Med. Weter. 82 (1), 21-26, 2026
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| XING ZHANG, LIU ZHANG, WEI LI, QIAN FENG, WEI ZHAO, WEI HE, NUERAIZIZI NUERMAIMAITI, YIQI DAI, LU SUN, KUN ZHOU, XIAOQING ZHAO, JUNYUAN WU |
| Molecular analysis of tick-borne Bole Tick Virus 1 in southern Xinjiang, China |
| Ticks serve as vectors for the transmission of pathogens through bites, causing diseases in wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Although Xinjiang, China, exhibits an exceptional diversity of tick-borne pathogens, limited data exists regarding the association between Bole Tick Virus 1 (BLTV1) and the local tick populations. A total of 319 ticks were collected across 15 sites in southern Xinjiang between 2023 and 2024. The ticks were identified according to their morphological characteristics and confirmed as three genera encompassing five species according to mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequencing. Molecular detection of BLTV1 in ticks was performed using nested RT-PCR targeting the L gene segment of the virus. BLTV1 was detected in 48 out of 319 ticks collected, accounting for 15.05% (48/319) of the sample. This study provides basic evidence of the existence of BLTV1 in ticks in southern Xinjiang. To our knowledge, BLTV1 was detected for the first time in Dermacentor pavlovskyi, a rare tick species in Xinjiang. Moreover, this is the first time that BLTV1 has been detected in Rhipicephalus turanicus, also in southern Xinjiang. Therefore, the potential threat of ticks to livestock and humans should not be ignored. |
| Keywords: Tick, Bole Tick Virus 1, RT-PCR, Southern Xinjiang |