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Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

Daily Overview

Session

CP20.1: Zoonoses & One Health 1 - 10 min talks
Location: Lecture Theatre 3
Session Chair: Darren Gray, QIMR Berghofer
Session Chair: Jessica Scott, James Cook University

Presentation 2

Uncovering One Health Risks: High Prevalence of Francisella spp. in Tick-Borne Pathogens of Cuora flavomarginata in Taiwan

Yi-Lun Tsai^1,2, Alinda Lok-Yan Yong¹, Chi-Hsin Tsou¹, Tien-His Chen³

1: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan.; 2: Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan.; 3: Institute of Wildlife Conservation, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan.

Cuora flavomarginata, an endemic terrestrial turtle in Asia and a Class I protected species in Taiwan, remains understudied in terms of parasite diversity and zoonotic risk. This study investigated endo- and ectoparasites, with a One Health focus on tick-borne pathogens. Samples were collected from 12 turtles in Shizi Township, yielding 154 ticks and 6 fecal samples. All ticks were identified as Amblyomma geoemydae using morphological and molecular approaches. A total of 51 tick DNA samples were screened by PCR for Francisella spp., Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii, and Ehrlichia spp., while fecal samples were examined for endoparasites. Francisella spp. showed a notably high detection rate (86.3%), followed by Rickettsia spp. (27.5%) and C. burnetii (2.0%); Ehrlichia spp. were not detected, and no endoparasites were found. The high prevalence of Francisella spp. suggests that reptile-associated ticks may contribute to its environmental maintenance. Given the unclear transmission pathways of tularemia in Taiwan, these findings highlight a previously underrecognized component in its ecology. This study underscores the importance of integrating wildlife, vector, and pathogen surveillance to better understand zoonotic disease risks within a One Health framework.