Abstract
We attempted to detect Rickettsia japonica DNA from ixodid ticks by the PCR analysis. Ixodid ticks were collected at Hami, Minamikata and Shintomi of Kimotsuki Town, Kagoshima Prefecture. Ixodid ticks were also collected at three popular camp sites, Sarugajou Gorge in Tarumizu City, Kamikawaotaki Park and Shouyojunomori in Kinkou Town, Kagoshima Prefecture. A total of 3,477 ixodid ticks was collected. They were identified as four genera and eight species as follows: Haemaphysalis flava, H. longicornis, H. formosensis, H. hystricis, Ixodes nipponensis, I. ovatus, Amblyomma testudinarium and Dermacentor taiwanensis. Haemaphysalis formosensis and H. flava seemed to be the dominant species in the survey areas. The nucleotide sequence of PCR products with a primer pair Rj5 and Rj10 was analyzed. The nucleotide sequences of four PCR products from H. longicornis (one sample), H. formosensis (one sample) and H. hystricis (two samples) were successfully decided, and their sequences accorded with Rickettsia japonica DNA.
