Molecular Identification of Piroplasmids in Ticks from Infested Small Ruminants in Konya Province, Turkey

Ticks play a pivotal role in propagating a diverse spectrum of infectious agents that detrimentally affect the health of both humans and animals. In the present study, a molecular survey was executed of piroplasmids in ticks collected from small ruminants in four districts within Konya province, Turkey. Microscopic examination identified 1281 adult ticks, which were categorized into 357 pools based on their species, sexes, host animals, and collection site before DNA extraction. The infection rates were calculated by using a maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Hyalomma detritum, H. excavatum, Rhipicephalus bursa, R. sanguineus, and R. turanicus were identified in this study. Among the five tick species identified here, R. turanicus exhibited the highest infestation rate in both goats and sheep. The presence of Babesia ovis and Theileria ovis based on 18S rRNA was confirmed using molecular assay. The overall MLE of infection rates for B. ovis and T. ovis was 2.49% (CI 1.72-3.46) and 1.46% (CI 0.87-2.23), respectively. The MLE of B. ovis and T. ovis infection rates in R. bursa was 10.80% (CI 7.43-14.90) and 0.33% (CI 0.02-1.42), respectively, while that in R. turanicus was 0.12% (CI 0.01-0.51) and 2.08% (CI 1.25-3.22). This study further confirms that R. turanicus and R. sanguineus can act as vectors for B. ovis, thus advancing our comprehension of tick-borne piroplasmids epidemiology and providing valuable insights for the development of effective control strategies for ticks and tick-borne diseases in Turkey.