Masri Mohamad Taha Al, Al-Deeb Mohammad Ali
Department of Biology, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Vet World. 2025 May;18(5):1090-1100. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.1090-1100. Epub 2025 May 8.
Ticks are critical vectors of pathogens affecting humans and livestock globally. The microbiome of ticks, comprising diverse bacterial communities, plays a crucial role in tick biology and vector competence. ticks are prominent in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and are known carriers of significant pathogens. This study aimed to systematically evaluate existing literature regarding the microbiome composition of ticks in the MENA region, identify predominant bacterial genera, and highlight knowledge gaps.
A systematic literature search was conducted using four databases: ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The search covered studies published between 2014 and 2024 employing gene sequencing to analyze microbiomes of ticks within the MENA region. Studies not fulfilling these criteria were excluded through independent assessment by two authors.
Out of 1,220 screened articles, seven studies met inclusion criteria, involving five species: , , , , and . Most studies (57.14%) focused on , primarily collected from camels. The geographical distribution of studies included the United Arab Emirates (42.86%), Saudi Arabia (28.57%), Iran (14.29%), and Tunisia (14.29%). Common bacterial genera identified across multiple studies included , , , , , , , and . However, substantial gaps were noted, particularly concerning variations related to tick lifecycle stages, host interactions, temporal dynamics, and extensive geographic coverage within the MENA region.
This systematic review underscores the presence of key bacterial genera within ticks across the MENA region, revealing their potential roles in tick biology and pathogen transmission. Major research gaps identified include limited geographical scope, insufficient exploration of microbiome variation across tick life stages, host-specific interactions, and the environmental factors influencing microbial communities. Addressing these gaps through comprehensive, longitudinal, and multi-regional studies is imperative for improving public health strategies and developing targeted tick-control methods.
蜱是全球影响人类和牲畜的病原体的重要传播媒介。蜱的微生物群由多样的细菌群落组成，在蜱的生物学特性和传播能力中起着关键作用。蜱在中东和北非（MENA）地区十分常见，是重要病原体的已知携带者。本研究旨在系统评估关于MENA地区蜱微生物群组成的现有文献，确定主要的细菌属，并突出知识空白。
使用四个数据库进行系统的文献检索：ScienceDirect、PubMed、谷歌学术和Scopus。检索涵盖2014年至2024年发表的利用基因测序分析MENA地区蜱微生物群的研究。不符合这些标准的研究由两位作者独立评估后排除。
在筛选的1220篇文章中，有七项研究符合纳入标准，涉及五个蜱种：[具体蜱种名称未给出]。大多数研究（57.14%）聚焦于[具体蜱种名称未给出]，主要从骆驼身上采集。研究的地理分布包括阿拉伯联合酋长国（42.86%）、沙特阿拉伯（28.57%）、伊朗（14.29%）和突尼斯（14.29%）。多项研究中确定的常见细菌属包括[具体细菌属名称未给出]。然而，发现了大量空白，特别是关于蜱生命周期阶段、宿主相互作用、时间动态以及MENA地区内广泛地理覆盖范围相关的变化。
本系统评价强调了MENA地区蜱中关键细菌属的存在，揭示了它们在蜱生物学和病原体传播中的潜在作用。确定的主要研究空白包括地理范围有限、对蜱不同生命阶段微生物群变化、宿主特异性相互作用以及影响微生物群落的环境因素探索不足。通过全面、纵向和多区域研究解决这些空白对于改善公共卫生策略和制定有针对性的蜱控制方法至关重要。
