Molecular identification of Rickettsia conorii subsp. israelensis and other tick-borne pathogens in dog ticks from the Upper East region of Ghana

Ticks continue to facilitate the spread of pathogens that affect both humans and domestic animals. Domestic dogs interact with humans and other domestic animals, playing a crucial role in the spread of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. This study examined the diversity of tick species infesting domestic dogs and the occurrence of tick-borne pathogens in the Upper East region. Domestic dogs were randomly selected and examined for tick infestation. The sampled ticks were morphologically identified, pooled and screened for tick-borne pathogens using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing. From the 93 dogs examined, all 749 ticks collected were adult Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Out of the 177 tick pools screened, pathogen DNA was detected in 43 pools (24.29%). The identified pathogens were uncultured Anaplasma sp. (14.12%), Ehrlichia canis (7.34%), Rickettsia conorii subsp. israelensis (3.95%) and Coxiella burnetii (2.82%). Factors such as dog age or sex, or tick sex, did not influence the occurrence of a tick-borne pathogen (p > 0.05). This study reports the first molecular detection of R. conorii subsp. israelensis in Ghana. The occurrence of zoonotic pathogens suggests an increased risk to dog owners and a need to adopt protective measures to prevent infection spread. These findings highlight the importance of integrated tick control, improved diagnostic capabilities and epidemiological surveillance in Ghana to reduce the burden of tick-borne diseases on animal and human health.