- Anaplasma, Infectious Diseases, Evolutionary genetics, Molecular Evolution, Tuberculosis and Infectious Disease, Antibiotic Resistance, and 18 moreBiotechnology, Antimicrobial drug resistance, Staphylococcus Pseudintermedius, Bacteriology, Tunisia, Horses, Clinical Bacteriology, Staphylococcus aureus, Cytology, Dairy cows, Rhodococcus Equi, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Immunology, Epidemiology, Veterinary Medicine, and Infectious disease epidemiologyedit
We conducted a 5-month-long screening of Anaplasma spp. and Anaplasma ovis infection in sheep from central Tunisia. During this longitudinal study, we investigated the infection dynamics using both direct and indirect assessments... more
We conducted a 5-month-long screening of Anaplasma spp. and Anaplasma ovis infection in sheep from central Tunisia. During this longitudinal study, we investigated the infection dynamics using both direct and indirect assessments validated with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the gold standard method. The experimental design included 84 male lambs aged from 6 to 8 months, and 32 ewes, both chosen randomly from June to November with a periodicity of 2 weeks approximately between June and September, and 1 month between September and November. A total of 9 field visits were carried out in this period during which animals were clinically examined and biological samples were extracted. Thus, a total of 716 blood smears, 698 sera from the nine sampling dates, as well as 220 blood samples from the first and the ninth sampling dates were collected from apparently healthy lambs and ewes, respectively, and analyzed by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) and polymerase ...
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Multidrug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae has become a major concern worldwide that is increasingly observed in human, animals, and also cockroaches. In our study, we found that cockroaches may play an important role as a potential... more
Multidrug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae has become a major concern worldwide that is increasingly observed in human, animals, and also cockroaches. In our study, we found that cockroaches may play an important role as a potential vector of multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in the hospital environment and collective catering.
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We found serologic evidence for the circulation of Mid-dle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus among drome-
Coagulase positive Staphylococcus species are important opportunistic pathogens in most animals which could be considered as a potential source of infection and dissemination to the environment. Prevalence studies and accurate... more
Coagulase positive Staphylococcus species are important opportunistic pathogens in most animals which could be considered as a potential source of infection and dissemination to the environment. Prevalence studies and accurate identification of Coagulase Positive Staphylococcus species are essential in veterinary microbiology. A total of 153 healthy goats from North and North West of Tunisia were screened for coagulase positive Staphylococcus species nasal and rectal carriage. Bacteriological tests were performed. Staphylococcus spp. was detected in 120 of 153 studied goats (77.4%) and an overall prevalence of 22.2% of coagulase positive Staphylococcus species isolates was observed. This study showed the identification of S. aureus and S. pseudintermedius in 25 and 7 strains, respectively.
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Rift Valley fever (RVF) has been reported in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, Egypt and Arabian Peninsula - Yemen and Saudi Arabia, over the past 20 years and is a threat to both the animal and human populations in Tunisia. Tunisia is... more
Rift Valley fever (RVF) has been reported in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, Egypt and Arabian Peninsula - Yemen and Saudi Arabia, over the past 20 years and is a threat to both the animal and human populations in Tunisia. Tunisia is considered as a high-risk country for the introduction of RVF due to the informal movements of diseased animals already reported in the neighboring countries. The objective of this study was to assess the status of RVF in small ruminants and camels in Tunisia. A risk-based serological survey was conducted to evaluate the presence of RVF based on spatial qualitative risk analysis (SQRA). Samples were collected from small ruminants (sheep and goats) (n = 1,114), and camels (n = 173) samples, belonging to 18 breeders in 14 governorates between November 2017 and January 2018. Samples were tested using an RVF specific multispecies competitive ELISA. Out of the 1,287 samples tested for the presence of RVF IgG antibodies by ELISA, only one positive sample 0.07% (1/1 287) was detected but not confirmed with the virus neutralization test (VNT) used for confirmation. So far, no RVF outbreaks have been reported in Tunisia and our study confirmed the absence of RVF in livestock up to January 2018. Further investigations are needed to confirm the RVF-free status of Tunisia today.
