Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, 32700, San José de Las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba.
UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Parasit Vectors. 2024 Jan 4;17(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s13071-023-06098-0.
Ixodid ticks, particularly Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l., are important vectors of various disease-causing agents in dogs and humans in Cuba. However, our understading of interactions among tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in infected dogs or the vector R. sanguineus s.l. remains limited. This study integrates microfluidic-based high-throughput real-time PCR data, Yule's Q statistic, and network analysis to elucidate pathogen-pathogen interactions in dogs and ticks in tropical western Cuba.
A cross-sectional study involving 46 client-owned dogs was conducted. Blood samples were collected from these dogs, and ticks infesting the same dogs were morphologically and molecularly identified. Nucleic acids were extracted from both canine blood and tick samples. Microfluidic-based high-throughput real-time PCR was employed to detect 25 bacterial species, 10 parasite species, 6 bacterial genera, and 4 parasite taxa, as well as to confirm the identity of the collected ticks. Validation was performed through end-point PCR assays and DNA sequencing analysis. Yule's Q statistic and network analysis were used to analyse the associations between different TBP species based on binary presence-absence data.
The study revealed a high prevalence of TBPs in both dogs and R. sanguineus s.l., the only tick species found on the dogs. Hepatozoon canis and Ehrlichia canis were among the most common pathogens detected. Co-infections were observed, notably between E. canis and H. canis. Significant correlations were found between the presence of Anaplasma platys and H. canis in both dogs and ticks. A complex co-occurrence network among haemoparasite species was identified, highlighting potential facilitative and inhibitory roles. Notably, H. canis was found as a highly interconnected node, exhibiting significant positive associations with various taxa, including A. platys, and E. canis, suggesting facilitative interactions among these pathogens. Phylogenetic analysis showed genetic diversity in the detected TBPs.
Overall, this research enhances our understanding of TBPs in Cuba, providing insights into their prevalence, associations, and genetic diversity, with implications for disease surveillance and management.
在古巴，硬蜱属（Ixodid ticks），尤其是边缘革蜱亚种复合体（Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l.），是犬类和人类多种病原体的重要载体。然而，我们对感染犬类体内的蜱传病原体（Tick-borne pathogens, TBPs）之间的相互作用，以及边缘革蜱亚种复合体（R. sanguineus s.l.）作为载体的理解仍然有限。本研究整合了基于微流控的高通量实时 PCR 数据、尤勒 Q 统计量和网络分析，以阐明热带古巴西部犬类和蜱类中的病原体-病原体相互作用。
本研究为一项横断面研究，共纳入 46 只宠物犬。采集这些犬的血液样本，并对寄生在同一犬只上的蜱进行形态学和分子鉴定。从犬血和蜱样本中提取核酸。采用基于微流控的高通量实时 PCR 技术，检测 25 种细菌物种、10 种寄生虫物种、6 种细菌属和 4 种寄生虫类群，同时确认采集的蜱的身份。通过终点 PCR 检测和 DNA 测序分析进行验证。基于二项式存在-缺失数据，采用尤勒 Q 统计量和网络分析来分析不同蜱传病原体（Tick-borne pathogens, TBPs）之间的关联。
本研究显示，在犬类和边缘革蜱亚种复合体（古巴唯一发现的蜱种）中，TBPs 的流行率均很高。检测到的最常见病原体包括犬无形体（Hepatozoon canis）和犬埃立克体（Ehrlichia canis）。观察到了共感染，特别是犬无形体（E. canis）和犬埃立克体（H. canis）之间的共感染。在犬类和蜱类中，均发现了无形体属（Anaplasma platys）和犬无形体（H. canis）之间存在显著相关性。鉴定出一种血液寄生虫物种之间复杂的共同发生网络，突出了潜在的促进和抑制作用。值得注意的是，犬无形体（H. canis）被发现是一个高度相互关联的节点，与包括无形体属（A. platys）和犬埃立克体（E. canis）在内的多种分类群呈显著正相关，表明这些病原体之间存在促进相互作用。系统发育分析显示，检测到的 TBPs 具有遗传多样性。
总体而言，本研究增进了我们对古巴 TBPs 的理解，提供了有关其流行率、关联和遗传多样性的见解，对疾病监测和管理具有重要意义。
