Abstract

Migratory birds disperse ticks and associated tick-borne pathogens along their migratory routes. Four selected pathogens of medical importance (Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia spp., Francisella tularensis, and Toxoplasma gondii) were targeted for detection in 804 ticks (365 pools) collected from migratory birds at Hong and Heuksan Islands in the Republic of Korea (ROK) from 2010 to 2011 and 2016. Toxoplasma gondii and Rickettsia spp., were detected in 1/365 (0.27%) and 34/365 (9.32%) pools of ticks, respectively. T. gondii and five rickettsial species were recorded in ticks collected from migratory birds for the first time in ROK. The five rickettsial species (R. monacensis, Candidatus Rickettsia longicornii, R. japonica, R. raoultii, and R. tamurae) were identified using sequence and phylogenetic analysis using ompA and gltA gene fragments. Rickettsia spp. are important pathogens that cause rickettsiosis in humans, with cases recorded in the ROK. These results provide important evidence for the potential role of migratory birds in the introduction and dispersal of T. gondii and Rickettsia spp. along their migratory routes and raise awareness of potential transmission of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens associated with migratory birds in the ROK.

Details

Title
Toxoplasma gondii and Rickettsia spp. in ticks collected from migratory birds in the Republic of Korea
Author
Truong, A.-Tai 1 ; Yoo, Mi-Sun 2 ; Min, Subin 2 ; Lim, Ji-Yeon 2 ; Seo, Hyun-Ji 2 ; Kim, Heung-Chul 3 ; Chong, Sung-Tae 4 ; Klein, Terry A. 4 ; Park, Chang-uk 5 ; Cho, Sook-Young 5 ; Choi, Chang-Yong 6 ; Kwon, Young-Soo 5 ; Kim, Miran 5 ; Yoon, Soon-Seek 2 ; Cho, Yun Sang 2 

 Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Parasitic and Honeybee Disease Laboratory, Bacterial Disease Division, Department of Animal and Plant Health Research, Gimcheon-si, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.466502.3) (ISNI:0000 0004 1798 4034); Thai Nguyen University of Sciences, Faculty of Biotechnology, Thai Nguyen, Vietnam (GRID:grid.444880.4) (ISNI:0000 0001 1843 0066) 
 Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Parasitic and Honeybee Disease Laboratory, Bacterial Disease Division, Department of Animal and Plant Health Research, Gimcheon-si, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.466502.3) (ISNI:0000 0004 1798 4034) 
 Medical Department Activity-Korea, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, APO AP, USA (GRID:grid.466502.3); U Inc. 34-gil, Seoul, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.466502.3) 
 Medical Department Activity-Korea, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, APO AP, USA (GRID:grid.466502.3) 
 Korea National Park Service, Migratory Bird Research Center, Korea National Park Research Institute, Sinan County, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.484409.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 2108 3181) 
 Korea National Park Service, Migratory Bird Research Center, Korea National Park Research Institute, Sinan County, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.484409.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 2108 3181); Seoul National University, Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Bioresources, Seoul, Republic of Korea (GRID:grid.31501.36) (ISNI:0000 0004 0470 5905) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2694137833
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.