Detección de los genes gltA, OmpA y OmpB para la identificación de Rickettsia en garrapatas de animales

Rickettsiae are obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria transmitted by tick bites. The genus Rickettsia is subdivided into four groups: the typhus group, the spotted fever group, a transitional group, and an ancestral group. This study aimed to detect the gltA, ompA, and ompB genes for the identification of Rickettsia in animal ticks. 1250 ticks were collected from cattle, horses, and dogs. The ticks were taxonomically classified, DNA was extracted, and nested PCR was performed to identify the gltA, ompA, and ompB genes of Rickettsia. Four tick species were identified, and 209 were found to be positive for Rickettsia. For Rhipicephalus boophilus microplus, in cattle 21 amplified for the gltA gene, 19 for OmpA and 9 for OmpB, in horses 6 amplified for gltA, 5 for OmpA and 3 for OmpB; for Amblyomma mixtum, 17 cattle amplified the gltA gene, 16 for OmpA and 13 for OmpB, in horses 4 amplified for gltA, 3 for OmpA and 2 for OmpB and in dogs 1 amplified for the gltA, OmpA and OmpB genes; for Dermacentor nitens, 2 cattle amplified for the gltA gene, 3 for OmpA and 2 for OmpB, in horses 23 amplified for the gltA gene, 26 for OmpA and 22 for OmpB; For Rhipicephalus sanguineus in canines, 4 amplified the gltA gene, 4 the OmpA gene, and 2 the OmpB gene. The presence of Rickettsia was confirmed in different tick species parasitizing domestic animals.