Molecular Investigation of Coxiella Burnetii in Hard Ticks Collected From Some Livestock in the Sistan Region

Abstract

Background and Objectives Coxiella burnetii (causative agent of Q fever) is an important zoonotic disease with a universal occurrence. Ticks are natural and potential reservoirs of this bacterium and play an effective role in the transmission of Q fever. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in hard ticks isolated from livestock in Sistan. Subjects and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in five counties of the Sistan region. The genus and species of hard ticks were identified after collection from some domestic animals. The nested- PCR technique was used to identify the bacterial genome. Results Of all examined ticks, two genera, including 354 Hyalomma (59.399%) and 242 Rhipicephalus (40.6%) were identified. The hard ticks are in three types of species as follows: Rhipicephalus sanguineus (40.1%), Rhipicephalus nymph (0.5%), Hyalomma anatolicum (47.5%), Hyalomma sp. (1.5%), Hyalomma nymph (10.4%), and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (0.16%). No infected specimen with Coxiella burnetii was observed in the Sistan region. Conclusion According to the results of previous studies in Sistan and Baluchestan province and neighboring provinces that reported a high prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in collected ticks, it seems that more extensive research, with a larger sample size and host range, is necessary to clarify the situation of this pathogen.