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Background: Bartonellosis, caused by bacteria of the genus Bartonella, is a zoonotic disease with several mammalian reservoir hosts. In Somalia, a country heavily reliant on livestock, zoonotic diseases pose significant public health and economic challenges. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been performed aiming to verify the occurrence of Bartonella spp. in Somalia. This study investigated the occurrence and molecular characterization of Bartonella in dromedary (Camelus dromedarius, Linnaeus, 1758), cattle, sheep, and goats from Somalia. Materials and Methods: 530 blood samples were collected from various animals (155 dromedary, 199 goat, 131 cattle, and 45 sheep) in Benadir and Lower Shabelle regions. DNA was extracted for molecular analysis, and a qPCR assay targeting the NADH dehydrogenase gamma subunit (nuoG) gene was used for Bartonella screening. Positive samples were also subjected to PCR assays targeting seven molecular markers including: nuoG, citrate synthase gene (gltA), RNA polymerase beta‐subunit gene (rpoB), riboflavin synthase gene (ribC), 60 kDa heat‐shock protein gene (groEL), cell division protein gene (ftsZ), and pap31 and qPCR targeting the 16‐23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) followed by Sanger sequencing, BLASTn and phylogenetic analysis. Results: Out of 530 tested animals, 5.1% were positive for Bartonella spp. by the nuoG qPCR assay. Goats showed the highest Bartonella occurrence (17/199, 8.5%), followed by sheep (6/44, 6.8%), cattle (4/131, 3.1%), and dromedary (1/155, 1.9%). Goats, sheep, and cattle had higher odds of infection compared to dromedary. Among nuoG qPCR‐positive samples, 11.1%, 14.8%, 11.1%, and 25.9% were positive in PCR assays based on nuoG, gltA, and pap31 genes, and in the qPCR based on the ITS region, respectively. On the other hand, nuoG qPCR‐positive samples were negative in the PCR assays targeting the ribC, rpoB, ftsZ, and groEL genes. While Bartonella bovis sequences were detected in cattle (nuoG and ITS) and goats (gltA), Bartonella henselae ITS sequences were detected in dromedary, goat, and sheep. Phylogenetic analysis placed gltA Bartonella sequence from a goat in the same clade of B. bovis. Conclusion: The present study showed, for the first time, molecular evidence of Bartonella spp. in dromedary and ruminants from Somalia and B. henselae in sheep and goats globally. These findings contribute valuable insights into Bartonella spp. occurrence in Somali livestock, highlighting the need for comprehensive surveillance and control measures under the One Health approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Camel trypanosomiasis or surra is of great concern in Somalia, since the country possesses the largest one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) population in the world. Civil war in Somalia has resulted in the destruction of educational, research, economic and social structures, making the country scores very low for most humanitarian indicators. Previous studies on detection of Trypanosoma species in Somali camels have only been performed during the 1990s using standard trypanosome detection methods (STDM). Considering the lack of state-of-the-art knowledge on camel trypanosomiasis in Somalia, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of Trypanosoma spp. in three districts of Somalia. Methods: A total of 182 blood samples from C. dromedarius from nomadic and dairy farms were evaluated using STDM, serological (CATT/T. evansi) and molecular (ITS1-PCR) methods. Results: All samples were negative for Trypanosoma spp. by STDM. A total of 125/182 (68.7%, 95% CI: 61.4–75.3%) camels were seropositive for T. evansi by CATT/T. evansi. Camels reared in nomadic system were more likely to be seropositive for T. evansi than those under dairy production system (OR: 5.6, 95% CI: 2.1–15.2, P = 0.0001). Five out of 182 (2.7%, 95% CI: 0.9–6.3%) camels tested positive for Trypanosoma sp. by ITS1-PCR. Sequencing of the ITS1 region of the Trypanosoma species detected herein revealed that camels were infected with T. evansi and T. simiae. Conclusions: Trypanosoma evansi is highly prevalent in camels from the Banadir region of Somalia, particularly in nomadic herds. To our knowledge, this is the first study to confirm infections with T. evansi and T. simiae in Somali camels through DNA sequencing. Our data highlight the need for implementation of adequate control measures aiming to reduce the impact on camel production in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]