Molecular Epidemiology of Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Ta-Pa Mountain Area of Chongqing, China

To validate the prevalence and biodiversity of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Chongqing, a total of 601 ticks were collected from dogs, cattle, and goats within the Ta-pa Mountain range in Chongqing, China. Five distinct tick species were identified, including <i>Ixodes ovatus</i> (1.66%, 10/601), <i>I. acutitarsus</i> (0.50%, 3/601), <i>Haemaphysalis flava</i> (10.32%, 62/601), <i>Ha. hystricis</i> (9.82%, 59/601), and <i>Ha. longicornis</i> (77.70%, 467/601). A suit of semi-nest PCR and nest PCR primers were custom-synthesized for the detection of tick-borne pathogens. The analysis yielded positive results for 7.15% <i>Rickettsia</i> (<i>Candidatus</i> R. principis, <i>R. japonica</i>, and <i>R. raoultii</i>), 3.49% <i>Anaplasma</i> (<i>A. bovis</i> and <i>A. capra</i>), 1.16% <i>Ehrlichia</i>, 1.83% <i>Coxiella burnetii</i>, and 3.49% protozoa (<i>Theileria. capreoli</i>, <i>T. orientalis</i>, <i>T. luwenshuni</i>, and <i>Babesia</i> sp.) in ticks. Notably, Ca. R. principis was identified for the first time in <i>I. ovatus</i> and <i>Ha. longicornis</i>. These findings underscore the significant prevalence and diversity of ticks and their associated pathogens within the Chongqing Ta-pa Mountain region. This study accordingly provides an extensive dataset that contributes to the epidemiological understanding and disease prevention strategies for tick-borne illnesses in the local area.