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Accepted manuscript

Molecular detection and characterization of spotted fever group Rickettsia and Anaplasma in ticks from Pakistan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2025

Sadia Salim Khan
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan; sadiasalim121@gmail.com , haroonahmad12@yahoo.com
Haroon Ahmed
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan; sadiasalim121@gmail.com , haroonahmad12@yahoo.com
Benedict Khoo
Affiliation:
Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; joliver@umn.edu, khoo0011@umn.edu
Evan J. Kipp
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA; kipp0046@umn.edu
Abid Ali
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan; drabid@awkum.edu.pk
Davide Sassera
Affiliation:
Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L.Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; davide.sassera@unipv.it
Muhammad Umair Aziz
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China; muhamaziz3-c@my.cityu.edu.hk
Jonathan D. Oliver*
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan; sadiasalim121@gmail.com , haroonahmad12@yahoo.com
*
Corresponding author: Jonathan D.Oliver, joliver@umn.edu
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Abstract

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The present study was designed to report the prevalence of spotted fever group Rickettsia and Anaplasma in ticks from Pakistan. To address this knowledge gap, ticks were collected from October 2019 to November 2020 from livestock hosts. 390 ticks from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad were investigated for the presence of Rickettsia and Anaplasma. The collected ticks were subjected to molecular studies for detection and characterization of spotted fever group Rickettsia and Anaplasma in ticks from Pakistan. PCR amplification of the ompA gene was used for detection of Rickettsia and portions of the 16S rDNA gene for detection of Anaplasma. Nine species of ticks were tested. 7/390 (2.58%) of ticks were positive for Rickettsia. Rickettsia spp. were detected in Haemaphysalis punctata, Hyalomma anatolicum, Hyalomma scupense, Rhipicephalus microplus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Unknown Rickettsia was detected in Hy. scupense. 57 (14.6%) ticks were also positive for Anaplasma spp. Anaplasma ovis was detected in Hy. anatolicum, Hy. scupense, Hy. excavatum, Rhipicephalus decoloratus, R. microplus, and R. sanguineus. Anaplasma marginale was detected in Hy. anatolicum, Hy. scupense, R. microplus, R. decoloratus, and R. sanguineus. The Anaplasma sequences obtained from this experiment were 99–100% similar to those of documented strains. This study provides information and confirms the presence of spotted fever group Rickettsia and Anaplasma spp. in different tick species. It also highlights the need for control programs to prevent health risks. Further investigation to determine the prevalence and disease burden of these pathogens in Pakistan is necessary.

Type
Research Article
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted re- use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press