scholarly journals Tick Infestation and Piroplasm Infection in Barbarine and Queue Fine de l’Ouest Autochthonous Sheep Breeds in Tunisia, North Africa

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 839
Author(s):  
Médiha Khamassi Khbou ◽  
Mariem Rouatbi ◽  
Rihab Romdhane ◽  
Limam Sassi ◽  
Mohamed Jdidi ◽  
...  

As ticks and tick-borne pathogens affect the productivity of livestock, searching for genetically resistant breeds to infestation by ticks may represent an alternative to the overuse of chemical drugs. The aim of this study was to assess if there is a difference in tick infestation among the main sheep breeds in Tunisia. The study was carried out between April 2018 and January 2020 in 17 small to middle-sized sheep flocks from 3 regions across Tunisia. Four hundred and thirty-nine ear-tagged ewes from Barbarine (n = 288, 65.6%) and Queue Fine de l’Ouest (QFO) (n = 151, 34.4%) breeds were examined and sampled each trimester. Ticks were identified to the species level, and piroplasms were detected using PCR that targets a common sequence ARNr18S to both Babesia and Theileria genera using catch-all primers. Totally, 707 adult ticks were collected from animals; 91.4% (646/707) of them were Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. Queue Fine de l’Ouest animals were markedly less infested by ticks, and no one of them was infected by piroplasms compared to the Barbarine breed. Indeed, during the first four seasons, 21 animals, all from the Barbarine breed, were detected positive for piroplasms. This is the first study in Tunisia about the low susceptibility of QFO ewes to infestation by ticks and to infection by piroplasms. The QFO sheep breed could be raised preferably at high-risk areas of tick occurrence and could be considered in concrete control strategies, including a breeding program.

Author(s):  
Muhammad Jamil ◽  
Muhammad Kashif ◽  
Habibullah ◽  
Muhammad Mubeen ◽  
Ghulam Jelani ◽  
...  

Ticks are blood-feeding obligate ectoparasites that belong to order Arachnida with three main families (Ixodidae, Argasidae, and Nuttalleillidae). Ticks transmit viral, bacterial, and zoonotic diseases in humans, and animals (wild and domestic). Ticks directly and indirectly affect the livestock industry which plays an important role in the rural economy of Pakistan. These are the main source of income and a source of food for poor people. The current study was conducted to identify the tick species infesting livestock in Dera Ismail Khan Pakistan. For this purpose, different farms were randomly visited and 130 ticks were collected from 200 scanned animals.  The collected ticks were identified to species level using morphological keys. In the current study, four tick species were identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma anatolicum, and Dermacentor marginatus were identified. The most dominant species were Hy. anatolicum (35.39%) followed by R. sanguineus (30.00%), Hy. marginatum (23.85%) and D. marginatus (10.77%). Hy. anatolicum was the predominant tick species and accounted for 35.39% of the ticks. Tick infestation was highest in buffaloes followed by cows, sheep, and goats. Tail and ear were the most preferable sites for tick infestation than other body parts.


2011 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathas S. Bittencourt ◽  
Max C. Langer

The record of dinosaur body-fossils in the Brazilian Mesozoic is restricted to the Triassic of Rio Grande do Sul and Cretaceous of various parts of the country. This includes 21 named species, two of which were regarded as nomina dubia, and 19 consensually assigned to Dinosauria. Additional eight supraspecific taxa have been identified based on fragmentary specimens and numerous dinosaur footprints known in Brazil. In fact, most Brazilian specimens related to dinosaurs are composed of isolated teeth and vertebrae. Despite the increase of fieldwork during the last decade, there are still no dinosaur body-fossils of Jurassic age and the evidence of ornithischians in Brazil is very limited. Dinosaur faunas from this country are generally correlated with those from other parts of Gondwana throughout the Mesozoic. During the Late Triassic, there is a close correspondence to Argentina and other south-Pangaea areas. Mid-Cretaceous faunas of northeastern Brazil resemble those of coeval deposits of North Africa and Argentina. Southern hemisphere spinosaurids are restricted to Africa and Brazil, whereas abelisaurids are still unknown in the Early Cretaceous of the latter. Late Cretaceous dinosaur assemblages of south-central Brazil are endemic only to genus or, more conspicuously, to species level, sharing closely related taxa with Argentina, Madagascar, Indo-Pakistan and, to a lesser degree, continental Africa.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 521-531
Author(s):  
Enru Wang ◽  
Zhengyuan Zhao ◽  
Changhong Miao ◽  
Zhongcai Wu

