Ben Said Mourad, Belkahia Hanène, Alberti Alberto, Abdi Khaoula, Zhioua Manel, Daaloul-Jedidi Monia, Messadi Lilia
Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de La Manouba, Tunisia.
Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de La Manouba, Tunisia; Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, Tunisia.
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2016 Sep;23(3):442-7. doi: 10.5604/12321966.1219184.
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) are tick-transmitted spirochaetes of veterinary and human importance. Molecular epidemiology data on ruminants are still lacking in most countries of the world. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the rate of B. burgdorferi s.l. infection in ruminants from Tunisia. A total of 1,021 ruminants (303 goats, 260 sheep, 232 cattle and 226 camels) from different bioclimatic areas in Tunisia were investigated for the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA in blood by real time PCR. Prevalence rates were 30.4% (92/303) in goats, 6.2% (16/260) in sheep, 1.3% (3/232) in cattle, and 1.8% (4/226) in camels. Only tick species belonging to Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma genera were found on the investigated animals. In small ruminants, the prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. varied significantly according to localities and farms. Goats located in humid areas were statistically more infected than those located in sub-humid areas. Prevalence rates varied significantly according to age and breed in sheep, and age and tick infestation in goats. This study provides the first insight into the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA in ruminants in Tunisia, and demonstrates that host species such as goats and sheep may play an important role in natural Lyme disease cycles in this country.
广义伯氏疏螺旋体是一类通过蜱传播的螺旋体，对兽医和人类健康都具有重要意义。世界上大多数国家仍缺乏反刍动物的分子流行病学数据。因此，本研究的目的是估计突尼斯反刍动物中广义伯氏疏螺旋体的感染率。通过实时荧光定量PCR检测了来自突尼斯不同生物气候区的1021只反刍动物（303只山羊、260只绵羊、232头牛和226峰骆驼）血液中广义伯氏疏螺旋体DNA的存在情况。山羊的感染率为30.4%（92/303），绵羊为6.2%（16/260），牛为1.3%（3/232），骆驼为1.8%（4/226）。在被调查的动物身上仅发现了璃眼蜱属和硬蜱属的蜱种。在小型反刍动物中，广义伯氏疏螺旋体的感染率因地点和农场而异。位于湿润地区的山羊在统计学上比位于半湿润地区的山羊感染率更高。绵羊的感染率因年龄和品种而有显著差异，山羊的感染率则因年龄和蜱虫感染情况而有显著差异。本研究首次揭示了突尼斯反刍动物中广义伯氏疏螺旋体DNA的存在情况，并表明山羊和绵羊等宿主物种可能在该国自然莱姆病循环中发挥重要作用。
