title: Molecular epidemiological survey of bacterial and parasitic pathogens in hard ticks from eastern China.
abstract: Ticks are able to transmit various pathogens-viruses, bacteria, and parasites-to their host during feeding. Several molecular epidemiological surveys have been performed to evaluate the risk of tick-borne pathogens in China, but little is known about pathogens circulating in ticks from eastern China. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the presence of bacteria and parasites in ticks collected from Xuzhou, a 11258km2region in eastern China. In the present study, ticks were collected from domestic goats and grasses in urban districts of Xuzhou region from June 2015 to July 2016. After tick species identification, the presence of tick-borne bacterial and parasitic pathogens, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, Rickettsia sp., Bartonella sp., Babesia sp., and Theileria sp., was established via conventional or nested polymerase chain reaction assays (PCR) and sequence analysis. Finally, a total of 500 questing adult ticks, identified as Haemaphysalis longicornis, were investigated. Among them, 28/500 tick samples (5.6%) were infected with A. phagocytophilum, and 23/500 (4.6%) with Theileria luwenshuni, whereas co-infection with these pathogens was detected in only 1/51 (2%) of all infected ticks. In conclusion, H. longicornis is the dominant tick species in the Xuzhou region and plays an important role in zoonotic pathogen transmission. Both local residents and animals are at a significant risk of exposure to anaplasmosis and theileriosis, due to the high rates of A. phagocytophilum and T. luwenshuni tick infection.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China; Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China. Electronic address: liuxy83@xzhmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiang-Ye
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China; Department of Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Yao
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China; Department of Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China.
authors.forename: Qi-Yuan
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China; Department of Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China; Department of Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China; Department of Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, Shandong Province, 255000, PR China.
authors.forename: Hong-Kuan
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Immunometabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, PR China. Electronic address: zky02@163.com.
authors.forename: Kui-Yang
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000235:genetics*; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics; D001473:Bartonella / Q000235:genetics; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000235:genetics; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D006041:Goats / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D006109:Poaceae / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016794:Theileria / Q000235:genetics*; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission
keywords: Co-infection; Eastern China; Haemaphysalis longicornis; Tick-borne pathogens