First molecular detection of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. and molecular screening of other vector-borne pathogens in camels from the greater Cairo metropolitan area, Egypt.

Abstract

In Egypt, knowledge about vector-borne bacterial pathogens in camels remains limited. To address this gap, 181 blood samples from adult one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the greater Cairo metropolitan area were collected from October 2021 to March 2022. Through PCR assays, four pathogens were detected, where Anaplasmataceae being the most common (54.7%), followed by hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. (29.3%), Rickettsia spp. (12.2%), and Coxiella burnetii (1.7%). Comparative sequence analysis revealed novel findings, including: 1) the identification of two distinct hemotropic Mycoplasma spp., one closely related to bovine Mycoplasma sp. (Mycoplasma wenyonii), and the other closely related to porcine Mycoplasma sp. (Candidatus Mycoplasma haemosuis); and 2) the detection of Anaplasma bovis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Additionally, Anaplasma platys, Rickettsia africae, and Coxiella burnetii were identified as well. It's worth noting that these vector-borne pathogens possess zoonotic potential, emphasizing the need for adopting a "One Health" approach in Egypt to safeguard the wellbeing of both humans and animals.