Phiri Bruno S J, Kattner Simone, Chitimia-Dobler Lidia, Woelfel Silke, Albanus Celina, Dobler Gerhard, Küpper Thomas
Central Veterinary Research Institute (CVRI), Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Lusaka P.O. Box 33980, Zambia.
Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
Microorganisms. 2023 Jan 9;11(1):167. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11010167.
Ticks are important vectors for spp. belonging to the Spotted Fever Group responsible for causing Rickettsiosis worldwide. Rickettsioses pose an underestimated health risk to tourists and local inhabitants. There is evidence of the presence of spp. in Zambia, however there is limited data. A total of 1465 ticks were collected in 20 different locations from dogs and cattle including one cat. Ticks were identified by morphological features or by sequencing of the 16S mitochondrial rRNA gene. Individual ticks were further tested for rickettsiae using a pan-Rickettsia real-time-PCR. species in PCR-positive ticks were identified by sequencing the 23S-5S intergenic spacer region or partial ompA gene, respectively. Seven tick species belonging to three different tick genera were found, namely: , , (Boophilus) , , , and . Out of the 1465 ticks collected, 67 (4.6%) tested positive in the pan-Rickettsia PCR. This study provides detailed data about the presence of species in South Luangwa Valley, Eastern Province, Zambia for the first time. High prevalence of in was found, which indicates the potential risk of infection in the investigated area. Furthermore, to our best knowledge, this is the first time , a human pathogen causing spotted fever, has been detected in Zambia.
蜱虫是全球范围内引起立克次体病的斑点热群相关物种的重要传播媒介。立克次体病对游客和当地居民的健康风险被低估。有证据表明赞比亚存在相关物种，但数据有限。在20个不同地点从狗、牛（包括1只猫）身上共采集了1465只蜱虫。通过形态特征或16S线粒体rRNA基因测序对蜱虫进行鉴定。使用泛立克次体实时PCR对单个蜱虫进一步检测立克次体。通过分别对23S - 5S基因间隔区或部分ompA基因进行测序，鉴定PCR阳性蜱虫中的物种。发现了属于三个不同蜱属的七种蜱虫，即：......（此处原文缺失蜱虫具体属名）。在采集的1465只蜱虫中，67只（4.6%）在泛立克次体PCR检测中呈阳性。本研究首次提供了赞比亚东部省南卢安瓜谷存在相关物种的详细数据。在......（此处原文缺失蜱虫具体属名）中发现了高流行率，这表明在调查区域存在感染的潜在风险。此外，据我们所知，这是首次在赞比亚检测到引起斑点热的人类病原体......（此处原文缺失病原体具体名称）。