Based on annual parasitological data recently collected at county and village levels, this article presents a multiscale spatiotemporal analysis of transmission risk of schistosomiasis japonica in Hunan Province during 2001 to 2015 in a geographic information system environment. The study shows that the incidence and prevalence rate of human Schistosoma japonicum infection in Hunan Province decreased after 2001. A spatial autocorrelation analysis reveals the existence of spatial clusters of human Schistosoma japonicum infection and a growing tendency of spatial clustering over time. The identification of high-risk areas (hot spots) helps find areas of priority for future implementation of control strategies. The research demonstrates the importance of spatial scale in public health studies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-179
Author(s):  
Pooja Ghosh ◽  
Sachin Tikar ◽  
Mahendra K. Gupta ◽  
D Sukumaran

Tick infestation in humans and animals represents a global threat for different tick-borne diseases. In the present study, the ticks from the Gwalior region of India have been mapped to create a database of tick diversity. We explored 773 ticks collected from domestic animals and vegetation in Gwalior. Animals were screened visually, and ticks were collected manually, whereas the flag-drag method was used to collect ticks from the vegetation. The 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) genes of tick samples were amplified and purified for sequencing and respective phylogenetic trees were constructed. The ticks were morphologically identified using taxonomical keys, revealing the presence of five genera in the region: Hyalomma, Haemaphysalis, Rhipicephalus, Boophilus, and Nosomma. Hyalomma spp. (Hy. annatolicum and Hy. marginatum) were the most abundant accounting for 69.598% of the total sample, followed by Rhipicephalus sanguineus (17.335%), Rhipicephalus microplus (7.115%), Haemaphysalis sp. (5.692%), and Nosomma monstrotum (0.258%). The tick sequences were submitted to the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the morphological identification at the species level. The combination of molecular and morphological analyses of the ticks supported the result obtained with each method, thus providing more reliable estimates for continued surveillance studies.


2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Drobnjakovic ◽  
Pantelija Peric ◽  
Dejan Marcic ◽  
Luca Picciau ◽  
Alberto Alma ◽  
...  

The first molecular analysis of samples collected in southern Backa (Serbia) confirmed the presence of aster yellows (16SrI) and stolbur phytoplasmas (16SrXII) in insects belonging to the family Cicadellidae, as well as in carrot plants where the insects were collected. A correct identification of the phytoplasmas and their vectors is essential to arrange effective control strategies to prevent diseases associated with phytoplasmas from spreading to carrots and other vegetable crops. In order to enhance knowledge about insect vectors of aster yellows and stolbur phytoplasmas in Serbia, Cicadellidae and Cixiidae (Homoptera Auchenorrhyncha), the most common vectors of these phytoplasmas, were monitored in southern Backa during 2008. Adults leaf- and planthoppers were collected and identified at species level using standard entomological methods, and tested for phytoplasma presence by means of PCR/RFLP. A total of 13 insect species of Cicadellidae were identified, as follows: a) three species of the subfamily Agallinae: Anaceratagallia ribauti (Ossiannilsson), Anaceratagallia venosa (Fourcroy), and Anaceratagallia laevis (Ribaut); b) seven species of the subfamily Deltocephalinae: Psammotettix confinis (Dahlbom), Psammotettix striatus (Linnaues) Psammottettix alienus (Dahlbom), Macrosteles sexnotatus (Fall?n), Ophiola decumana (Kontkanen), Errastunus ocellaris Fall?n, and Scaphoideus titanus Ball; c) three species of the subfamily Typhlocibinae: Eupteryx atropunctata (Goeze), Eupteryx mellissae Curtis, Zyginidia pullula (Boheman). Female specimens of the genus Euscelis (Deltocephalinae) were also collected, as well as one species of Reptalus quinquecostatus (Dufour) of the family Cixiidae. Stolbur phytoplasmas were detected in A. laevis, A. ribauti, A. venosa, P. striatus, P. confinis and P. alienus. The species: A. laevis, O. decumana, and P. confinis were AY-infected (subgroup 16SrI-A), while subgroup 16SrI-C was found only in one specimen of P. confinis. Since some aster yellows- and stolbur-infected species of the genera Psammotettix and Anaceratagallia (especially P. confinis and A. laevis) were regularly and commonly found in the infected carrot fields during the whole vegetative period, they could play a significant role in transmitting and spreading these pathogens in natural environment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 50-54
Author(s):  
Khawla Elati ◽  
Dhia Hamdi ◽  
Mohamed Jdidi ◽  
Mourad Rekik ◽  
Mohamed Gharbi

Scientifica ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayyanampakkam Pandurangan Nambi ◽  
Badal Rathi ◽  
Kavitha S ◽  
Ghanshyam Dudhatra ◽  
Hamsa S. Yamini ◽  
...  

