In sub-Saharan Africa,limited studies have investigated zoonotic pathogens that may be harboured by ticks infesting reptiles such as tortoises.Here,we report the presence of pathogenic Rickettsia in ticks(Amblyomma ma...In sub-Saharan Africa,limited studies have investigated zoonotic pathogens that may be harboured by ticks infesting reptiles such as tortoises.Here,we report the presence of pathogenic Rickettsia in ticks(Amblyomma marmoreum)collected from the leopard tortoise(Geochelone pardalis)in rural Zambia.Using polymerase chain reaction,56%(49/87)of ticks were positive for the Rickettsia outer membrane protein(ompB)gene.Multi-locus sequence and phylogenetic analysis based on the ompB,ompA,and citrate synthase(gltA)genes showed that the ticks carried R.africae,and other Rickettsia spp.closely related to R.raoultii,R.massiliae,R.tamurae and R.monacensis.Given the proximity between humans,livestock,and wildlife in these habitats,there exists a considerable risk of transmission of zoonotic Rickettsia to human populations in this rural setting.These results call for heightened awareness and further research into the dynamics of tick-borne diseases in regions where humans and animals coexist,particularly in the context of tortoise-associated ticks as vectors.Understanding and addressing these potential disease vectors is crucial for effective public health measures and the prevention of Rickettsia zoonoses.展开更多
基金supported by a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health‘Spatial eco-epidemiology of tick-borne rickettsial pathogens’under award number R01AI136035[PI-Gaff H],through a sub-award to the University of Zambia[PI-Chitanga S].The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of the National Institutes of Health.
文摘In sub-Saharan Africa,limited studies have investigated zoonotic pathogens that may be harboured by ticks infesting reptiles such as tortoises.Here,we report the presence of pathogenic Rickettsia in ticks(Amblyomma marmoreum)collected from the leopard tortoise(Geochelone pardalis)in rural Zambia.Using polymerase chain reaction,56%(49/87)of ticks were positive for the Rickettsia outer membrane protein(ompB)gene.Multi-locus sequence and phylogenetic analysis based on the ompB,ompA,and citrate synthase(gltA)genes showed that the ticks carried R.africae,and other Rickettsia spp.closely related to R.raoultii,R.massiliae,R.tamurae and R.monacensis.Given the proximity between humans,livestock,and wildlife in these habitats,there exists a considerable risk of transmission of zoonotic Rickettsia to human populations in this rural setting.These results call for heightened awareness and further research into the dynamics of tick-borne diseases in regions where humans and animals coexist,particularly in the context of tortoise-associated ticks as vectors.Understanding and addressing these potential disease vectors is crucial for effective public health measures and the prevention of Rickettsia zoonoses.
