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Öğe A comprehensive molecular survey of vector-borne blood parasites in cattle in Kyrgyzstan with a note of the first molecular detection of Anaplasma bovis and Candidatus Anaplasma Camelii(Springer, 2024) Altay, Kursat; Abdugani, Abdurasulov; Sahin, Omer Faruk; Muratova, Rakhima; Erol, Ufuk; Attokurov, Kursantbek; Abdurasulov, IslambekVector-borne pathogens continue to increase their impact on the livestock industry worldwide. To protect animals against these pathogens, it is very important to identify the species that cause the disease and understand their prevalence. This study aimed to investigate the presence and prevalence of vector-borne pathogens in apparently healthy cattle in different parts of Kyrgyzstan using molecular diagnostic techniques. For this purpose, 531 blood samples were collected from the Osh, Jalal-Abad, and Batken oblasts of Kyrgyzstan. The blood samples were investigated for vector-borne pathogens using PCR, RLB, and RFLP. Moreover, DNA sequence analyses were used to confirm the results of molecular techniques and phylogenetic analyses of these pathogens. 359 (67.61%) out of 531 samples were found to be infected with at least one pathogen, whereas 172 (32.39%) were detected to be negative. Thirteen vector-borne pathogens were detected in cattle blood samples, and the prevalence of these pathogens was as follows: Theileria orientalis (47.83%), T. annulata (25.61%), Babesia major (0.19%), B. occultans (0.38%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum-like 1 (3.20%), A. capra (3.01%), A. centrale (2.82%), A. bovis (1.13%), (A) ovis (0.19%), Candidatus Anaplasma camelii (0.94%), Trypanosoma theileri (19.21%), Mycoplasma wenyonii (6.03%), and Ca. Mycoplasma haemobos (2.64%). Among the positive samples, one pathogen was identified in 189 cattle (35.59%), and co-infections (two or more pathogens) were determined in 170 (32.01%) animals. Theileria parva, T. mutans, (B) bigemina, B. bovis, B. divergens, and A. marginale could not be detected in the study. Anaplasma bovis and Ca. Anaplasma camelii were detected for the first time in the country. This molecular survey provides important epidemiological and genetic data for the vector-borne pathogens in cattle. The results of the study showed that vector-borne pathogens have a significant spread and distribution in cattle in Kyrgyzstan.Öğe Anaplasma capra: a new emerging tick-borne zoonotic pathogen(Springer, 2024) Altay, Kursat; Erol, Ufuk; Sahin, Omer FarukThe genus Anaplasma includes A. marginale, A. centrale, A. bovis, A. ovis, A. platys, and A. phagocytophilum transmitted by ticks, some of which are zoonotic and cause anaplasmosis in humans and animals. In 2012, a new species was discovered in goats in China. In 2015, the same agent was detected in humans in China, and it was provisionally named Anaplasma capra, referring to 2012. The studies conducted to date have revealed the existence of A. capra in humans, domestic animals, wild animals, and ticks from three different continents (Asia, Europe, and Africa). Phylogenetic analyses based on gltA and groEL sequences show that A. capra clearly includes two different genotypes (A. capra genotype-1 and A. capra genotype-2). Although A. capra human isolates are in the genotype-2 group, goat, sheep, and cattle isolates are in both groups, making it difficult to establish a host genotype-relationship. According to current data, it can be thought that human isolates are genotype-2 and while only genotype-1 is found in Europe, both genotypes are found in Asia. Anaplasma capra causes clinical disease in humans, but the situation is not yet sufficient to understand the zoonotic importance and pathogenicity in animals. In the present review, the history, hosts (vertebrates and ticks), molecular prevalence, pathogenic properties, and genetic diversity of A. capra were evaluated from a broad perspective.