School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
Parasit Vectors. 2022 Feb 19;15(1):62. doi: 10.1186/s13071-022-05184-z.
Ticks are important vectors of many pathogens that have contributed to the morbidity and mortality of humans and domestic animals worldwide. Wildlife species have also been implicated as reservoir hosts of a variety of tick-borne pathogens. The objective of this study was to determine which tick-transmitted pathogens were present in the animals harvested from the forest in Trinidad for human consumption.
Thin blood smears from 43 neotropical animals were examined microscopically for tick-borne pathogens. Additionally, DNA extraction and PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene were used for amplification of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia while the gltA gene was used for Bartonella, and Rickettsia spp. and the 18S rRNA gene for Babesia, Hepatozoon and Theileria species.
Pathogen DNA was amplified from four samples (a deer, collared peccary and two agoutis). Sequencing of the amplified products from the deer and collared peccary revealed 99.8% homology to Anaplasma bovis and 98.8% homology to Ehrlichia canis, respectively. Sequences from two agoutis revealed 90.4% homology to Theileria spp. DNA of Hepatozoon spp., Bartonella spp. Babesia spp. and Rickettsia spp. was not detected in any of the screened samples. An incidental finding in this study was the presence of bacteria in the blood of animals.
The results indicate that the DNA of tick-transmitted pathogens is present at a frequency of about 10% in the study population and suggests that neotropical mammals may serve as a source for the potential transmission of tick-borne pathogens to domestic animals and humans. In addition, physicians and hunters should be aware of the symptoms associated with zoonotic tick-borne pathogens so that these infections can be recognised, diagnosed and treated promptly. Bacteria present in carcasses can pose a food safety hazard and hunters should be trained in proper harvesting and handling of carcasses.
蜱是许多病原体的重要载体，这些病原体导致了全球人类和家养动物的发病率和死亡率。野生动物也被认为是多种蜱传病原体的储存宿主。本研究的目的是确定在特立尼达森林中收获供人类食用的动物身上存在哪些蜱传病原体。
对 43 种新热带动物的薄血涂片进行了蜱传病原体的显微镜检查。此外，还进行了 DNA 提取和 16S rRNA 基因的 PCR 扩增，用于扩增 Anaplasma 和 Ehrlichia，而 gltA 基因则用于 Bartonella，以及 Rickettsia spp.和 18S rRNA 基因用于 Babesia、Hepatozoon 和 Theileria 种。
从四个样本（一只鹿、野猪和两只刺豚鼠）中扩增出了病原体 DNA。从鹿和野猪中扩增产物的测序显示，与 Anaplasma bovis 的同源性为 99.8%，与 Ehrlichia canis 的同源性为 98.8%。从两只刺豚鼠中扩增的序列与 Theileria spp.的同源性为 90.4%。在筛选的任何样本中均未检测到 Hepatozoon spp.、Bartonella spp.、Babesia spp.和 Rickettsia spp.的 DNA。本研究的一个意外发现是动物血液中存在细菌。
结果表明，在所研究的人群中，蜱传病原体的 DNA 存在频率约为 10%，这表明新热带哺乳动物可能成为蜱传病原体向家养动物和人类潜在传播的来源。此外，医生和猎人应该意识到与人畜共患蜱传病原体相关的症状，以便及时识别、诊断和治疗这些感染。尸体中存在的细菌可能构成食品安全危害，猎人应接受正确收获和处理尸体的培训。
