Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Coxiella-Like Endosymbionts in Ticks that Infest Horses in South Korea

Members of the genus Coxiella can be transmitted from ticks to humans during contact with animals; Coxiella may thus spread from the infected horses or ticks to humans. In this study, the presence of Coxiella burnetii and Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE) in ticks found on infested horses was determ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2016-10, Vol.11 (10), p.e0165784-e0165784
Main Authors: Seo, Min-Goo, Lee, Seung-Hun, Ouh, In-Ohk, Lee, Gwang Hyeop, Goo, Youn-Kyoung, Kim, Seungjoon, Kwon, Oh-Deog, Kwak, Dongmi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Arachnids
Biology and Life Sciences
Cladistic analysis
Coxiella - classification
Coxiella - genetics
Coxiella - physiology
Coxiella burnetii
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Disease transmission
DNA
Endosymbionts
Equus caballus
Fever
Genotyping
Genotyping Techniques
Haemaphysalis
Haemaphysalis longicornis
Horses
Horses - microbiology
Infections
Ixodidae
Medicine and Health Sciences
People and Places
Phylogeny
Polymerization
Public health
Quarantine
Republic of Korea
Research and Analysis Methods
RNA
rRNA 16S
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Symbiosis
Ticks
Ticks - physiology
Veterinary colleges
Veterinary medicine
Zoonoses
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Summary:Members of the genus Coxiella can be transmitted from ticks to humans during contact with animals; Coxiella may thus spread from the infected horses or ticks to humans. In this study, the presence of Coxiella burnetii and Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE) in ticks found on infested horses was determined using PCR and genotyping. A total of 213 ticks were randomly collected from 51 horses (4-5 ticks per horse) raised on Jeju Island, Korea, between 2009 and 2013. All ticks were morphologically identified as adult Haemaphysalis longicornis, a predominant tick species widespread in Korea. Based on the results of nested PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing, CLE were detected in 121 (52.4%, 95% CI: 45.9-58.8) ticks. CLE 16S rRNA sequences from 9 randomly selected ticks were 100% identical. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these 9 sequences were highly similar (97.9-100%) to the sequences of clade B species, like the CLE previously described to be found in Haemaphysalis spp. This study showed that CLE are prevalent in ticks that infest horses reared on Jeju Island, and this is, to the best of our knowledge, the first study to describe CLE occurrence in ticks infesting animals reared in Korea. Because of the high prevalence of CLE in ticks found on horses, CLE transmission from ticks to other animals and humans remains a possibility. This warrants a detailed study of other hosts and regions. Considering the zoonotic potential of Coxiella, further strategic surveillance of Coxiella transmission is necessary.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0165784