Molecular detection of Babesia microti in dromedary camels in Egypt (original) (raw)
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Experimental and Applied Acarology
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
Molecular Detection of Pathogens in Ticks Infesting Camels in Matrouh Governorate, Egypt
Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology, 2016
Tick-borne pathogens become healthy important as the incidence of tick-borne diseases increases and the geographic areas in which they are found expand. A relatively little information is available on ticks infesting camels in Matrouh Governorate, Egypt, and the role of ticks as disease vectors. Thus rendering PCR assay the only viable alternative to demonstrate their presence. For this purpose, a surveillance was carried out from May 2011 to April 2013 to identify ticks parasitize camels, and tested part of them for the presence of parasitic, rickettsial and bacterial pathogens using specific primers targeting fragments of their genes. Out of 249 studied camels, 212 (85.14%) were infested by five species of ticks that increased in numbers during dry seasons. Hyalomma dromedarii was the predominant tick species (73.65%), followed by H. rufipes (12.03%), H. truncatum (6.62%), and low numbers were H. anatolicum excavatum (4.73%), and H. impeltatum (1.62%), besides 1.35% were belong to other species. PCR results revealed that the majority of samples were found co-infected with at least five pathogens. It evidenced the presence of Trypanosoma evansi, Trypanosoma brucei, Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Theileria camelensis and Anaplasma marginale. Borrelia burgdorferi, Rickettsial DNA, and Theileria annulata were absent. Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma sp. were detected in ticks DNAs, but not known if transmitted by ticks or not. We conclude that several pathogens are present in ticks in this area, phylogeny is required in order to validate the PCR results, and special attention should be given to tick control programs.
Ticks and tick-borne pathogens pose a great threat to human and animal health. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of ticks infesting camels and investigate the tick-borne pathogens in camels’ blood, associated ticks, and surrounding rodents as a reservoir. From 100 inspected camels, 1000 ixodid ticks were collected and belonging to three genera: Hyalomma, Amblyomma, and Rhipicephalus. The genus Hyalomma was represented by four species, Hyalomma dromedariiwas the most prevalent species 55.4%, followed by H. excavatum (22%), H. impeltatum (11.6 %) then H. rufipes (2.8%). Genus Amblyommawas represented by two species A. gemma (2.8%), and A. marmorium(2.7%), while genus Rhipicephalus was represented by only one species; R. pulculls (2.7%). Ticks, camel’s blood, and rodents are screened for tick-borne pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi, B. miyamotoi, Babesia sp., and Coxiella burnetti) using PCR technique. Camels’ blood was found to be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (66...
Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences
The aims of the present study were to characterize ticks infesting the dromedary camel and cattle in Hofuf, Eastern Saudi Arabia and to determine the piroplasms that they may harbor. DNA was extracted from ticks, collected from camels and cattle, using commercial kits and subjected to polymerase chain reaction using specific primers for the amplification of ticks and piroplasms DNA. The cytochrome oxidase subunit I mitochondrial gene (COI) was used for characterization of ticks whereas partial 18S rRNA gene (18S rRNA) was used for piroplasms characterization. Ticks were genetically identified as Hyalomma dromedarii and Hyalomma anatolicum. Both cattle and camel in Hofuf, were found to be infested with both species. Both ticks identified as H. dromedarii and H. anatolicum from camels and cows showed 100% identity to COI sequences from the same species available in GenBank. Only Theileria annulata DNA was amplified from both H. anatolicum and H. dromedarii infesting cattle. None of the ticks collected from camels revealed DNA of piroplasms. T. annulata DNA was reported for the first time from Hofuf and the role of both H. anatolicum and H. dromedarii as potential vectors for this parasite in cattle in Saudi Arabia has been documented for the first time.
March-2021
Background and Aim: Camels are a unique source of milk and meat, which helps recover from several diseases that affect humans worldwide. In Egypt, one of the great obstacles for this industry is tick-borne diseases. This study aimed to characterize blood parasite infections, such as Babesia (B.) bovis and Trypanosoma (T.) spp. in one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) (n=142) breeds in Halayeb and Shalateen, Egypt, through phylogenetic analysis. Materials and Methods: The prevalence of B. bovis and Trypanosoma spp. was identified in camels using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting the Rhoptry-Associated Protein-1 and internal transcribed spacer 1 genes, respectively. A nested PCR technique was conducted to detect B. bovis. At the same time, KIN multispecies PCR assay was employed to diagnose and classify trypanosome DNA in camels. Results: B. bovis was detected in 4/142 camels with an infection rate of 2.81%. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the strain...
Ticks and associated pathogens in camels (Camelus dromedarius) from Riyadh province, Saudi Arabia
2019
Background Camel production in Saudi Arabia is severely affected by various diseases and by inadequate veterinary services. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) represent a major threat to the health of camels consequently affecting their productivity and performances. In addition, camels may act as hosts for TBPs (e.g. Anaplasma phagocytophilum) causing diseases in humans. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of ixodid ticks and molecularly investigate the associated pathogens in camels from Saudi Arabia. Methods Blood and tick samples were collected from camels (n=170) in Riyad Province of Saudi Arabia. Ticks were morphologically identi ed and blood of camels were molecularly screened for apicomplexan (i.e. Babesia spp ., Theileria spp., Hepatozoon spp.) and rickettsial parasites (i.e. Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp.). Results Of the 170 camels examined, 116 (68.2%; 95% CI: 60.9-75.1) were infested by ticks with a mean intensity of 2.53 (95% CI =2.4-2.6). In total of 296 ticks collected, Hyalomma dromedarii was the most prevalent (76.4%), followed by Hyalomma impeltatum (23.3%) and Hyalomma excavatum (0.3%). Of the tested animals, 13 (7.6%; 95% CI: 4.3-12.8) scored positive to at least one TBP, with Anaplasma platys (5.3%; 95% CI: 2.7-9.9) being the most prevalent species, followed by Anaplasma phagocytophilum , Anaplasma sp., Ehrlichia canis and Hepatozoon canis (0.6% each; 95% CI: 0.04-3.4). None of the camels were found to be co-infected with more than one pathogen. All samples tested negative for Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. Conclusions Current study reveals the occurrence of different tick species and tick-borne pathogens in camels from Saudi Arabia. Importantly, these camels may carry A. phagocytophilum and A. platys , representing a potential risk to humans.
Animals
Camels represent an important resource for inhabitants of the most arid regions of the world and their survival is mainly related to environment conditions including the risk of parasitic diseases, which may represent a significant cause of losses in livestock production of these areas. Camels may be parasitized by several hematophagous arthropods, which can be vectors of several diseases including zoonosis. This study aimed to investigate in dromedary camels and their ticks the importance of tick-borne hemoparasites that might be responsible for a recent and obscure morbidity of camels in Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Blood samples and ticks from 93 naturally infected camels belonging to 36 herds, affected by variable acute clinical syndromes lasting from 3 to 5 days, were analyzed through molecular techniques for specific DNA presence of different blood pathogens: Anaplasmamarginale/Anaplasmaovis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella burnetii,Babesia spp., and Theileria spp. ...
Molecular survey of bovine Babesia species in Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in Mongolia
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2022
Bovine babesiosis, which is caused by species of genus Babesia, is a leading cause of considerable economic losses to the cattle industry each year. Bovine Babesia species have frequently been detected in non-cattle hosts, such as water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), from which the parasites can be transmitted by ticks to cattle. Therefore, Babesia infections should be minimized not only in cattle but also in non-cattle carriers. In the present study, we surveyed the Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in Mongolia for three clinically significant bovine Babesia species, including Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, and Babesia sp. Mymensingh, which had been detected previously in Mongolian cattle. We screened blood DNA samples from 305 Bactrian camels in six Mongolian provinces for these species, using parasite-specific PCR assays. Our findings showed that the Bactrian camels in Mongolia were infected with all three Babesia species surveyed. The overall positive rates of B. bovis, B. bigemina, and Babesia sp. Mymensingh were 32.1%, 21.6%, and 24.3%, respectively, whereas 52.5% of the surveyed animals were infected with at least one parasite species. We also found that the female Bactrian camels and the Mongolian native camel breed had significantly higher Babesia positive rates than the male Bactrian camels and the Hos Zogdort breed. In Mongolia, cattle and Bactrian camels usually share common pasture lands for grazing; furthermore, tick species infesting cattle also infest Bactrian camels. Our findings, together with these observations, suggest that the tick transmission of bovine Babesia species might be possible between cattle and Bactrian camels. Therefore, strategies for the control of bovine babesiosis in Mongolia should include methods to minimize bovine Babesia species infections in Bactrian camels.
A molecular study on Babesia spp. in cattle and ticks in West-Azerbaijan province, Iran
Veterinary Research Forum, 2017
A total number of 450 blood samples were collected from 45 different randomly selected cattle herds. Light microscopic examination of blood smears revealed Babesia spp. infection in 4.2%, while 8.9% of blood samples were positive using PCR. Upon multiplex-PCR (mPCR), B. bigemina and B. bovis infections were detected in 37/40 (92.5%) and 3/40 (7.5%) samples, respectively. 530 ticks of 10 Ixodid species were collected from the same cattle. Hyalomma anatolicum was the most prevalent tick species (19.9%). An expected 520 bp fragment of Babesia spp. was generated in 22 (48.8%) of Rhpicephalus annulatus, 18 (40.0%) of R. bursa and 12 (30.0%) R. sanguineus sensu lato. The mPCR findings revealed that all infected ticks including R. annulatus, R. bursa and R. sanguineus were totally infected with B. bigemina. The DNA amplification of B. bovis and B. bigemina in egg samples showed that only B. bigemina was detected in two specimens of R. annulatus. It could be concluded that B. bigemina was t...
Detection of tick blood parasites in Egypt using PCR assay I— Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina
Parasitology Research, 2009
Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina are distributed all over the world; the etiologic agents of the animal babesiosis are considered the most important tick-borne disease. The present research work was the first attempt to determine the prevalence of B. bovis and B. bigemina infection in ticks, in Egypt, by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Questing 5,243 hard and soft ticks were collected from different localities throughout the Giza Governorate. Furthermore, DNA from 500 different individual tick species was extracted and PCR was performed. Primers verified from the sequence of Mexico strain of both species were used. Two fragments of 275 and 175 bp of B. bovis and B. bigemina, respectively, were generated. Fragments of the pathogens were recovered with PCR and sequenced. The prevalence of B. bovis and B. bigemina in Boophilus annulatus ticks were 55% and 66%, respectively. Also, presence of 12% dual infection with B. bovis and B. bigemina was observed. Sequence analysis of PCR product of these pathogens shares a high degree of similarity in sequence compared to similar species found in GenBank.