Distribution of Rickettsia spp. in Ticks from Northwestern and Southwestern Provinces, Republic of Korea
10.3347/kjp.2019.57.2.161
- Author:
Ju JIANG
1
;
Yeon Joo CHOI
;
Jeoungyeon KIM
;
Heung Chul KIM
;
Terry A KLEIN
;
Sung Tae CHONG
;
Allen L RICHARDS
;
Hye Jin PARK
;
Sun Hye SHIN
;
Dayoung SONG
;
Kyung Hee PARK
;
Won Jong JANG
Author Information
1. Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500, USA.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Haemaphysalis longicornis;
ompA;
ompB;
sca4;
spotted fever;
rickettsia
- MeSH:
DNA;
Genes, vif;
Membrane Proteins;
Polymerase Chain Reaction;
Republic of Korea;
Rickettsia;
Ticks
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2019;57(2):161-166
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
This study was done to characterize distribution of Rickettsia spp. in ticks in the northwestern and southwestern provinces in the Republic of Korea. A total of 2,814 ticks were collected between May and September 2009. After pooling, 284 tick DNA samples were screened for a gene of Rickettsia-specific 17-kDa protein using nested PCR (nPCR), and produced 88 nPCR positive samples. Of these positives, 75% contained 190-kDa outer membrane protein gene (ompA), 50% 120-kDa outer membrane protein gene (ompB), and 64.7% gene D (sca4). The nPCR products of ompA, ompB, and sca4 genes revealed close relatedness to Rickettsia japonica, R. heilongjiangensis, and R. monacensis. Most Rickettsia species were detected in Haemaphysalis longicornis. This tick was found a dominant vector of rickettsiae in the study regions in the Republic of Korea.
