalca AD. Piroplasms in farmed American bison, Bison bison from Romania. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1158072. [PMID: 37065243 PMCID: PMC10090506 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1158072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The American bison (Bison bison) is the largest terrestrial mammal of North America, with around 350,000 individuals in the wild and in private herds but the knowledge regarding the presence of different vector-borne pathigens in these mammals is very poor. Babesia and Theileria spp. are tick-borne apicomplexan parasites which are considered to be among the most commonly found blood parasites of large ruminants, often with a high economic importance. However, the knowledge on piroplasms of bisons is extremely scarce. The aim of our study was to evaluate the presence of apicomplexan parasites in blood and tissues of farmed American bison from Romania. Overall, we tested 222 blood samples and 11 tissues samples (heart, liver, and spleen) from farmed B. bison raised for meat in Romania. All the samples were analyzed by nPCR targeting the 18SrRNA gene for piroplasmids. All positive samples were sequenced and analyzed phylogenetically. The overall prevalence of infection with piroplasmids in American bison was 1.65%, with Babesia divergens and Theileria sp. identified following sequencing. To our knowledge, this is the first report of piroplasms detected in blood and tissues of farmed B. bison from Europe. Further studies are necessary in order to obtain a better overview on the epidemiological status and clinical relevance of piroplasms in farmed American bisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Corduneanu
- Department of Animal Breeding and Animal Productions, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- *Correspondence: Alexandra Corduneanu
| | - Marian Taulescu
- Department of Pathology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Synevovet, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Teodor Dan Ursache
- Department of Pathology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Angela Monica Ionică
- Molecular Diagnosis Laboratory, Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andrei Daniel Mihalca
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Parasitology Consultancy Group, Coruşu, Romania
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Chisu V, Loi F, Mura L, Tanda A, Chessa G, Masala G. Molecular detection of Theileria sergentii/orientalis/buffeli and Ehrlichia canis from aborted ovine and caprine products in Sardinia, Italy. Vet Med Sci 2021; 7:1762-1768. [PMID: 33955696 PMCID: PMC8464253 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The economic impact and losses caused by abortion of small ruminants represent an important threat to livestock industry worldwide. Infectious agents are the most commonly causes of small ruminant abortion and many of which pose a serious threat to human health. The management of abortion outbreaks is essential to understand the transmission, prevention and control of the zoonotic diseases. This study aimed to increase the knowledge about the common known zoonotic pathogens causing abortion (Coxiella burnetii, Chlamydia abortus and Toxoplasma gondii) circulating in Sardinia. In addition, the occurrence of other infectious agents that, until now, had never been identified in abortion samples and which might be cocirculating during the abortion outbreaks were also considered. In this study, 125 abortion samples collected from 91 small ruminant farms were screened for the presence of Babesia/Theileria spp., Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma spp., Chlamydia spp., C. burnetii and T. gondii by PCR analyses and sequencing. This is the first evidence on the presence of Theileria sergenti/orientalis/buffeli group and Eh. canis in 22 (22/125; 18%) and 26 (26/125; 21%) abortion products from small ruminants, respectively. Chlamydia abortus, C. burnetii and T. gondii were also detected in brain, liver, spleen and placentae at 46% (58/125), 34% (42/125) and 2% (2/125), respectively. This study highlights that pathogens with epizootic and zoonotic potential are circulating in the island and could be involved directly or in association with other pathogens as possible cause of ruminant abortion. Further studies are needed to fully assess the impact of Theileria sergenti/orientalis/buffeli group and Eh. canis on ruminant abortion and their real zoonotic risk in the island.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Chisu
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna 'G. Pegreffi', Sassari, Italy
| | - Federica Loi
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Lorena Mura
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna 'G. Pegreffi', Sassari, Italy
| | - Antonio Tanda
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna 'G. Pegreffi', Sassari, Italy
| | - Giovanna Chessa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna 'G. Pegreffi', Sassari, Italy
| | - Giovanna Masala
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna 'G. Pegreffi', Sassari, Italy
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