Abstract
In this study, cattle farms located in Oudalan and Séno, two provinces in the Sahel region, northern Burkina Faso, were surveyed. Cattle owners were interviewed, cattle were examined for tick infestation, and ticks as well as blood samples were collected during the dry season (October). Blood DNA samples were tested for Babesia and Theileria infections using nested PCRs and sequencing. A total of 22 herds, 174 Zebu cattle were investigated at 6 different sites. Overall, 76 cattle (43.7 %) from 18 farms (81.8%) were found infested with ticks. Cattle in Séno, adult cattle (>5 years) and those owned by the Fulani ethnic group were significantly (p < 0.05) more likely to be tick-infested. A total of 144 adult ticks belonging to five species namely: Hyalomma impeltatum, Hyalomma impressum, Hyalomma rufipes, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, and Rhipicephalus guilhoni were collected from the animals. Piroplasms were detected in the blood DNA of 23 (13.2%) cattle. The cattle in Séno and adult cattle were significantly more likely to be piroplasm-positive. Five pathogens diversely distributed were identified. Theileria mutans (12/174), Babesia bigemina (5/174), Theileria annulata (3/174), and Theileria velifera (3/174) were detected for the first time in northern Burkina Faso, whereas Babesia occultans (1/174) was found for the first time in cattle in West Africa. The analysis of the sequences, including B. bigemina RAP-1a, T. annulata Tams1 genes, and the 18S rRNA genes of all the five protozoa, revealed identities ranging from 98.4 to 100% with previously published sequences. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 18S rRNA gene sequences located north Burkina Faso piroplasms in the same clade as isolates from Africa and other regions of the world. Notably, T. mutans sequences were distributed in two clades: the T. mutans Intona strain clade and the Theileria sp. (strain MSD)/ Theileria sp. B15a clade, suggesting the presence of at least two strains in the area. These findings indicate that the control of ticks and tick-borne diseases should be taken into account in strategies to improve animal health in the Sahel region.
Highlights
Introduction distributed under the terms andTicks are hematophagous ectoparasites and are considered the most important vectors of disease-causing pathogens in domestic and wild animals [1]
A total of 22 herds and 174 cattle in 6 different villages located in Oudalan and Séno provinces, Burkina Faso, were covered by this study (Figure 1)
Tick infestation was believed to be low in Sahelian areas, this survey in two provinces of the Burkina Faso Sahel region demonstrated the extent of tick infestation and tick infestation was believed to be low in Sahelian areas, this survey in t provinces of the Burkina Faso Sahel region demonstrated the extent of tick infestation a the presence of pathogenic tick-borne piroplasms among cattle from the area for the f time
Summary
Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites and are considered the most important vectors of disease-causing pathogens in domestic and wild animals [1]. Cattle are affected by tick and tick–borne diseases (TTBD), with around 80% of the world’s population at risk and global losses estimated to be 22–30 billion USD per year [2]. (SSA), the major part of these losses is attributed to piroplasmosis [3,4,5] caused by hemoprotozoan parasites of the order Piroplasmida, genera Babesia and Theileria. Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, B. occultans, Theileria parva, T. annulata, T. mutans, T. velifera, T. taurotragi, and T. buffeli (T. sergenti/T. orientalis) have been detected in cattle in SSA [6,7]. Due to the diversity of ecosystems within SSA, tick species distribution varies from one region to another [8]
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