1. Molecular detection of some zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected from camels (Camelus dromedarius) as hosts and wild rodents as potential reservoirs.
- Author
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Yousery A, Soliman DE, Samy AA, Allam AM, Shaalan MG, and Abdel Hamid AE
- Subjects
- Animals, Tick-Borne Diseases veterinary, Tick-Borne Diseases epidemiology, Tick-Borne Diseases microbiology, Tick-Borne Diseases parasitology, Rodentia parasitology, Tick Infestations veterinary, Tick Infestations epidemiology, Tick Infestations parasitology, Egypt epidemiology, Female, Camelus parasitology, Disease Reservoirs veterinary, Disease Reservoirs microbiology, Ixodidae microbiology
- Abstract
Ticks and tick-borne pathogens pose a great threat to human and animal health. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of ticks that infest camels and investigate the presence of tick-borne pathogens in the blood of camels, associated ticks, and surrounding rodents as reservoirs. From 100 inspected camels, from different localities in the Giza governorate, 1000 ixodid ticks were collected; these ticks belonged to three genera: Hyalomma, Amblyomma, and Rhipicephalus. The genus Hyalomma was represented by four species, Hyalomma dromedarii was the most prevalent species (55.4%), followed by Hyalomma excavatum (22%), Hyalomma impeltatum (11.6%) and Hyalomma rufipes (2.8%). The genus Amblyomma was represented by two species, Amblyomma gemma (2.8%) and Amblyomma marmoreum (2.7%), while the genus Rhipicephalus was represented by only one species, Rhipicephalus pulchellus (2.7%). Ticks, camel blood, and rodents (total number 100 brown rats) are screened for tick-borne pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, Babesia sp., and Coxiella burnetii) using PCR. Camel blood was found to be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (66.6%), Borrelia miyamotoi (55%), and Babesia sp. (11.6%). Coxiella burnetii DNA was detected in all the collected ticks but was not detected in the blood of camels or rodents. Borrelia miyamotoi was detected in 12.5% of H. impeltatum, 55% of Camels, and 6% of the rodents, which may indicate a proposed risk of dispersal of B. miyamotoi, the agent of tick-borne relapsing fever., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
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