We have collected 4 species of Australian endemic ticks, Ixodes holocyclus, Ixodes trichosuri, Ixodes tasmani, and Haemaphysalis bancrofti, from around Sydney.
More...We have collected 4 species of Australian endemic ticks, Ixodes holocyclus, Ixodes trichosuri, Ixodes tasmani, and Haemaphysalis bancrofti, from around Sydney. Nymph ticks were collected by flagging / dragging the environment, while adult ticks were collected from dogs in veterinary clinics. While only I. holocyclus was recovered from dogs in veterinary clinics, I. holocyclus, I. trichosuri, I. tasmani and H. bancrofti were found in the surrounding environment. DNA was isolated using a commercial DNA isolation kit (Bioline Genomic DNA Kit) from nymph ticks, adults ticks and two DNA extraction controls were included as 'BLANK' reactions. It was then sequenced at the V3-V4 hypervariable 16S rRNA gene region. The aim was to determine whether environmental factors could have an influence on the tick's microbiome, and lastly, whether Borrelia spp. was present in Sydney ticks.
Less...