Presence of <i>Rickettsia</i> Species in Ticks Collected from Companion Animals in Northeastern Georgia, United States

• Main Authors: Hannah Stanley, DeLacy V. L. Rhodes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: Veterinary Sciences
• Subjects: companion animals; <i>Rickettsia</i>; tick-borne diseases; tick prevention
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/8/3/37

Tick-borne diseases are a major threat to both humans and their pets; therefore, it is important to evaluate the prevalence of pathogens carried by ticks on companion animals. In this study, attached and unattached Ixodid ticks were removed from companion animals by a veterinary practice in Hall County, Georgia. DNA was extracted from unengorged adult ticks and each was screened for the presence of <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced to determine the species present. Two hundred and four adult hard-bodied ticks were identified to species and <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. were found in 19.6% (n = 38) of the 194 analyzed DNA extracts. <i>Rickettsia montanensis</i> was found in <i>Dermacentor variablis</i> (14.7%; n = 25), <i>Amblyomma maculatum</i> (33.3%; n = 2), and <i>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</i> s.l. ticks (25%; n = 4). One <i>Amblyomma americanum</i> tick contained <i>Rickettsia amblyommatis</i>, while <i>Rickettsia felis</i> was found in one <i>Dermacentor variablis</i> tick, serving as the first report of <i>Rickettsia felis</i> in a tick in this region and within this tick vector. This study suggests that there is a risk of companion animals contracting a species of <i>Rickettsia</i> from a tick bite in northeastern Georgia, indicating a need for more investigation and highlighting the importance of tick prevention on pets.