Molecular detection and distribution of piroplasms and Anaplasma species and their co-infections in cattle from three Egyptian governorates

IF 1.4 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports Pub Date : 2025-10-01 DOI:10.1016/j.vprsr.2025.101350

Mohamed R. Hassan , Hend H.A.M. Abdullah , Reham S. El-Maadawy , Sobhy Abdel-Shafy , Hanem Khater , Samah M. Abd Elgawad

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs), including piroplasmosis and anaplasmosis, are globally distributed and pose significant threats to cattle. This study investigated the prevalence, co-infections, and risk factors of bovine piroplasmosis and anaplasmosis in three Egyptian governorates, Beni-Suef, Al-Faiyum, and Al-Minya, over a one year period. A total of 601 cattle blood samples were screened for hemopathogens using microscopic examination, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and nucleotide sequences analysis. Risk factors were analyzed using the chi-square (χ²) test (P < 0.05). Hemopathogens were detected in 41.09 % and 75.04 % of cattle through microscopic and PCR methods, respectively. Babesia bigemina was the most prevalent pathogen (33.44 %, including both single and co-infections), followed by Anaplasma marginale (20.63 %), Theileria annulata (10.64 %), and Babesia bovis (3.49 %). Co-infections were observed in 19.8 % of cattle in all three studied governorates, with the most common combination being A. marginale and B. bigemina (63.86 %). Significant risk factors included seasonality (B. bigemina and T. annulata), breed (B. bigemina), and acaricide application (A. marginale). Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the presence of three piroplasm species and revealed two potentially distinct genotypes of A. marginale. This study is the first to report B. bovis in cattle from Al-Faiyum and Al-Minya, expanding its known distribution in Egypt. Multiplex PCR was successfully applied for simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens, supporting its utility for efficient, large-scale epidemiological studies. In conclusion, B. bigemina and A. marginale were the most prevalent pathogens and frequently co-occurred. The obtained results contribute to a better understanding of pathogen prevalence, distribution, and co-infection patterns and advocate for the design and implementation of region-specificcontrol strategies in endemic regions.

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埃及三个省牛中螺旋体和无原体的分子检测和分布及其共感染

包括梨形体病和无形体病在内的蜱传疾病在全球分布，对牛构成重大威胁。本研究调查了埃及三个省（Beni-Suef、Al-Faiyum和Al-Minya）一年多时间内牛螺旋体病和无形体病的流行情况、合并感染和危险因素。采用显微镜检、聚合酶链式反应（PCR）和核苷酸序列分析等方法对601份牛血液进行病原学筛查。危险因素分析采用χ2检验（P < 0.05）。镜检和PCR检出率分别为41.09%和75.04%。以双巴贝斯虫为主（33.44%），其次为边缘无原体（20.63%）、环孢芽孢杆菌（10.64%）和牛巴贝斯虫（3.49%）。在所有三个被研究的省份中，19.8%的牛被观察到共同感染，其中最常见的组合是边缘螺旋体和双头螺旋体（63.86%）。显著的危险因素包括季节（双叶螨和环叶螨）、品种（双叶螨）和杀螨剂（边缘螨）的使用。系统发育分析证实了三种梨质体的存在，并揭示了两种潜在的不同基因型。这项研究首次报告了在Al-Faiyum和Al-Minya的牛中发现牛双头杆菌，扩大了其在埃及的已知分布。多重PCR成功应用于多种病原体的同时检测，支持其在高效、大规模流行病学研究中的应用。综上所述，双歧双歧杆菌和边缘双歧双歧杆菌是最常见的致病菌，并且经常共存。获得的结果有助于更好地了解病原体的流行、分布和合并感染模式，并倡导在流行地区设计和实施针对特定区域的控制策略。

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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).