Data of ticks in the current study.xlsx

Tick-borne rickettsiosis has posed a significant threat to Egypt, with various pathogenic <i>Rickettsia</i> species being reported. In this study, 134 ticks were collected from camels in Esna city, Luxor, Egypt, and all were identified as <i>Hyalomma dromedarii</i> through both morphological and molecular techniques. Using specific primers targeting the citrate synthase (<i>gltA</i>), outer membrane protein A (<i>ompA</i>), and 17kD antigen (17kDa) genes, <i>Rickettsia japonica</i> was detected via conventional and nested PCR assays. Remarkably, two samples tested positive for <i>R. japonica</i> across all three genes, indicating a prevalence of 1.5%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the <i>gltA</i>, <i>ompA</i> and 17kDa genes confirmed the presence of <i>R. japonica</i> within <i>H. dromedarii</i> ticks. This is the first reported detection of <i>R. japonica</i> in Egypt. These findings highlight the urgent need to investigate the origin and spread of <i>R. japonica</i> in the country, and underscore the importance of continuous surveillance and data collection on lesser-known pathogens circulating in ticks as part of Egypt's public health efforts to manage tick-borne diseases.