, BP 30, Sidi Allal el Bahraoui, 15250, Morocco.
SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)-Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, Ciudad Real, 13005, Spain.
Exp Appl Acarol. 2023 Dec;91(4):661-679. doi: 10.1007/s10493-023-00863-7. Epub 2023 Nov 16.
Ectoparasites, such as ticks, modulate host population dynamics by impacting demographic traits. They transmit infectious agents among their hosts, posing a critical threat to animal and public health. This study aimed to characterize and analyze the Hyalomma aegyptium infestation on one of its main hosts, the spur-thighed tortoise, its effects on demographic traits, and to determine the diversity of infectious agents present in both ticks and tortoises in the Maamora forest (northwestern Morocco). Our results show that 100% of the tortoises were parasitized by adult ticks in spring, an infestation intensity of 4 ticks/tortoise (5.1 and 3.6 ticks/tortoise in males and females, respectively; 4.2 and 3.3 ticks/tortoise in gravid and non-gravid females, respectively) and an abundance ranging from 1 to 12. Although without significant differences, male tortoises had higher tick abundances than females. The interaction of tortoise sex and body condition was significantly related to tick abundance, male body condition decreased with higher tick abundance in contrast to females. Nevertheless, the interaction of body condition and reproductive stage of females was not significantly related to tick abundance. Gravid females were significantly associated with tick abundance, showing a slightly higher infestation than non-gravid females. Molecular analysis of pooled tick samples revealed the presence of Ehrlichia ewingii, Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii, and Rickettsia africae, with a minimum infection rate of 0.61 to 1.84%. However, blood sample analysis of the tortoises was infectious agent-free, pinpointing a lack of significant health problems. Given the possible effect on the transmission of zoonotic diseases by spur-thighed tortoises associated with their frequent collection as pets, it should be surveyed to control possible human health problems. In conservation terms, as a long-lived species, the role of tick infestation in demographic traits might be included in the management and conservation programs of spur-thighed tortoises.
体外寄生虫，如蜱虫，通过影响种群特征来调节宿主种群动态。它们在宿主之间传播传染病原体，对动物和公共卫生构成重大威胁。本研究旨在描述和分析刺腿龟（其主要宿主之一）上的钝缘蜱的寄生情况，以及其对种群特征的影响，并确定马莫拉森林（摩洛哥西北部）中蜱虫和龟体内存在的传染病原体的多样性。我们的研究结果表明，春季 100%的龟被成年蜱虫寄生，寄生强度为每只龟 4 只蜱（雄龟 5.1 只，雌龟 3.6 只；怀孕雌龟 4.2 只，非怀孕雌龟 3.3 只），数量从 1 到 12 只不等。尽管没有显著差异，但雄龟的蜱虫数量高于雌龟。龟的性别和身体状况的相互作用与蜱虫的数量显著相关，与雌龟相反，雄龟的身体状况随着蜱虫数量的增加而下降。然而，雌龟的身体状况和繁殖阶段的相互作用与蜱虫的数量没有显著相关。怀孕的雌龟与蜱虫的数量显著相关，其寄生率略高于非怀孕的雌龟。对 pooled 蜱虫样本的分子分析显示存在 Ewingii 埃立克体、Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii 和 Rickettsia africae，最小感染率为 0.61 至 1.84%。然而，对龟的血液样本分析未发现传染病原体，表明不存在重大健康问题。鉴于刺腿龟作为宠物频繁被收集，可能会对人畜共患疾病的传播产生影响，应进行调查以控制可能的人类健康问题。在保护方面，作为一种长寿物种，蜱虫寄生对刺腿龟种群特征的影响可能会被纳入其管理和保护计划。