Öğe Development of a novel triplex-PCR assay for the identification of feline hemoplasma species and survey of hemoplasma species in cats in Turkiye(Elsevier Ireland Ltd, 2025) Altay, Kursat; Coskun, Alparslan; Erol, Ufuk; Sahin, Omer Faruk; Turk, SeferThree hemoplasma species, Mycoplasma haemofelis, Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum, and Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis, have been identified in domestic and wild felids. M. haemofelis may cause severe clinical manifestations in domestic cats, whereas others can lead to mild infections. Identification of these pathogens is done using molecular diagnostic tools like conventional-PCR or real-time PCR. However, these have disadvantages, such as the failure to differentiate species or high cost. This study aimed to develop a triplex-PCR method for the diagnosis and discrimination of feline hemoplasma species. Furthermore, it is aimed at providing molecular data on the epidemiology of feline hemoplasma species in Turkiye, where there is a paucity of information on these pathogens. Triplex-PCR primers amplifying the 16S rRNA gene regions of M. haemofelis (1022 bp), Ca. Mycoplasma haemominutum (607 bp), and Ca. Mycoplasma turicensis (456 bp) species were designed and optimized. Moreover, the detection limits of the method were also determined and it was found that the primers could detect 0.001 ng/mu L amount of DNA for M. haemofelis, 0.0001 ng/mu L for Ca. Mycoplasma haemominutum, and 0.0002 ng/mu L for Ca. Mycoplasma turicensis in the sample. 286 cat blood samples obtained from Sivas province were researched for feline hemoplasma species. Feline hemoplasma species were detected in samples of 29 out of 286 cats (10.23 %). Five samples (1.74 %) were infected with only M. haemofelis, whereas 22 (7.69 %) were only infected with Ca. Mycoplasma haemominutum. Two samples (0.69 %) were found to be infected with both M. haemofelis and Ca. Mycoplasma haemominutum. Ca. Mycoplasma turicensis was not detected in this study. A triplex-PCR method that can be used for the identification and species differentiation of feline hemoplasma species in hosts was developed. Moreover, hemoplasma species were found to be circulating in cats in the study area, and it is recommended that veterinarians and animal owners take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their cats from these pathogens.Öğe First molecular detection of Canine Hemoplasmas in Sivas province in central part of Turkey(2021) Erol, Ufuk; Altay, Kürşat; Şahin, Ömer Faruk; Ataş, Ahmet Duran; Urhan, Osman FurkanCanine hemoplasmas are vector-borne bacterial pathogens having worldwide distribution. There are twohemoplasmas species that cause disease in dogs. These are Mycoplasma haemocanis and Candidatus Mycoplasmahaematoparvum. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of canine hemoplasmas among apparentlyhealthy 194 owned-dogs in Sivas Province using species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). According toour results, the overall prevalence of canine hemoplasmas was 14.94% (29/194). The molecular prevalence of M.haemocanis and Ca. M. haematoparvum was detected as 8.24% (16/194) and 10.82% (21/194) respectively whilethe prevalence of co-infections was 4.12% (8/194). In this study, Ca. M. haematoparvum which can infect humanswas found more prevalent than M. haemocanis. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first molecular study on thedetermination of canine hemoplasmas in Sivas province in Turkey.Öğe First molecular detection of Neospora caninum in red fox (Vulpes vulpes) brain sample in Turkiye(Ankara Univ, 2023) Erol, Ufuk; Danyer, Erdem; Utuk, Armagan ErdemThe red fox is the wild carnivore with the widest distribution in the world. Thus, this animal acts as intermediate and final host for many parasite species. Neospora caninum is one of the most important protozoan agents causing abortion in cattle, sheep and goats in the world. The final hosts of N. caninum are domestic dogs and wild canids such as wolves and coyotes, while its intermediate hosts are domestic ruminants and many warm-blooded animals, including red foxes. The aim of this study was to research N. caninum in brain samples of three red foxes obtained from wildlife in Turkiye by using PCR. At the end of the study N. caninum DNA was detected in one of three brain samples. To the best of our knowledge, with this study, N. caninum was detected for the first time in a red fox brain sample in Turkiye.