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OBJECTIVES Resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones and colistin are under constant scrutiny in food-producing animals worldwide. However, little is known about camels, which provide milk and meat for human... more
OBJECTIVES Resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones and colistin are under constant scrutiny in food-producing animals worldwide. However, little is known about camels, which provide milk and meat for human consumption, and attraction for riding tourists in arid regions. Thus, was assessed the role of camels as potential reservoirs of these resistance determinants. METHODS From April 2016 to July 2018, fecal swabs were collected from 232 camels in Tunisia. Enterobacteriaceae were detected on MacConkey agar and ESBL-producers on the same medium supplemented with cefotaxime. Antimicrobial resistance was assessed by disc diffusion and ESBL-producing isolates were further characterized by phylogrouping (for E. coli) and MLST typing. Genetic supports of the blaESBL and mcr-1 genes were identified by plasmid-typing and Southern blot. RESULTS Escherichia coli were identified in 70.3% (163/232) and Klebsiella pneumoniae in 6.9% (16/232) of the dominant flora. Three E. coli and one K. pneumoniae (respectively 1.3% and 0.4%) were found on cefotaxime-enriched media. One K. pneumoniae and one E. coli from a touristic farm harbored the blaCTX-M-15 gene on an IncY plasmid, while the two E. coli from the butchery sector displayed the blaCTX-M-15 gene on an IncI1 plasmid and the co-localization of the blaCTX-M-1 and mcr-1 genes on an IncHI2 plasmid. CONCLUSIONS This study reports ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Tunisian camels from both touristic and meat-producing sectors. This is also the first description of the mcr-1 gene in a meat-producing camel. Though not alarming, this context needs specific attention to avoid that camels become a bigger reservoir of multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.
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Les résultats d’une enquête épidémiologique et clinique, et d’examen bactériologique relative à la maladie des abcès chez le dromadaire dans la région de Nefzaoua (sud-ouest de la Tunisie) sont présentés. L’étude épidémiologique a... more
Les résultats d’une enquête épidémiologique et clinique, et d’examen bactériologique relative à la maladie des abcès chez le dromadaire dans la région de Nefzaoua (sud-ouest de la Tunisie) sont présentés. L’étude épidémiologique a concerné 33 élevages en extensif ainsi que des dromadaires exploités dans le secteur touristique. Les études clinique et bactériologique ont porté sur 38 animaux issus de ces élevages. Cliniquement, la maladie n’a pas affecté l’état général de l’animal et a souvent touché les noeuds lymphatiques cervicaux inférieurs et préscapulaires en un nombre d’un ou deux abcès par animal atteint. La forme interne de la maladie n’a pas été observée sur les soixante-douze carcasses abattues dans l’abattoir de la région. La morbidité de la maladie dans la région a été de 9 p. 100. Cette maladie a souvent touché les jeunes dont l’âge était inférieur à un an. Les facteurs favorisants les plus incriminés dans l’apparition de la maladie ont été : le tatouage, le regroupement...
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A survey of Anaplasma species in small ruminants is still lacking in North African countries. In this study, the presence of A. phagocytophilum, A. phagocytophilum-related species, and A. ovis was investigated in a total of 563 healthy... more
A survey of Anaplasma species in small ruminants is still lacking in North African countries. In this study, the presence of A. phagocytophilum, A. phagocytophilum-related species, and A. ovis was investigated in a total of 563 healthy small ruminants (303 goats and 260 sheep), from 25 randomly selected flocks sampled in Tunisia. Anaplasma spp. and A. ovis overall infection rates were 95.0% and 93.8% in sheep and 69.6% and 65.3% in goats, respectively. A. phagocytophilum was not detected in any of tested animals. A total of 20 sheep (7.7%) and 144 goats (47.5%) were infected by Anaplasma strains genetically related to A. phagocytophilum. Both in sheep and goats A. ovis prevalence was higher in adults (≥2 years) than in young (<2 years) subjects (p = 0.001 and 0.002 for goats and sheep, respectively). In sheep, A. ovis prevalence was higher in ewes with respect to rams (p = 0.010). The A. ovis infection rate was significantly lower in goats of the local breed (p = 0.049) and it wa...
