Epidemiological Investigation of Tick-Borne Bacterial Pathogens in Domestic Animals from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Area, China

oleh: Yihong Ma, Yingna Jian, Geping Wang, Iqra Zafar, Xiuping Li, Guanghua Wang, Yong Hu, Naoaki Yokoyama, Liqing Ma, Xuenan Xuan

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2024-01-01

Deskripsi

The Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau area (QTPA) features a unique environment that has witnessed the selective breeding of diverse breeds of domestic livestock exhibiting remarkable adaptability. Nevertheless, <i>Anaplasma</i> spp., <i>Rickettsia</i> spp., <i>Coxiella</i> spp., and <i>Borrelia</i> spp. represent tick-borne bacterial pathogens that pose a global threat and have substantial impacts on both human and animal health, as well as on the economy of animal husbandry within the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau area. In this study, a total of 428 samples were systematically collected from 20 distinct areas within the Qinghai Plateau. The samples included 62 ticks and 366 blood samples obtained from diverse animal species to detect the presence of <i>Anaplasma</i> spp., <i>Rickettsia</i> spp., <i>Coxiella</i> spp., and <i>Borrelia</i> spp. The prevalence of infection in this study was determined as follows: <i>Anaplasma bovis</i> accounted for 16.4% (70/428), <i>A. capra</i> for 4.7% (20/428), <i>A. ovis</i> for 5.8% (25/428), <i>Borrelia burgdorferi</i> sensu lato for 6.3% (27/428), <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> for 0.7% (3/428), and <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. for 0.5% (2/428). Notably, no cases of <i>A. marginale</i> and <i>A. phagocytophilum</i> infections were observed in this study. The findings revealed an elevated presence of these pathogens in Tibetan sheep and goats, with no infections detected in yaks, Bactrian camels, donkeys, and horses. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first investigation of tick-borne bacterial pathogens infecting goats, cattle, horses, and donkeys within the Qinghai Plateau of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau area. Consequently, our findings contribute valuable insights into the distribution and genetic diversity of <i>Anaplasma</i> spp., <i>Rickettsia</i> spp., <i>Coxiella</i> spp., and <i>Borrelia</i> spp. within China.