Molecular identification of tick (Acari: Ixodidae) and tick-borne pathogens from Przewalski's gazelle (Procapra Przewalskii) and Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) in Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve, China.

The Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve (QLNNR), renowned for its abundant natural resources and diverse ecological habitats, serves as an ideal environment for ticks, thereby increasing the risk of various tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) transmission. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of TBPs in ticks collected from Przewalski's gazelle and Tibetan sheep within the QLNNR. A total of 313 tick samples were collected from the vicinity of Qinghai Lake. Tick species identification was conducted using both morphological and molecular biology techniques. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was performed to detect the presence of spotted fever group (SFG) , , , , spp, , spp, and was performed using specific primers. Positive samples were sequenced and analyzed using BLASTn, followed by phylogenetic tree construction. The ticks collected from the Qinghai Lake area were identified as . The overall prevalence rates of ticks carrying SFG and were 42.8 % (134/313) and 4.8 % (15/313), respectively. Three SFG species were detected, including 33.9 % (106/313), 3.8 % (12/113) and 7.7 % (24/113), with being the predominant species. The prevalence rates of SFG and in ticks from Tibetan sheep was 44.7 % (115/257) and 4.7 % (12/257), respectively,and in ticks from Przewalski's gazelle were 33.9 % (19/56) and 5.4 % (3/56). Furthermore, the study revealed a positive linear relationship between the abundance of Przewalski's gazelle and the number of ticks, as well as the prevalence of TBPs. The current study has identified as the predominant tick vector species within the QLNNR region. The detection of SFG and has augmented our understanding of the epidemiological profile of ticks and TBPs in this area, thereby providing a robust theoretical foundation for the implementation of effective prevention and control strategies against TBPs.