Research Interests: Veterinary Medicine, Biology, Medicine, Phylogeny, Sheep, and 15 moreFemale, Animals, Male, Goats, Prevalence, Anaplasma, Genotype, Public health systems and services research, SHEEP DISEASES, Anaplasmosis, Breed, Base Sequence, Anaplasma Phagocytophilum, Molecular Sequence Data, and Surveys and Questionnaires
To date, no information is available regarding the presence of Anaplasma bovis in the South Mediterranean area. In this study, prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of A. bovis were assessed in small ruminants. A total of 563... more
To date, no information is available regarding the presence of Anaplasma bovis in the South Mediterranean area. In this study, prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of A. bovis were assessed in small ruminants. A total of 563 healthy small ruminants (260 sheep and 303 goats), from 25 randomly selected flocks located in 5 localities from two bioclimatic areas in Tunisia, were investigated for the detection of A. bovis in blood by nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) assay. The overall infection rates of A. bovis were 42.7 and 23.8% in sheep and goats, respectively. Goats located in a sub-humid area were statistically more infected than those located in a humid area. A. bovis prevalence rate varied significantly according to sheep and goat flocks, and to the sheep breed. Infection with A. bovis was validated by sequencing. Sequence analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene showed that A. bovis from Tunisian goats and sheep clustered with other strain sequences detected from wild and domestic animals and published in GenBank. This study gives the first insight of presence of A. bovis DNA in small ruminants in Tunisia and suggests that these animal species may be playing an important role in the bovine anaplasmosis natural cycle caused by A. bovis in the South Mediterranean ecosystem.
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A field survey was undertaken, to determine epidemiological, clinical and biological data on Ovine Caseous Lymphadenitis disease in 54 flocks originated from Sfax area in Tunisia. The mean morbidity rate of the cutaneous form was 5.1%.... more
A field survey was undertaken, to determine epidemiological, clinical and biological data on Ovine Caseous Lymphadenitis disease in 54 flocks originated from Sfax area in Tunisia. The mean morbidity rate of the cutaneous form was 5.1%. This form affected sheep over 3 months and under 2 years old. On the other hand, the mean morbidity rate of the visceral form, encountered in abattoirs, was 11.02%. The clinical aspect of the superficial (or cutaneous) form was often corresponding to one abscess, located particularly in the lymphatic nodes of the animal's head; while visceral (or internal) form of the disease was represented by the presence of a unique abscess found in the pulmonary lymphatic nodes. The macroscopic aspect of lesions showed that the size of abscess was comprised between 4 and 10 cm in diameter. At the cut, colour of the pus was white yellowish to yellow greyish with a fluid or a thick aspect like onion peels; pus was microscopic. Lesions were characterised by a fib...
Research Interests: Medicine, Tunisia, Sheep, Female, Animals, and 14 moreMale, Staphylococcus aureus, Prevalence, Gynecology, Morbidity, SHEEP DISEASES, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Abscess, Klebsiella Oxytoca, Lymphadenitis, Corynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis, Suppuration, Population surveillance, and Streptococcal infections
The authors present in this paper a review on a major problem which is less evoked in Tunisia and concerns the use of antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine for reared animals for human consumption. Antibiotics are often mis used; this is... more
The authors present in this paper a review on a major problem which is less evoked in Tunisia and concerns the use of antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine for reared animals for human consumption. Antibiotics are often mis used; this is true for the practitioner as well as for the breeder. The rules of antibiotic associations and their related problems are also discussed. Specific recommendations to Tunisian users are suggested; the pharmaceutical industry, the veterinarian and the breeder. Each from its side must contribute to the preservation of this valuable therapeutic tool.
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The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 343 well maintained horses belonging to 11 horse stables located in northern Tunisia with indirect immunofluorescence test. Overall, 16.3%... more
The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 343 well maintained horses belonging to 11 horse stables located in northern Tunisia with indirect immunofluorescence test. Overall, 16.3% (56/343) of tested animals were positive. Anti-A. phagocytophilum antibodies were present in horses located in all studied governorates except the governorate of Ben Arous. Nine horse stables out of 11 contained positive animals, the seroprevalence of each one varied from nought to 50%. Seroprevalence varied according to gender, breed and type of activity, contrary to age. Seroprevalence was higher in females than males (21.4 and 9.5% respectively). Similarly, seropositive animals belonging to the English thoroughbred breed was significantly higher (30.2%) than other breeds. According to the utilization of horses, the highest positivity rate (21.1%) was observed in brood mares. Our results demonstrate that A. phagocytophilum infection is widespread in...
