title: Molecular survey of hard ticks in endemic areas of tick-borne diseases in China.
abstract: Over the past several years, there was a substantial increase in the number of cases of known and novel tick-borne infections in humans in China. To better understand the ticks associated with these infections, we collected hard ticks from animals or around livestock shelters in 29 localities in 5 provinces (Beijing, Henan, Hubei, Inner Mongolia, and Zhejiang) where cases of tick-borne illness were reported. We collected 2950 hard ticks representing 7 species of 4 genera (Dermacentor sinicus, Haemaphysalis flava, Haemaphysalis longicornis, Ixodes granulatus, Ixodes persulcatus, Rhipicephalus microplus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus). These ticks were identified to species using morphological characters initially. We then sequenced the mitochondrial small subunit rRNA (12S rRNA) gene, cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, and the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) gene of these ticks, and conducted phylogenetic analyses. Our analyses showed that the molecular and morphological data are consistent in the identification of the 7 tick species. Furthermore, all these 7 tick species from China were genetically closely related to the same species or related species found outside China. Rapid and accurate identification and long-term monitoring of these ticks will be of significance to the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases in China.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Department of Zoonoses, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping Liuzi 5, 102206 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xian-Dan
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jian-Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin-Cheng
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Jun-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Wen-Ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Fei-Neng
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Renfu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yong-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D013987:Ticks / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; C075526:RNA, ribosomal, 12S