%0 Journal Article %A GUO Wen-ping %A LIU Ming %A WANG Li-na %A XU Shi-qi %A GAO Yang %T Detection and phylogenetic analysis of spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks in Saihanba National Nature Reserve, China %D 2022 %R 10.11853/j.issn.1003.8280.2022.02.016 %J Chinese Journal of Vector Biology and Control %P 252-257 %V 33 %N 2 %X Objective To investigate the status of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) infection and SFGR species in ticks in Saihanba National Nature Reserve of Hebei province, China, to perform homology analysis for SFGR in ticks, and to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases. Methods Free-living ticks were collected by cloth dragging in Saihanba National Nature Reserve. After DNA extraction, PCR was used to amplify the outer membrane protein A gene (ompA) and citrate synthase gene (gltA) of SFGR, and sequencing was performed on the positive samples, followed by molecular phylogenetic analysis. Results A total of 919 free-living ticks were collected in Saihanba National Nature Reserve, including 546 Ixodes persulcatus ticks, 242 Haemaphysalis concinna ticks, and 131 Dermacentor silvarum ticks. There were 72 SFGR-positive ticks, with an overall positive rate of 7.8%. The positive rate was 6.2% (34/546) in I. persulcatus, 9.5% (23/242) in H. concinna, and 11.5% (15/131) in D. silvarum. There was no statistical difference in SFGR infection rate between different tick species (χ2=1.261, P=0.263). Sequence alignment of the ompA and gltA genes revealed that two species of SFGR were present in the area, being Rickettsia raoultii and Candidatus R. tarasevichiae. The molecular phylogenetic analyses of the two genes showed that SFGR carried by D. silvarum was clustered with R. raoultii (AH015610 and DQ365804) in GenBank, and the rickettsiae carried by I. persulcatus and H. concinna were clustered with Candidatus R. tarasevichiae (MT667416 and MT66740) in GenBank. Conclusion R. raoultii and Candidatus R. tarasevichiae are present in Saihanba National Nature Reserve. In order to avoid threatening public health, it is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of ticks and tick-borne diseases in the area. %U http://www.bmsw.net.cn/EN/10.11853/j.issn.1003.8280.2022.02.016