Molecular characterization of ticks and tick-borne piroplasms from cattle and camel in Hofuf, eastern Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The aims of the present study were to characterize ticks infesting the dromedary camel and cattle in Hofuf, Eastern Saudi Arabia and to determine the piroplasms that they may harbor. DNA was extracted from ticks, collected from camels and cattle, using commercial kits and subjected to polymerase chain reaction using specific primers for the amplification of ticks and piroplasms DNA. The cytochrome oxidase subunit I mitochondrial gene ( COI ) was used for characterization of ticks whereas partial 18S rRNA gene ( 18S rRNA ) was used for piroplasms characterization. Ticks were genetically identified as Hyalomma dromedarii and Hyalomma anatolicum . Both cattle and camel in Hofuf, were found to be infested with both species. Both ticks identified as H. dromedarii and H. anatolicum from camels and cows showed 100% identity to COI sequences from the same species available in GenBank. Only Theileria annulata DNA was amplified from both H. anatolicum and H . dromedarii infesting cattle. None of the ticks collected from camels revealed DNA of piroplasms. T. annulata DNA was reported for the first time from Hofuf and the role of both H. anatolicum and H. dromedarii as potential vectors for this parasite in cattle in Saudi Arabia has been documented for the first time.

Molecular Identifications of Hyalomma dromedarii Infecting Camels and Theileria annulata from Ticks by 18S rRNA Gene in Al Disah valley, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

“…Contrary to the present findings (S. A. Omer, Alsuwaid, and Mohammed 2021;Al-Khalifa et al, 2009;O. H. Omer et al, 2003) indicated that the T. annulata has been reported from both H. anatolicum and H. dromedarii ticks collected from cattle in Saudi Arabia.…”

“…The harm caused by ixodid ticks to camels is not limited to blood-sucking but includes the most fatal tickborne theileriosis (S. A. Omer, Alsuwaid, and Mohammed 2021).…”

Acaricidal, Larvacidal, and Repellent Activity of Elettaria cardamomum Essential Oil against Hyalomma anatolicum Ticks Infesting Saudi Arabian Cattle

“…Alam et al (2021) revealed that the main constituents of ECEO in Saudi Arabia were α-terpinyl acetate (19.3%) and 1,8-cineole (42.6%) [18]. In a study conducted by Goudarzv and Chegini et al ( 2016), terpinenyl acetate (36.61%), 1,8-cineole (30.42%), and linalyl acetate (5.79%) were reported as the most important components of ECEO by GC/MS analysis, respectively [17]. Moreover, Masoumi-Ardakani et al (2016) reported that 1,8-cineole (45.6%), α-terpinyl acetate (33.7%), and sabinene (3.8%) were the main ECEO compounds [19].…”

“…Previous studies have shown that the dominant species of ticks collected from cattle situated in different provinces of Saudi Arabia are Hyalomma anatolicum, H. dromedarii, H. impeltatum, H. excavatum, Rhipicephalus annulatus, and R. turanicus [15][16][17]. In this experimental study, we intended to assess acaricidal effects of E. cardamomum essential oil (ECEO) against H. anatolicum, known as a vector of tropical bovine theileriosis in the country.…”

Risk factors affecting the feeding site predilection of ticks on cattle in Ghana

“…Hyalomma dromedarii is primarily a camel tick but has been reported to infest domestic animals such as cattle, goats and sheep at a reduced prevalence rate (Abdullah et al 2018). Hyalomma dromedarii is reported to transmit Theileria annulata, the causative agent of cattle theileriosis (Mamman et al 2021;Omer et al 2021).…”