Species Detected in Rodents from Eastern China.

are vector borne gram-negative facultative intracellular bacteria. species are associated with rodents and their flea parasites worldwide. The genetic variation and distribution of species in rodents are not clear in China. We investigated the presence and genetic diversity of species in rodents from eastern China. We captured rodents from 2015 to 2016 in Jiaonan County, Shandong Province, and detected species in the spleen of rodents by PCR amplification of the citrate synthase () gene and RNA polymerase beta subunit () gene. We found that 8.38% (16/191) of the rodents were positive by PCR for both and genes; that sequences from the rodents were phylogenetically divided into five clades, which were closely related to , , , , and , respectively; and that each species is rodent species-specific with and for , for , for , and for . This study indicated that organisms have a broad distribution and a variety of genotypes in rodents in eastern China and the threats to public health by these species should be monitored in China.