First molecular detection of Mycoplasma ovis in horses from Brazil.

This study aimed to determine the occurrence of hemoplasmas and tick-borne pathogens (TBP) (Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, and Ehrlichia sp.) in horses and ticks' salivary glands, and determine the factors associated with exposure/infection in a rural settlement in southern Brazil. Blood samples from 22 horses were screened for anti-T. equi and anti-Ehrlichia sp. antibodies by an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) assays. Samples were also tested by PCR assays for T. equi and B. caballi (18S rRNA and rap-1 genes, respectively), hemoplasmas (16S rRNA gene), and Ehrlichia sp. (dsb gene). Ticks were removed from the animals (inspection) and the environment (flannel trawling and dry ice traps), and morphologically identified. Additionally, salivary glands DNA was extracted from 28 adult ticks infesting the animals and four nymphs from the environment, and further screened for Ehrlichia sp. and hemotropic Mycoplasma sp. Anti-T. equi and anti-Ehrlichia sp. antibodies were detected in 40.91% (nine/22; 95% CI: 23.26-61.27) and 31.81% (seven/22; 95% CI: 16.36-52.68) horses, respectively. Theileria equi, B. caballi, and hemotropic Mycoplasma sp. DNA was detected in 59.09% (13/22), 4.55% (one/22), and 50% (11/22) horses, respectively. All horses tested negative in the PCR for Ehrlichia sp. All sequences showed ≥99% identity with multiple T. equi, B. caballi, and Mycoplasma ovis sequences deposited in GenBank database. Adult ticks were identified as Dermacentor nitens (44/47; 93.62%) and Rhipicephalus microplus (three/47; 6.38%). Ticks' salivary glands were negative for Ehrlichia sp., while 39.29% from adults (11/28) and 50% from nymphs (two/four) from the environment were positive for hemotropic Mycoplasma sp. This is the first report of M. ovis infection in horses from Brazil and the first detection of hemoplasma DNA in salivary glands of D. nitens and R. microplus ticks. Further studies are needed to elucidate the vector competence of ticks to transmit hemoplasmas.

Hemoplasmas and ticks in cattle from Somalia.

Hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) are small Gram-negative bacteria that parasitize red blood cells and can cause mild to severe anemia in a wide range of vertebrates, including ruminants. Cattle population in Somalia is around 3.9 million heads, with animals more concentrated around the river areas, mainly in the Juba River and Shabelle River Valleys. Information on hemoplasmas in Sub-Saharan Africa are scarce, mainly in Somalia, where no studies have been performed to date. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess the molecular occurrence of hemoplasmas in 131 cattle blood samples from Somalia. Thirty out of 131 (22.90%; 95% CI: 16.54-30.81%) cattle were infested by ticks: Rhipicephalus pulchellus (68.18%), Amblyomma gemma (18.18%), Amblyomma lepidum (9.09%), Hyalomma marginatum (1.51%), Hyalmomma rufipes (1.51%), and Rhipicephalus pravus (1.51%). A total of 74/131 (56.48%; 95% CI: 47.93-64.67%) cattle were positive for hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. by real-time PCR (qPCR) based on the 16S rRNA gene. Hemoplasma-positive samples were later subjected to species-specific PCR assays for Mycoplasma wenyonii and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematobovis' based on the 16S rRNA gene. A total of 34/74 (45.94%; 95% CI: 35.07-57.22%) animals were coinfected by both species; 31/74 (41.89%; 95% CI: 31.32-53.26%) and 3/74 (4.05%; 95% CI: 01.39-11.25%) cattle were solely positive to M. wenyonii and 'Ca. M. haematobovis', respectively. Six out of 74 (8.1%; 95% CI: 03.77-16.58%) cattle were negative on species-specific conventional PCR assays but tested positive by a semi-nested PCR assay based on the 16S rRNA gene of hemoplasmas. Sequencing of the detected hemotropic Mycoplasma sp. 16S rRNA gene confirmed that animals were infected by M. wenyonii and 'Ca. M. haematobovis'. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the detection of hemoplasmas in cattle from Somalia.