title: FRANCISELLA-LIKE ENDOSYMBIONT IN A TICK COLLECTED FROM A CHICKEN IN SOUTHERN THAILAND.
abstract: Francisella is a genus of bacterial pathogens potentially lethal to humans. We report here for the first time a novel Francisella-like endosymbiont discovered in a hard-tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l.) obtained from a chicken (Gallus domesticus) in Thailand. The phylogenetic results indicate the 16S rDNA sequences of this Francisella bacterium form a unique clade with the Francisella-like endosymbiont of the tick species, Amblyomma varanense and Amblyomma helvolum, that have previously been found on snakes in Thailand. This species of Francisella is in a different group from the other Francisella-like endosymbionts previously reported from other countries. No Francisella was detected in Haemaphysalis wellingtoni ticks obtained from chickens in this study.
authors.forename: Pakavadee
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rakthong
authors.forename: Toon
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruang-Areerate
authors.forename: Visut
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baimai
authors.forename: Wachareeporn
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Trinachartvanit
authors.forename: Arunee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahantarig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology*; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D005603:Francisella / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013559:Symbiosis; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal