Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Univ. Manouba, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia - Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Univ. Manouba, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
Parasite. 2021;28:44. doi: 10.1051/parasite/2021038. Epub 2021 May 18.
In this study, we report the results of a survey of Hyalomma ticks infesting one-humped camels in southern Tunisia. Examinations were conducted every second or third month on 406 camels in Tataouine district from April 2018 to October 2019. A total of 1902 ticks belonging to the genus Hyalomma were collected. The ticks were identified as adult H. impeltatum (41.1%; n = 782), H. dromedarii (32.9%; n = 626), H. excavatum (25.9%; n = 493), and H. marginatum for a single specimen. Although the camels were infested by ticks throughout the year, the highest overall infestation prevalence was observed in April 2018 (p < 0.01). The overall infestation intensity varied between 2.7 and 7.4 ticks/animal. There were no statistically significant differences in tick infestation prevalence based on age categories of the camels, and the overall infestation prevalence was between 82.7% and 97.4%. Female camels were significantly more infested with ticks (88.3%) than males (65.5%) (p < 0.01). The infestation prevalence of camels varied significantly according to the region where sampling took place (p < 0.01), but no correlations were found with abiotic factors. The preferred attachment sites for adult Hyalomma ticks were the sternum (38.3%; n = 729/1902), around the anus (36.2%; n = 689/1902), udder (18.4%; n = 350/1902), and inner thigh (6.9%; n = 132/1902). Morphological classification of ticks was corroborated by sequencing the cytochrome c oxidase I (Cox1) and 16S rDNA genes, and these sequences were also used to infer phylogenetic relationships. A single H. dromedarii seemed to be a natural hybrid with H. rufipes. More attention should be devoted by the veterinary services to the infestation of camels by ticks.
在这项研究中，我们报告了对突尼斯南部单峰骆驼寄生的痒螨的调查结果。2018 年 4 月至 2019 年 10 月，在塔塔维恩地区，每隔两个月或三个月对 406 头骆驼进行检查。共采集到 1902 只属于痒螨属的蜱虫。这些蜱虫被鉴定为成体 H. impeltatum（41.1%；n = 782）、H. dromedarii（32.9%；n = 626）、H. excavatum（25.9%；n = 493）和 H. marginatum 各一只。尽管骆驼全年都受到蜱虫的侵袭，但 2018 年 4 月的总体感染率最高（p < 0.01）。总体感染强度在 2.7 到 7.4 只/动物之间变化。根据骆驼的年龄类别，蜱虫的感染率没有统计学上的显著差异，总体感染率在 82.7%到 97.4%之间。雌性骆驼的感染率明显高于雄性（88.3%对 65.5%）（p < 0.01）。采样地点的区域不同，骆驼的感染率也有显著差异（p < 0.01），但与非生物因素无关。成年痒螨最喜欢的附着部位是胸骨（38.3%；n = 729/1902）、肛门周围（36.2%；n = 689/1902）、乳房（18.4%；n = 350/1902）和大腿内侧（6.9%；n = 132/1902）。通过对细胞色素 c 氧化酶 I（Cox1）和 16S rDNA 基因进行测序，对蜱虫进行了形态学分类，这些序列也被用来推断系统发育关系。一只单峰骆驼似乎是与 H. rufipes 的天然杂种。兽医服务部门应该更加关注骆驼的蜱虫感染。
