Genetic diversity of Rickettsia africae isolates from Amblyomma hebraeum and blood from cattle in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Rickettsia africae is a re-emerging tick-borne pathogen causing African tick bite fever (ATBF) in humans. Amblyomma variegatum is the principal vector in most sub-Sahara African countries, whereas in South Africa it is A. hebraeum. Reports of high genetic heterogeneity among R. africae isolates in southern Africa have prompted the need for molecular investigations of isolates form South Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and genetic diversity of R. africae in A. hebraeum collected from cattle, grazing pasture, as well as from blood of cattle in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Amblyomma hebraeum and blood from cattle were screened by PCR and the gltA, ompA, ompB, sca4, and 17kDa genes were sequenced for R. africae from samples collected from Caquba in

SUBMITTER: Pillay AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11660516 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature