A higher infection rate of Toxoplasma gondii in soft ticks infesting domestic hens: A novel report from Pakistan

IF 1.4 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports Pub Date : 2024-11-04 DOI:10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.101147

Bisma Khan , Sidra Batool , Sadia Shahnawaz , Shakir Ullah , Muhammad Naeem , Umme Habiba , Shaheen Akhter , Adil Khan , Furhan Iqbal

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Ticks are the second most important hematophagous ectoparasites after mosquitoes and serve as vectors for various pathogens, transmitting them to wild and domestic animals, as well as humans. Argas persicus are the soft ticks that are known to parasitize domestic poultry. Hard ticks are known to be the reservoir of Toxoplasma (T.) gondii but limited such information is available for soft ticks. This study reports the molecular prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of T. gondii infecting Argas (A.) persicus ticks (N = 70), collected from four domestic poultry breeds in the Kurram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, between June and August 2023. The results showed that 26 out of 70 (37 %) A. persicus samples tested positive for the ITS-1 gene of T. gondii. These findings were confirmed by the DNA sequencing and BLAST analysis of amplified amplicons. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Pakistani isolates were genetically diverse and clustered with isolates that were reported from birds and mammals from Pakistan, Tunisia, Malaysia, Brazil and Iraq.

Risk factor analysis indicated that the prevalence of T. gondii was not associated with any specific poultry breed, sampling period, or the body temperature of the fowl hosts. Similarly parasite prevalence was not found associated with tick sex or their developmental stage but parasite infection rate varied with the feeding status of the ticks; highest T. gondii infection rate was observed in fully fed Argas persicus. In conclusion, this is the first report from Pakistan highlighting a high prevalence of T. gondii in A. persicus infesting domestic poultry suggesting a potential zoonotic risk to humans through the consumption of infected poultry. This data is confirming that in addition to oral ingestion of oocysts, T. gondii can be mechanically transmitted through soft ticks.

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家养母鸡感染的软蜱中弓形虫感染率较高：巴基斯坦的一份新报告

蜱虫是仅次于蚊子的第二大噬血性体外寄生虫，是各种病原体的传播媒介，可将病原体传播给野生和家养动物以及人类。软蜱（Argas persicus）是已知寄生于家禽的软蜱。众所周知，硬蜱是弓形虫（T. gondii）的贮库，但关于软蜱的此类信息却很有限。本研究报告了 2023 年 6 月至 8 月期间从巴基斯坦开伯尔-普赫图赫瓦省库拉姆地区的四个家禽品种中收集的 Argas (A.) persicus 蜱（N = 70）感染弓形虫的分子流行率和系统发育分析。结果显示，在 70 个 A. persicus 样本中，有 26 个（37%）对刚地氏蜱的 ITS-1 基因检测呈阳性。对扩增的扩增子进行 DNA 测序和 BLAST 分析证实了这些结果。系统发育分析表明，巴基斯坦的分离株具有遗传多样性，并与巴基斯坦、突尼斯、马来西亚、巴西和伊拉克的鸟类和哺乳动物中报告的分离株聚集在一起。风险因素分析表明，淋病双球菌的流行与任何特定的家禽品种、采样时期或家禽宿主的体温无关。同样，寄生虫感染率也与蜱的性别或发育阶段无关，但寄生虫感染率随蜱的喂养状态而变化；在完全喂养的钝头蜱中观察到的淋病双球菌感染率最高。总之，这是巴基斯坦的第一份报告，其中突出强调了家禽感染的钝头蜱中的淋病双球菌感染率很高，这表明食用受感染的家禽可能会给人类带来人畜共患病风险。这些数据证实，除了口服卵囊外，淋病双球菌还可以通过软蜱进行机械传播。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports Multiple-

CiteScore

2.90

自引率

7.10%

发文量

126

审稿时长

97 days

期刊介绍： Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports focuses on aspects of veterinary parasitology that are of regional concern, which is especially important in this era of climate change and the rapid and often unconstrained travel of people and animals. Relative to regions, this journal will accept papers of the highest quality dealing with all aspects of disease prevention, pathology, treatment, epidemiology, and control of parasites within the field of veterinary medicine. Also, case reports will be considered as they add to information related to local disease and its control; such papers must be concise and represent appropriate medical intervention. Papers on veterinary parasitology from wildlife species are acceptable, but only if they relate to the practice of veterinary medicine. Studies on vector-borne bacterial and viral agents are suitable, but only if the paper deals with vector transmission of these organisms to domesticated animals. Studies dealing with parasite control by means of natural products, both in vivo and in vitro, are more suited for one of the many journals that now specialize in papers of this type. However, due to the regional nature of much of this research, submissions may be considered based upon a case being made by the author(s) to the Editor. Circumstances relating to animal experimentation must meet the International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals as issued by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (obtainable from: Executive Secretary C.I.O.M.S., c/o W.H.O., Via Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland).