The presence of Ehrlichia canis in Rhipicephalus bursa ticks collected from ungulates in continental Eastern Europe

Abstract

Rhipicephalus bursa is a common tick parasite of small-to-medium size ungulates, principally in warm, temperate, and subtropical areas. Although common in livestock and showing a wide geographic distribution, its epidemiological role in tick-borne bacterial disease is barely known. This study addressed the knowledge gap and aimed to screen for the presence of Anaplasmataceae and spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia species in R. bursa ticks collected from domestic animals in Romania, Eastern Europe.

Keywords

• anaplasmataceae
• spotted fever group rickettsia
• ixodidae
• livestock
• tick-borne diseases