TY - JOUR T1 - Identification of tick-borne pathogens by metagenomic next-generation sequencing in Dermacentor nuttalli and Ixodes persulcatus in Inner Mongolia, China. AU - Jiao,Jun, AU - Lu,Zhiyu, AU - Yu,Yonghui, AU - Ou,Yangxuan, AU - Fu,Mengjiao, AU - Zhao,Yuee, AU - Wu,Nier, AU - Zhao,Mingliang, AU - Liu,Yan, AU - Sun,Yi, AU - Wen,Bohai, AU - Zhou,Dongsheng, AU - Yuan,Qinghong, AU - Xiong,Xiaolu, Y1 - 2021/05/27/ PY - 2021/03/01/received PY - 2021/04/21/accepted PY - 2021/5/28/entrez PY - 2021/5/29/pubmed PY - 2021/10/27/medline KW - Anaplasma sp. Mongolia KW - Babesia venatorum KW - Coxiella-like endosymbiont KW - Dermacentor nuttalli KW - Inner Mongolia KW - Ixodes persulcatus KW - Spotted fever group Rickettsia SP - 287 EP - 287 JF - Parasites & vectors JO - Parasit Vectors VL - 14 IS - 1 N2 - BACKGROUND: Hard ticks act as arthropod vectors in the transmission of human and animal pathogens and are widely distributed in northern China. The aim of this study is to screen the important tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) carried by hard ticks in Inner Mongolia using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and to estimate the risk of human infection imposed by tick bites. METHODS: The adult Dermacentor nuttalli (n = 203) and Ixodes persulcatus (n = 36) ticks feeding on cattle were collected. The pooled DNA samples prepared from these ticks were sequenced as the templates for mNGS to survey the presence of TBPs at the genus level. Individual tick DNA samples were detected by genus--specific or group-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of these TBPs and combined with DNA sequencing assay to confirm the results of mNGS. RESULTS: R. raoultii (45.32%, 92/203), Candidatus R. tarasevichiae (5.42%, 11/203), Anaplasma sp. Mongolia (26.60%, 54/203), Coxiella-like endosymbiont (CLE) (53.69%, 109/203), and Babesia venatorum (7.88%, 16/203) were detected in D. nuttalli, while R. raoultii (30.56%, 11/36), Anaplasma sp. Mongolia (27.80%, 10/36), and CLE (27.80%, 10/36) were detected in I. persulcatus. The double- and triple-pathogen/endosymbiont co-infections were detected in 40.39% of D. nuttalli and 13.89% of I. persulcatus, respectively. The dual co-infection with R. raoultii and CLE (14.29%, 29/203) and triple co-infection with R. raoultii, Anaplasma sp. Mongolia, and CLE (13.79%, 28/203) were most frequent in D. nuttalli. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insight into the microbial diversity of D. nuttalli and I. persulcatus in Inner Mongolia, China, reporting for the first time that Candidatus R. tarasevichiae had been found in D. nuttalli in China, and for the first time in the world that Anaplasma sp. Mongolia has been detected in I. persulcatus. This study proves that various vertically transmitted pathogens co-inhabit D. nuttalli and I. persulcatus, and indicates that cattle in Inner Mongolia are exposed to several TBPs. SN - 1756-3305 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/34044867/Identification_of_tick_borne_pathogens_by_metagenomic_next_generation_sequencing_in_Dermacentor_nuttalli_and_Ixodes_persulcatus_in_Inner_Mongolia_China_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -