Pathogenic Rickettsia, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks collected from cattle and laboratory hatched tick larvae.

Our study revealed a diversity of pathogenic rickettsial species in R. microplus ticks from Hunan Province suggesting a threat to people and animals in China. This study also provided the first molecular evidence for the potential transovarial transmission of C. Rickettsia xinyangensis and A. platys in R. microplus, indicating that R. microplus may act as the host of these two pathogens.