Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
PARASITES AND VECTORS, cilt.18, sa.405, ss.1-13, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Background:
An expansion of recently described human pathogenic tick-borne viruses from
Central Asia toward Europe has been documented. Located on important bird
migration routes, Anatolia is an intercontinental crossing hub with various
climactic zones and with an abundance of endemic tick species. We sought to
investigate tick-borne viruses utilizing a One Health approach encompassing
host-removed ticks and host samples.
Methods:
We collected host-attached ticks and accompanying plasma in 2023–2024 at
locations in 20 provinces representing the 7 distinct geographical regions in
Anatolia. The hosts comprised cattle, sheep, dogs, goats, and tortoises. The
ticks were morphologically identified, processed in pools, and these pools,
along with plasma from cattle, sheep and goats, were subjected to nucleic acid
purification and complementary DNA synthesis. Viruses were screened by generic
(nairovirus) and specific (Jingmen tick virus, JMTV; Tacheng tick virus 1,
TcTV-1; Tacheng tick virus 2, TcTV-2; and Tamdy virus, TAMV) amplification
assays and characterized by sequencing.
Results:
A total of 93 animal plasma samples and 1265 samples from 11 tick species were
screened in 192 pools. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) was
detected in five tick species in ten pools (5.2%). Three distinct virus
lineages, including Europe 1 and 2, as well as Africa 1, were noted. TcTV-1 was
identified in 6 tick species in 12 pools (6.3%) and in a cattle plasma sample.
Analysis of the nucleoprotein-encoding sequences revealed two separate virus
clades, distinct from those reported from Asia and Europe. TAMV was identified
in two tick species (1%). We further detected JMTV in 7 pools (3.6%), with
sequences forming a new clade phylogenetically closer to viruses of Asian
origin than local strains. Finally, highly divergent sequences of a novel
nairovirus, forming a distinct group sharing ancestors with TcTV-1, TAMV, and
pangolin/tick-associated nairoviruses, was observed in four pools (2%), comprising
Haemaphysalis parva ticks.
Conclusions:
We described a previously undocumented diversity of tick-borne viral pathogens,
CCHFV, TcTV-1, and JMTV, in Anatolia. Possible animal reservoirs of TcTV-1 were
identified. These pathogens and TAMV should be considered in the diagnostic
workup of cases with symptoms associated with tick bites and in future
surveillance efforts.