Screening of tick-borne pathogens in argasid ticks in Zambia: Expansion of the geographic distribution of Rickettsia lusitaniae and Rickettsia hoogstraalii and detection of putative novel Anaplasma species

Ticks (Ixodidae and Argasidae) are important arthropod vectors of various pathogens that cause human animal infectious diseases. Many previously published studies on tick-borne focused those transmitted by ixodid ticks. Although there increasing reports viral associated with argasid ticks, information bacterial they transmit is scarce. The aim this molecular study was to detect characterize Rickettsia Anaplasmataceae in three different tick species, Ornithodoros faini, moubata, Argas walkerae collected Zambia. hoogstraalii lusitaniae were detected 77 % (77/100) Ar. 10 (5/50) O. respectively. All moubata pool samples (n = 124) negative for rickettsial infections. 63 (63/100) 82.2 (102/124) pools, but not faini. Phylogenetic analysis based the concatenated sequences 16S rRNA groEL genes revealed Anaplasma spp. present distinct from validated indicating current knowledge diversity vector range incomplete. Our findings highlight new geographical records R. confirm wide geographic distribution these species includes African continent. data presented here increase our bacteria contribute toward understanding their epidemiology.