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The first record of Rickettsia hoogstraalii (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) from Argas persicus (Acari: Argasidae) in Iran

Abstract The rickettsiae (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) are obligate intracellular and Gram-negative bacteria. They depend on arthropod vectors as well as the mammalian hosts for survival in the nature. 327 soft tick specimens associated the aviary were collected in Khorramabad county of Lorestan province, western Iran. Ticks were identified as Argas persicus according to a taxonomical key. Then, 64 tick specimens were analyzed for the presence of rickettsial DNA. Out of 64 specimens, 6 of them were positive and totally three DNA sequences including a single sequence of each ompA, ompB and sca4 genes was obtained from A. persicus ticks. Rickettsia hoogstraalii was detected in Ar. persicus representing the first record of this species in Iran. Sca4 gene fragment was unable to specify rickettsial infection in Ar. persicus ticks according to BLAST analysis.