The first detection of Coxiella burnetii DNA from Hyalomma asiaticum at Alataw pass, China-Kazakhstan border area

Objective To understand the Coxiella burnetii infection and genotype status in ticks at Alataw pass in China-Kazakhstan border area in Xinjiang. Methods The ticks were collected by drag-flag at Alataw pass. Coxiella burnetii was detected by using com1 gene primers with PCR. The PCR products were sequenced and analyzed with BLAST and phylogenetic tree was constructed with software Mega 6.0. Results A total of 253 ticks were collected at Alatawpass and the predominant tick species was H.asiaticum. And the morphological identification result was consistent with the molecular identification result. The average positive rate of Coxiella burnetii was 16.21% (41/253). The positive rate in H.asiaticum was higher than that in D.marginatus, H.erinacei and R.sanguineus. The positive rate of Coxiella burnetii in H.asiaticum was 22.65% (41/181). The sequencing analysis indicated that the Coxiella burnetii detected in H. asiaticum at Alataw pass shared 99% homology with the Coxiella burnetii Cb175_Guyana (HG825990). Conclusion In this study, the H.asiaticum at Alataw pass showed genetic diversity at 16S rRNA and in COⅠ gene sequence, and it was the first time to detect Coxiellaburnetii in H.asiaticum at Alataw pass in China-Kazakhstan border area.