Abstract
Rickettsia and Coxiella burnetii are zoonotic, tick-borne pathogens that can cause febrile illnesses with or without other symptoms in humans, but may cause subclinical infections in animals. There are only a few reports on the occurrence of these pathogens in cattle and water buffalo in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. In this study, molecular detection of Rickettsia and C. burnetii in the blood and in the Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus ticks of cattle and water buffalo from five provinces in Luzon Island of the Philippines was done. A total of 620 blood samples of cattle and water buffalo and 206 tick samples were collected and subjected to DNA extraction. After successful amplification of control genes, nested PCR was performed to detect gltA of Rickettsia and com1 of C. burnetii. No samples were positive for Rickettsia, while 10 (cattle = 7, water buffaloes = 3), or 1.6% of blood, and five, or 1.8% of tick samples, were C. burnetii-positive. Sequence analysis of the positive amplicons showed 99–100% similarity to reported C. burnetii isolates. This molecular evidence on the occurrence of C. burnetii in Philippine ruminants and cattle ticks and its zoonotic nature should prompt further investigation and surveillance to facilitate its effective control.
Highlights
In the Philippines, cattle and water buffalo are of economic importance, contributing significantly to the agricultural sector
The present study was conducted to determine the presence of two zoonotic, tick-borne pathogens, Rickettsia and C. burnetii, in cattle, water buffalo, and ticks in the Philippines
None of the samples tested positive for Rickettsia, suggesting the absence of the pathogen in the areas where the samples were collected
Summary
In the Philippines, cattle and water buffalo are of economic importance, contributing significantly to the agricultural sector. They are mainly utilized in the production of meat, milk, and for water buffalo, for draft power [1]. Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) affect the ruminant population worldwide and are widely distributed, in the tropics and subtropics, representing an essential proportion of all animal diseases that constrain the livelihood of farmers. Among these TBPs of ruminants, Rickettsia and Coxiella burnetii can pose great threats to public health. Little is known about the occurrence of these TBPs in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines
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