Bartonella species in dromedaries and ruminants from Lower Shabelle and Benadir regions, Somalia.

BACKGROUND: Bartonellosis, caused by bacteria of the genus Bartonella, is a zoonotic disease with several mammalian reservoir hosts. In Somalia, a country heavily reliant on livestock, zoonotic diseases pose significant public health and economic challenges. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been performed aiming to verify the occurrence of Bartonella spp. in Somalia. This study investigated the occurrence and molecular characterization of Bartonella in dromedary (Camelus dromedarius, Linnaeus, 1758), cattle, sheep, and goats from Somalia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 530 blood samples were collected from various animals (155 dromedary, 199 goat, 131 cattle, and 45 sheep) in Benadir and Lower Shabelle regions. DNA was extracted for molecular analysis, and a qPCR assay targeting the NADH dehydrogenase gamma subunit (nuoG) gene was used for Bartonella screening. Positive samples were also subjected to PCR assays targeting seven molecular markers including: nuoG, citrate synthase gene (gltA), RNA polymerase beta-subunit gene (rpoB), riboflavin synthase gene (ribC), 60 kDa heat-shock protein gene (groEL), cell division protein gene (ftsZ), and pap31 and qPCR targeting the 16-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) followed by Sanger sequencing, BLASTn and phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Out of 530 tested animals, 5.1% were positive for Bartonella spp. by the nuoG qPCR assay. Goats showed the highest Bartonella occurrence (17/199, 8.5%), followed by sheep (6/44, 6.8%), cattle (4/131, 3.1%), and dromedary (1/155, 1.9%). Goats, sheep, and cattle had higher odds of infection compared to dromedary. Among nuoG qPCR-positive samples, 11.1%, 14.8%, 11.1%, and 25.9% were positive in PCR assays based on nuoG, gltA, and pap31 genes, and in the qPCR based on the ITS region, respectively. On the other hand, nuoG qPCR-positive samples were negative in the PCR assays targeting the ribC, rpoB, ftsZ, and groEL genes. While Bartonella bovis sequences were detected in cattle (nuoG and ITS) and goats (gltA), Bartonella henselae ITS sequences were detected in dromedary, goat, and sheep. Phylogenetic analysis placed gltA Bartonella sequence from a goat in the same clade of B. bovis. CONCLUSION: The present study showed, for the first time, molecular evidence of Bartonella spp. in dromedary and ruminants from Somalia and B. henselae in sheep and goats globally. These findings contribute valuable insights into Bartonella spp. occurrence in Somali livestock, highlighting the need for comprehensive surveillance and control measures under the One Health approach.

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.

Prevalence of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii and Anti-Brucella Spp. Antibodies in Pregnant Women From Mogadishu, Somalia.

Toxoplasmosis and brucellosis are zoonotic diseases of worldwide distribution. They both cause abortion and infertility in human and animals. Limited data are available about these pathogens in Somali people and their animals. Hence, this study has evaluated the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Brucella spp. antibodies in pregnant women in Mogadishu, Somalia. Serum samples from 307 pregnant women from Mogadishu, Somalia were tested for anti-T. gondii antibodies by Latex Agglutination Test (LAT) and anti-Brucella spp. antibodies by Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and a commercial competitive-ELISA (cELISA). A total of 119/307 (38.76%) pregnant women had a prior history of abortion. A total of 159/307 (51.79%; 95% CI: 46.2-57.35%) pregnant women were seroreactive for T. gondii by LAT at different stages of pregnancy. For Brucella spp., when RBPT and cELISA were combined 4/307 (1.30%; 95% CI: 0.36-3.30%) pregnant women were seroreactive to anti-Brucella spp. antibodies, being 2/307 (0.65%; 95% CI: 0.18-2.34%) by RBPT and 3/307 (0.98%; 95% CI: 0.33-2.83%) by cELISA. Two women were seroreactive for both agents. A high seropositivity to T. gondii and low seropositivity to Brucella spp. have been found in pregnant women from Mogadishu, Somalia. Considering the high number of abortions in the country associated to the fact that awareness on other zoonotic abortifacient pathogens in Somalis is very low, further studies should be conducted to evaluate the potential causes of abortions.

Coprological observations in fowl (Gallus gallus L ., 1758) naturally infested, in the region of Campo FJorido, Minas Gerais, Brazil / Investigação copro-parasitológica em aves (Gallus gallus L., 1758), naturalmente infestadas, na região de Campo Florido, Minas Gerais, Brasil

A parasitological study at Campo FJorido in the State of Mitias Gerais using naturally infested chickens was performed. These were classified in three classes: cliiks, cockerels and adult chickens. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: The adult birds showed 31.8% of negative fecal examinations fo r parasiteswhile only 3.2% of the samples from chicks were negative for endoparasites. The percentages of infestations by Syngamus, Spirurida and Ascaridiaor Heterakis were larger in chicks than in adult chickens. On the other hand the percentage of parasitism by Capillaria, Strongyloides and Fimehandamong chicks and adult chickens were almost uniform.

Numa investigação parasitológica realizada em Campo Florido, no Estado de Minas Gerais em aves naturalmente infestadas e classificadas em 3 categorias etárias (pintos, frangos ou aves adultas), constatou-se que: as aves adultas apresentaram 31,8% de exames copro-arasitológicos negativos enquanto que apenas 3,2% das amstras de fezes provenientes de pintos eram negativas para endoparasitas; os percentuais de infestação por Syngamus, Spirurida e Ascaridia ou Heterakis foram maiores nos pintos que nas aves adultas porém no parasitismo por Capillaria, Strongyloides e Eimeria as respectivas diferenças nos percentuais de infestação entre pintos e aves adultas foram menos conspícuas.

Coprological observations in fowl (Gallus gallus L ., 1758) naturally infested, in the region of Campo FJorido, Minas Gerais, Brazil / Investigação copro-parasitológica em aves (Gallus gallus L., 1758), naturalmente infestadas, na região de Campo Florido, Minas Gerais, Brasil

A parasitological study at Campo FJorido in the State of Mitias Gerais using naturally infested chickens was performed. These were classified in three classes: cliiks, cockerels and adult chickens. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: The adult birds showed 31.8% of negative fecal examinations fo r parasiteswhile only 3.2% of the samples from chicks were negative for endoparasites. The percentages of infestations by Syngamus, Spirurida and Ascaridiaor Heterakis were larger in chicks than in adult chickens. On the other hand the percentage of parasitism by Capillaria, Strongyloides and Fimehandamong chicks and adult chickens were almost uniform.

Numa investigação parasitológica realizada em Campo Florido, no Estado de Minas Gerais em aves naturalmente infestadas e classificadas em 3 categorias etárias (pintos, frangos ou aves adultas), constatou-se que: as aves adultas apresentaram 31,8% de exames copro-arasitológicos negativos enquanto que apenas 3,2% das amstras de fezes provenientes de pintos eram negativas para endoparasitas; os percentuais de infestação por Syngamus, Spirurida e Ascaridia ou Heterakis foram maiores nos pintos que nas aves adultas porém no parasitismo por Capillaria, Strongyloides e Eimeria as respectivas diferenças nos percentuais de infestação entre pintos e aves adultas foram menos conspícuas.