Introduction
As per World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, 17% all infectious diseases are owing to vectors, results in more than 700000 deaths annually (). In recent days, many public health emergency situation have been noticed globally, due to upsurge in emerging infectious diseases of zoonotic origin, and most of them are transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes (Al‐Abri et al., 2017). The Ixodid tick, Hyalomma sppis one of the widely distributed tick species in Asian countries, acts as a potential vector for CCHF infection in humans and tropical bovine theileriosis in animals, respectively (Manjunathachar et al., 2019). Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a trans-boundary disease, caused by CCHFV belonging to the family Nairoviridae (Spengler and Bente, 2017). The CCHF infection is endemic in many regions, such as Africa, Eastern and Southern Europe, and Central Asia where numerous wild and domestic animals serve as asymptomatic reservoirs and play important role in natural circulation of virus (Ergonul, 2006; Mourya et al., 2015; Spengler 2016; Mourya et al., 2019, Al-Abri et al., 2017). The virus is maintained in nature in Ixodid ticks mostly of genusHyalomma by trans-ovarial and trans-stadial transmission (Malik et al., 2020). Considering its havoc on public health and wide geographic distributions, WHO has enlisted CCHF as the top priority disease and urged research and development actions (Mehand et al., 2018).
In recent years, the virus appears to be extending its horizon across the countries and many human cases are reported due to globalization (Mourya et al 2012; Al‐Abri et al., 2017). In India, after a first confirmed case of CCHF, sporadic cases and outbreaks were reported since 2011, from different districts of Gujarat State. Similarly, in Rajasthan state after reporting animal positivity in the year 2010, several CCHF outbreaks, constant engagement and positivity rate of CCHF in ticks was recorded (Yadav et al, 2016; Mourya et al 2012, 2019). Nevertheless, the asymptomatic animals could provide virus for tick-borne transmission to susceptible humans, thus play an important role in maintenance and epidemiology of the disease. ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune have been reported 81 CCHF positive human cases in from 2011 to December 2018 in India, depicts the need of active surveillance (Mourya et al., 2019). Recently, health authorities issued a high alert situation in Gujarat and Rajasthan states of India upon encountering of cases (35-50% mortality), urges the need for proper diagnosis and preventive measures (IDSP, 2019).
The apicomplexan protozoan parasites such as Theileria orBabesia spp . are also transmitted by Ixodid ticks and can infect domestic, wild animals and humans (Chen et al., 2014, Gabrielli et al., 2014). Theileria annulata causes lymphoproliferative disease in cattle and responsible for high mortality and morbidity, thus leads to food insecurity and heavy economic losses. In India, the estimated losses accounted due to theileriosis is US 1295 million dollars annually (Narladkar, 2018). Few scientific shreds of evidence show that someTheileria spp . are causes severe life-threatening infection in humans (Chen et al., 2014; Gabrielli et al., 2014). Considering the world largest population of cattle and its importance in national economy, food security, control and prevention of tick borne diseases is paramount important (Dept. Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Govt. of India, 2019). Although evidence of CCHFV and theileriosis in livestock were reported in India, constant surveillance and monitor the presence and regional distribution of pathogens is much needed to define potential risk zones (Yadav et al, 2016; Mourya et al 2012, 2019; Narladkar, 2018). Considering the ecological niche of study area, where rich in bio-diversity, abundance of competent vector species, constant wild-domestic-human interface, and the Madhya Pradesh is bordered by three outbreak states (Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh), study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of CCHFV in animals and genetic diversity of the Theileria annulata in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.