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Title
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Identification of Anaplasma marginale in long-eared hedgehogs (Hemiechinus auritus) and their Rhipicephalus turanicus ticks in Iran
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Type
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JournalPaper
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Keywords
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Anaplasma marginale Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato Rhipicephalus turanicus Tick-borne Vector-borne Wildlife
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Abstract
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Hedgehogs play a role in the eco-epidemiology of parasites, viruses and bacteria of veterinary and medical importance. In Europe, hedgehogs have been found infected with tick-transmitted Anaplasma phagocytophilum and A. marginale. In this study blood and ticks collected from 53 long-eared hedgehogs (Hemiechinus auritus) living in southeastern Iran close to Afghanistan and Pakistan borders were examined for Anaplasma spp. infection using microscopical and molecular biology methods. At microscopical examination Anaplasma-like inclusion bodies were found at the margin of erythrocytes in the blood smear of one infected hedgehog (prevalence 1.9 %). Each hedgehog was infested with three to eight adult ticks (average 4.7 ± 1.5). On the body of hedgehogs, the ears were the main site for attachment of ticks. Out of 248 collected adult ticks 81.4 % were Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and 18.5 % were R. turanicus. PCR and sequencing showed the presence of A. marginale infection in the blood of two hedgehogs (3.8 %) and R. turanicus ticks collected from them. This is the first report of A. marginale infection in hedgehogs in Iran. Epidemiological importance of this finding is discussed and current knowledge on the tick fauna of hedgehogs in the country is reviewed.
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Researchers
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ALIREZA SAZMAND (Not In First Six Researchers), Domenico Otranto (Not In First Six Researchers), Andrei Daniel Mihalca (Not In First Six Researchers), Maryam Ganjali (Fifth Researcher), Dariush Saadati (Fourth Researcher), Ali Sarani (Third Researcher), Reza Nabavi (Second Researcher), Niloufar Khodadadi (First Researcher)
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