Molecular and MALDI-TOF MS characterisation of Hyalomma aegyptium ticks collected from turtles and their associated microorganisms in Algeria

Molecular and MALDI-TOF MS characterisation of Hyalomma aegyptium ticks collected from turtles and their associated microorganisms in Algeria Benyahia H. auteur aut IRD Diarra Adama Zan auteur aut IRD Gherissi D. E. auteur aut IRD Berenger J. M. auteur aut IRD Benakhla A. auteur aut IRD Parola P. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access The identification of ticks and their associated pathogens is important for knowledge on tick-borne diseases. The objective of this study was to use morphological, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and/or molecular biology tools to identify ticks collected from turtles in northeastern Algeria, as well as to investigate the microorganisms associated with these ticks. A total of 471 adult ticks were collected and identified morphologically as Hyalomma aegyptium, of which 248 (52.7%) were female and 223 (47.3%) were male. amongst them, 230 specimens were randomly selected for molecular and MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Molecular biology confirmed that our ticks were Hy. aegyptium. MALDI-TOF MS analysis revealed that 100% of the spectra were of excellent quality. Four spectra were selected to update our own database MALDI-TOF MS arthropod. The blind test of the 226 remaining spectra showed that all ticks were correctly identified, with scores ranging from 1.774 to 2.655 with a mean of 2.271 +/- 0.16 of which, 223 (98.6%) had log score value (LSV)>1.8. Molecular biology screening showed that the ticks carried the DNA of Borrelia turcica, Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae and with the Anaplasmataceae were close to a potentially new, undescribed Ehrlichia sp. This study confirms that MALDI-TOF MS is a reliable tool for the identification of ticks and that ticks collected from turtles in Algeria are carriers of several species of microorganisms which may be responsible for diseases in humans and animals. specialized Hyalomma aegyptium MALDI-TOF MS Molecular biology Microorganisms Algeria ALGERIE 052 080 Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases 13 1 101858 [10 p.] 2022 1877-959X https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010085167 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101858 1877-959X [F B010085167] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010085167 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2022-07/010085167.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2022-07-01 2022-07-01 fdi:010085167 fre