Determination of hepatozoon species in ticks in Ankara and surrounding provinces by molecular method

Pathogens of parasitic, bacterial, viral and fungal origin infect humans, livestock, wild animals and plants worldwide. These pathogens are carried by vector ticks. Tick-borne Hepatozoon species are parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa with a life cycle between a definitive host (a blood-sucking invertebrate) and an intermediate host (a vertebrate). The genus Hepatozoon includes more than 340 species. Of these, 46 are reported to infect mammals, 120 infect reptiles and the rest are parasites of birds and amphibians. The genus Hepatozoon was named by Miller in 1908. The most important of these species are Hepatozoon canis and H. americanum. Within the scope of the study, 191 ticks were collected from Ankara, its districts (Merkez, Bala, Beypazarı, Çubuk, Kahramankazan) and neighboring provinces (Tokat, Eskişehir, Bartın, Sakarya, Çankırı, Kastamonu, Yozgat), primarily by tick flagging method in suitable habitats and from various host animals (farm and wild animals and dogs) in the relevant regions, taking into account their seasonal activities. DNA sequence data of samples numbered 113, 118, 165, 167 and 168 were obtained as a result of sequence analysis of conventional PCR amplification products of 18S rRNA gene region. When the DNA sequence data obtained were compared with Genbank data, it was determined that the tick samples numbered 113, 118, 165, 167 and 168 were Hepatozoon species. Of the Hepatozoon positive samples, 2 were identified as H. canis and 3 as Hepatozoon sp. 3 Hepatozoon sp. were detected in female Ixodes ricinus ticks taken from sheep in Sakarya province, one of the 2 Hepatozoon canis was detected in male Dermacentor marginatus tick taken from human in Ankara province and the other was detected in male Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick taken from human in Ankara province.