Genomic characteristics of emerging human pathogen <i>Rickettsia aeschlimannii</i> isolated from two <i>Hyalomma</i> tick species.

ABSTRACT: Rickettsia aeschlimannii, which emerged in Morocco in 1997, causes the Mediterranean spotted fever-like rickettsiosis in various Mediterranean countries and recently in Russia and China. Despite its increasing distribution, no available genome has been reported outside Morocco to date. Here, we isolated two strains of R. aeschlimannii from Hyalomma asiaticum (Ning-1 strain) and Hyalomma scupense (Ning-2 strain) ticks in northwestern China and assembled their complete genomes. The genomes of the two strains were smaller than the Mediterranean MC16 strain, containing fewer pseudogenes, higher ralF virulence factor coverage, and 154 unique orthogroups. The Ning-1 strain overwhelmed the Ning-2 strain with more obvious cytopathic effects, quicker growth, and f

SUBMITTER: Wang N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11930227 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature