Guild Dynamics and Pathogen Interactions in Ticks From Algerian Cattle.

Ticks are pivotal in transmitting a variety of pathogens that affect both humans and animals. These pathogens often occur in guilds, groups of species that exploit similar resources in similar ways. Although the composition of tick-borne pathogen (TBP) guilds is well-documented, the interactions among pathogens within these guilds remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that abiotic and biotic factors significantly influence the patterns of occurrence and interactions among pathogens within these guilds. To investigate this, we analyzed microfluidic-based high-throughput data on microorganisms from 166 ticks (94 male and 72 female) collected across different seasons from cattle in the central Algerian steppe using network analysis to uncover complex pathogen-pathogen interaction patterns. We found that female ticks had a higher infection rate (63.9%) with common pathogens such as (26.4%), unclassified Apicomplexa (22.2%), and (19.4%). Male ticks showed a 56.4% infection rate, with (31.1%) and (16%) being the most prevalent. Notable pathogen-pathogen interactions within guilds were identified, with positive associations such as between and in males, and and in females, indicating cooperative interactions. Conversely, negative associations, such as between and , suggested competitive exclusion. The observed variation in interaction patterns under different conditions indicates that ecological determinants, both biotic and abiotic, influence pathogen association dynamics within guilds. These findings have significant implications for understanding disease transmission and developing control strategies.