Molecular Identification of Piroplasmids in Ticks from Infested Small Ruminants in Konya Province, Turkey.

Ticks play a pivotal role in propagating a diverse spectrum of infectious agents that detrimentally affect the health of both humans and animals. In the present study, a molecular survey was executed of piroplasmids in ticks collected from small ruminants in four districts within Konya province, Turkey. Microscopic examination identified 1281 adult ticks, which were categorized into 357 pools based on their species, sexes, host animals, and collection site before DNA extraction. The infection rates were calculated by using a maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). , . , , . , and . were identified in this study. Among the five tick species identified here, . exhibited the highest infestation rate in both goats and sheep. The presence of and based on 18S rRNA was confirmed using molecular assay. The overall MLE of infection rates for . and . was 2.49% (CI 1.72-3.46) and 1.46% (CI 0.87-2.23), respectively. The MLE of . and . infection rates in . was 10.80% (CI 7.43-14.90) and 0.33% (CI 0.02-1.42), respectively, while that in . was 0.12% (CI 0.01-0.51) and 2.08% (CI 1.25-3.22). This study further confirms that . and . can act as vectors for . , thus advancing our comprehension of tick-borne piroplasmids epidemiology and providing valuable insights for the development of effective control strategies for ticks and tick-borne diseases in Turkey.