Tick-borne Pathogens in Ticks from Dogs and Cats in Southeast Georgia
Faculty Mentor
Marina Eremeeva
Location
Russell Union Ballroom
Type of Research
On-going
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health
Department
Biostatistics, Epidemiology, & Environmental Science
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases are rising across the southeastern United States. Surveillance of ticks infesting companion animals is recognized as an early warning system for monitoring disease prevalence and emerging of new infections. This study examines tick infestation and pathogen prevalence in ticks collected from veterinary clinics and animal shelters in Southeast Georgia. 157 Ixodid ticks representing four genera were collected, identified, and tested for Anaplasma, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia using EvaGreen PCR. Rickettsia PCR-positive were the most frequently detected, including 58 (41.7%,n=139) ticks from shelters and 7 (38.9%,n=18) from pets. Forty-one ticks (26.1%) tested PCR-positive for Bartonella, with 38 samples (27.3%) from sheltered animals. Only three ticks tested PCR-positive for Ehrlichia (2) and Anaplasma (1). Eight diverse genotypes of human and veterinary pathogens were identified by sequencing. These results warrant increasing awareness of ticks and tick-borne pathogens among pet owners and veterinarian staff.
Program Description
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Start Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
McCloud, Alice A., "Tick-borne Pathogens in Ticks from Dogs and Cats in Southeast Georgia" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 69.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/69
Tick-borne Pathogens in Ticks from Dogs and Cats in Southeast Georgia
Russell Union Ballroom
Tick-borne diseases are rising across the southeastern United States. Surveillance of ticks infesting companion animals is recognized as an early warning system for monitoring disease prevalence and emerging of new infections. This study examines tick infestation and pathogen prevalence in ticks collected from veterinary clinics and animal shelters in Southeast Georgia. 157 Ixodid ticks representing four genera were collected, identified, and tested for Anaplasma, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia using EvaGreen PCR. Rickettsia PCR-positive were the most frequently detected, including 58 (41.7%,n=139) ticks from shelters and 7 (38.9%,n=18) from pets. Forty-one ticks (26.1%) tested PCR-positive for Bartonella, with 38 samples (27.3%) from sheltered animals. Only three ticks tested PCR-positive for Ehrlichia (2) and Anaplasma (1). Eight diverse genotypes of human and veterinary pathogens were identified by sequencing. These results warrant increasing awareness of ticks and tick-borne pathogens among pet owners and veterinarian staff.
