Investigation of Theileria spp., Babesia spp., Hepatozoon canis, Anaplasma spp., Borreliella burgdorferi, and Bartonella spp. in tick samples collected from Turkey by polymerase chain reaction method
Project no. 21040 · Status: Kapanmış · 2020
Summary
Global warming, environmental and ecological changes and the existence of suitable habitats increase the effectiveness of ticks, and this increases the possibility of the emergence of tick-borne diseases with zoonotic character. A total of 19 diseases transmitted by ticks to humans and animals have been reported in Turkey. Based on this, in this project, it was aimed to investigate the tick-borne pathogens including the theileriosis agent Theileria spp., the babesiosis agent Babesia spp., the hepatozoonosis agent Hepatozoon canis, the anaplasmosis agent Anaplasma spp., the Lyme agent Borreliella burgdorferi and the bartonellosis agent Bartonella spp., in previously collected tick samples (n: 110) by molecular methods. For this purpose, firstly ticks were identified morphologically at genus level and DNA isolation was performed using commercial kit. Subsequently, the molecular identification process was performed on the species level of each tick sample and the presence of the pathogens mentioned above was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers specific to each pathogen. As a result, seven different tick species were identified, including Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma anatolicum, Hyalomma aegyptium, and Haemaphysalis erinacei. Among the analyzed ticks, Hepatozoon canis, Theileria spp., Babesia spp. and Anaplasma spp. were detected at rates of 6.36%, 17.2%, 1.81%, and 6.36%, respectively. Borrelia burgdorferi and Bartonella spp. could not be detected. According to the sequence results, it was determined that positive samples were Theileria ovis, Babesia caballi and Anaplasma ovis. Hepatozoon canis was detected in tick species Rh. sanguineus while Theileria ovis, Babesia caballi and Anaplasma spp. were detected in tick species Rh. turanicus and Hy. marginatum. Also, Hyalomma marginatum species of ticks was determined to be a potential vector candidate for Theileria ovis while Hyalomma marginatum and Rhipicephalus turanicus species of ticks were determined to be potential vector candidates for Babesia caballi in Turkey.