No abstract

No abstract

Proteolytic activity was demonstrated in each of the midgut lumen content (MLC) and midgut wall (MW) of the mated unfed and fed female and male Ornithodoros erraticus. In both midgut compartments proteinase activity levels increased after feeding to reach at their peaks about double times the levels in the unfed controls. The peak levels of the proteolytic activity were attained on 1 and 1-2 days after feeding (daf) in the MLC (48 and 31.10-32.63 µg alanine ×10³/ min/ mg gut content) and on 5-6 and 5-7 daf in the MW (196.33-200.33 and 156.80-161.23 µg alanine ×10³/ min/ mg tissue) in the female and male tick, respectively. However, the proteolytic activity in the MLC was much lower than that in the MW of all the corresponding physiological states studied, and represented about one fourth and one fifth of it at the peak activity levels in the female and male tick, respectively. Generally, proteolytic activity was higher in the female than male ticks in the unfed and up to the 2 nd daf in the MLC and in all the corresponding examined states in the MW throughout the period of study (20 daf). Changes in the level of proteolytic activity in each midgut compartment of the female and male ticks infected with Borrelia crocidurae followed almost the same pattern in the uninfected controls. However, the level was lower in the MW of Borrelia infected ticks than uninfected ones throughout most (2-20 daf) of the period of study. The present results were discussed and conclusions conformed to the view of intracellular proteolytic digestion of blood meal in the MW, but did not exclude a possible role of extracellular proteolytic digestion in the MLC.

Ticks and tick-borne pathogens pose a great threat to human and animal health. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of ticks infesting camels and investigate the tick-borne pathogens in camels’ blood, associated ticks, and surrounding rodents as a reservoir. From 100 inspected camels, 1000 ixodid ticks were collected and belonging to three genera: Hyalomma, Amblyomma, and Rhipicephalus. The genus Hyalomma was represented by four species, Hyalomma dromedariiwas the most prevalent species 55.4%, followed by H. excavatum (22%), H. impeltatum (11.6 %) then H. rufipes (2.8%). Genus Amblyommawas represented by two species A. gemma (2.8%), and A. marmorium(2.7%), while genus Rhipicephalus was represented by only one species; R. pulculls (2.7%). Ticks, camel’s blood, and rodents are screened for tick-borne pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi, B. miyamotoi, Babesia sp., and Coxiella burnetti) using PCR technique. Camels’ blood was found to be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (66.6%), Borrelia miyamotoi (55%), and Babesia sp. (11.6%). Coxiella burnettiDNA was detected in all collected ticks but not detected in camels nor rodents. Borrelia miyamotoi was detected in H. impeltatum, 12.5%, Camels (55%), and rodents (6%) which may point to a proposed risk of the dispersal of B. miyamotoi, the agent of tick-borne relapsing fever.

Argas ticks are primary parasites of birds with veterinary importance. Nevertheless, these ticks have received little attention regarding molecular identification studies. DNA barcoding is a powerful technique for identifying tick species besides traditional morphological identification. The present work is a first effort to divulge DNA sequences of Argas (Persicargas) arboreus from Egypt and worldwide. We used cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) from A. arboreus infesting herons, and from the fowl tick Argas (Persicargas) persicus. Our results pointed out another success for the Folmer primers that are widely used in DNA barcoding, permitting the discrimination of morphologically similar A. arboreus and A. persicus.