Hebraeum Nymphs - Microbiota Community - Constitute the Microbiome - Biology Assignment Help

Assignment Task :

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Arthropod vectors are accountable for a wide range of infectious diseases affecting humans and animals worldwide (Toledo et al., 2009; Khan, 2016, Wilke, Beier and Benelli, 2019). Over the past century knowledge of vector-borne diseases has gradually increased (Sonenshine and Mather, 2010), and in the last 30 years there has been a worldwide zoonotic re-emergence (Gubler, 2009).  The development of inadvertent urbanization, trade and travel, and the detrimental effects on the environment due to climate change have subsequently acted as catalysts in the spread of infectious diseases (Gubler, 2009; Khan, 2016). With regard to the African continent it is the widespread extensive animal husbandry, excessive land cultivation and degradation, and the low socio-economic circumstances (Wills-Berriman, 2019). In South Africa, the public health burden of vector-borne diseases is poorly understood, and one of the contributing factors to that burden are tick-borne diseases (Chitanga et al., 2014; Wills-Berriman, 2019). 

Tick-borne diseases are caused by a variety of pathogens that constitute the microbiome of the tick such as viruses, protozoa and bacteria including obligate intracellular Rickettsia (Toledo et al., 2009; Greay et al., 2018). Ticks act as reservoirs for whole microbial communities, and only a few have been studied (Bonnet et al., 2017). Approximately more than 650 species of Ixodid ticks (hard ticks) have been found and documented worldwide and more than 80 of these species are present in South Africa(Walker, 1991; Horak etal., 2002). Amblyomma hebraeum is one of the major tick species in South Africa and has been reported to be an efficient vector of a variety of pathogens in animals and human (Horak etal., 2002). The organism is a three-host-tick belonging to the Ixodid family (Horak et al., 2002; Walker, 2003).  Apart from transmitting pathogens in livestock and humans, it causes major damage to livestock through its bites, thereby decreasing animal productivity. The major pathogens transmitted by this tick species are Rickettsia conorii, Rickettsia africae and Ehrlichia (Cowdria) ruminantium (Horak etal., 2002; Cazorla et al., 2008). 
The Rickettsia species is a prime example of a bacteria responsible for numerous tick-borne diseases (Gubler, 2009; Toledo et al., 2009). Rickettsioses is a zoonotic disease (Chitanga et al., 2014), caused by obligate Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the genus Rickettsia within the family Rickettsiaceae (Cazorla et al., 2008).

1.1.1 Research Question:
Is the microbiota community present within A. hebraeum nymphs (collected from the environment) and adult ticks (collected from cattle) infected with R. africae different from the non-infected stages from the same locality? 
 

1.1.2 General Objective:
•  To determine the microbiota community present within A. hebraeum nymphs (collected from the environment) and adult ticks (collected from cattle) infected with R. africae and from the non-infected stages from the same locality
 

1.1.3 Specific Objectives:
• To determine the microbiota community present within A. hebraeum nymphs (collected from the environment) and adult ticks (collected from cattle) infected with R. africae using 16s rRNA hypervariable regions. 
 

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