Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) are responsible for significant losses in terms of treatment costs, decreased productivity (such as milk and meat), reduced reproductive ability, and financial crisis to livestock owners. In Pakistan, it is crucial to periodically assess the risk of TTBDs and ecological factors, potential causes of acaricidal resistance in tick fauna, and the intensive increase in the spread of TTBDs. Participatory epidemiological approaches are key to assessing the livestock owners’ and stakeholders’ knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) about TTBDs. The current study determined the KAP about ticks and tick-borne diseases of respondents from Sindh, Pakistan. A total of 240 respondents were interviewed from different ecological zones: among them, 42.5% (n = 102) of the respondents practiced the manual removal of ticks from animals, while acaricide usage was indicated by 137 respondents (57.0%) as occurring sometimes, 50 (20.8%) monthly, 41 (17.0%) fortnightly, and 12 (5%) weekly, during the peak infestation season. Ticks were 2.6 times [OR = 2.5 (95% Cl = 1.47–4.06)] and viruses were 1.89 times [OR = 188 (95% Cl = 1.09–2.9)] more likely to cause the development of disease in animals than any other pathogen. Despite the appropriate usage of acaricides, the knowledge of participants was inadequate. The findings of this study emphasize the need to take into account identified knowledge gaps and to take the initiative in carrying out appropriate education activities and extension programs to enhance the adoption of effective tick prevention and control strategies.

Control of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (R.) microplus mainly relies on chemical acaricides and cypermethrin is the most widely used acaricide in Pakistan. Farmers frequently complain about its low efficacy, thus, the present study was designed to quantify the frequency of cypermethrin resistance in cattle ticks. Engorged female R. microplus were collected and tested for the efficacy of cypermethrin using the FAO-recommended larval packet test. Resistance factors (RF) were estimated at both the lethal concentration for 50% (LC₅₀) and 99% (LC₉₉) of ticks. Thirty-three samples were tested, of which 8/33 (24.24%) were classified as resistant based on the RF₅₀, and all 33 were classified as resistant based on the RF₉₉. In District Sargodha, when only the RF₅₀ was considered, 45.5% of samples were classified as resistant, but at RF₉₉, all tested samples were identified as resistant. In District Okara, the variation in RF₅₀ estimates was 2.2–8.3 and variation in RF₉₉ estimates was 10.6–1139.8. Similar results were found in District Attock, where variations in RF₅₀ were 0.8–8.5 and RF₉₉ ranged from 9–237.3. The study showed that cypermethrin resistance is prevalent in these three districts of Pakistan and is likely to be overestimated by classification based on the RF₉₉.

The pneumoperitoneum (PP) on upright chest X-ray (CXR) usually indicates a perforated viscus. As peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter provides an additional port of air entry into the peritoneal cavity, the incidence and clinical significance of PP in PD patients has been debated in the literature (a variable incidence from 4 to 34% has been reported in previous studies). With improvement in patient training and connecting devices of PD catheters, technique-related PP is quite rare. Following a recent patient with PP, we reviewed our 3-year data to evaluate the incidence and significance of this radiological sign in PD patients. We reviewed all upright CXRs in our PD patients from 2006 to 2008, using an electronic radiology database. Over 3 years, we had a total of 156 patients on PD. We have reviewed a total 312 upright CXRs (mean 2 X-rays per patient), which were performed for various clinical reasons during this period. Seven PD patients had 11 CXRs showing free air under the diaphragm (total incidence of PP 4% of PD population and 3% of CXR performed in PD patients). One patient had two episodes of PP with a total of four X-rays demonstrating free air. Two patients had surgical complications of PD catheter insertion and PP was diagnosed just after the insertion of PD catheter, both of them needed laparotomy. Five patients had incidental PP, which was possibly technique related. In four of these patients with incidental PP, no definite intervention was needed. However, one of these five patients was symptomatic. We established that the cause of PP was faulty technique. Aspiration of PP with a patient in the Trendelenburg position gave her immediate symptomatic relief. We also retrained her to prevent further episodes of PP. This review demonstrates the quite low and falling incidence of PP (<4% in a prevalent PD population) most likely due to improvement in training and technique. The air should not enter the peritoneal cavity in normal properly performed exchanges. Air under the diaphragm in a PD patient requires appropriate evaluation to exclude visceral perforation. After that, patient technique of PD exchanges should be reviewed. However, if PP persists, aspiration of air can give symptomatic relief.

Anaplasma is an intracellular alphaproteobacteria that infects diverse blood cell types in animal hosts including small ruminants. Epidemiological and risk factors information on zoonotic anaplasmosis with respect to anaplasmosis in sheep and goats are scarce. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to estimate the prevalence, risk factors of anaplasmosis and phylogenetic investigation of A. capra in sheep and goats from Faisalabad district, Pakistan. Briefly, 384 blood samples were randomly collected from sheep and goats of Faisalabad district, Pakistan, during January to May 2022. The samples were processed for the detection of Anaplasma targeting 16S rRNA gene using PCR. The data regarding disease determinants were collected using a predesigned questionnaire. Out of 384 samples, 131 samples were found positive for Anaplasma spp. with a prevalence rate of 34.11%. The results indicated a significantly higher prevalence of anaplasmosis in goats (41.88%) compared to sheep (22.00%). In addition, the chi square indicated that housing type, tick infestation, gender, tick control practices, age, mix farming, and hygiene were significantly associated with the occurrence of disease. The analysis of multivariate logistic regression expressed gender as the significant risk factor (p = 0.0001, OR = 1.757, CI = 1.305–2.366). The acquired sequences revealed four novel isolates of A. capra (Genbank accession numbers ON834323, ON838209, ON838210, and ON838211). The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of A. capra revealed three distinct clusters with 99–100% homology with other isolates from different countries. Our isolates showed higher similarity with isolates from China (KM206273, KP314237, MT799937), Pakistan (ON238129, ON238130, ON238131), Angola (MT898988), India (MZ558066), Iran (MW692362), and Turkey (MT632469) isolated from human, sheep, ticks, goats, cattle, Gaddi goat, Persian Onager (Equus hemionus onager), and Turkish goats, respectively. In conclusion, A. capra is endemic in Punjab, Pakistan, there is a need to conduct large scale surveillance studies to assess the status of this pathogen at human-animal interface as well as to develop effective preventive and control strategies to reduce the economic losses associated with anaplasmosis in small ruminants.

Camel anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease of zoonotic concern, yet its epidemiology in Pakistan remains understudied. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, associated risk factors, and phylogenetic characteristics of Anaplasma spp. in camels across diverse agro-climatic zones of Punjab. A total of 400 blood samples were collected from two districts—Jhang and Bahawalpur (n = 200 each)—using a multistage cluster sampling approach. From each district, four tehsils were selected; ten herds per tehsil were sampled, with five camels per herd. The PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene was used for Anaplasma detection. Epidemiological data were gathered using a structured questionnaire. The overall prevalence was 25.75%. Multivariable analysis identified age (>5 years), district (Jhang), intensive management, and health status as significant risk factors. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that A. phagocytophilum isolates were genetically related to strains from India, Iran, and Turkey; A. platys showed proximity to dog-derived isolates from India, South Africa, and Spain; while Candidatus A. camelii was closely related to camel isolates from Egypt, China, Kenya, and Iran. In conclusion, camel anaplasmosis is prevalent in Punjab. Further research is warranted to explore the pathogenic potential and vector dynamics of circulating strains to devise control strategies.