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New Haplotypes of Trypanosoma evansi Identified in Dromedary Camels from Algeria

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Abstract

Purpose

Surra is a zoonotic disease caused by Trypanosoma evansi (Trypanozoon), a salivary trypanosome native to Africa which affects a wide range of mammals worldwide and causes mortality and significant economic loss. The present study was devoted to the molecular characterization of T. evansi derived from naturally infected dromedary camels in Algeria.

Methods

A total of 148 blood samples were collected from mixed age camels living in one of four geographic regions (Ouargla, El Oued, Biskra and Ghardaia) of Algeria. Samples underwent PCR amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) complete sequence.

Results

DNA of Trypanosoma spp. was found in 19 camels (12.84%). Trypanosoma spp. molecular positivity was not affected by sex (p = 0.50), age (p = 0.08), or geographic location (p = 0.12). Based on multiple sequence alignment of the obtained DNA sequences with representative T. evansi ITS1 sequences available globally, the Algerian sequences were grouped within four different haplotypes including two which were original.

Conclusion

Results of this study provide preliminary data on which future studies of genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of T. evansi can be based.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Professor Curtis R. Youngs, Animal Science Department, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, United States of America for improvement of our English. We are also grateful to Nour el houda Ammani, Amina Arib and Amira Azzouz for their participation in the study.

Funding

Not applicable.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Amina Boutellis and Tahar Kernif have contributed equally to this work

  2. Amina Boutellis and Tahar Kernif are joint senior authors on this work

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Biodiversité Et Environnement: Interaction, Génomes, Faculté Des Sciences Biologiques, Université Des Sciences Et de La Technologie Houari Boumediene Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Algiers, Algeria

    Amina Boutellis

  2. Faculté Des Sciences de La Nature Et de La Vie, Laboratoire Des Bio Ressources Sahariennes, Université Kasdi Merbah Ouargla, 30000, Ouargla, Algeria

    Meriem Bellabidi

  3. Laboratoire D’Eco-Épidémiologie Parasitaire Et Génétique Des Populations, Institut Pasteur D’Algérie, 01 Rue du Petit Staouéli Dely-Brahim, 16302, Algiers, Algeria

    Meriem Bellabidi, Zoubir Harrat & Tahar Kernif

  4. Centre de Recherche Scientifique Et Technique Sur Les Régions Arides (CRSTRA), 30002, Touggourt, Algeria

    Mohammed Hocine Benaissa

  5. Faculté Des Sciences Biologiques Et Des Sciences Agronomiques, Département de Biologie, Université Mouloud Mammeri, 15000, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria

    Karima Brahmi

  6. Plateforme Génomique, Bioinformatique, Institut Pasteur D’Algérie, 16302, Algiers, Algeria

    Rezak Drali

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  1. Amina Boutellis
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  2. Meriem Bellabidi
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  3. Mohammed Hocine Benaissa
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  4. Zoubir Harrat
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  5. Karima Brahmi
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  7. Tahar Kernif
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tahar Kernif.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics Approval

This study with camels was supervised by the division of biological resources of the Scientific and Technical Research Centre for Arid Areas (CRSTRA). It was conducted in accordance with the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) guiding principles on animal welfare included in the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code [40].Verbal consent of farm owners involved in this investigation was obtained prior to the collection of blood samples from their animals.

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Boutellis, A., Bellabidi, M., Benaissa, M.H. et al. New Haplotypes of Trypanosoma evansi Identified in Dromedary Camels from Algeria. Acta Parasit. 66, 294–302 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-020-00316-w

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