Molecular Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ticks Collected from Horses in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

The horse industry has grown rapidly as a leisure industry in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in parallel with an increased demand for equestrian activities. As a result, there has been an increase in horse breeding and equestrian population and potential exposure to ticks and their associated pathogens. To provide a better understanding of the potential disease risks of veterinary and medical importance, a study was conducted to determine the geographical distribution and diversity of ticks collected from horses and vegetation associated with horse racetracks/ranches throughout the ROK. This included a survey of five associated common pathogens, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Borrelia spp., Babesia caballi, and Theileria equi. A total 9220 ticks were collected from horses and associated pastures. Ticks were identified to species, stage of development, and sex. Two species of ticks, Haemaphysalis longicornis (99.9%) and Ixodes nipponensis (0.1%) were identified. Two of the target pathogens, A. phagocytophilum and Borrelia spp., were detected in 5/1409 tick pools (0.35%) and 4/1409 pools (0.28%) of H. longicornis, respectively, both of which are zoonotic pathogens of medical importance. The results of 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis of A. phagocytophilum showed a close relationship to strains distributed in China, USA, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and Poland. Borrelia spp. showed a close relationship, based on 16S rRNA gene, to the strains reported from the USA (B. burgdorferi and B. americana) and Japan (B. tanukii and B. garinii). These results provide information about the potential risks of veterinary and medical importance and the development of mitigation strategies for disease prevention.

Molecular Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia Species in Ticks Removed from Humans in the Republic of Korea

“…phagocytophilum is the most frequently reported TBP in the ROK since the first reported case in 2002 [5,22]. In accordance with findings from previous studies, A. phagocytophilum has been detected in ticks feeding on livestock and wild animals, including cattle (31/566 tick pools (5.5%)) [46], Korean water deer (89/266 tick pools (33.5%)) [47], horses (5/1409 tick pools (0.4%)) [48], and migratory birds (1/108 tick pools (0.9%)) [49]. In a study, 1467 ticks were collected from nine provinces of the ROK, and 35 H. longicornis ticks and 1 I. persulcatus tick were found to test positive for A. phagocytophilum [4].…”

Characterization of the Microbial Flora Isolated from Horses with Hoof Thrush and Their Sensitivity for Selected Antibiotics

“…The horse industry is a complex industry extending from the primary to the tertiary industry and has gained the reputation of being an eco-friendly industry with a high scope for growth and industrial employment compared to industries involving other animals (Kim 2015;Abdulkarim et al 2018;Seo et al 2021).…”