Öğe First Molecular Evidence of Babesia vogeli, Babesia vulpes, and Theileria ovis in Dogs from Kyrgyzstan(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2023) Altay, Kursat; Erol, Ufuk; Sahin, Omer Faruk; Aydin, Mehmet Fatih; Aytmirzakizi, Ayperi; Dumanli, NazirTick-borne parasitic diseases cause mild to severe infections among vertebrate hosts, including dogs. Species in the genus Babesia are important tick-borne pathogens and have worldwide distributions. Although there are data on the prevalence and distribution of Babesia species among dogs around the world, there is no information available in Kyrgyzstan, according to a literature review. In this study, 337 dogs were screened by nested PCR for the presence of the 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S SSU rRNA) gene of piroplasm species. Overall prevalence was 6.23% (21/337) for Babesia/Theileria spp. DNA sequencing of positively tested samples revealed that eighteen samples were infected with Babesia vogeli (B. vogeli) (5.34%), two samples with B. vulpes (0.59%), and one sample with Theileria ovis (T. ovis) (0.29%). The phylogenetic analyses and nucleotide sequences in contrast with those present in GenBank revealed that two nucleotide substitutions (594th and 627th) were found between B. vogeli isolates, including ours, indicating that the mutation is relatively rare. The sequences of other pathogens obtained in this study confirmed 100% nucleotide identity with B. vulpes and T. ovis sequences in GenBank. To the best of our knowledge, B. vogeli, B. vulpes, and T. ovis were detected for the first time in dogs from Kyrgyzstan, and it is thought that results will contribute to the understanding of the epidemiology of canine tick-borne pathogens in the country. © 2023 by the authors.Öğe Helminth Contamination of Commonly Consumed Raw Vegetables in Sivas Province in the Central Part of Turkey First Molecular Detection of Human Pathogenic Toxocara canis Eggs in Raw Vegetables(Aves, 2023) Erol, Ufuk; Altay, Kursat; Sahin, Omer Faruk; Urhan, Osman Furkana prevalence of 5.83%, 3.33%, and 24.17%, respectively. Toxocara spp. eggs were identified as T. canis using polymerase chain reaction. This is the first molecular detection of T. canis eggs in raw vegetables in Turkey. This study revealed that vegetables sold in Sivas are contaminated with helminth eggs or larvae. Therefore, people should take the necessary hygiene precaution, such as washing or sanitizing, before consuming these vegetables.Öğe Host Preferences of Vector Culicoides (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae, Culicoides Latreille) Species in Turkiye(Kafkas Univ, Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi, 2023) Deniz, Ahmet; Korkmaz, Cagla; Bedir, Hilal; Vatansever, Zati; Ekinci, Aysel Itik; Sezer, Osman; Erol, UfukDetermination of host preferences of blood-feeding arthropods is an important criterion for how ectoparasite-host interactions, host selection, and feeding behaviour affects pathogen transmission. This study aimed to examine the host's blood from engorged Culicoides species collected from cattle farms in Turkey to shed light on their host preferences. For this purpose, we investigated the blood of 5 different hosts (cattle, sheep, dog, horse, and human) in 7 Culicoides species/species complexes by multiplex-PCR analysis, considering the domestic animals on the farms. Engorged Culicoides specimens were collected from places in Turkey with different geographical and ecological characteristics. A total of 1225 female Culicoides belonging to 7 different species/species complexes namely C. obsoletus complex (C. obsoletus and C. scoticus) (n:450), C. schultzei complex (n:234), C. imicola (n:208), C. punctatus (n:162), C. newsteadi (n:144), C. lupicaris (n:24), and C. pulicaris (n:3) were analysed for host blood identification. Abdomens of the engorged midges were separated from their body and pooled according to the date of collection and species. A total of 69 pools consisting of 1-28 specimens were analysed by multiplex-PCR and only cattle blood was detected in all pools. This study presents the first data on the identification of host preference of some Culicoides species in Turkey.