Tropical theileriosis caused by the apicomplexan hemoparasite Theileria annulata is a tick‐borne disease that constraints livestock production in parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Four Hyalomma tick species transmit T. annulata in at least eight Africa countries (Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia). The two dominant T. annulata vector ticks present in Africa, H. scupense and H. anatolicum, underlie two different patterns of transmission, which in turn greatly influence the epidemiology of tropical theileriosis. H. dromedarii and H. lusitanicum are also capable of transmitting T. annulata in North Africa, but their roles are associated with specific production systems and agro‐ecological contexts. The emergence of resistance to the most widely used theilericidal compound, buparvaquone, continues to limit the effectiveness of chemotherapy. In addition, acaricide use is increasingly becoming unsustainable. Deployable T. annulata attenuated live vaccines established from local strains in Tunisia, Sudan and Egypt are available, and recent work has indicated that these vaccines can be protective under conditions of natural transmission. However, vaccination programmes may vary over space and time due to differences in the prevalence of disease amongst cattle populations, as well seasonal variation in vector activity. We review recent descriptive and analytical surveys on the epidemiology of T. annulata infection with reference to (a) demographic aspects such as breeds and ages of cattle herds previously exposed to distinct T. annulata infection pressures and (b) seasonal dynamics of tick activity and disease transmission. We then discuss how the wider endemic patterns that we delineate can underpin the development and execution of future vaccination programmes. We also outline options for integrated control measures targeting tick vectors and husbandry practices.

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Coronaviruses (CoVs) are documented in a wide range of animal species, including terrestrial and aquatic, domestic and wild. The geographic distribution of animal CoVs is worldwide and prevalences were reported in several countries across the five continents. The viruses are known to cause mainly gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases with different severity levels. In certain cases, CoV infections are responsible of huge economic losses associated or not to highly public health impact. Despite being enveloped, CoVs are relatively resistant pathogens in the environment. Coronaviruses are characterized by a high mutation and recombination rate, which makes host jumping and cross‐species transmission easy. In fact, increasing contact between different animal species fosters cross‐species transmission, while agriculture intensification, animal trade and herd management are key drivers at the human‐animal interface. If contacts with wild animals are still limited, humans have much more contact with farm animals, during breeding, transport, slaughter and food process, making CoVs a persistent threat to both humans and animals. A global network should be established for the surveillance and monitoring of animal CoVs.

The present study aimed to estimate the molecular prevalence of Theileria annulata and Trypanosoma evansi infection in cattle in Northern Tunisia. A total number of 96 cattle from five farms were evaluated. T. annulata and T. evansi prevalences were 61% [56/66] and 10% [7/13], respectively, at a confidence interval (CI) of 95%, while co‐infection was present in 6% [4/8] of the tested animals at a CI of 95%. There was a significant correlation between age and the prevalence of T. annulata infection, whereas, there was no significant association shown with the age of cattle and T. evansi infection. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that the T. annulata Tams1 gene and T. evansi ITS1 rDNA gene were highly conserved with 97.1–100% and 98.3–100% sequence identity, respectively.

Paratuberculosis (Ptb) is a widespread chronic infection caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis ( Map ) that affects both domestic and wild ruminants. Most of the studies focused on cattle while, the prevalence of Ptb in sheep in different regions of the world is not well investigated. This study aimed to address this gap of knowledge by screening adult female sheep for paratuberculosis antibodies in different geographical regions of Tunisia. A total number of 338 female sheep from 15 small to middle‐sized, extensively managed sheep farms in six regions across Tunisia were sampled. Animals were clinically examined before blood sampling. Sera were tested for the presence of anti‐ Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis antibodies using a commercial ELISA kit. Six farms out of 15 comprised at least one seropositive animal and 11 female sheep out of 338 tested animals (3.25%; 95% CI = [1.83–5.73]) were seropositive to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis . The seroprevalence was significantly lower in 5‐year‐old females ( p = .04) and animals that do not graze ( p = .02). Due to its huge economic and social impacts, paratuberculosis represents a health problem in Tunisia and several other countries Further investigations are needed to rank sheep Ptb in Tunisia among other diseases and to assess the main risk factors using a larger nation‐wide survey.