Molecular Investigation on Tick-Borne Hemoparasites and <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> in Dromedary Camels (<i>Camelus</i> <i>dromedarius</i>) in Al Dhafra Region of Abu Dhabi, UAE

• Main Authors: El Tigani Ahmed El Tigani-Asil, Valeria Blanda, Ghada Elderdiri Abdelwahab, Zulaikha Mohamed Al Hammadi, Shameem Habeeba, Abdelmalik Ibrahim Khalafalla, Mohamed Ali Alhosani, Francesco La Russa, Sergio Migliore, Alessandra Torina, Guido Ruggero Loria, Salama Suhail Al Muhairi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Animals
• Subjects: dromedary camels; ticks; hemoparasites; molecular detection; phylogenetic analysis: United Arab Emirates
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/3/666

Camels represent an important resource for inhabitants of the most arid regions of the world and their survival is mainly related to environment conditions including the risk of parasitic diseases, which may represent a significant cause of losses in livestock production of these areas. Camels may be parasitized by several hematophagous arthropods, which can be vectors of several diseases including zoonosis. This study aimed to investigate in dromedary camels and their ticks the importance of tick-borne hemoparasites that might be responsible for a recent and obscure morbidity of camels in Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Blood samples and ticks from 93 naturally infected camels belonging to 36 herds, affected by variable acute clinical syndromes lasting from 3 to 5 days, were analyzed through molecular techniques for specific DNA presence of different blood pathogens: <i>Anaplasma</i><i>marginale</i>/<i>Anaplasma</i><i>ovis</i>, <i>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</i>, <i>Coxiella burnetii,</i><i>Babesia</i> spp., and <i>Theileria</i> spp. DNA. All the 72 ticks collected belonged to the <i>Hyalomma dromedarii</i> species and were negative for blood pathogens. <i>n</i> = 15 camels (16.1%) were found positive to the following tick-borne hemoparasites: <i>A. phagocytophilum</i> 11 (11.8%), <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> 3 (3.2%), and <i>Babesia/Theileria</i> spp. 2 (2.1%). One singular camel showed coinfection of <i>C. burnetii </i>and<i> A. phagocytophiulm</i>. Genetic profile of <i>C. burnetii</i> showed a high phylogenetic relatedness to European, Asian and African <i>C. burnetii</i> strains. This is the first laboratory investigation on tick-borne pathogens in camels in UAE, and the first report of <i>A. phagocytophilum</i> and <i>C. burnetii</i>. Moreover, since the detected pathogens are recognized pathogens for humans, this study highlights the zoonotic risk for humans working in camel husbandry.