The efficacy of a novel topical combination of fipronil 9.8% (w/v) and (S)-methoprene 8.8% (w/v) (Fiprofort® Plus) was tested against ticks and fleas in naturally infested dogs. A total of fifty dogs were allocated in the study with ticks infestation (n=35) and fleas infestation (n=15). On day 0, thirty-five tick and fifteen flea infested dogs received the test formulation, a combination of fipronil 9.8% (w/v) and (S)-methoprene 8.8% (w/v) spot-on solution. Ticks and flea counts were taken on days 0 (pretreatment) and 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 after treatment. Blood samples were collected for evaluation of haematological parameters on days 0 (pretreatment) and 7, 21, and 35 after treatment. All the adult ticks and fleas collected were identified asRhipicephalus sanguineusandCtenocephalides felis, respectively. The efficacy of spot-on formulation against ticks was 34.00% (day 3), 53.14% (day 7), 62.71% (day 14), 65.48% (day 21), 59.80% (day 28), and 58.82% (day 35), whereas against fleas it was 38.00% (day 3), 64.34% (day 7), 89.67% (day 14), 95.40% (day 21), 100.00% (day 28), and 100.00% (day 35). Haematological parameters for ticks and fleas infested dogs were statistically nonsignificant as compared to control. The combination of fipronil and (S)-methoprene eliminated the existing ticks and fleas infestation and prevented the dogs from flea and tick infestation for four weeks.


Author(s):  
Yang Lu ◽  
Gayathri Natarajan ◽  
Thi Quynh Ngoc Nguyen ◽  
Sara Swa Thi ◽  
Krithika Arumugam ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTNineteen anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB) species have been identified, yet the environmental factors that select for each species within a specialized ecological niche have not been described. We enriched AnAOB from a single inoculum under standard enrichment conditions (reactor R1) with stepwise increase in nitrite and ammonia concentration, nitric oxide (NO) supplementation (reactor R2), or with complex organic carbon using wastewater collected from mainstream wastewater treatment facility (reactor R3). AnAOB were enriched up to 80%, 90% and 50% relative abundance in R1, R2 and R3 respectively. Candidatus Brocadia caroliniensis predominated in all reactors, but a shift towards Ca. Brocadia sinica was consistently observed with increasing ammonium and nitrite concentrations beyond 270 mg NH4-N L−1 and 340 mg NO2-N L−1, respectively. In the presence of NO, growth of heterotrophs were inhibited, and Ca. Jettenia could coexist with Ca. B. caroliniensis before diminishing when nitrite increased to 160 mg NO2-N L−1. In contrast, supplementation of organic carbon led to the emergence of heterotrophic communities that coevolved with Ca. B. caroliniensis. Ca. B. caroliniensis and Ca. Jettenia preferentially form biofilms on reactor surfaces, whereas Ca. Brocadia sinica forms granules in suspension. Our results thus indicate that multiple AnAOB species co-exist and occupy sub-niches in anaerobic ammonium oxidation reactors, that the dominant population can be reversibly shifted by, for example, changing the nitrogen load (i.e. high nitrite concentration favors Ca. Brocadia caroliniensis), and that speciation has implications for wastewater process design, with the optimum cell immobilization strategy (i.e. carriers vs granules) dependent on which species dominates.IMPORTANCEThis study demonstrates how to reversibly and predictably shift dominant anammox population using operating parameters (e.g. high nitrite concentration favours Ca. Brocadia sinica), and that species selection has implications for wastewater process design, illustrated here in terms of dependence of optimum cell immobilization strategy (i.e. carriers vs granules) on which species dominates. The research informs the characterization of AnAOBs at species level as well process design and control strategies targeting Anammox species population dynamics in full scale waste water treatment systems.


Author(s):  
Jasini Alexander Wahedi ◽  
Adeolu Taiwo Ande ◽  
Micah S. Pukuma ◽  
Comfort David ◽  
Thomas Danladi ◽  
...  

Infestation of domestic animals with ticks constitutes both a major health and economic problem   in livestock production. The study was conducted to identify the species of ticks infesting domestic animals such as cattle, sheep and goats in Mubi cattle market, Adamawa State. Ten (10) each of cattle, sheep and goat were randomly selected at Mubi Cattle Market at every collection date, and were examined for tick infestation. Ticks were collected from different predilection sites. Ticks collected were transferred to Safe-Lock Eppendorf tubes containing 70% ethanol. The specimens were identified to species level using hand lens and dissecting microscope. A total of 232 adult ticks (17 male, 215 females) were collected. 8 species of ticks were identified across three genera namely  Ripicephalus microplus (79.74%) was the most prevalent, followed by Ripicephalus decoloratus (9.05%), Amblyomma variegatum (4.31%), Rhipicephalus simus (3.02%), Hyalomma dromedarii (2.16%), Amblyomma habraeum and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (0.86%), respectively, and the least was Hyalomma truncatum (0.43%). Cattle were the most heavily infested (44.8%), followed by sheep (33.6%) and goat (21.6%). The study revealed that livestock in Mubi were infested by varieties of ticks especially Ripicephalus microplus which was the highest and found on all the animals examined.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document