<p><strong>Molecular detection of <em>Hepatozoon canis</em> (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) in ticks (Ixodida) collected from dogs in Kerman, Iran</strong></p>

Previous studies from Iran showed that canine hepatozoonosis is prevalent in dogs. Still, there is limited information about the tick vectors of Hepatozoon canis (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) although Ripicephalus sanguineus sensu lato complex ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are known to be competent vectors....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Baharak Akhtardanesh, Farnoosh Arfaee, Amirhossein Zia-Addini, Seyede-Mahshid Mostafavi, Maziar Jajarmi, Alireza Sazmand
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Acarological Society of Iran 2024-12-01
Series:Persian Journal of Acarology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.biotaxa.org/pja/article/view/85646
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849718094930378752
author Baharak Akhtardanesh
Farnoosh Arfaee
Amirhossein Zia-Addini
Seyede-Mahshid Mostafavi
Maziar Jajarmi
Alireza Sazmand
author_facet Baharak Akhtardanesh
Farnoosh Arfaee
Amirhossein Zia-Addini
Seyede-Mahshid Mostafavi
Maziar Jajarmi
Alireza Sazmand
author_sort Baharak Akhtardanesh
collection DOAJ
description Previous studies from Iran showed that canine hepatozoonosis is prevalent in dogs. Still, there is limited information about the tick vectors of Hepatozoon canis (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) although Ripicephalus sanguineus sensu lato complex ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are known to be competent vectors. In Iran, He. canis was detected in R. sanguineus and R. turanicus in the west of the country. This study aimed to investigate the molecular prevalence of He. canis in ticks collected from stray dogs in a southeastern city of Iran. From 2019 to 2020, 50 tick-infested free-ranging dogs (24 female, 26 male) in Kerman city were randomly chosen. From each dog, five ticks were collected in individually labeled tubes and transferred to the laboratory. Ticks of each dog were identified morphologically, crushed, and pooled for genomic DNA extraction. Conventional PCR targeting an 891 bp fragment of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene of He. canis was performed on 50 tick pools, and products were gel-electrophoresed. All of the collected ticks were diagnosed as R. sanguineus sensu lato. DNA of He. canis was detected in 14 tick pools (28%). Dogs from which positive ticks were collected were of both sexes and aged between 5 months and 6 years old. This study shows for the first time a considerable prevalence of He. canis in ticks feeding from stray dogs of Kerman implying a potential health risk for domestic and wild canine hosts in the region. It also shows that molecular examination of ticks for Hepatozoon DNA could be a proper alternative to blood collection in epidemiological studies. Effective ectoparasite control strategies, regular examination of dogs, and successful chemoprophylaxis are advocated.
format Article
id doaj-art-ba85c1d06bba4a9db03173cc9a3cb2ac
institution DOAJ
issn 2251-8169
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Acarological Society of Iran
record_format Article
series Persian Journal of Acarology
spelling doaj-art-ba85c1d06bba4a9db03173cc9a3cb2ac2025-08-20T03:12:27ZengAcarological Society of IranPersian Journal of Acarology2251-81692024-12-0114110.22073/pja.v14i1.85646<p><strong>Molecular detection of <em>Hepatozoon canis</em> (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) in ticks (Ixodida) collected from dogs in Kerman, Iran</strong></p>Baharak Akhtardanesh0Farnoosh Arfaee1Amirhossein Zia-Addini2Seyede-Mahshid Mostafavi3Maziar Jajarmi4Alireza Sazmand5Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, IranDepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, IranDepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, IranDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, IranDepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, IranDepartment of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran Previous studies from Iran showed that canine hepatozoonosis is prevalent in dogs. Still, there