Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of a Novel Tick-borne Virus in Haemaphysalis Longicornis Ticks and Sheep From Shandong, China
Abstract Dabieshan tick virus (DTV) was first identified in Haemaphysalis longicornis from Hubei Province, China in 2015. However, its pathogenic potential to animals and human remains to be further explored. In this study, the presence of DTV in ticks and sheep samples was investigated. A total of 170 engorged ticks were collected from May to September 2019 from Taian and Yantai city, Shandong Province and were pooled individually to screening for DTV. The results of of qRT-PCR revealed the positive rate of 13.6% (3/22) in serum of sheep and 8.2% (14/170) in attached ticks, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a close evolutionary relationship among those DTV isolates from animal and ticks, and DTV was relatively conservative in evolution. These findings are the first to demonstrate molecular evidence of DTV in domestic animals. Nonetheless, whether or not could cause disease in sheep and other animals, DTV deserves further investigation.