Molecular detection of spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks parasitizing pet dogs in Shihezi City, northwestern China

Wurelihazi Hazihan, Zhihui Dong, Liping Guo, Kadyken Rizabek, Dzhunysov Askar, Gulzhan Kulmanova, Mahanov Kudaibergen, Akishev Nurlan Kenjebaevich, Tolegen Talgat, Kenesbay Kairullayev

1 more author

Yuanzhi Wang

2019

Full text Open access: Hybrid Metadata (CSL-JSON)

DOI 10.1007/s10493-018-00337-1

Data confidence 70 medium

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Abstract

A total of 178 adult ticks were collected from 32 pet dogs from five veterinary clinics in Shihezi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), northwestern China. All the ticks were identified by comprehensive morphological and genetic analyses, and rickettsiae were detected by seven Rickettsia-specific genetic markers in the ticks. The ticks collected were identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. Twenty-one of the 178 samples (11.8%) were positive for rickettsiae. Among these, in 13 (61.9%) samples Candidatus R. barbariae were identified, in five (23.8%) samples R. massiliae, and in three (14.3%) samples R. conorii. This study indicates that more attention should be paid to rickettsial infection in pet dogs and their ticks, because the latter may pose an epidemiological risk for tick-borne transmission of rickettsiae to human beings.