Molecular Screening and Genetic Identification of in Brown Dog Tick () Infested on Stray Dogs in Taiwan.

is a tick-borne zoonotic pathogen of canines. In this study, the presence of was screened for in brown dog ticks () infesting stray dogs in Taiwan to determine overall prevalence. This study represents the first instance of genetic identification of in brown dog ticks in Taiwan. In total, we examined 324 brown dog ticks for infection by nested polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The general prevalence of infection was 3.1%, with 3.6%, 4.0%, and 2.1% in nymph, female, and male ticks, respectively. Monthly prevalence of infection was observed from May to September. Genetic relatedness was determined by comparing the sequences of the 16S rRNA gene obtained from six Taiwan strains and seventeen other strains, representing six genospecies of spp. and three outgroups (, and ). All Taiwan specimens were shown to genetically belong to the group, and could be clearly discriminated from other spp. Genetic similarities revealed a 100% identity match with various documented in GenBank. This study highlights the epidemiological importance of geographical transmission of among dogs and the possible risk for human infections in Taiwan.