Study on Tick Infestations and Borrelia spp. Detection in Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Infested on Tortoises

Abstract

Hard-bodied ticks of the genus Amblyomma that parasitize reptiles are potential vectors of zoonoses. This study aimed to describe tick infestations and detect Borrelia spp. infections in ticks found on tortoises. One hundred six tortoise hosts were examined at selected locations in Indonesia. DNA extraction and Borrelia spp. detection were carried out by conventional PCR. In this study, nineteen hard-bodied ticks were collected from one Chelonoidis carbonarius, one Chelonoidis denticulatus, and six Geochelone sulcata. All collected ticks were identified as Amblyomma sparsum. The prevalence of A. sparsum on tortoises was 7.55%. Borrelia spp. were detected in several of the A. sparsum infested on tortoises. Sequencing revealed two separate reptile-associated (REP) Borrelia strains.

Caplak keras dari genus Amblyomma yang menjadi parasit pada reptil berpotensi menjadi vektor zoonosis. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsi infestasi caplak dan mendeteksi infeksi Borrelia spp. pada caplak yang ditemukan pada kura-kura darat. Seratus enam inang kura-kura darat diperiksa di beberapa tempat di Indonesia. Ekstraksi DNA dan deteksi Borrelia spp. dilakukan menggunakan metode PCR konvensional. Hasil penelitian diperoleh sembilan belas caplak keras yang dikoleksi dari seekor kura-kura darat jenis Chelonoidis carbonarius, seekor Chelonoidis denticulatus, dan enam ekor Geochelone sulcata. Jenis caplak yang ditemukan adalah Amblyomma sparsum, dengan prevalensi sebesar 7.55%. Borrelia spp. dideteksi pada beberapa A. sparsum yang menginfestasi kura-kura darat. Hasil sekuensing menunjukkan adanya dua galur reptile-associated (REP) Borrelia.