Epidemiology and Phylogeny of with a Note on Hematological and Biochemical Changes in Asymptomatic Goats Enrolled from Four Districts in Punjab, Pakistan.

is an intra-erythrocytic gram negative rickettsial bacterium that infects small ruminants, resulting in huge economic losses worldwide. The present investigation aims at reporting the molecular prevalence of in 1200 asymptomatic goats that were enrolled from 4 districts (Layyah, Lohdran, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Rajanpur) in Punjab, Pakistan by targeting the gene of bacterium. Risk factors associated with the prevalence of and phylogeny of bacterium were also documented. 184 out of 1200 (15%) goat blood samples were infected with . The prevalence of the pathogen varied with the sampling sites ( = 0.005), and the highest prevalence was detected in goats from Layyah (19%) followed by Rajanpur (17%), Dera Ghazi Khan (15%), and Lohdran district (9%). The represented partial gene amplicon was confirmed by Sanger sequencing and deposited to GenBank (OP225957-59). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the amplified isolates resembled the sequences reported from Iran, Mangolia, Sudan, and the United States. Sex and age of goats, herd composition and size, and the presence of ticks on goats and dogs associated with herds were the rick factors associated with the prevalence of . Red blood cells, lymphocytes (%), neutrophils (%), hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels in blood and Aspartate amino transferase, urea, and creatinine levels in serum were disturbed in infected goats when compared with uninfected animals. We are reporting the prevalence of in Pakistani goats from four districts of Punjab and these data will help in developing the integrated control policies against this tick-borne pathogen that is infecting our goat breeds.