Öğe Investigation of Zoonotic Helminths in Children Playgrounds in Sivas Province(2021) Erol, Ufuk; Altay, Kürşat; Şahin, Ömer Faruk; Urhan, Osman FurkanHuman toxocariasis is categorized as a neglected parasitic disease by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease is more prevalent in children than adults because children are more frequently exposed to the eggs of T. canis and T. cati which are the etiological agents of human toxocariasis during playing outside. The aim of this study was to research the presence of helminth species in children playgrounds in Sivas using microscopic and molecular techniques. For this purpose, 84 sand samples were taken from 25 children playgrounds from July 2020 to July 2021. Moreover, 68 stool samples that belong to cats, dogs, and red foxes were collected from and around children playgrounds. Toxocara spp. eggs were found in five sand samples. According to PCR results, T. cati was detected in three sand samples while T. canis was found in two sand samples. Toxascaris leonina was detected only in one dog stool sample, whereas no parasite species were found in cat stool samples. The eggs of Toxocara canis, Acanthocephala, T. leonina, Capillaria spp. were found in red fox stool samples. To the best of our knowledge, children playgrounds were researched for the first time in terms of zoonotic helminth species in Sivas.Öğe Molecular investigation of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and related strains among sheep flocks from different parts of Türkiye; with a note of phylogenetic analyses of Anaplasma phagocytophilum- like 1(Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2024) Erol, Ufuk; Sahin, Omer Faruk; Urhan, Osman Furkan; Atas, Ahmet Duran; Altay, KursatAnaplasma phagocytophilum is a vector-borne zoonotic pathogen and can infect various vertebrate hosts, especially cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and dogs. Molecular-based studies have revealed that the agent has a high genetic diversity and closely related strains circulate in hosts. In this study, 618 sheep blood samples obtained from different geographic regions of Turkiye were researched for A.phagocytophilum and related strains with PCR, RFLP, and DNA sequence analyses. The DNA of these pathogens was detected in 110 (17.79%) samples. RFLP assay showed that all positive samples were infected with A.phagocytophilum-like 1, whereas A.phagocytophilum-like 2 and A.phagocytophilum were not detected. Partial parts of 16 S rRNA gene of seven randomly selected positive samples were sequenced. The phylogenetic analyses of these isolates revealed that at least two A.phagocytophilum-like 1 isolates circulate among hosts in Turkiye and around the world. A.phagocytophilum-related strains have been reported in molecular-based studies over the last few years, but there is a lack of data on the vector competence, epidemiology, clinical symptoms, and genetic diversity of these pathogens. Therefore, large-scale molecular studies are still needed to obtain detailed data on the above-mentioned topics.Öğe Molecular survey and phylogenetic analysis of bee pathogens; with a note first detection of Apis mellifera Filamentous Virus, Varroa destructor virus-1, Apis rhabdovirus-1, and Apis rhabdovirus-2 in Türkiye(Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2024) Altay, Kursat; Isidan, Hakan; Erol, Ufuk; Turan, Turhan; Sahin, Omer Faruk; Kalin, Recep; Atasoy, Mustafa OzanTurkey is one of the most important bee centers in the world, but there is limited information about honey bee pathogens in the country. This study aimed to investigate bee pathogens using microscopic and molecular techniques (PCR, RT-PCR, nested-PCR, and sequencing) in Sivas province, the second-biggest beekeeping center in Turkey. For this purpose, bee samples were obtained from 149 bee colonies belonging to 74 local beekeepers in eight districts of