is limited information about the tick vectors of Hepatozoon canis (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) although Ripicephalus sanguineus sensu lato complex ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are known to be competent vectors. In Iran, He. canis was detected in R. sanguineus and R. turanicus in the west of the country. This study aimed to investigate the molecular prevalence of He. canis in ticks collected from stray dogs in a southeastern city of Iran. From 2019 to 2020, 50 tick-infested free-ranging dogs (24 female, 26 male) in Kerman city were randomly chosen. From each dog, five ticks were collected in individually labeled tubes and transferred to the laboratory. Ticks of each dog were identified morphologically, crushed, and pooled for genomic DNA extraction. Conventional PCR targeting an 891 bp fragment of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene of He. canis was performed on 50 tick pools, and products were gel-electrophoresed. All of the collected ticks were diagnosed as R. sanguineus sensu lato. DNA of He. canis was detected in 14 tick pools (28%). Dogs from which positive ticks were collected were of both sexes and aged between 5 months and 6 years old. This study shows for the first time a considerable prevalence of He. canis in ticks feeding from stray dogs of Kerman implying a potential health risk for domestic and wild canine hosts in the region. It also shows that molecular examination of ticks for Hepatozoon DNA could be a proper alternative to blood collection in epidemiological studies. Effective ectoparasite control strategies, regular examination of dogs, and successful chemoprophylaxis are advocated. https://www.biotaxa.org/pja/article/view/85646AcarihepatozoonosisPCRtick-bornevector-borne
spellingShingle Baharak Akhtardanesh
Farnoosh Arfaee
Amirhossein Zia-Addini
Seyede-Mahshid Mostafavi
Maziar Jajarmi
Alireza Sazmand
<p><strong>Molecular detection of <em>Hepatozoon canis</em> (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) in ticks (Ixodida) collected from dogs in Kerman, Iran</strong></p>
Persian Journal of Acarology
Acari
hepatozoonosis
PCR
tick-borne
vector-borne
title <p><strong>Molecular detection of <em>Hepatozoon canis</em> (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) in ticks (Ixodida) collected from dogs in Kerman, Iran</strong></p>
title_full <p><strong>Molecular detection of <em>Hepatozoon canis</em> (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) in ticks (Ixodida) collected from dogs in Kerman, Iran</strong></p>
title_fullStr <p><strong>Molecular detection of <em>Hepatozoon canis</em> (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) in ticks (Ixodida) collected from dogs in Kerman, Iran</strong></p>
title_full_unstemmed <p><strong>Molecular detection of <em>Hepatozoon canis</em> (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) in ticks (Ixodida) collected from dogs in Kerman, Iran</strong></p>
title_short <p><strong>Molecular detection of <em>Hepatozoon canis</em> (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) in ticks (Ixodida) collected from dogs in Kerman, Iran</strong></p>
title_sort p strong molecular detection of em hepatozoon canis em apicomplexa hepatozoidae in ticks ixodida collected from dogs in kerman iran strong p
topic Acari
hepatozoonosis
PCR
tick-borne
vector-borne
url https://www.biotaxa.org/pja/article/view/85646
work_keys_str_mv AT baharakakhtardanesh pstrongmoleculardetectionofemhepatozooncanisemapicomplexahepatozoidaeinticksixodidacollectedfromdogsinkermaniranstrongp
AT farnoosharfaee pstrongmoleculardetectionofemhepatozooncanisemapicomplexahepatozoidaeinticksixodidacollectedfromdogsinkermaniranstrongp
AT amirhosseinziaaddini pstrongmoleculardetectionofemhepatozooncanisemapicomplexahepatozoidaeinticksixodidacollectedfromdogsinkermaniranstrongp
AT seyedemahshidmostafavi pstrongmoleculardetectionofemhepatozooncanisemapicomplexahepatozoidaeinticksixodidacollectedfromdogsinkermaniranstrongp
AT maziarjajarmi pstrongmoleculardetectionofemhepatozooncanisemapicomplexahepatozoidaeinticksixodidacollectedfromdogsinkermaniranstrongp
AT alirezasazmand pstrongmoleculardetectionofemhepatozooncanisemapicomplexahepatozoidaeinticksixodidacollectedfromdogsinkermaniranstrongp