First genetic report of Ixodes kashmiricus and associated Rickettsia sp.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hard ticks (Ixodidae) are hematophagous ectoparasites that transmit various pathogens to a variety of hosts including humans. Transhumant herds have been involved in the spread of ticks and associated Rickettsia spp., and studies on this neglected topic have been unexplored in many regions including Pakistan. This study aimed to investigate ticks infesting transhumant herds of sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus) in district Shangla, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Methods

Of the 144 examined animals, 112 hosts (68 sheep and 44 goats) of transhumant herds were infested by 419 ticks of different life stages including nymphs (105; 25%), males (58; 14%) and females (256; 61%). For molecular analyses, DNA was extracted from 64 collected ticks and subjected to PCR

SUBMITTER: Numan M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9583563 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature