Open Access
Research (Published online: 13-03-2021)
12. Phylogenetic study of Theileria ovis and Theileria lestoquardi in sheep from Egypt: Molecular evidence and genetic characterization
Amira Adel Al-Hosary, Ahmed ElSify, Akram A. Salama, Mohamed Nayel, Ahmed Elkhtam, Layla Omran Elmajdoub, Mohamed Abdo Rizk, Manal Mohammed Hawash, Mohammad Ali Al-Wabel, Abdulaziz M. Almuzaini, Laila Salah El-Din Ahmed, Anand Paramasivam, Suresh Mickymaray and Mosaab A. Omar
Veterinary World, 14(3): 634-639

Amira Adel Al-Hosary: Department of Animal Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt.
Ahmed ElSify: Department of Animal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32897, Menoufia, Egypt.
Akram A. Salama: Department of Animal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32897, Menoufia, Egypt.
Mohamed Nayel: Department of Animal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32897, Menoufia, Egypt.
Ahmed Elkhtam: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Menoufia 32897, Egypt.
Layla Omran Elmajdoub: Department of Zoology, College of Science, Misurata University, Maturate, Libya.
Mohamed Abdo Rizk: Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
Manal Mohammed Hawash: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia; Department of Gerontological Nursing, College of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt.
Mohammad Ali Al-Wabel: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, 51452 Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulaziz M. Almuzaini: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, 51452 Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
Laila Salah El-Din Ahmed: Department of Animal Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt.
Anand Paramasivam: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Dentistry, Al-Zulfi, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia.
Suresh Mickymaray: Department of Biology, College of Science, Al-Zulfi, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia.
Mosaab A. Omar: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, 51452 Qassim, Saudi Arabia; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, south valley university, Qena 83523, Egypt.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.634-639

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Article history: Received: 06-11-2020, Accepted: 01-02-2021, Published online: 13-03-2021

Corresponding authors:

Mosaab A. Omar

E-mail: mos.mohamed@qu.edu.sa

Suresh Mickymaray

E-mail: s.maray@mu.edu.sa

Citation: Al-Hosary AA, ElSify A, Salama AA, Nayel M, Elkhtam A, Elmajdoub LO, Rizk MA, Hawash MM, Al-Wabel MA, Almuzaini AM, Ahmed LSE, Paramasivam A, Mickymaray S, Omar MA (2021) Phylogenetic study of Theileria ovis and Theileria lestoquardi in sheep from Egypt: Molecular evidence and genetic characterization, Veterinary World, 14(3): 634-639.
Abstract

Background and Aim: Ovine theileriosis caused by Theileria ovis and Theileria lestoquardi is an important infectious disease affecting small ruminants in regions of the tropic and subtropic zones. There is limited studies about ovine theileriosis in Egypt; so the present study aims to assess the occurrence of ovine theileriosis in Egypt at the molecular level.

Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 115 randomly selected sheep, which were apparently healthy; the ages of the sampled sheep ranged from 1 to 5 years old, from a local breed (barkae and balade), and showed no symptoms indicating infection with Theileria spp. The study was conducted in three governorates representing Lower Egypt (Menoufia and Beheira) and Upper Egypt (El-Wady El-Geded). All blood samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and semi-nested PCR to target Theileria spp. 18S rRNA genes. Positive samples were sequenced, and these sequences were analyzed using nucleotide basic local alignment search tool (BLAST).

Results: Six animals (5.22%) were PCR-positive carriers for ovine theileriosis. Nucleotide BLAST and phylogenetic analyses of the six obtained sequences showed that T. ovis was present in five animals (4.37%) in Menoufia (n=2) and El-Wady El-Geded (n=3), whereas T. lestoquardi was detected in 1 animal (0.87%) in El-Wady El-Geded.

Conclusion: This study is the first to provide molecular evidence, genetic characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of ovine Theileria spp. in Egypt. Specifically, T. lestoquardi and T. ovis carrier statuses of sheep were confirmed. These results highlight the importance of developing an effective control strategy against ovine theileriosis carriers that might develop and/or spread theileriosis.

Keywords: Egypt, polymerase chain reaction, phylogeny, Theileria lestoquardi, Theileria ovis.