Molecular detection and characterization of spotted fever group and in ticks from Pakistan.

The present study was designed to report the prevalence of spotted fever group and in ticks from Pakistan. To address this knowledge gap, ticks were collected from October 2019 to November 2020 from livestock hosts. Three hundred ninety ticks from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad were investigated for the presence of and . The collected ticks were subjected to molecular studies for detection and characterization of spotted fever group and in ticks from Pakistan. PCR amplification of the gene was used for detection of and portions of the rDNA gene for detection of Nine species of ticks were tested. Of the 390 ticks tested, 7 (2.58%) ticks were positive for were detected in and Unknown was detected in . Fifty-seven (14.6%) ticks were also positive for was detected in was detected in and . The sequences obtained from this experiment were 99-100% similar to those of the documented strains. This study provides information and confirms the presence of spotted fever group and in different tick species. It also highlights the need for control programs to prevent health risks. Further investigation to determine the prevalence and disease burden of these pathogens in Pakistan is necessary.