Diversity and Phylogeny of Cattle Ixodid Ticks and Associated Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia spp. in Tunisia
-
Published:2023-04-03
Issue:4
Volume:12
Page:552
-
ISSN:2076-0817
-
Container-title:Pathogens
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Pathogens
Author:
Kratou Myriam1, Belkahia Hanene1, Selmi Rachid12, Andolsi Rihab1ORCID, Dhibi Mokhtar3, Mhadhbi Moez3, Messadi Lilia1, Ben Said Mourad134ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Laboratory of Microbiology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia 2. Ministry of National Defense, General Directorate of Military Health, Veterinary Service, Tunis 1008, Tunisia 3. Laboratory of Parasitology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia 4. Department of Basic Sciences, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia
Abstract
Tick-borne rickettsioses are mainly caused by obligate intracellular bacteria belonging to the spotted fever group (SFG) of the Rickettsia genus. So far, the causative agents of SFG rickettsioses have not been detected in cattle ticks from Tunisia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the diversity and phylogeny of ticks associated with cattle from northern Tunisia and their associated Rickettsia species. Adult ticks (n = 338) were collected from cattle in northern Tunisia. The obtained ticks were identified as Hyalomma excavatum (n = 129), Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (n = 111), Hyalomma marginatum (n = 84), Hyalomma scupense (n = 12) and Hyalomma rufipes (n = 2). After DNA extraction from the ticks, 83 PCR products based on the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene were sequenced and a total of four genotypes for Rh. sanguineus s.l., two for Hy. marginatum and Hy. excavatum and only one for Hy. scupense and Hy. rufipes were recorded, with the occurrence of one, two and three novel genotypes, respectively, for Hy. marginatum, Hy. excavatum and Rh. sanguineus s.l. mitochondrial 16S rRNA partial sequences. The tick DNA was tested for the presence of Rickettsia spp. by using PCR measurements and sequencing targeting three different genes (ompB, ompA and gltA). Of the 338 analyzed ticks, 90 (26.6%), including 38 (34.2%) Rh. sanguineus s.l., 26 (20.1%) Hy. excavatum, 25 (29.8%) Hy. marginatum and one (50%) Hy. rufipes tick, were positive for Rickettsia spp. Based on 104 partial sequences of the three analyzed genes, the BLAST analysis and phylogenetic study showed the infection of Hy. excavatum, Hy. marginatum and Rh. sanguineus s.l. tick specimens with R. massiliae, R. aeschlimannii and R. sibirica subsp. mongolitimonae and one Hy. rufipes tick specimen with R. aeschlimannii. In addition, coinfection with R. massiliae and R. aeschlimannii was reported in one Hy. marginatum and one Rh. sanguineus s.l. tick specimen, while a coinfection with R. massiliae and R. sibirica subsp. mongolitimonae was recorded in one Rh. sanguineus s.l. tick specimen. In conclusion, our study reports, for the first time in Tunisia, the infection of cattle ticks belonging to Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus genera with zoonotic Rickettsia species belonging to the SFG group.
Funder
the research laboratory “Laboratoire d’épidémiologie d’infections enzootiques des herbivores en Tunisie” the research projects “Screening and Molecular Characterization of Pathogenic and Zoonotic Bacteria of Medical and Economic Interest in Cattle and Camel Ticks in Tunisia” “Study of the Bacterial Microbiota in Ticks with a Medical and Economic Impact in Tunisia: Contribution to the Control of Vector-Borne Bacterial Diseases” Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Microbiology (medical),General Immunology and Microbiology,Molecular Biology,Immunology and Allergy
Reference60 articles.
1. Garcia, K., Weakley, M., Do, T., and Mir, S. (2022). Current and Future Molecular Diagnostics of Tick-Borne Diseases in Cattle. Vet. Sci., 9. 2. Prevalence of Theileriosis in Cross-Bred Cattle: Its Detection through Blood Smear Examination and Polymerase Chain Reaction in Dehradun District, Uttarakhand, India;Kohli;Vet. World,2014 3. Evaluación Económica Del Control de Garrapatas Rhipicephalus microplus En México/Economic Evaluation of Tick (Rhipicephalus microplus) Control in Mexico;CIBA Rev. Iberoam. Las Cienc. Biológicas Agropecu.,2016 4. Potential Effects on Rhipicephalus microplus Tick Larvae Fed on Calves Immunized with a Subolesin Peptide Predicted by Epitope Analysis;Lagunes;Trop. Biomed.,2016 5. Abubakar, M., and Perera, P.K. (2018). Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens, IntechOpen.
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献
|
|