Surveillance of tick-borne pathogens present in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) removed from companion animals in Louisiana, USA

Current knowledge of tick distribution and tick-borne pathogen presence across Louisiana is limited. Collaborating with veterinarians across the state, ticks removed from companion animals were recovered and assessed for the presence of zoonotic pathogens. A large number of ticks (n = 959) were removed from companion animals and subsequently screened using qPCR for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi, Bartonella henselae, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and spotted fever group Rickettsia. Five different tick species, Ixodes scapularis (54.5%), Amblyomma americanum (18.4%), Amblyomma maculatum (12.5%), Dermacentor variabilis (11.2%), and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.3%) from different regions of Louisiana were collected from October 2018 to July 2019. There were 15 PCR-positive ticks for Rickettsia parkeri (1.6% prevalence), and four ticks were positive for Ehrlichia chaffeensis (0.4% prevalence). This survey identifies ticks and tick-borne pathogens associated with companion animals and areas for future active surveillance.