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Research Interests: Geography, Africa, Medical Microbiology, Medicine, Medical Geography, and 15 moreEmerging Infectious Diseases, Serology, Humans, Animals, Camels, Clinical Sciences, Public health systems and services research, Animal Diseases, Pandemic, Coronavirus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Serotyping, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, peninsula, and Coronavirus infections
Few data are available about the presence and distribution of Anaplasma species in cattle in North African countries. In this study prevalence, co-infections, risk factors and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were evaluated in... more
Few data are available about the presence and distribution of Anaplasma species in cattle in North African countries. In this study prevalence, co-infections, risk factors and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were evaluated in bovines from Northern Tunisia. A total of 232 cattle from 36 randomly selected farms in three Tunisian localities were investigated for the presence of Anaplasma species in blood by Real-time PCR and/or nested PCR. Overall infection rates of Anaplasma spp., A. marginale, A. centrale and A. bovis were 34.9, 25.4, 15.1, and 3.9%, respectively. A. phagocytophilum was not detected in cattle. The most common co-infection pattern was an association of A. marginale and A. centrale (11.2%). Five cattle (2.1%) all reared in the sub-humid bioclimatic area, were co-infected by the three Anaplasma species. Molecular prevalence of Anaplasma infection varied significantly according to locality, bioclimatic area, tick infestation and type of breeding. Animals of the Ho...
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Tick-borne rickettsioses present a significant public health threat among emerging tick-borne diseases. In Tunisia, little is known about tick-borne Rickettsia pathogens. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of... more
Tick-borne rickettsioses present a significant public health threat among emerging tick-borne diseases. In Tunisia, little is known about tick-borne Rickettsia pathogens. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Rickettsia species in small ruminant ticks from Tunisia. Adult ticks (n = 694) were collected from goats and sheep in northern Tunisia. Obtained ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus turanicus (n = 434) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (n = 260). Selected ticks (n = 666) were screened for the presence of Rickettsia spp. by PCR targeting a partial sequence of the ompB gene followed by sequence analysis. Rickettsial DNA was detected in 122 (18.3%) tested tick samples. The infection rates in Rh. turanicus and Rh. sanguineus s.l. ticks were 23.4 and 9.5%, respectively. The overall prevalence of rickettsial DNA was markedly higher in ticks collected from goats (23.2%) compared to those infesting sheep (7.9%). The detection of rickettsial DNA was...
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Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) causes high mortality and morbidity in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In Africa, the presence of the causative agent, the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), was first confirmed in 1992... more
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) causes high mortality and morbidity in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In Africa, the presence of the causative agent, the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), was first confirmed in 1992 (genotype Lagovirus europaeus/GI.1). In 2015, the new genotype Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 (RHDV2/b) was detected in Tunisia. Currently, GI.2 strains are present in several North and Sub-Saharan African countries. Considerable economic losses have been observed in industrial and traditional African rabbitries due to RHDV. Like other RNA viruses, this virus presents high recombination rates, with the emergence of GI.2 being associated with a recombinant strain. Recombination events have been detected with both pathogenic (GI.1b and GII.1) and benign (GI.3 and GI.4) strains. We obtained complete genome sequences of Tunisian GI.2 strains collected between 2018 and 2020 and carried out phylogenetic analyses. The results revealed that Tunisian strains are GI.3...
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Introduction: Little information is currently available regarding the presence of Anaplasma species in North African dromedaries. To fill this gap in knowledge, the prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were... more
Introduction: Little information is currently available regarding the presence of Anaplasma species in North African dromedaries. To fill this gap in knowledge, the prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were investigated in Tunisian dromedary camels. Methodology: A total of 226 camels from three different bioclimatic areas were sampled and tested for the presence of Anaplasma species by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) assays. Detected Anaplasma strains were characterized by 16S rRNA sequence analysis.
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Bovine anaplasmosis caused by Anaplasma marginale is a disease responsible for serious animal health problems and great economic losses all over the world. Thereby, the identification of A. marginale isolates from various bioclimatic... more
Bovine anaplasmosis caused by Anaplasma marginale is a disease responsible for serious animal health problems and great economic losses all over the world. Thereby, the identification of A. marginale isolates from various bioclimatic areas in each country, the phylogeographic analysis of these isolates based on the most informative markers, and the evaluation of the most promising candidate antigens are crucial steps in developing effective vaccines against a wide range of A. marginale strains. In order to contribute to this challenge, a total of 791 bovine samples from various bioclimatic areas of Tunisia were tested for the occurrence of A. marginale DNA through msp4 gene fragment amplification. Phylogeographic analysis was performed by using lipA and sucB gene analyses, and the genetic relationship with previously characterized A. marginale isolates and strains was analyzed by applying similarity comparison and phylogenetic analysis. To evaluate the conservation of OmpA protein v...
