Search Results (162)

Deer keds (Lipoptena spp. and Neolipoptena ferrisi) are hematophagous ectoparasites that primarily infest white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and other cervids in the United States. The distribution of deer keds in the northeastern United States and the pathogens they harbor remains relatively unexplored. In this study, we examined the geographical distribution and pathogen prevalence of deer keds in Massachusetts by collecting samples from white-tailed deer and testing for tick-borne pathogens. Deer keds were collected across the state, including in four previously unrecorded counties, indicating a wide distribution. Pathogen screening revealed the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA in 30% of the keds, but no other pathogens were detected. The medical and biological significance of detecting A. phagocytophilum DNA in deer keds requires future studies. This research provides a baseline for the distribution and pathogen prevalence of deer keds in Massachusetts and highlights the potential of deer keds as sentinels for monitoring deer-associated microbes. Full article

Ticks are temporary ectoparasites that serve as vectors for a wide range of pathogens affecting both wildlife and humans. In Greece, research on the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in wildlife is limited. This study investigates the presence of pathogens, including Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., as well as tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), and Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) viruses, in ticks collected from 28 wild animals across 10 different animal species. Ticks were manually harvested and identified using molecular methods, with sequencing confirming the presence of Hyalomma aegyptium, H. marginatum, H. anatolicum, Ixodes frontalis, and I. ventalloi. Among the pathogens detected, R. aeschlimannii was the most prevalent, particularly in H. aegyptium ticks from tortoises. Additionally, R. africae was identified in H. aegyptium from tortoises, marking the first report of this pathogen in this tick species in Greece. Hemolivia mauritanica, an apicomplexan parasite commonly found in Testudo tortoises, was also detected. No evidence of Babesia spp., Anaplasma spp., Bartonella spp., or viral nucleic acid was found. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close genetic relationships between the detected Rickettsia species and those previously reported in neighboring regions. These findings underscore the role of wildlife in the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens in Greece and highlight the need for comprehensive surveillance to prevent future outbreaks. Full article

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a growing threat to companion animals, especially dogs, due to the increasing abundance of tick populations in Europe, driven by climate change, urbanization, and the mobility of humans and animals. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in clinically ill dogs suspected of having developed TBDs during the autumn-winter season, as well as to detect pathogens in ticks collected during the same period in the Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship in Poland. A total of 30 dogs with clinical symptoms of babesiosis and 45 ticks from dogs were acquired for this study. Clinical symptoms in dogs included elevated body temperature > 39.0 °C (73.3%), anemia (56.7%), thrombocytopenia (80%), and dark urine (53.3%). Co-infections with Babesia spp. were identified in two combinations (Babesia spp. and Mycoplasma spp. (n = 5), Babesia spp. and Borrelia spp. (n = 2)) and one co-infection with Anaplasma spp. and Borrelia spp., highlighting the complexity of TBD diagnosis and treatment. The analyzed tick species were Ixodes ricinus (86.7%; n = 39; 18 females and 21 males) and Dermacentor reticulatus (13.3%; n = 6; 4 females and 2 males). In I. ricinus, Babesia spp. were identified in 7.7% (3/39), Mycoplasma spp. in 7.7% (3/39), Borrelia in 25.6% (10/39), and Anaplasma spp. in 10.3% (4/39). In D.reticulatus, only two pathogens—Borrelia spp. and Anaplasma spp.—were detected, both only once (16.7%; 1/6). No significant differences were observed between the prevalence of the studied pathogens and tick species, sex, or developmental stage. This study emphasizes the year-round risk of TBDs in dogs, particularly during the autumn-winter months, and underscores the need for continuous vigilance in tick prevention, broad-spectrum diagnostics, and treatment strategies. Full article

Anaplasmosis is an infectious disease transmitted by ticks and caused by obligate intracellular pathogen of belonging to genus Anaplasma Infections of one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) and llamas (Lama glama) have been reported previously. The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors of anti-Anaplasma spp. antibodies in Camelus dromedarius of the Punjab, Pakistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2017–2018 to study the seroprevalence of anaplasmosis in Camelus dromedarius of 13 districts in Punjab province of Pakistan and to assess the associated risk factors including age, breed, gender, body condition score, tick infestation, location, season and management type. Serum samples from 728 camels (433 females and 295 males) were examined for anti-Anaplasma antibodies using a commercially available competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) test kit. A univariable analysis was conducted and extended to multivariate logistic regression to find potential risk factors associated with the disease. Overall, the seroprevalence of anti-Anaplasma antibodies was 8.5% (8.5%, CI 6.6–10.8) with 62 positives in 728 camels. The highest seroprevalence was recorded for camels of the Central Punjab districts (16.1%, CI 11.5–21.7) followed by those of the Northwestern (5.4%, 2.8–9.3) and Southern Punjab (5.2%, 2.9–8.4) districts (p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that location (Central Punjab: OR 2.78, p = 0.004), season (summer: OR 7.94, p = 0.009), body condition score (BCS 2: OR 14.81, p = 0.029) and tick infestation (OR 38.59, p < 0.001) are potential risk factors in the corresponding camel populations. The results showed that the camel population in Pakistan is seropositive for Anaplasma spp. The geographical zone, season, body condition and tick infestation were identified as significantly associated risk factors for seroprevalence of anaplasmosis in dromedary camels. To the best of our knowledge, the results of this current study provide the first evidence of exposure of camels to anaplasmosis in Pakistan. Molecular investigations in the future are highly recommended to determine the dynamics of the disease in camels. Full article

Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) pose a global threat to both canine and public health. This study evaluates the prevalence of Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), Rickettsia conorii, and Dirofilaria immitis in domestic dogs in Liguria, north-west Italy, a region where data were lacking. From 2013 to 2023, 8584 blood samples from shelter (74%) and owned dogs (26%) were submitted to the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta (IZSPLV) for serological testing (indirect immunofluorescence and/or rapid immunochromatographic tests). Overall, 18.8% (95% CI: 18.0–19.7) of the dogs tested positive for at least one pathogen, with positivity against R. conorii antigen being the most frequently recorded (24.4%, 95% CI: 23.3–25.5). Lower prevalence levels were observed for Anaplasma spp. (1.82%, 95% CI: 1.47–2.23), Ehrlichia spp., (1.25%, 95% CI: 0.97–1.60), B. burgdorferi s.l. (0.22%, 95% CI: 0.11–0.39), and D. immitis (0.84%, 95% CI: 0.65–1.06). Positive cases for all pathogens increased over time, with prevalence differing significantly between owned and shelter dogs. Topographical factors, land use, and monthly relative humidity appeared to influence the positivity in the dogs. These results update the epidemiology of the investigated CVBDs in Liguria, indicating a widespread exposure to Rickettsia spp. among local dogs. Full article

In captive environments, mammals are frequently exposed to various parasitic protozoa and other vector-borne pathogens that can impact both animal health and public health. Monitoring these pathogens is essential for animal welfare and zoonotic disease control. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of parasitic protozoa and other vector-borne pathogens in captive mammals through molecular detection methods at the Belo Horizonte Zoo, Brazil. Between November 2021 and March 2023, whole blood samples were collected from 40 mammals. Molecular analyses identified piroplasms, Leishmania spp., granulocytic/platelet Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp., monocytic Ehrlichia spp., Bartonella spp. and hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. with a 72.5% positivity rate. Piroplasms were found in 22.5% (two Pantanal cats, two gorillas, one white rhinoceros, one spider monkey, one jaguar, one tufted capuchin and one hippo) and Leishmania spp. in 12.9% (four maned wolves). Granulocytic/platelet Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp. were found in 12.5% of the samples (one gorilla and four maned wolves), Ehrlichia canis in 2.5% of the animals (one maned wolf), Bartonella spp. in 42.5% (six howler monkeys, two maned wolves, one gorilla, one white rhino, one southern tamandua, one common woolly monkey, one tufted capuchin, one brown brocket deer, one agouti, one cougar and one hippo), hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in 17.5% (one gorilla, one maned wolf, one white rhino, one howler monkey, two common woolly monkeys and one European fallow deer). Five Artiodactyla members tested negative for A. marginale. Coinfections occurred in 34.5% of the positive samples. Sequencing revealed that Theileria spp. and Cytauxzoon spp. are closely related to Theileria bicornis and Cytauxzoon felis; Ehrlichia canis and Bartonella spp. are closely related to B. clarridgeiae and B. henselae; and hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. are closely related to Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum. Our results showed a high occurrence of vector-borne pathogens in captive animals, including zoonotic species, which may pose a risk to animal and human public health. Full article