the Sivas province. The bee samples were examined for pathogens, and at least one pathogen was detected in 148 bee colonies. In this study, a single infection was determined in 26.17% (39/149) of the bee samples, while the prevalence of co-infection was 73.15% (109/149). Nosema ceranae, Varroa destructor haplotype-K, Apis mellifera Filamentous Virus, Deformed wing virus, Varroa destructor virus-1, Lake Sinai virus-2, Apis rhabdovirus-1, and Apis rhabdovirus-2 were detected. Apis mellifera Filamentous Virus, Varroa destructor virus-1, Apis rhabdovirus-1, and Apis rhabdovirus-2 were found for the first time in Turkey with the current study. Furthermore, nucleotide sequence analysis and phylogeny relationships of bee pathogens obtained from samples were done, and sequences were deposited to GenBank. This study provides molecular data on the presence and prevalence of important bee pathogens in the region. As the prevalence of many pathogens has been determined, especially the existence of viral new species has been revealed, the effects of the species on beekeeping should be studied, and beekeepers should take effective control measures to reduce the effects of these pathogens.Öğe Molecular Survey of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Related Strains in Sheep and Goats from Sivas; with a High Prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum-like 1(Galenos Publishing House, 2022) Erol, Ufuk; Şahin, Ömer Faruk; Altay, KürşatObjective: This study aimed to investigate Anaplasma phagocytophilum and related strains (A. phagocytophilum-like 1 and like 2) in sheep and goats for the first time in Sivas province with molecular techniques. Methods: The study material was composed of 247 animal (159 sheep and 88 goats) blood samples from four districts of Sivas province (Sivas City Center, Kangal, Koyulhisar, and Yıldızeli). A. phagocytophilum and related strains were screened with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR-RFLP, and DNA sequence analysis. Results: A. phagocytophilum related strains were found in 44.93% (111/247) of the small ruminants using PCR. The infection rate was 45.91% (73/159) in sheep and 43.18% (38/88) in goats. In this study, 110 samples were positive for only A. phagocytophilum-like 1, while A. phagocytophilum-like 1 and like 2 were mix-infection in one sample. A. phagocytophilum was not detected in sheep or goats. Two randomly selected PCR products were sequenced in both directions, and the consensus sequences were deposited on the GenBank under accession numbers: ON598644 and ON598645. Nucleotide similarity of 99.34-100% was determined between A. phagocytophilum-like 1 isolates obtained in this study and those of A. phagocytophilum-like 1 isolates present in the GenBank database. Conclusion: This study provides the first molecular data on A. phagocytophilum-like 1 and like 2 in Sivas province. Considering the high positive rate of the A. phagocytophilum-like 1 in sheep and goats, there is a paucity of data on clinical symptoms and vector species of the pathogen. Therefore, further studies are needed to investigate the vector tick species and clinical symptoms of the pathogen in the host. © 2022 Turkish Society for Parasitology.Öğe Nevşehir İlinde Turistik Amaçlı Yetiştirilen Atlarda Theileria equii, Babesia caballi, Neospora spp. ve Toxoplasma gondii’nin Serolojik Yöntemlerle Araştırılması(2022) Erol, Ufuk; Pekkaya, Selcuk; Babür, Cahit; Beyhan, Yunus Emre; Kuzuguden, Fatih; Balkaya, Ibrahim; Demir, Pınar AyvazoğluProtozoal hastalıklar atlarda ölümlere ve ciddi ekonomik kayıplara neden olur. Bazılarının zoonotik potansiyelleri ise halk sağlığı açısından önem arz eder. Bu çalışmanın amacı Nevşehir ilinde turistik amaçlarla yetiştirilen atlarda doku (Neospora spp. ve Toxoplasma gondii) ve kan (Theileria equi ve Babesia caballi) protozoonlarının yaygınlığını belirlemektir. Bu amaçla yaşları 3-24 arasındaki 105 dişi attan kan alınarak serumları çıkarılmıştır. Elde edilen serumlar Neospora spp., T.equi ve B.caballi antikorlarına karşı c-ELISA ve T.gondii antikorlarına karşı da Sabin-Feldman Dye testleri ile incelenmiştir. Çalışma sonucunda 105 atın ikisinde (%1,90) anti-Neospora spp., dokuzunda (%8.57) anti-T.gondii, ikisinde (%1,90) anti-B.caballi ve 77 (%73,33)’sinde de anti-T.equi antikorları tespit edilmiştir. Atlardan birinde (%0,95) T.equi, B.caballi ve T.gondii, birinde (%0,95) T.equi ve B.caballi, ikisinde (%1,90) Neospora spp. ve T.equi ve altısında (%5,71) ise T.gondii ve T.equi’nin neden olduğu miks enfeksiyonlar belirlenmiştir. Ki-kare testi ile ? 