Mitogenomics of the tropical bont tick Amblyomma variegatum reveals vertical and horizontal transmission of Rickettsia africae
This study was the first to examine the spread of pathogenic/endosymbiotic bacterium R. africae in the A. variegatum populations using a mitogenomic approach. The results support both vertical and horizontal transmission of R. africae within A. variegatum. These findings also highlight the potential of R. africae to adapt to multiple animal species, which may complicate efforts to control it as a human pathogen.
Authors
- Elisha Chatanga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5448-2605)
- Nariaki Nonaka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1280-8050)
- Yuma Ohari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3008-3102)
- Wessam Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed
- Samuel Kelava (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0096-4796)
- Yongjin Qiu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8621-5472)
- Ryo Nakao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3105-7603)
- Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed Moustafa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9413-694X)
- J.W. Magona (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9062-8277)
- Kyoko Hayashida (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9266-5162)
- Naoki Hayashi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1561-4307)
Institutions
- South Valley University (EG)
- Kansas State University (US)
- Princeton University (US)
- Sapporo University (JP)
- Hokkaido University (JP)
- Sapporo International University (JP)
- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MW)
- African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (KE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PLoS neglected tropical diseases
- Published
- 2025-10-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013610
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 6.14