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<p>The Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) is a flagship conservation species of the Arabian Peninsula whose long-term survival depends on effective health management within protected sanctuaries. Tick-borne pathogens, including <i>Theileria</i> spp., pose an underrecognized threat to managed wildlife populations, often causing subclinical infections that can affect fitness and resilience. This cross-sectional study investigated the occurrence of <i>Theileria</i> infection and associated epidemiological characteristics among 51 Arabian oryx maintained at the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary, Al Wusta Governorate, Oman. During routine health assessments conducted between August and September 2025, demographic characteristics, clinical findings, and tick burden were recorded. Blood samples were examined using Giemsa-stained blood smears, and collected ticks were identified morphologically. Most animals were adults (92.2%) and males (60.8%). Clinical examination revealed that 78.4% of animals had no observable abnormalities, whereas 64.7% had mild tick infestations. Microscopic examination detected <i>Theileria</i> piroplasms in three animals, yielding a prevalence of 5.9% (95% CI: 2.0–16.0%). Tick identification revealed <i>Hyalomma anatolicum</i> and <i>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</i>. All infected animals were adults with mild tick burdens, suggesting ongoing low-level pathogen transmission within this managed conservation population. The infections appeared predominantly subclinical with consistently low parasitemia. These findings provide baseline epidemiological data and support future molecular surveillance and conservation health management strategies for Arabian oryx populations.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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Cross-sectional assessment of Theileria infection in Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) from Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月8日

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  • Hafiz Dahiru Karofi,
  • Mohammed Nasser Al-Saadi,
  • Saroj Kumar Yadav,
  • Mataab Khalaf Al-Ghafri,
  • Abdulbariu Ogirima Uhuami,
  • Maher Khedr Darweesh,
  • Abdulhalim Abdullah Mohammed,
  • Said Ali Salim Hubais,
  • Monthir Ali Hubais

摘要

The Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) is a flagship conservation species of the Arabian Peninsula whose long-term survival depends on effective health management within protected sanctuaries. Tick-borne pathogens, including Theileria spp., pose an underrecognized threat to managed wildlife populations, often causing subclinical infections that can affect fitness and resilience. This cross-sectional study investigated the occurrence of Theileria infection and associated epidemiological characteristics among 51 Arabian oryx maintained at the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary, Al Wusta Governorate, Oman. During routine health assessments conducted between August and September 2025, demographic characteristics, clinical findings, and tick burden were recorded. Blood samples were examined using Giemsa-stained blood smears, and collected ticks were identified morphologically. Most animals were adults (92.2%) and males (60.8%). Clinical examination revealed that 78.4% of animals had no observable abnormalities, whereas 64.7% had mild tick infestations. Microscopic examination detected Theileria piroplasms in three animals, yielding a prevalence of 5.9% (95% CI: 2.0–16.0%). Tick identification revealed Hyalomma anatolicum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. All infected animals were adults with mild tick burdens, suggesting ongoing low-level pathogen transmission within this managed conservation population. The infections appeared predominantly subclinical with consistently low parasitemia. These findings provide baseline epidemiological data and support future molecular surveillance and conservation health management strategies for Arabian oryx populations.

Graphical Abstract