7 ve >7 yaş grupları ile Neospora spp., T.gondii ve B.caballi seroprevalansları arasında istatistiksel açıdan önemli bir fark bulunmazken, 7 yaş üzerindeki atlarda yüksek T.equi seroprevalansının önemli olduğu görülmüştür. Bu çalışma ile İç Anadolu bölgesinde Nevşehir ilinde atlarda T.equi’ye maruziyet oranının oldukça yüksek olduğu, prevalansın yaşla birlikte arttığı, ayrıca protozoon kaynaklı miks enfeksiyonların görülebileceği ve bunun tedavide göz ardı edilmemesi gereken bir durum olduğu ortaya konmuştur.Öğe Occurrence and Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in Water Buffaloes (Bubalis bubalis) From Türkiye(Springer Int Publ Ag, 2025) Sahin, Omer Faruk; Erol, Ufuk; Urhan, Osman Furkan; Sakar, Husnu Furkan; Altay, KursatPurposeCryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis are zoonotic protozoan parasites that are widely seen in domestic and wild animals worldwide. While these pathogens, which affect the digestive system of the hosts, cause high economic losses in animal breeding, they are also considered an important public health problem. In recent years, molecular-based studies revealed that 120 genotypes belonging to 44 Cryptosporidium species and eight G. duodenalis assemblages (G. duodenalis A-H) circulate among hosts. The aim of the study was to determine the presence and prevalence of cryptosporidiosis and giardiosis in buffaloes, for which there was only one previous study on the subject in T & uuml;rkiye.MethodsIn this study, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis were researched in water buffaloes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. A total of 510 water buffalo stool samples were obtained from Sivas province, an important water buffalo breeding center in T & uuml;rkiye.ResultsCryptosporidium spp. were detected in 20 samples (3.92%), whereas five samples (0.98%) were found to be infected with G. duodenalis. DNA sequence analyses of 18S rRNA and beta-giardin genes revealed that five Cryptosporidium species, C. occultus (n = 1), C. andersoni (n = 1), C. ryanae (n = 16), C. parvum (n = 1), and C. bovis (n = 1), and G. duodenalis assemblages E were circulated in water buffaloes in T & uuml;rkiye, respectively. In this work, C. ryanae was the most prevalent Cryptosporidium species, and DNA sequence analyses of these samples showed that 100% nucleotide identities were present between them. Cryptosporidium occultus (PP754270), C. andersoni (PP754271), C. ryanae (PP754272-PP754279, PP754281-PP754285, PP754287-PP754289), C. parvum (PP754280), and C. bovis (PP754286) obtained from water buffaloes in this study shared 98.59-100%, 99.88-100%, 99.49-100%, 99.62-100%, and 99.87-100% nucleotide similarity with isolates present in GeneBank, respectively. In addition, G. duodenalis (PP798352-PP798356) isolates had 99.56-100% (beta-giardin) nucleotide identities with G. duodenalis isolates.ConclusionThe existence of cryptosporidiosis (the five species) in water buffaloes was reported for the first time in the country. Moreover, one species (C. occultus) has been reported for the first time in T & uuml;rkiye.Öğe Primarily molecular detection and phylogenetic analyses of spotted fever group Rickettsia species in cats in Türkiye: With new host reports of Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia slovaca, and Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae(Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2025) Erol, Ufuk; Sahin, Omer Faruk; Urhan, Osman Furkan; Genc, Melih Gazi; Altay, KursatDomestic cats are companion animals that live with people in their households or outdoors, and strong relationships exist between cats and humans. However, this animal is also a host/reservoir of zoonotic pathogens, including Rickettsia species. In T & uuml;rkiye, cat ownership has increased over the years, but there is a lack of data on the pathogens in cats. In this study, 396 cat blood samples were collected from different parts of T & uuml;rkiye, and these samples were investigated for Rickettsia species with PCR assay. In addition, DNA sequences were performed for species identification and phylogenetic analyses of detected Rickettsia species. 