Dataset Information

Ticks are unlikely to play a role in leprosy transmission in the Comoros (East Africa) as they do not harbour M. leprae DNA.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Leprosy, one of the oldest known human diseases, continues to pose a global challenge for disease control due to an incomplete understanding of its transmission pathways. Ticks have been proposed as a potential contributor in leprosy transmission due to their importance as vectors for other infectious diseases.

Methods

In 2010, a sampling of ticks residing on cattle was conducted on the islands Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli which constitute the Union of the Comoros where leprosy remains endemic. To investigate the potential role of ticks as a vector in transmission of leprosy disease, molecular analyses were conducted.

Results

Out of the 526 ticks analysed, none were found to harbour Mycobacterium leprae DNA, as determined by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay targeting a family of dispersed repeats (RLEP) specific to M. leprae.

Discussion

Therefore, our results suggest that in the Union of the Comoros, ticks are an unlikely vector for M. leprae.

SUBMITTER: Krausser L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10582737 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Ticks are unlikely to play a role in leprosy transmission in the Comoros (East Africa) as they do not harbour <i>M. leprae</i> DNA.

Krausser Lena L Chauvaux Elien E Van Dyck-Lippens Magalie M Yssouf Amina A Assoumani Younoussa Y Tortosa Pablo P de Jong Bouke Catherine BC Braet Sofie Marijke SM

Frontiers in medicine 20231004

<h4>Introduction</h4>Leprosy, one of the oldest known human diseases, continues to pose a global challenge for disease control due to an incomplete understanding of its transmission pathways. Ticks have been proposed as a potential contributor in leprosy transmission due to their importance as vectors for other infectious diseases.<h4>Methods</h4>In 2010, a sampling of ticks residing on cattle was conducted on the islands Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli which constitute the Union of the Comor ...[more]

PMID: 37859857

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