<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0044_s_005">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p><italic>Rhipicephalus bursa</italic> is a common tick parasite of small-to-medium size ungulates, principally in warm, temperate, and subtropical areas. Although common in livestock and showing a wide geographic distribution, its epidemiological role in tick-borne bacterial disease is barely known. This study addressed the knowledge gap and aimed to screen for the presence of <italic>Anaplasmataceae</italic> and spotted fever group (SFG) <italic>Rickettsia</italic> species in <italic>R. bursa</italic> ticks collected from domestic animals in Romania, Eastern Europe.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0044_s_006">
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>A total of 64 pools of <italic>R. bursa</italic> ticks collected from small ungulates were tested by PCR for <italic>Anaplasmataceae</italic> DNA presence using group-specific primers. Specific testing was performed for <italic>Anaplasma marginale/A. centrale/A. ovis</italic>, <italic>A. platys</italic>, <italic>A. phagocytophilum</italic>, <italic>Ehrlichia canis</italic>, and SFG <italic>Rickettsia</italic>. The positive samples were purified and sequenced, and sequences analysis was used to identify the species and to confirm the PCR results.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0044_s_007">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>The only pathogen identified in this study was <italic>E. canis</italic>. The obtained sequences confirmed the PCR results. The presence of <italic>E. canis</italic> in <italic>R. bursa</italic> in Romania and in ticks from sheep was shown for the first time in this study.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0044_s_008">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Based on these findings, it may be presumed that the <italic>E. canis</italic> DNA originated from ticks; however, the vectorial role of <italic>R. bursa</italic> (and other arthropod species) in the transmission of <italic>E. canis</italic> should be proved experimentally.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
Rhipicephalus bursa is a common tick parasite of small-to-medium size ungulates, principally in warm, temperate, and subtropical areas. Although common in livestock and showing a wide geographic distribution, its epidemiological role in tick-borne bacterial disease is barely known. This study addressed the knowledge gap and aimed to screen for the presence of Anaplasmataceae and spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia species in R. bursa ticks collected from domestic animals in Romania, Eastern Europe.

Material and Methods
A total of 64 pools of R. bursa ticks collected from small ungulates were tested by PCR for Anaplasmataceae DNA presence using group-specific primers. Specific testing was performed for Anaplasma marginale/A. centrale/A. ovis, A. platys, A. phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia canis, and SFG Rickettsia. The positive samples were purified and sequenced, and sequences analysis was used to identify the species and to confirm the PCR results.

Results
The only pathogen identified in this study was E. canis. The obtained sequences confirmed the PCR results. The presence of E. canis in R. bursa in Romania and in ticks from sheep was shown for the first time in this study.

Conclusion
Based on these findings, it may be presumed that the E. canis DNA originated from ticks; however, the vectorial role of R. bursa (and other arthropod species) in the transmission of E. canis should be proved experimentally.

The presence of <italic>Ehrlichia canis</italic> in <italic>Rhipicephalus bursa</italic> ticks collected from ungulates in continental Eastern Europe

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The presence of  in  ticks collected from ungulates in continental Eastern Europe

Introduction
Rhipicephalus bursa is a common tick parasite of small-to-medium size ungulates, principally in warm, temperate, and subtropical areas. Although...

The presence of Ehrlichia canis in Rhipicephalus bursa ticks collected from ungulates in continental Eastern Europe

Published Online: Sep 23, 2021

Page range: 271 - 275

Received: Feb 17, 2021

Accepted: Aug 02, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2021-0044

Keywords
spotted fever group, Ixodidae, livestock, tick-borne diseases

© 2021 I.A. Matei et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The presence of Ehrlichia canis in Rhipicephalus bursa ticks collected from ungulates in continental Eastern Europe

Published Online: Sep 23, 2021

Page range: 271 - 275

Received: Feb 17, 2021

Accepted: Aug 02, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2021-0044

Keywordsspotted fever group, Ixodidae, livestock, tick-borne diseases

© 2021 I.A. Matei et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
spotted fever group, Ixodidae, livestock, tick-borne diseases