Hedgehogs can act as reservoirs for the transmission of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) to domestic livestock, wild animals, and humans. Understanding host–tick dynamics is essential to evaluate the impact of TBPs. This study was conducted in Pakistan and aimed to determine the prevalence and species of TBPs in the blood and ticks of Indian long-eared hedgehogs captured from various environments. A total of 64 hedgehogs were captured to check for tick infestation. Tick species were identified morphologically and molecularly including ITS-2 region amplification by PCR and subsequent Sanger sequencing. Moreover, TBPs were identified in both ticks and the blood of hedgehogs through conventional PCR and sequencing, targeting the regions msp1b, 18S rRNA, and cytb for Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., and Theileria spp., respectively. Out of 64 hedgehogs, 16 (25%) were found to be infested with ticks. Morphological and molecular analysis identified all 109 collected ticks as Rhipicephalus turanicus. Only one hedgehog (6.2%) was infected with A. marginale. From the tick samples, 3.7% tested positive for Theileria lestoquardi, 2.8% for Anaplasma marginale, and another 2.8% for Babesia bigemina. This study provides critical insights into circulating TBPs in this region and what possible role hedgehogs might play in disease maintenance for Anaplasma marginale while identifying multiple pathogens that are of concern to human and animal health. Full article

Babesia microti is a protozoan that infects red blood cells, causing hemolytic anemia and flu-like symptoms in humans. Understanding co-infections is crucial for the better diagnosis, treatment, and management of tick-borne diseases. This study examined the prevalence of Babesia microti co-infection with other prevalent tick-borne pathogens in Pennsylvania. The dataset acquired from the Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute included passive surveillance data from Ixodes spp. from 2021 to 2023. Submitted ticks were screened for tick-borne pathogens using species-specific TaqMan qPCR. Of the 793 B. microti-positive ticks pulled for analysis, 65.0% were co-infected with other pathogens (n = 516). Notably, 60.9% of the B. microti-positive ticks were co-infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, 10.2% with Anaplasma phagocytophilum Ap-ha, and 7.5% carried a triple co-infection with B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum Ap-ha. The rates of B. microti infection and its co-infections are on the rise, with patterns observed in Pennsylvania and other regions of the USA. While other studies have collected both nymphal and adult ticks to screen for co-infections in Pennsylvania, our study stood out as a unique contribution to the field by focusing exclusively on B. microti-positive ticks. The continued monitoring of tick-borne co-infections is vital to prevent misdiagnosis and ensure effective treatment regimens. Full article

Vector-borne infections persist as a significant issue in both human and animal health. Many of the most common vector-borne infections in the USA, especially tick-borne infections, are known to be zoonotic, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis, and these infections may also negatively impact the health of infected animals. Convenient patient-side assays for the detection of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma spp., and Ehrlichia spp., and antigen of Dirofilaria immitis have allowed for the generation of robust and large-scale prevalence data in dogs. Data of similar scale and distribution are not available in cats, and most feline prevalence studies have evaluated a small sample size with limited geographic distribution. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to B. burgdorferi, Anaplasma spp., and Ehrlichia spp., and D. immitis antigen among shelter cats across the USA, a population that is presumably at high risk for ectoparasitism and, consequently, exposure to vector-borne infections. In total, 2232 whole blood samples were collected from shelter cats across four regions of the USA—South, Northeast, Midwest, and West—and were evaluated using the Idexx SNAP^® 4Dx^® Test. Ectoparasites were also opportunistically collected from cats during blood collection and morphologically identified. The prevalence of at least one vector-borne infection was 2.60%, and the nationwide prevalence was 1.88% for B. burgdorferi, 0.54% for Anaplasma spp., 0.09% for Ehrlichia spp., and 0.55% for D. immitis. A total of 1120 ectoparasites were collected from 423 cats, including 27 ticks and 1093 fleas. Although the overall prevalence of the pathogens in this survey is relatively low, we observe that there is an increased exposure risk regionally for some agents, with geographic distributions in this study mostly coinciding with established human and canine distributions. Understanding these findings in an assumed non-protected population of cats allows us to extrapolate the risk to pet cats if they are not provided routine veterinary care, including a broad-spectrum parasite prevention program. Full article

