The Genus Rhipicephalus in Egypt: Morphological Description of Species and Molecular Detection of Pathogens Threatening Animal Health

Ticks are vectors of several pathogenic agents, causing illnesses that range from mild to severe in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Accurate morphological identification of ticks is crucial for assessing the epidemiological status of tick-borne diseases. In Egypt, the contribution of ticks in the transmission of zoonotic diseases remains unclear because of the scarce data on tick diversity. This study aims to investigate the morphological characteristics and prevalence of Rhipicephalus tick species infesting domestic animals in Egypt, and to detect the associated tick-borne pathogens using molecular techniques. From October 2021 to March 2024, ticks were gathered from cattle, dogs, and camels across ten Egyptian governorates: Cairo, Kalyoubia, Alexandria, Kafr El-Sheikh, Beheira, Gharbia, Menoufia, Giza, Ismailia, and Sharkia. The collected ticks were morphologically described and tested for the presence of Babesia, Ehrlichia/Anaplasma, and Borrelia pathogens using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). A total of 4,488 ticks were collected from domesticated animals, representing eight species of the genus Rhipicephalus: Rhipicephalus annulatus, R. microplus, R. decoloratus, R. evertsi, R. pulchellus, R. sanguineus, R. simus, and R. turanicus. Babesia was detected in R. annulatus, R. sanguineus, and R. evertsi. Borrelia burgdorferi was identified in R. annulatus, R. microplus, R. sanguineus, and R. simus. Ehrlichia/Anaplasma were detected in R. sanguineus, R. decoloratus, and R. turanicus. In the present study, we demonstrated the introduction of several Rhipicephalus tick species that had not been previously reported in Egypt, including Rhipicephalus microplus, R. simus, R. evertsi, and R. turanicus and confirmed the presence of pathogens using PCR techniques.