title: Molecular investigation of tick-borne pathogens in ticks from grazing cattle in Korea.
abstract: This study was carried out to identify the tick species that infest grazing cattle and to determine the presence of tick-borne pathogens transmitted by these ticks in Korea. A total of 903 ticks (categorized into 566 tick pools) were collected from five provinces during 2010-2011. The most prevalent tick species was Haemaphysalis longicornis, followed by three Ixodes spp. ticks. The collected ticks were infected with both rickettsial and protozoan pathogens. In all, 469 (82.9%) tick pools tested positive for the Anaplasma/Ehrlichia 16S rRNA gene, whereas 67 (11.8%) were positive for the Babesia/Theileria 18S rRNA gene. Among the rickettsial pathogens, E. canis was detected with the highest rate (22.3%), followed by A. platys (20%), E. chaffeensis (19.4%), E. ewingii (19.3%), Rickettsia sp. (12.4%), A. phagocytophilum (5.5%) and E. muris (0.5%). Among the protozoan pathogens, T. equi was detected with the highest rate (7.2%), followed by T. sergenti/T. buffeli (3.7%) and B. caballi (0.35%). Simultaneous infections with up to seven pathogens were also identified. In particular, ticks infected with rickettsial pathogens were also infected with protozoan pathogens (22 samples). All five provinces investigated infected with tick-borne pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology and Insect Disease Research Laboratory, Animal, Plant and Fisheries, Quarantine and Inspection Agency, 480 Anyang 6 dong, Anyang City, Republic of Korea. kangsw777@korea.kr
authors.forename: Seung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Huong Thi Thanh
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Doan
authors.forename: Se Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.forename: Jin Hyeong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Mi Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Kondreddy Eswar
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Young Ha
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kweon
authors.forename: Suk Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Ki Yoon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000709:Anaplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D060085:Coinfection; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D016794:Theileria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S