{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T03:53:05Z","timestamp":1789789985635,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,14]],"date-time":"2021-09-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1631577600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Nationals Research Foundation (NRF) Thuthuka Funding Instruments","award":["TTK170411226583"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TTK170411226583"]}]},{"name":"Nationals Research Foundation (NRF) Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers","award":["GUN94187 and GUN118949"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GUN94187 and GUN118949"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) hamper the growth of the livestock sector and impose major constraints for the health and management of domestic animals in the tropic and subtropical regions globally. Currently, there is no scientific report on the presence of zoonotic pathogens transmitted by tick species in Lesotho. This study aimed to identify zoonotic tick-borne pathogens of economic importance from ticks infesting domestic animals in Lesotho using molecular techniques. A total of 322 tick DNA pools were subjected to PCR screening for the presence of zoonotic pathogens and sequenced. The overall prevalence of Anaplasma spp. was 35% (113\/322), with a 100% infection rate in Rhipicephalus microplus, followed by R. evertsi evertsi (92%), Hyalomma rufipes and Otobius megnini sharing 50% and the lowest infection rate was observed in R. decoloratus with 40%. The prevalence of Coxiella burnetii, a gram-negative pleomorphic etiological agent of Query fever (Q fever), was 1% (2\/322) for all screened samples, with 20% of R. decoloratus and 1% of R. e. evertsi infected. Rickettsia africae was detected from Hyalomma rufipes with a 70% prevalence. This study provides a baseline knowledge of tick-borne pathogens of medical and veterinary importance in Lesotho and raises awareness of the prevalence of such diseases within the tourism sector as they are mostly affected.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens10091186","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,14]],"date-time":"2021-09-14T03:46:14Z","timestamp":1631591174000},"page":"1186","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Molecular Detection of Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia africae and Anaplasma Species in Ticks from Domestic Animals in Lesotho"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7443-2485","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sibonginhlanhla I. C.","family":"Mahlobo-Shwabede","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Genetics, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9741-4124","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Oliver T.","family":"Zishiri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Genetics, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Oriel M. M.","family":"Thekisoe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7388-698X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mabusetsa J. R.","family":"Makalo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Livestock Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Maseru 100, Lesotho"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2014.12.025","article-title":"Molecular biological identification of Babesia, Theileria, and Anaplasma species in cattle in Egypt using PCR assays, gene sequence analysis and a novel DNA microarray","volume":"207","author":"Hotzel","year":"2015","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"222","DOI":"10.1016\/j.exppara.2012.11.005","article-title":"Development of a multiplex PCR assay for simultaneous detection of Theileria annulata, Babesia bovis and Anaplasma marginale in cattle","volume":"133","author":"Bilgic","year":"2013","journal-title":"Exp. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1084","DOI":"10.4102\/jsava.v85i1.1084","article-title":"Tick-borne pathogens of potential zoonotic importance in the southern African Region","volume":"85","author":"Chitanga","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. S. Afr. Vet. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4232","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jprot.2012.03.026","article-title":"Tick-borne diseases in cattle: Applications of proteomics to develop new generation vaccines","volume":"75","author":"Marcelino","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Proteom."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"1573","article-title":"Molecular detection of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens from ticks collected from ruminants in four South African provinces","volume":"77","author":"Mtshali","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Bacteriol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-016-1504-7","article-title":"Tick-borne pathogens of zoonotic and veterinary importance in Nigerian cattle","volume":"9","author":"Lorusso","year":"2016","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1","DOI":"10.4102\/jsava.v88i0.1390","article-title":"Occurrence of Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia canis, Rickettsia species and Anaplasma phagocytophilum-like bacterium in ticks collected from dogs and cats in South Africa","volume":"88","author":"Mtshali","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. S. Afr. Vet. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"246","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2015.05.021","article-title":"Bovine anaplasmosis in Turkey: First laboratory confirmed clinical cases caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum","volume":"178","author":"Aktas","year":"2015","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1828","DOI":"10.3201\/eid1112.050898","article-title":"Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum","volume":"11","author":"Dumler","year":"2005","journal-title":"Emerg. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"514","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1863-2378.2011.01394.x","article-title":"Identification of Anaplasma spp. Rickettsia isolated from horses from clinical disease cases in Poland","volume":"58","author":"Adaszek","year":"2011","journal-title":"Zoonoses Public Health"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"573","DOI":"10.17221\/1861-VETMED","article-title":"Bacteria of the genus Anaplasma\u2014Characteristics of Anaplasma and their vectors: A review","volume":"53","author":"Rymaszewska","year":"2008","journal-title":"Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2934","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.43.6.2934-2937.2005","article-title":"Molecular detection of a new Anaplasma species closely related to Anaplasma phagocytophilum in canine blood from South Africa","volume":"43","author":"Inokuma","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Clin. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actatropica.2019.02.032","article-title":"Current perspectives on the transmission of Q fever: Highlighting the need for a systematic molecular approach for a neglected disease in Africa","volume":"193","author":"Salifu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Acta Trop."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mediannikov, O., Fenollar, F., Socolovschi, C., Diatta, G., Bassene, H., Molez, J.F., Sokhna, C., Trape, J.F., and Raoult, D. (2010). Coxiella burnetii in humans and ticks in rural Senegal. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis., 4.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0000654"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1749-6632.2009.04511.x","article-title":"Q Fever in Dairy Animals","volume":"1166","author":"Rodolakis","year":"2009","journal-title":"Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"518","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.12.4.518","article-title":"Q Fever","volume":"12","author":"Maurin","year":"1999","journal-title":"Clin. Microbiol. Rev."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2010.10.007","article-title":"Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii infection in domestic ruminants: A critical review","volume":"149","author":"Guatteo","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1558","DOI":"10.3201\/eid1410.080576","article-title":"Prophylaxis after exposure to Coxiella burnetii","volume":"14","author":"Moodie","year":"2008","journal-title":"Emerg. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"576","DOI":"10.1007\/s10096-006-0170-7","article-title":"Epidemiological study of Q fever in humans, ruminant animals, and ticks in Cyprus using a geographical information system","volume":"25","author":"Psaroulaki","year":"2006","journal-title":"Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"531","DOI":"10.1016\/j.idc.2008.03.009","article-title":"Tick-borne diseases: Tick-borne spotted fever rickettsioses in Africa","volume":"22","author":"Cazorla","year":"2008","journal-title":"Infect. Dis. Clin. N. Am."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"657","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.00032-13","article-title":"Update on Tick-Borne Rickettsioses around the World: A Geographic Approach","volume":"26","author":"Parola","year":"2013","journal-title":"Clin. Microbiol. Rev."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e274","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2009.11.021","article-title":"African tick-bite fever: A new entity in the differential diagnosis of multiple eschars in travelers. Description of five cases imported from South Africa to Switzerland","volume":"14S","author":"Althaus","year":"2010","journal-title":"Int. J. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2004.71.363","article-title":"Detection of Rickettsia africae in patients and ticks along the coastal region of Cameroon","volume":"71","author":"Ndip","year":"2004","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"910","DOI":"10.3201\/eid1005.030537","article-title":"Fatal Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis, Kenya","volume":"10","author":"Rutherford","year":"2004","journal-title":"Emerg. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"376","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2007.77.376","article-title":"Short Report: Detection of Rickettsia africae in Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus ticks from the Republic of Botswana, South Africa","volume":"77","author":"Portillo","year":"2007","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1007\/s10096-001-0663-3","article-title":"Outbreak of African tick-bite fever in six Italian tourists returning from South Africa","volume":"21","author":"Caruso","year":"2002","journal-title":"Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"e1","article-title":"Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. L. Ixodid ticks infesting horses and donkeys","volume":"84","author":"Horak","year":"2017","journal-title":"Onderstepoort J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"305","DOI":"10.4102\/ojvr.v78i1.305","article-title":"Survey of the livestock ticks of the North West province, South Africa","volume":"78","author":"Spickett","year":"2011","journal-title":"Onderstepoort J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.4102\/ojvr.v76i3.28","article-title":"Species composition and geographic distribution of ticks infesting cattle, goats and dogs in a temperate and in a subtropical region of south-east Africa","volume":"76","author":"Horak","year":"2009","journal-title":"Onderstepoort J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"564","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ttbdis.2019.01.009","article-title":"In search of the Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in the western-central regions of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa","volume":"10","author":"Yawa","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ticks Tick Borne Dis."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1255","DOI":"10.4102\/jsava.v86i1.1255","article-title":"Distribution of endemic and introduced tick species in Free State Province, South Africa","volume":"86","author":"Horak","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. S. Afr. Vet. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ympev.2018.08.003","article-title":"The genetic relationship between R. microplus and R. decoloratus ticks in South Africa and their population structure","volume":"129","author":"Baron","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mol. Phylogenet. Evol."},{"key":"ref_33","first-page":"1","article-title":"Ticks of Australia. The species that infest domestic animals and humans","volume":"1","author":"Barker","year":"2014","journal-title":"Zootaxa"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2008.04.012","article-title":"Molecular detection of tick-borne protozoal and ehrlichial infections in domestic dogs in South Africa","volume":"155","author":"Matjila","year":"2008","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"361","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ttbdis.2015.12.008","article-title":"Investigation of Rickettsia, Coxiella burnetii and Bartonella in ticks from animals in South Africa","volume":"7","author":"Halajian","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ticks Tick Borne Dis."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"744","DOI":"10.1089\/vbz.2016.1959","article-title":"Coxiella detection in ticks from wildlife and livestock in Malaysia","volume":"16","author":"Khoo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis."},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"569","article-title":"The incidence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in cattle in the Transvaal","volume":"54","author":"Gummow","year":"1987","journal-title":"Onderstepoort J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"518","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.13-0162","article-title":"First genetic detection of Coxiella burnetii in Zambian livestock","volume":"89","author":"Qiu","year":"2013","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vanderburg, S., Rubach, M.P., Halliday, J.E., Cleaveland, S., Reddy, E.A., and Crump, J.A. (2014). Epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii infection in Africa: A One Health systematic review. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis., 8.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0002787"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Seo, M.G., Lee, S.H., Ouh, I.O., Lee, G.H., Goo, Y.K., Kim, S., Kwon, O.D., and Kwak, D. (2016). Molecular detection and genotyping of Coxiella-like endosymbionts in ticks that infest horses in south Korea. PLoS ONE, 11.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0165784"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.1159\/000495475","article-title":"South African Tick Bite Fever: An Overview","volume":"6","author":"Frean","year":"2019","journal-title":"Dermatopathology"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e28","DOI":"10.1086\/589868","article-title":"African tick bite fever in elderly patients: 8 cases in French tourists returning from South Africa","volume":"47","author":"Roch","year":"2008","journal-title":"Clin. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_43","first-page":"2050313X18775301","article-title":"First report of African tick-bite fever in a South American traveler","volume":"6","author":"Angerami","year":"2018","journal-title":"SAGE Open Med. Case Rep."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"551","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2003.68.551","article-title":"Spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks from the Masai Mara region of Kenya","volume":"68","author":"Macaluso","year":"2003","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2872","DOI":"10.1017\/S0031182004005967","article-title":"The global importance of ticks","volume":"129","author":"Jongejan","year":"2004","journal-title":"Parasitology"},{"key":"ref_46","unstructured":"Latif, A.A. (2013). Illustrated Guide to Identification of African Tick Species. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases Monograph, Agri Connect (PTY) Ltd.. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"Madder, M., Horak, I.G., and Stoltsz, H. (2013). Ticks: Tick Identification, South Africa: Creatives Commons Attribution Lisence. 58."},{"key":"ref_48","unstructured":"Mlangeni, M.A. (2016). Molecular Epidemiology of Dourine, Equine Piroplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis from Donkeys and Horses in South Africa. [Master\u2019s Thesis, Unit of Environmental Science and Management, North-West Univeristy]."},{"key":"ref_49","unstructured":"Walker, A.R., Bouattour, A., Camicas, J.-L., Estrada-Pena, A., Horak, I.G., Latif, A.A., Pegram, R.G., and Preston, P.M. (2003). Ticks of Domestic Animals in Africa: A Guide to Identification of Species, Bioscience Reports."},{"key":"ref_50","first-page":"100611","article-title":"A descriptive study of parasites detected in ticks of domestic animals in Lesotho","volume":"25","author":"Mahlobo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol. Reg. Stud. Rep."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3574","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.36.12.3574-3578.1998","article-title":"Acquisition and Transmission of the Agent of Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis by Ixodes scapularis Ticks","volume":"36","author":"Hodzic","year":"1998","journal-title":"J. Clin. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"231","DOI":"10.1590\/0037-8682-0076-2013","article-title":"Molecular identification of the agent of Q fever\u2014Coxiella burnetii\u2014In domestic animals in State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil","volume":"47","author":"Rozental","year":"2014","journal-title":"Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.42.1.90-98.2004","article-title":"Rickettsia species infecting Amblyomma cooperi ticks from an area in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, where Brazilian spotted fever is endemic","volume":"42","author":"Labruna","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Clin. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1547","DOI":"10.1093\/molbev\/msy096","article-title":"MEGA X: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis across Computing Platforms","volume":"35","author":"Kumar","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mol. Biol. Evol."}],"container-title":["Pathogens"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-0817\/10\/9\/1186\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T07:02:13Z","timestamp":1760166133000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-0817\/10\/9\/1186"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,14]]},"references-count":54,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,9]]}},"alternative-id":["pathogens10091186"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/pathogens10091186","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-0817"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-0817","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,14]]}}}