ArticleParasites & vectors2012
Zoonotic pathogens associated with Hyalomma aegyptium in endangered tortoises: evidence for host-switching behaviour in ticks?
Article in Parasites & vectors, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
29 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 68 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Prevalence ofFrontiers in veterinary science · 2021Pooled it
- Molecular Characterization of Spiroplasma Endosymbionts in Ticks on Tortoises in Niğde Province, Türkiye.Acta parasitologica · 2026Article
- Assessment of Chlorella vulgaris as a biological control agent against tortoise tick Hyalomma aegyptium (Acari: Ixodidae) in Egypt.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- New host-parasite associations and ectoparasite diversity ofInternational journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife · 2025Article
- Microorganisms in wild European reptiles: bridging gaps in neglected conditions to inform disease ecology research.International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife · 2025Review
- Behavioral and Morphological Adaptations of Tortoise TickEcology and evolution · 2025Article
- Molecular Detection ofVeterinary medicine international · 2024Article
- Tick infestation in spur-thighed tortoise population: a pilot study for unraveling epidemiological patterns and demographic consequences.Experimental & applied acarology · 2023Article
- Microorganisms associated with hedgehog arthropods.Parasites & vectors · 2023Review
- An Update of Evidence for Pathogen Transmission by Ticks of the Genus Hyalomma.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Red Foxes (Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
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- Seroprevalence of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in healthy blood donors in Romania: an update.Parasites & vectors · 2021Article
- Reptile vector-borne diseases of zoonotic concern.International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife · 2021Review
- Molecular Evidence ofAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2020Article
- Importation of Ticks on Companion Animals and the Risk of Spread of Tick-Borne Diseases to Non-Endemic Regions in Europe.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2020Article
- Absence of Hemolivia mauritanica (Apicomplexa: Haemogregarinidae) in natural populations of Testudo graeca in Morocco.Parasitology research · 2020Article
- A review onHeliyon · 2020Review
- Zoonotic Parasites of Reptiles: A Crawling Threat.Trends in parasitology · 2020Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHyalomma aegyptium is a hard-tick with a typical three-host life cycle. The main hosts are Palearctic tortoises of genus Testudo. However, other hosts can be used by immature ticks for feeding in natural conditions. Given this complex ecology and multiple host use, the circulation of pathogens by H. aegyptium between various hosts can be important from epidemiological point of view. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of H. aegyptium as natural carrier of four important zoonotic pathogens.
methodsFrom 2008 to 2011, 448 H. aegyptium ticks were collected from 45 Spur-thighed tortoises, Testudo graeca in Romania. DNA was extracted individually from each tick using a commercial kit. DNA was examined for the presence of specific sequences of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia canis and Coxiella burnetii by PCR, according to previously described protocols.
resultsPCR analysis of H. aegyptium revealed the presence of A. phagocytophilum (18.8%), E. canis (14.1%) and C. burnetii (10%). 32.4% of the ticks were infected with at least one pathogen and 9.8% had co-infections. The stages most frequently infected were nymphs (50%) followed by males (33.9%) and females (27%). The number of tortoises which harboured infected ticks was 27/45 examined (60%). From all tested T. graeca, 40% harboured ticks infected with A. phagocytophilum, 46.7% had ticks infected with E. canis and 33.3% had ticks with C. burnetii. This study reports for the first time the presence of A. phagocytophilum and E. canis in H. aegyptium.
conclusionsThe presence and relatively high prevalence of three important zoonotic pathogens in H. aegyptium raises the question of their epidemiologic importance in disease ecology. As tortoises are unlikely to be reservoir hosts for A. phagocytophilum and E. canis and both these pathogens are common in H. aegyptium, this is an important indication for (1) a possible increased host-switching behaviour of these ticks to competent reservoir hosts (i.e. hedgehogs) and (2) transstadial transmission. Furthermore, if we consider also the presence of C. burnetii, we conclude that T. graeca and its ticks should be evaluated more seriously when assessing the eco-epidemiology of zoonotic diseases.
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