China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2024, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (10): 4465-4475.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2024.10.027

• Preventive Veterinary Medicine • Previous Articles    

Identification of Species of Parasitic Ticks from a Stray Dog and Detection and Analysis of Tick-borne Pathogens

ZHU Jinling1,2,3, LIN Junhong1,2,3, BAO Yinli2,3, HUANGJianmei2,3, HUANG Cuiqin2,3   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science (School of Apicology), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China;
    2. College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan 364012, China;
    3. Engineering Research Center for the Prevention and Control of Animal Original Zoonosis of Fujian Province University, Longyan 364012, China
  • Received:2024-01-03 Published:2024-09-30

Abstract: 【Objective】 This study was aimed to identify the species of ticks that parasitized on the body surface of a stray dog from Jiaxing,Zhejiang,and its pathogen carrying status,and to understand the life cycle of Rhipicephalus sanguineus and the harm of the pathogens to humans and animals,so as to provide follow-up control measures for related diseases.【Method】 The morphology and molecular species of ticks were identified by optical microscopy and PCR.At the same time,18S rRNA gene of Pyriformida and Babesia,ompA gene of spotted fever group Rickettsia,dsb gene of Ehrlichia and 5S-23S rRNA gene of Borrelia burgdorferi were amplified by PCR to detect the pathogens carried by ticks.【Result】 The 82 ticks collected from the stray dog were all Rhipicephalus sanguineus,of which 29.27%(24/82) were positive for Theileria,4.88% (4/82) were positive for Colpodella sp.,2.44% (2/82) were positive for Babesia,25.61% (21/82) were positive for spotted fever group Rickettsia,and 18.29% (15/82) were positive for Ehrlichia,and no ticks were found to carry Borrelia burgdorferi.The number and variety of pathogens detected in a single tick were varied,among which 24 ticks carried only one pathogen,12 ticks carried two pathogens simultaneously,6 ticks carried 3 pathogens simultaneously,and 40 ticks did not carry the pathogens tested. 【Conclusion】 The ticks parasitizing on the body surface of this stray dog were all Rhipicephalus sanguineus,which carried a variety of pathogens such as Tyleria,Babesia,spotted fever group Rickettsia and Ehrlichia,which could pose a great threat to humans and animals.The prevention and control of ticks in this area should be strengthened,especially the management of stray dogs.

Key words: stray dog; Rhipicephalus sanguineus; Piriformis; Ehrlicita; Borrelia burgdorferi; spotted fever group Rickettsia

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