First detection and genetic identification of Rickettsia infection in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks collected from Southern Taiwan

The prevalence and genetic identity of Rickettsia infection in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) ticks were determined in Taiwan. In total 1153 ticks were examined for Rickettsia infection by PCR assay targeting the citrate synthase gene (gltA) of Rickettsia. The prevalence of Rickettsia infection in R. sanguineus s.l. ticks with a general infection rate of 2.2%, and was detected in nymph, male and female stages of R. sanguineus s.l. ticks with an infection rate of 3.1, 2.0 and 1.1%, respectively. Phylogenetic relationships were analyzed by comparing the gltA sequences obtained from four Taiwan strains and 16 other strains representing 13 genospecies of Rickettsia. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that one Taiwan strain was genetically affiliated with the Japan isolate (GRA-1 strain) which belongs to the spotted fever group (R. parkeri/R. honei) and three Taiwan strains were genetically affiliated with the transitional group of Rickettsia (R. felis). Intra- and inter-species analysis also indicated the genetic distance (GD) of the Taiwan strains with a lower level of GD < 0.011, 0.023 and 0.003 as compared with the type strains of R. parkeri, R. honei and R. felis, respectively. Our findings reveal the first detection of Rickettsia infections (R. parkeri/R. honei and R. felis) in R. sanguineus s.l. ticks of Taiwan. These results also highlight the epidemiological significance of diverse Rickettsia species existed in R. sanguineus s.l. ticks and the potential threat for the geographical transmission of Rickettsia infection in Taiwan.