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A total of 318 nasal and rectal swabs were collected from 159 apparently healthy camels (Camelus dromedarius) randomly selected from five regions in southern and central Tunisia and screened for Staphylococcus aureus carriage.... more
A total of 318 nasal and rectal swabs were collected from 159 apparently healthy camels (Camelus dromedarius) randomly selected from five regions in southern and central Tunisia and screened for Staphylococcus aureus carriage. Staphylococcus spp. were recovered from 152 of 159 camels studied (95.6%) and in total 258 swabs (81%) were positive. Among these isolates, 16 were coagulase positive Staphylococcus (CoPS) (6.2%) and were characterized by biochemical and molecular tests as S. aureus. These were isolated from 14 camels (8.8%) with co-carriage in nasal and rectal mucosa by two camels. All S. aureus isolates recovered were methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and were characterized by spa typing and PFGE. Three different spa types were recovered: t729, t4013 and a spa type newly registered as t19687, which was the most common. PFGE analysis revealed seven different patterns and these were characterized by MLST, which revealed five different sequence types (ST6, ST...
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Introduction: Salmonella enterica infections are a significant public health concern worldwide, being Salmonella Typhimurium one of the most prevalent serovars. Human salmonellosis is typically associated with the consumption of... more
Introduction: Salmonella enterica infections are a significant public health concern worldwide, being Salmonella Typhimurium one of the most prevalent serovars. Human salmonellosis is typically associated with the consumption of contaminated foods, such as poultry, eggs and processed meat. The extensive use of antimicrobials in humans and animals has led to an increase in multidrug resistance among Salmonella strains, becoming multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains a major public health concern. Methodology: This study was designed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility and the genotypic diversity of Salmonella Typhimurium strains isolated in Tunisia from human and poultry sources from 2009 to 2015. Fortyfive strains were analyzed by disk-diffusion test to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility. The presence of antimicrobial resistance genes was tested by PCR, and genotyping was performed using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeats analysis (MLVA). Results: About 50%...
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Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a zoonotic disease responsible of abortion in ruminants. Few studies have investigated the prevalence of this infection in camels (Camelus dromedarius). The present report aimed to highlight the... more
Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a zoonotic disease responsible of abortion in ruminants. Few studies have investigated the prevalence of this infection in camels (Camelus dromedarius). The present report aimed to highlight the epidemiological status and identify the risk factors associated with C. burnetii infection in one-humped dromedary that is the most productive livestock species in arid areas. A total of 534 sera of healthy camels were collected in eight governorates from southern and central Tunisia. Samples were tested by an indirect Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results were analyzed using the Chi-square test and logistic regression. Overall, 237 camels (44%, 95%CI: 0.40-0.49) were seropositive to C. burnetii. Statistical analysis pointed out four potential risk factors associated with infection. A meaningful high seropositivity was observed in female camels with a previous history of abortion (70%) (OR = 4.186, 95%CI: 2.05-8.51). Seroprevalence was hi...
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The genus Anaplasma belonging to the Anaplasmataceae family (order Rickettsiales) comprises obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria of veterinary and public health importance. Six species and five types of strains genetically... more
The genus Anaplasma belonging to the Anaplasmataceae family (order Rickettsiales) comprises obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria of veterinary and public health importance. Six species and five types of strains genetically related are currently assigned to the genus Anaplasma including Anaplasma marginale, A. centrale, A. bovis, A. phagocytophilum, A. ovis and A. platys as classified species, and "A. capra", A. odocolei sp. nov., A. phagocytophilum-like 1 (Anaplasma sp.-Japan), A. phagocytophilum-like 2 (Anaplasma sp.-China) and A. platys-like (also named Candidatus Anaplasma camelii) as unclassified strains. Most of these Anaplasma species and strains have been molecularly identified in several animal and/or tick species in the north of Africa. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge about molecular epidemiology, associated risk factors and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species and related strains infecting animals and/or their incriminated ...