Bovine trypanosomoses, caused by Trypanosoma vivax, is a disease present in African and South American countries. This haemoflagellate protozoan parasite, as well as Anaplasma marginale and Babesia spp., are microorganisms that have a blood tropism, mainly causing fever and anaemia, which reduces the productive capacity of dairy or meat farms. This study aimed to detect T. vivax and other blood parasites in bovine herds in the Galapagos Islands. A total of 170 blood samples from bovines in 19 farms on Santa Cruz Island (the most populated) were collected and analyzed using different PCR techniques: Da-PCR and CatL-PCR to detect Trypanosoma vivax, CatL-PCR to detect Trypanosoma theileri, ESAG-PCR to detect Trypanosoma evansi, 18S rRNA-PCR to detect Babesia spp., rap-1-PCR to detect Babesia bovis, hyp-PCR to detect Babesia bigemina, and msp5-PCR to detect A. marginale. The prevalence of T. vivax, B. bovis, B. bigemina, and A. marginale was estimated as 14.7%, 11.2%, 14.7%, and 67.1%, respectively. In this study, the presence of four haemotropic agents was evidenced in 26.3% (5/19) of the farms. Coinfected cattle (A. marginale, B. bovis and B. bigemina) had significantly higher body temperatures compared to others (two-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum test; p-value = 0.047). The molecular techniques used in this study demonstrated the presence of T. vivax and B. bovis in cattle from Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos for the first time. The study also investigates the relationship between T. vivax, A. marginale and Babesia spp., making a significant contribution to the field of veterinary medicine. Full article

Bovine anaplasmosis is an infectious vector-borne disease caused by bacteria of the genus Anaplasma, which have a wide global distribution and represent a high economic burden for agriculture. The use of molecular genetic techniques has increased our knowledge of the species diversity of Anaplasma spp. and naturally susceptible animals. Monitoring studies allow us to assess the level of infection in herds, as well as the involvement of natural vectors in the processes of maintaining and spreading infection. Despite the high prevalence of Theileria and Babesia in cattle in Kazakhstan, there is no information on the distribution and species diversity of Anaplasma spp in this country. As part of this work, 7027 DNA samples isolated from the whole blood of cattle from 175 settlements in all 17 Kazakhstan regions were PCR-tested for the presence of Anaplasma spp. Anaplasma carriers were found in 1.3% (90 out of 7027) of the tested animals in 9 of the 17 regions of Kazakhstan. The highest percentage of infected animals was recorded in Turkistan (South Kazakhstan) and North Kazakhstan with 4.46% and 2.48% positive samples, respectively. The partial sequencing of 16S rRNA and the groEL gene allowed us to identify five species of Anaplasma: A. centrale, A. marginale, Candidatus Anaplasma Mongolica, A. ovis, and Unknown Anaplasma with infection rates of 0.63%, 0.44%, 0.13%, 0.01%, and 0.01%, respectively. Full article

This study reveals a significant presence of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in urban recreational areas of Tallinn, Estonia. During the period of May–June 2018, 815 Ixodes ticks were collected from an area of 11,200 m² using the flagging method. Tick density reached up to 18.8 ticks per 100 m², indicating a high concentration of ticks in these urban green spaces. Pathogen analysis demonstrated that 34% of the collected ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. Specifically, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, was detected in 17.4% of the ticks; Rickettsia spp. was detected in 13.5%; Neoehrlichia mikurensis was detected in 5.5%; Borrelia miyamotoi was detected in 2.6%; and Anaplasma phagocytophilum and tick-borne encephalitis virus were detected in 0.5% each. These findings indicate that the prevalence and abundance of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in these urban environments are comparable to or even exceed those observed in natural endemic areas. Given the increasing incidence of Lyme borreliosis in Central and Northern Europe, the risk of tick bites and subsequent infection in urban recreational sites should not be underestimated. Public health measures, including enhanced awareness and precautionary information, are essential to mitigate the risk of tick-borne diseases in these urban settings. Full article

Anaplasmataceae bacteria are emerging infectious agents transmitted by ticks. The aim of this study was to identify the molecular diversity of this bacterial family in ticks and hosts, both domestic and wild, as well as blood meal sources of free-living ticks in northeastern Paraguay. The bacteria were identified using PCR-HRM, a method optimized for this purpose, while the identification of ticks and their blood meal was performed using conventional PCR. All amplified products were subsequently sequenced. The bacteria detected in the blood hosts included Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Candidatus Anaplasma boleense, and Wolbachia spp., which had not been previously reported in the country. Free-living and parasitic ticks on dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and wild armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) were collected and identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Amblyomma spp. The species E. canis, A. platys, A. phagocytophilum, and Ca. A. boleense were detected in domestic dog ticks, and E. canis and A. platys were found for the first time in armadillos and free-living ticks. Blood feeding sources detected in free-living ticks were rodents, humans, armadillos and dogs. Results show a high diversity of tick-borne pathogens circulating among domestic and wild animals in the northeastern region of Paraguay. Full article

Anaplasma platys is a tick-borne zoonotic pathogen of canines. In this study, the presence of A. platys was screened for in brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus s. l.) infesting stray dogs in Taiwan to determine overall prevalence. This study represents the first instance of genetic identification of A. platys in brown dog ticks in Taiwan. In total, we examined 324 brown dog ticks for A. platys infection by nested polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The general prevalence of A. platys infection was 3.1%, with 3.6%, 4.0%, and 2.1% in nymph, female, and male ticks, respectively. Monthly prevalence of infection was observed from May to September. Genetic relatedness was determined by comparing the sequences of the 16S rRNA gene obtained from six Taiwan strains and seventeen other strains, representing six genospecies of Anaplasma spp. and three outgroups (Ehrlichia canis, Rickettsia rickettsia, and Escherichia coli). All Taiwan specimens were shown to genetically belong to the A. platys group, and could be clearly discriminated from other Anaplasma spp. Genetic similarities revealed a 100% identity match with various A. platys documented in GenBank. This study highlights the epidemiological importance of geographical transmission of A. platys among dogs and the possible risk for human infections in Taiwan. Full article

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a considerable public health problem worldwide. The occurrence of Anaplasma spp., Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia spp., and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEv) was investigated via PCR and sequencing in 683 ticks collected from 105 roe deer, 61 wild boars, 49 fallow deer, and 2 chamois, in the Liguria region, northwest Italy, between 2019 and 2022. The ticks were morphologically identified. Four different tick species were found: Ixodes ricinus (66.8% of the collected ticks), Dermacentor marginatus (15.8%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.s. (15.7%), and Haemaphysalis punctata (0.9%). Six ticks (0.9%) were only identified as Rhipicephalus spp. Of the 222 pools analyzed, 27.9% were positive. Most pools (n = 58, 26.1% of pools analyzed) were positive for Rickettsia spp., and several species were found: Rickettsia slovaca was the dominant species (15.3%), followed by R. monacensis (8.1%), while R. helvetica (1.8%), R. massiliae (0.5%), and R. raoultii (0.5%) were found only sporadically. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was identified in three pools and B. burgdorferi s.l. in one pool. All samples were negative for C. burnetii and TBEv. Significant associations were found between I. ricinus and roe deer, D. marginatus and wild boar, and between R. monacensis and I. ricinus. The prevalence of Rickettsia spp. differed significantly between tick and host species. This updated picture of tick species and TBPs in wild ungulates in Liguria, where the population of these animals is increasing, shows a widespread presence of potentially zoonotic Rickettsia spp. Continuous monitoring and public information on preventive measures are needed. Full article