Publication: Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in Amblyomma ticks collected from snakes in Thailand
Issued Date
2014-01-01
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ISSN
18779603
1877959X
1877959X
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2-s2.0-84907682533
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. Vol.5, No.6 (2014), 632-640
Suggested Citation
Chalao Sumrandee, Supanee Hirunkanokpun, Kathryn Doornbos, Sangvorn Kitthawee, Visut Baimai, Libor Grubhoffer, Wachareeporn Trinachartvanit, Arunee Ahantarig Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in Amblyomma ticks collected from snakes in Thailand. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. Vol.5, No.6 (2014), 632-640. doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.04.013 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/33153
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Title
Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in Amblyomma ticks collected from snakes in Thailand
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Abstract
© 2014 Elsevier GmbH. Some reptile ticks are potential vectors of pathogens such as spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. Here, we report for the first time in detail the molecular evidence, DNA sequences and phylogenetic studies, for the presence of Rickettsia spp. in Amblyomma ticks (. Amblyomma helvolum and Amblyomma varanense) from snakes in Thailand. A total of 24 tick samples was collected from 4 snake species and identified. A phylogenetic analysis inferred from the partial sequences of the gltA gene indicated that the Rickettsia spp. from 2 Amblyomma helvolum and 1 Amblyomma varanense belong to the same group as the SFG rickettsiae, which are closely related to Rickettsia raoultii strains. In contrast, there was 1 Rickettsia sp. from Amblyomma helvolum grouped into the same clade with other SFG rickettsiae (. Rickettsia tamurae, Rickettsia monacensis, and a Rickettsia endosymbiont of Amblyomma dubitatum from Brazil). However, another Rickettsia sp. from Amblyomma varanense was closely related to Rickettsia bellii and Rickettsia sp. strain RDa420 from Thailand. In addition, from phylogenetic results based on the 16S rRNA gene and a concatenated tree of the 3 genes (. gltA, ompA, and ompB), we found what may be a novel SFG rickettsia species closely related to Rickettsia raoultii (from both Amblyomma varanense and Amblyomma helvolum). In conclusion, our findings are the first report on the presence of novel SFG rickettsiae in 2 snake tick species, Amblyomma varanense and Amblyomma helvolum in Thailand and in south-eastern Asia.