24 out of 396 cat blood samples (6.06 %) were found to be infected with Rickettsia species. The DNA sequence analyses of all PCRpositive samples were done, and Ri. aeschlimannii was identified in 17 samples, Ri. slovaca in four, Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae in two, and Ri. raoultii in one sample. The phylogenetic analyses of obtained DNA from the above-mentioned species were performed. The sequence data belonging to the species were uploaded to the GenBank, and accession numbers for Rickettsia aeschlimannii (PP998242-PP998258), Ri. slovaca (PP998259PP998262), Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae (PP998263-PP998264), and Ri. raoultii (PP998265) were taken. This result provides the first molecular detection of Ri. aeschlimannii, Ri. slovaca, Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae, and Ri. raoultii in T & uuml;rkiye. Moreover, the DNA of Ri. aeschlimannii, Ri. slovaca, and Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae were identified in cat blood samples for the first time in the world, and the cats were a new host for these Rickettsia species. Detailed studies are, however, needed to determine the pathogenicity, biological characteristics, and vectors of these Rickettsia species in this new host.Öğe Survey of tick-borne pathogens in grazing horses in Kyrgyzstan: phylogenetic analysis, genetic diversity, and prevalence of Theileria equi(Frontiers Media Sa, 2024) Altay, Kursat; Erol, Ufuk; Sahin, Omer Faruk; Ulucesme, Mehmet Can; Aytmirzakizi, Ayperi; Aktas, MunirIntroduction Tick-borne pathogens (TBP) are an important group of organisms that can affect animals and humans all over the world. Equine piroplasmosis (EP), caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, is considered one of the most important tick-borne diseases and can cause significant clinical symptoms and mortality in horses. Moreover, EP plays a restrictive role in international horse traditions and transportation. Although these species can cause similar symptoms, there are different 18S rRNA genotypes of T. equi (five genotypes) and B. caballi (three genotypes). Besides piroplasma species, Anaplasma and hemotropic mycoplasmas (HM) are known as other important tick-borne pathogens reported in horses. Methods In this study, we investigated the presence, prevalence, genetic diversity, and phylogenetic analyses of TBPs using PCRs and DNA sequencing in grazing horses in Kyrgyzstan. For these purposes, a total of 311 blood samples were collected from Chuy, Issyk-Kul, Naryn, Osh, Talas, and Jalal-Abad. Results DNA amplification of TBP revealed that 23 (7.40%) out of 311 samples were found to be positive for T. equi. However, B. caballi, HM, A. phagocytophilum, and A. capra were not detected in this study. The infection rate of T. equi was higher in males (8.11%) than in females (6.35%) (p=0.2880) and in those older than 5 years (9.02%) than in the 1-4 age group (6.35%) (p=0.1950). Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA revealed that A and E genotypes of T. equi have circulated in grazing horses in Kyrgyzstan. Discussion Information about the genetic diversity of T. equi is important for understanding the population dynamics of the species and developing effective control strategies against this pathogen. This is the first molecular investigation of A. capra in horses in Kyrgyzstan. Although this pathogen has been detected in different hosts in Kyrgyzstan, it was not detected in this study. However, considering the wide host spectrum of A. capra, it is thought that more large-scale studies are needed to understand the effect of horses on the epidemiology of this pathogen.
