{"title":"A higher infection rate of Toxoplasma gondii in soft ticks infesting domestic hens: A novel report from Pakistan","authors":"Bisma Khan , Sidra Batool , Sadia Shahnawaz , Shakir Ullah , Muhammad Naeem , Umme Habiba , Shaheen Akhter , Adil Khan , Furhan Iqbal","doi":"10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.101147","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>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. <em>Argas persicus</em> are the soft ticks that are known to parasitize domestic poultry. Hard ticks are known to be the reservoir of <em>Toxoplasma</em> (<em>T.</em>) <em>gondii</em> but limited such information is available for soft ticks. This study reports the molecular prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of <em>T. gondii</em> infecting <em>Argas</em> (<em>A.</em>) <em>persicus</em> ticks (<em>N</em> = 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 %) <em>A. persicus</em> samples tested positive for the <em>ITS-1</em> gene of <em>T. gondii</em>. These findings were confirmed by the DNA sequencing and BLAST analysis of amplified amplicons<em>.</em> 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.</div><div>Risk factor analysis indicated that the prevalence of <em>T. gondii</em> 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 <em>T. gondii</em> infection rate was observed in fully fed <em>Argas persicus</em>. In conclusion, this is the first report from Pakistan highlighting a high prevalence of <em>T. gondii</em> in <em>A. persicus</em> 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, <em>T. gondii</em> can be mechanically transmitted through soft ticks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23600,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405939024001837","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PARASITOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
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.
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).
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