Theileria cervi in Amblyomma neumanni (Acari: Ixodida, Ixodidae) collected on horses from North-western Argentina.
Abstract: ticks collected on horses from the North-West of Argentina were analyzed for the presence of the Piroplasm agents and . A total of 97 adult ticks from four different provinces (Jujuy, Santiago del Estero, Salta, Tucumán) were included in this study. Genomic DNA was isolated, and conventional PCR assays were applied for the detection of the 18S rDNA gene of and species. One sample corresponding to a male of collected in Tapia, Tucumán Province, resulted positive. Phylogenetic analyses carried out with the obtained 18S rDNA partial gene sequences resulted in the identification of . Although the detection of in collected on a horse does not represent direct evidence of its vector competence regarding this species, it can be seen as an indication of the circulation of in the epidemiological circuit formed by the interaction horses.
© Indian Society for Parasitology 2025.
Publication Date: 2025-01-31 PubMed ID: 40901430PubMed Central: PMC12399498DOI: 10.1007/s12639-025-01784-5Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The study investigated the presence of Theileria cervi, a parasitic protozoan, in Amblyomma neumanni ticks collected from horses in Northwestern Argentina, identifying one infected tick and suggesting circulation of the pathogen in this ecological setting.
Research Goal and Background
- The researchers aimed to detect the presence of Piroplasm agents, specifically Theileria cervi, in ticks feeding on horses in Northwestern Argentina.
- Theileria cervi is a protozoan parasite that can infect animals, with transmission typically occurring via ticks, but vector competence in certain tick species is not always established.
- Amblyomma neumanni is a tick species found in the region and was suspected as a potential carrier or vector.
Sample Collection and Methodology
- A total of 97 adult ticks were collected from horses across four provinces in Northwestern Argentina: Jujuy, Santiago del Estero, Salta, and Tucumán.
- Genomic DNA was extracted from the tick samples to prepare for molecular analysis.
- Conventional PCR assays targeted the 18S rDNA gene, a genetic marker commonly used to identify Theileria and Babesia species.
- Positive detection was followed up with phylogenetic analyses using partial 18S rDNA sequences to confirm and classify the species present in the tick samples.
Key Findings
- Only one tick, a male Amblyomma neumanni collected in Tapia, Tucumán Province, tested positive for Theileria cervi DNA.
- Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the DNA sequence matched that of Theileria cervi, indicating that this pathogen was circulating within this tick species in the region.
Implications and Conclusions
- The positive detection suggests a potential role for Amblyomma neumanni in the epidemiology of Theileria cervi in horses in Northwestern Argentina.
- Although the presence of Theileria cervi DNA in the tick does not definitively prove that Amblyomma neumanni can transmit the parasite (vector competence), it highlights this tick species as part of the disease’s epidemiological cycle.
- The study contributes baseline data on tick-borne piroplasm infections in the region and opens avenues for further research to establish vector competency and understand transmission dynamics in equine populations.
Cite This Article
APA
Montini M, Torrents J, Nava S, Sebastian PS.
(2025).
Theileria cervi in Amblyomma neumanni (Acari: Ixodida, Ixodidae) collected on horses from North-western Argentina.
J Parasit Dis, 49(3), 810-814.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-025-01784-5 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Esperanza, Santa Fe Argentina.
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Esperanza, Santa Fe Argentina.
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IdICaL), CONICET - INTA, RN No 34, KM 227, CP-2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe Argentina.
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IdICaL), CONICET - INTA, RN No 34, KM 227, CP-2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe Argentina.
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IdICaL), CONICET - INTA, RN No 34, KM 227, CP-2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe Argentina.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Competing interestsThe authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
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