Ticks are pivotal in transmitting a variety of pathogens that affect both humans and animals. These pathogens often occur in guilds, groups of species that exploit similar resources in similar ways. Although the composition of tick-borne pathogen (TBP) guilds is well-documented, the interactions among pathogens within these guilds remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that abiotic and biotic factors significantly influence the patterns of occurrence and interactions among pathogens within these guilds. To investigate this, we analyzed microfluidic-based high-throughput data on microorganisms from 166 Hyalomma excavatum ticks (94 male and 72 female) collected across different seasons from cattle in the central Algerian steppe using network analysis to uncover complex pathogen-pathogen interaction patterns. We found that female ticks had a higher infection rate (63.9%) with common pathogens such as Rickettsia slovaca (26.4%), unclassified Apicomplexa (22.2%), and Borrelia afzelii (19.4%). Male ticks showed a 56.4% infection rate, with Rickettsia (31.1%) and R. slovaca (16%) being the most prevalent. Notable pathogen-pathogen interactions within guilds were identified, with positive associations such as between R. slovaca and Rickettsia conorii in males, and B. afzelii and Borrelia spielmanii in females, indicating cooperative interactions. Conversely, negative associations, such as between Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Francisella tularensis, suggested competitive exclusion. The observed variation in interaction patterns under different conditions indicates that ecological determinants, both biotic and abiotic, influence pathogen association dynamics within guilds. These findings have significant implications for understanding disease transmission and developing control strategies.
[1]Univ Ferhat Abbas, Dept Anim Biol & Physiol, Setif, Algeria.
[2]Ecole Natl Vet Alfort, Anses, INRAE, UMR BIPAR,Lab Sante Anim, Maisons Alfort, France.
[3]INRAE, Lab Rech Sur Dev Elevage SELMET LRDE, UR 0045, Corte, France.
[4]Univ Corse, Lab Virol, EA 7310, Corte, France.
[5]Natl Ctr Anim & Plant Hlth, San Jose Lajas, Direct Anim Hlth, Carretera Tapaste & Autopista Nacl, San Jose De Las Lajas 32700, Mayabeque, Cuba.
[6]Univ Guelph, Sch Environm Sci, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
[7]Med Univ Lublin, Dept Biol & Parasitol, PL-20080 Lublin, Poland.
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