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Bovine mastitis is a major disease in dairy cattle that causes high economic losses annually. Staphylococci, streptococci, and coliforms are among the major pathogens responsible for such infections. While data on bovine mastitis are... more
Bovine mastitis is a major disease in dairy cattle that causes high economic losses annually. Staphylococci, streptococci, and coliforms are among the major pathogens responsible for such infections. While data on bovine mastitis are numerous in Europe where the efficacy of farm management was monitored, those are scarce in African countries. In this study, we reported the occurrence of Escherichia coli (118/372, 31.7%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (77/372, 20.7%), two environmental pathogens known to cause bovine mastitis. Resistance phenotypes were frequently identified for tetracycline (E. coli, 46.6%/K. pneumoniae, 20.8%), sulfonamides-trimethoprim (17.8%/11.7%), gentamicin (19.5%/14.3%), and enrofloxacin (11.0%/6.5%). No carbapenem-resistant isolate was detected. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) were detected on selective medium in three E. coli and six K. pneumoniae, all carrying the bla gene. The K. pneumoniae belonged to two highly uncommon sequence types (ST471 and ST...
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Research Interests: Genetics, Molecular Epidemiology, Tunisia, Sheep, Animals, and 5 moreGoats, Anaplasma, SHEEP DISEASES, Anaplasmosis, and Seasons
This study focused on 77 isolates of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis collected during 2009 to 2013 from healthy and sick chickens and environmental farm samples in Tunisia. Resistance to 14 antimicrobials and the encoding genes... more
This study focused on 77 isolates of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis collected during 2009 to 2013 from healthy and sick chickens and environmental farm samples in Tunisia. Resistance to 14 antimicrobials and the encoding genes were analyzed. 66, 26, 6.5, 3.9 and 1.3% were pan-susceptible or showed resistance to nalidixic acid (Asp87 to Tyr and Asp87 to Asn substitutions in GyrA), ampicillin (blaTEM-1-like and blaSHV), sulfonamides (sul1and sul3) and streptomycin (strB), respectively. A single isolate with intermediate susceptibility to ciprofloxacin was positive for qnrB, whereas qnrA, qnrS or aac(6')-Ib-cr were not detected. The virulotype of the isolates was established by testing ten virulence genes. The orgA, ssaQ, mgtC, siiD, sopB genes, located on Salmonella pathogenicity islands, and spvC of the serotype-specific virulence plasmid, were common to all isolates. In contrast, the prophage-associated sopE-1, sodC1 and gipA genes and the fimbrial bcfC gene were varia...
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Accurate diagnosis of animal and zoonotic diseases, such as granulocytic anaplasmosis, is crucial to estimate risk during control programs. In this study, 16S rRNA nested PCR and RFLP assay were combined to investigate the presence of... more
Accurate diagnosis of animal and zoonotic diseases, such as granulocytic anaplasmosis, is crucial to estimate risk during control programs. In this study, 16S rRNA nested PCR and RFLP assay were combined to investigate the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and genetically related strains (namely A. phagocytophilum-like 1 and 2) in 936 Tunisian ruminants. By using this method, A. phagocytophilum was not detected in any of the tested animals, while A. phagocytophilum-like 1 and A. phagocytophilum-like 2 were detected at variable prevalence rates in sheep, goats and cattle at coinfection rates respectively of 3.9, 2.5 and 0.5%. Sequence analysis validated RFLP data, and confirmed the co-occurrence of two potentially novel species closely related to A. phagocytophilum in Tunisian ruminants. Phylogeny indicated the presence of genetic variants shared by different ruminant species for each type of A. phagocytophilum-like strains. Results raise concern on the use and interpretation of ...
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Introduction: Little information is currently available regarding the presence of Anaplasma species in North African dromedaries. To fill this gap in knowledge, the prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were... more
Introduction: Little information is currently available regarding the presence of Anaplasma species in North African dromedaries. To fill this gap in knowledge, the prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were investigated in Tunisian dromedary camels. Methodology: A total of 226 camels from three different bioclimatic areas were sampled and tested for the presence of Anaplasma species by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) assays. Detected Anaplasma strains were characterized by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Results: Overall infection rate of Anaplasma spp. was 17.7%, and was significantly higher in females. Notably, A. marginale, A. centrale, A. bovis, and A. phagocytophilum were not detected. Animals were severely infested by three tick species belonging to the genus Hyalomma (H. dromedarii, H. impeltatum, and H. excavatum). Alignment, similarity comparison, and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA ...