Epidemiological characteristics and genetic evolutionary analysis of tick-borne piroplasm in selected areas of northwestern China

doi:10.12140/j.issn.1000-7423.2026.01.012

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and genetic evolutionary relationships of piroplasm in ticks in selected areas of northwestern China. Methods Ticks infesting the livestock body surface were collected from Zhangjiachuan County, Zhuanglang County, Chengxian County, Wenxian County in Longnan City in Gansu Province, Changwu County in Shaanxi Province, Datong County in Qinghai Province, and the Ili River Valley in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang from March 2023 to May 2024, and tick species were identified morphologically using a stereomicroscope. Genomic DNA was extracted from ticks, and the 18S rRNA gene of piroplasm was amplified using nested PCR assay. Positive amplification products were sequenced, followed by sequence alignment analysis with the BLAST software. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using the neighbor-joining method with the software MEGA 11. Results A total of 1 579 ticks infesting livestock were collected and 1 559 ticks were detected, with Haemaphysalis longicornis as dominant tick species in Gansu and Shaanxi, Ixodes persulcatus in Qinghai, and Hyalomma asiaticum and Dermacentor nuttalli in Xinjiang. Nested PCR assay detected that the overall prevalence of piroplasm infection was 42.78% (667/1 559), with 47.81% (319/601) prevalence in Gansu, 30.03% (103/343) in Shaanxi, 10.71% (15/140) in Qinghai, and 48.42% (230/475) in Xinjiang. Sequencing identified six piroplasm species, including Babesia ovata, B. bigemina, B. microti, Theileria luwenshuni, T. uilenbergi, and T. orientalis, with T. orientalis, T. uilenbergi, and T. luwenshuni as dominant species in Gansu, B. microti in Qinghai, T. luwenshuni in Shaanxi, and T. orientalis, B. ovata, and B. bigemina in Xinjiang. Phylogenetic analysis showed that T. luwenshuni from Shaanxi were clustered into the same clade with the Shaanxi strain (GenBank accession number: MG930119) and Guizhou Dushan strain (GenBank accession number: KC735145), while T. orientalis from Zhangjiachuan were clustered into the same clade with the Thailand strain (GenBank accession number: MG757653) and a domestic strain (GenBank accession number: OM756747). Conclusion The prevalence of tick-borne piroplasm infection is high in northwestern China, and the dominant piroplasm species varies significantly in geographical regions.

Key words: Tick, Piroplasm, Theileria, Epidemiology

CLC Number:

R384.4

XIAO Fangyu, LUO Jin, DUAN Deyong, ZHU Yanmin, DIAO Peiwen, HUANG Weixia, ZHANG Yu, WANG Junhong, REN Qiaoyun, GUAN Guiquan, YIN Hong, LIU Guangyuan. Epidemiological characteristics and genetic evolutionary analysis of tick-borne piroplasm in selected areas of northwestern China[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY AND PARASITIC DISEASES, 2026, 44(1): 79-84.

Figures/Tables 3

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Table 1

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地区 Area	优势蜱种 Dominant tick species	蜱虫宿主 Host of ticks	梨形虫感染率/% Positive rate of piroplasm/%
甘肃省 Gansu Province
张家川闫家乡 Zhangjiachuan County Yanjia Township	长角血蜱 H. longicornis	羊 Sheep	52.87（83/157）
张家川马鹿镇 Zhangjiachuan County Malu Town	长角血蜱 H. longicornis	牛、羊 Cattle, Sheep	66.37（77/116）
庄浪县郑河乡 Zhuanglangxian Zhenghe Township	长角血蜱 H. longicornis	羊 Sheep	40.78（42/103）
成县红川镇 Cheng County Hongchuan Town	微小扇头蜱 R. microplus	牛 Cattle	68.52（111/162）
陇南市文县 Longnan City Wen County	长角血蜱 H. longicornis	牛、羊 Cattle, Sheep	10.50（6/63）
小计 Subtotal			53.08（319/601）
陕西省 Shaanxi Province
咸阳市长武县 Xianyang City Changwu County	长角血蜱 H. longicornis	羊 Sheep	30.03（103/343）
青海省 Qinghai Province
西宁市大通县 Xining City Datong County	全沟硬蜱 I. persulcatus	牦牛 Yak	10.71（15/140）
新疆维吾尔自治区 Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
伊犁哈萨克自治州河谷地区 Ili River Valley in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture	亚洲璃眼蜱、草原革蜱 H. asiaticum, D. nuttalli	牛、羊、马 Cattle, Sheep, Horse	48.42（230/475）
合计 Total			42.78（667/1 559）