Detection of members of the genera Rickettsia, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia in ticks collected in the Asiatic part of Russia.

A total of 395 adult ixodid ticks from three genera (Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, and Ixodes) collected from the Urals to the Far East of Russia were tested by PCR and sequencing for the presence of spotted fever rickettsiae, anaplasmae, and ehrlichiae. Four, pathogens recognized in humans were detected in ticks: Rickettsia sibirica, R. heilongjiangensis, R. helvetica, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. In addition, rickettsiae and ehrlichiae of unknown pathogenicity were detected, including Rickettsia sp. RpA4, Rickettsia sp. DnS14, Rickettsia sp. DnS28, "Candidatus R. tarasevichiae," a rickettsia closely related to R. helvetica, A. bovis, Ehrlichia muris, "Ehrlichia-like" "Schotti variant," and bacterium "Montezuma." Our findings indicated the distribution of rickettsiae and ehrlichiae in hard ticks in Russia.