Benson C Iweriebor
University of Fort Hare, South Africa
Title: Climate change and tick-borne bacteria (Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma spp., and Ehrlichia spp.) in ticks collected in the Karoo regions of Eastern Cape, South Africa
Biography
Biography: Benson C Iweriebor
Abstract
Background: There has been a projected global increase in the distribution and prevalence of infectious diseases with climate change
thus suggesting a pending societal crisis. Global warming causes a wide spectrum of consequences on the human health, including
changes in the spread of tick borne pathogens. Ticks generally play an important role in the transmission and ecology of infectious
diseases. Climatic factors (temperature, rainfall and humidity) strongly influenced the ecology, development, behavior and survival
of ticks and the transmission dynamics of the diseases they transmit.
Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of tick-borne bacterial pathogens of the genera Rickettsia spp.,
Ehrlichia spp., and Anaplasma spp. among ticks collected from domesticated ruminants in some selected localities in the Eastern Cape
Province of South Africa where there has been a decreased precipitation and slight increase in temperature recently.
Methods: Between February and May, 2016, a total of 1200 ticks were collected from domesticated ruminant heads in some selected
communities’ within the Nkonkonbe and Chris Hanne District Municipalities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Ticks were identified
based on morphological criteria. Genetic detection of tick-borne bacteria belonging to Rickettsia, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia genera
was performed by PCRs. Positive amplicons were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed.
Results: The ticks were identified as belonging to the genera Rhipicephalus (980) and Amblyomma (220) respectively. Genetic
screening for Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp. revealed the presence of Rickettsia spp. and Ehrlichia spp. respectively
while none was positive for Anaplasma spp. in the tick samples collected. Ticks from cattle were highly infected with Rickettsia spp.
while Ehrlichia spp. was isolated mainly from ticks collected from sheep. No positive result was obtained from ticks collected from
goats.
Conclusion: The observation that these pathogens are present in ticks on animals within homesteads suggests that inhabitants of
these communities could be infected and tourists visiting the areas should be cautious of tick-biting. The findings of this study show
that zoonotic pathogens are present in ticks in the studied localities. This information will be helpful in the epidemiology of tickborne
zoonotic diseases in the country as well as in creating awareness about such diseases in the veterinary, medical and tourism
sectors, as they may be the mostly affected.