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Updated: Jan 12, 2026
Tick Microbiome Characterization by Next-Generation 16S rRNA Amplicon Sequencing
Published on: August 25, 2018
[Characterization and phylogenetic evolution of tick - derived Rickettsiales and emerging viruses in northern Jiangsu
1Yancheng Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224003, China.
Objective:
To investigate the tick species, and tick-derived Rickettsiales bacteria and recently emerging tick-derived viruses in hilly and costal mudflat wetland settings in northern Jiangsu Province, so as to provide insights into management of tick-borne tropical diseases in northern Jiangsu Province.
Methods:
Ticks were sampled from hilly settings in Yuyi County, Huai'an City and coastal mudflat wetland settings in Jiangsu Yancheng Wetlands & Rare Birds National Nature Reserve in Tinghu District, Yancheng City on April, 2025. Following characterization of tick species, nucleic acid was isolated from ticks under a sterile condition, and tick-derived pathogens were detected using nested and semi-nested real-time PCR assays, including Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Yezo virus, Alongshan virus, Songling virus, Beiji nairovirus and Wetland virus. The PCR amplification products were sequenced for analysis of phylogenetic evolution and genetic characteristics.
Results:
A total of 154 ticks were captured, including 114 from Huai'an City and 40 from Yancheng City, and 153 ticks were characterized as Haemaphysalis longicornis and one as H. flava. A total of 5 ticks were tested positive for Rickettsiales bacteria and viruses by semi-nested real time PCR assay (3.25%), including 4 ticks from hilly settings in Xuyi County, Huai'an City, tested positive for Anaplasma, and one tick from coastal mudflat wetland settings in Tinghu District, Yancheng City, tested positive for Rickettsia; however, ticks were tested negative for Ehrlichia, or recently emerging Yezo virus, Alongshan virus, Songling virus, Beiji nairovirus or Wetland virus. Sequence alignment using BLASTn and phylogenetic analysis revealed that genetic differentiation occurred in four A. bovis isolates in one species of A. bovis, with two genetic clades generated, and one R. japonica variant was identified, with its nucleotide sequences highly homologous to Shandong isolates of R. japonica.
Conclusions:
Ticks are widely distributed in hilly and costal mudflat wetland settings in northern Jiangsu Province, and tick-derived pathogens have a genetic diversity. Tick-borne Anaplasma and Rickettsia pose a zoonotic potential.
