Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) ticks associated with a Rickettsia sp. in Pakistan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Soft ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae) are medically important ectoparasites that mainly feed on birds and mammals, which play a key role in their geographic distribution and dispersion. Despite their importance, studies on soft ticks are scarce for many regions and countries of the world, including Pakistan.

Methods

In this study, 2330 soft ticks-179 larvae (7.7%), 850 nymphs (36.4%), 711 males (30.5%) and 590 females (25.3%)-were collected from animal shelters in 18 locations within five districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A subset of the collected ticks was processed for DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the amplification of tick 12S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), 16S rDNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1), and rickettsial 16S rDNA gene frag

SUBMITTER: Ali A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9026656 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature