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Insights into the involvement of male Hyalomma anatolicum ticks in transmitting Anaplasma marginale, lumpy skin disease virus and Theileria annulata

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Abstract

Ticks can transmit viruses, bacteria, and parasites to humans, livestock, and pet animals causing tick-borne diseases (TBDs) mechanically or biologically in the world. Lumpy skin disease virus, Anaplasma marginale, and Theileria annulata inflict severe infections in cattle, resulting in significant economic losses worldwide. The study investigated the potential transmissions of LSDV, A. marginale, and T. annulata through male Hyalomma anatolicum ticks in cattle calves. Two 6-month-old Holstein crossbred calves designated as A and B were used. On day 1, 15 uninfected female ticks (IIa) and infected batch of 40 male ticks (I) were attached on calf A for 11 days. Filial transmission of the infections was observed in female ticks (IIb) collected from calf A, where 8 female ticks had been co-fed with infected male ticks. The blood sample of calf B was found positive through PCR for the infections. The larvae and egg pools obtained from the infected ticks were also tested positive in PCR. The study confirmed the presence of these mixed pathogens and potential intra-stadial and transovarial transmissions of A. marginale, T. annulata, and LSDV in male and female ticks of H. anatolicum and experimental calves to establish the feasibility of infections through an in vivo approach.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub from institute of microbiology UVAS Lahore, Pakistan for the provision of control positive of Lumpy skin disease virus. We also thank Mr. Ali Nawaz; student of veterinary medicine of UVAS Lahore, Pakistan for their kind assistance in this study.

Funding

This research was funded by HEC-GCF, grant number 273.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan

    Sikandar Ali, Kamran Ashraf & Muhammad Imran Rashid

  2. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan

    Abdullah Saghir Ahmad

  3. Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan

    Jawaria Ali Khan

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  1. Sikandar Ali
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Contributions

Conceptualization, M.I.R.; methodology, M.I.R.; software, S.A.; validation, K.A., and J.A.K.; formal analysis, A.S.A.; investigation, S.A.; resources, M.I.R.; data curation, S.A.; writing—original draft preparation, S.A.; writing—review and editing, M.I.R.; visualization, M.I.R. and S.A.; supervision, M.I.R., K.A., A.S.A. and J.A.K.; project administration, M.I.R. and K.A.; funding acquisition, M.I.R. All authors have read and agreed to this version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Muhammad Imran Rashid.

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Ethical approval

All experimental procedures were performed according to the guidelines approved by the Ethical Review Committee of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore (No. DR/420, Dated: 13-10-21).

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Ali, S., Ahmad, A.S., Ashraf, K. et al. Insights into the involvement of male Hyalomma anatolicum ticks in transmitting Anaplasma marginale, lumpy skin disease virus and Theileria annulata. Trop Anim Health Prod 56, 167 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-024-04022-x

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