The bacterial microbiome of Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks in the Mnisi community, South Africa

Abstract

Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick, is almost exclusively a parasite of domestic dogs and is well adapted to living with its canine host in kennels or human dwellings , where it may also bite people in the safety of their own homes. It is known to transmit various tick-borne diseases. In the Mnisi community, an area of high rural poverty in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, South Africa, R. sanguineus is one of the most prevalent ticks found on dogs. The community lies at the human/livestock/wildlife interface where humans are at risk of infection with various tick-borne zoonotic diseases.