| Bacterial community of Hyalomma anatolicum ticks, a platform for paratransgenesis approach against CCHF |
| Paper ID : 1023-IPCA4 (R2) |
| Authors |
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Nayyereh Choubdar *1, Mohammad Ali Oshaghi2, Fateh Karimian1, Mona Koosha2 1Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an emerging/re-emerging zoonotic viral disease that is transmitted by the bite of infected hard ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae). Hyalomma (Hyalomma) anatolicum is the most important vector in the transmission of CCHF virus in Iran. Paratransgenesis approach is a new integrated pest management technique for the control of the microbial disease agents where symbiotic bacteria are genetically modified and reintroduced in vectors, where they express effector molecules against the pathogen or interfering with the vector’s fitness parameters such as reproduction and competence. However, less attention has been given to the microbial composition associated with the digestive tract of ticks. This study was designed to define the microbial composition of H. anatolicum collected on livestock from Sistan & Baluchistan, the most CCHF endemic region of Iran. The midgut of field-collected adult and immature ticks as well as their host (sheep/goat/cattle/camel) skin was screened for bacterial strains using cultural dependent method followed by PCR-direct sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. In total, nine bacterial belonging to two genera Bacillus and Enterococcus were identified in the midgut of H. anatolicum. The consensus sequence data were submitted to GenBank database with accession numbers MN399907, MN399911, MN399915, MN399916, MN399917, MN399925- MN399926, MN399929 and MN399930. The cultivable bacterium Bacillus subtilis was found in the alimentary channel of all the analysed specimens including males, females, and larval ticks and their host’s skin. These results suggest that B. subtilis could be a potential paratransgenic candidate for tick control intervention. |
| Keywords |
| Hyalomma anatolicum, microbiome, Culture dependent, Paratransgenesis, CCHFV, Iran |
| Status: Abstract Accepted |