Molecular Evidence of <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and the Endosymbiont <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria Mitochondrii in <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> Infesting <i>Testudo graeca</i> Tortoises from Doha, Qatar
Tick-borne agents constitute a growing concern for human and animal health worldwide. <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> is a hard tick with a three-host life cycle, whose main hosts for adults are Palearctic tortoises of genus <i>Testudo</i>. Nevertheless, immature ticks can feed on...
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/30 |
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| author | Patrícia F. Barradas Clara Lima Luís Cardoso Irina Amorim Fátima Gärtner João R. Mesquita |
| author_facet | Patrícia F. Barradas Clara Lima Luís Cardoso Irina Amorim Fátima Gärtner João R. Mesquita |
| author_sort | Patrícia F. Barradas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tick-borne agents constitute a growing concern for human and animal health worldwide. <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> is a hard tick with a three-host life cycle, whose main hosts for adults are Palearctic tortoises of genus <i>Testudo</i>. Nevertheless, immature ticks can feed on a variety of hosts, representing an important eco-epidemiological issue regarding <i>H. aegyptium</i> pathogens circulation. <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> ticks are vectors and/or reservoirs of various pathogenic agents, such as <i>Ehrlichia</i>, <i>Anaplasma</i>, <i>Babesia</i> and <i>Hepatozoon/Hemolivia</i>. <i>Ehrlichia</i> and <i>Anaplasma</i> are emergent tick-borne bacteria with a worldwide distribution and zoonotic potential, responsible for diseases that cause clinical manifestations that grade from acute febrile illness to a fulminant disease characterized by multi-organ system failure, depending on the species. <i>Babesia</i> and <i>Hepatozoon/Hemolivia</i> are tick-borne parasites with increasing importance in multiple species. <i>Testudo graeca</i> tortoises acquired in a large animal market in Doha, Qatar, were screened for a panel of tick-borne pathogens by conventional PCR followed by bidirectional sequencing. The most prevalent agent identified in ticks was <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i> (28.6%), followed by <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria mitochondrii (9.5%) and <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. (4.7%). All samples were negative for <i>Babesia</i> spp. and <i>Hepatozoon</i> spp. Overall, 43% of the examined adult ticks were infected with at least one agent. Only 4.7% of the ticks appeared to be simultaneously infected with two agents, i.e., <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and <i>H. mauritanica</i>. This is the first detection of <i>H. mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and <i>Candidatus</i> M. mitochondrii in <i>H. aegyptium</i> ticks collected from pet spur-thighed tortoises, in Qatar, a fact which adds to the geographical extension of these agents. The international trade of <i>Testudo</i> tortoises carrying ticks infected with pathogens of veterinary and medical importance deserves strict control, in order to reduce potential exotic diseases. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:45:15Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-28a7d51fca7f492d829c409caeffc5d52023-11-21T02:38:53ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-12-011113010.3390/ani11010030Molecular Evidence of <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and the Endosymbiont <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria Mitochondrii in <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> Infesting <i>Testudo graeca</i> Tortoises from Doha, QatarPatrícia F. Barradas0Clara Lima1Luís Cardoso2Irina Amorim3Fátima Gärtner4João R. Mesquita5Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalDepartment of Biological Sciences, Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, and Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalInstitute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalInstitute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalInstitute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalTick-borne agents constitute a growing concern for human and animal health worldwide. <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> is a hard tick with a three-host life cycle, whose main hosts for adults are Palearctic tortoises of genus <i>Testudo</i>. Nevertheless, immature ticks can feed on a variety of hosts, representing an important eco-epidemiological issue regarding <i>H. aegyptium</i> pathogens circulation. <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> ticks are vectors and/or reservoirs of various pathogenic agents, such as <i>Ehrlichia</i>, <i>Anaplasma</i>, <i>Babesia</i> and <i>Hepatozoon/Hemolivia</i>. <i>Ehrlichia</i> and <i>Anaplasma</i> are emergent tick-borne bacteria with a worldwide distribution and zoonotic potential, responsible for diseases that cause clinical manifestations that grade from acute febrile illness to a fulminant disease characterized by multi-organ system failure, depending on the species. <i>Babesia</i> and <i>Hepatozoon/Hemolivia</i> are tick-borne parasites with increasing importance in multiple species. <i>Testudo graeca</i> tortoises acquired in a large animal market in Doha, Qatar, were screened for a panel of tick-borne pathogens by conventional PCR followed by bidirectional sequencing. The most prevalent agent identified in ticks was <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i> (28.6%), followed by <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria mitochondrii (9.5%) and <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. (4.7%). All samples were negative for <i>Babesia</i> spp. and <i>Hepatozoon</i> spp. Overall, 43% of the examined adult ticks were infected with at least one agent. Only 4.7% of the ticks appeared to be simultaneously infected with two agents, i.e., <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and <i>H. mauritanica</i>. This is the first detection of <i>H. mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and <i>Candidatus</i> M. mitochondrii in <i>H. aegyptium</i> ticks collected from pet spur-thighed tortoises, in Qatar, a fact which adds to the geographical extension of these agents. The international trade of <i>Testudo</i> tortoises carrying ticks infected with pathogens of veterinary and medical importance deserves strict control, in order to reduce potential exotic diseases.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/30endosymbionts<i>Hemolivia</i>surveillancetortoisestick-borne pathogensticks |
| spellingShingle | Patrícia F. Barradas Clara Lima Luís Cardoso Irina Amorim Fátima Gärtner João R. Mesquita Molecular Evidence of <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and the Endosymbiont <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria Mitochondrii in <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> Infesting <i>Testudo graeca</i> Tortoises from Doha, Qatar Animals endosymbionts <i>Hemolivia</i> surveillance tortoises tick-borne pathogens ticks |
| title | Molecular Evidence of <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and the Endosymbiont <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria Mitochondrii in <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> Infesting <i>Testudo graeca</i> Tortoises from Doha, Qatar |
| title_full | Molecular Evidence of <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and the Endosymbiont <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria Mitochondrii in <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> Infesting <i>Testudo graeca</i> Tortoises from Doha, Qatar |
| title_fullStr | Molecular Evidence of <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and the Endosymbiont <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria Mitochondrii in <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> Infesting <i>Testudo graeca</i> Tortoises from Doha, Qatar |
| title_full_unstemmed | Molecular Evidence of <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and the Endosymbiont <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria Mitochondrii in <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> Infesting <i>Testudo graeca</i> Tortoises from Doha, Qatar |
| title_short | Molecular Evidence of <i>Hemolivia mauritanica</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and the Endosymbiont <i>Candidatus</i> Midichloria Mitochondrii in <i>Hyalomma aegyptium</i> Infesting <i>Testudo graeca</i> Tortoises from Doha, Qatar |
| title_sort | molecular evidence of i hemolivia mauritanica i i ehrlichia i spp and the endosymbiont i candidatus i midichloria mitochondrii in i hyalomma aegyptium i infesting i testudo graeca i tortoises from doha qatar |
| topic | endosymbionts <i>Hemolivia</i> surveillance tortoises tick-borne pathogens ticks |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/30 |
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