Chalao SumrandeeSupanee HirunkanokpunLibor GrubhofferVisut BaimaiWachareeporn TrinachartvanitArunee AhantarigMahidol UniversityRamkhamhaeng UniversityJihoceska Univerzita v Ceskuch Budejovicich2018-11-092018-11-092014-02-01Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. Vol.5, No.1 (2014), 29-32187796031877959X2-s2.0-84888339172https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/33061Ticks are important vectors of several bacterial pathogens, including Francisella. In this study, a total of 24 adult ticks (Amblyomma varanense and Amblyomma helvolum) collected from 4 species of snake from 3 provinces of Thailand was screened for the presence of Francisella-like endosymbionts (FLEs) by PCR. FLEs were detected in 46% (11/24) of all ticks examined. A phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence indicated that the 11 distinct genotypes of FLEs amplified from A. varanense and A. helvolum (from Khon Kaen and Pichit provinces, respectively) are in the same group, along with other FLEs amplified from the other tick genera. Interestingly, these FLEs are closely related to, but distinct (different clade) from, the FLEs isolated from different tick species previously reported. This work represents the first report of Francisella spp. in snake ticks from Thailand. © 2013 Elsevier GmbH.Mahidol UniversityAgricultural and Biological SciencesImmunology and MicrobiologyMedicineArticleSCOPUS10.1016/j.ttbdis.2013.08.001