Ticks are involved in the circulation of a number of human pathogens, including spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia spp. and Coxiella burnetii. Little is known about the occurrence of these microorganisms in the southern region of Kazakhstan. In 2018-2022, a total of 726 ticks were collected from bitten humans, livestock, and vegetation in four oblasts of the southern region of Kazakhstan and subjected to DNA extraction. The overall infection rate of Coxiella spp. and Rickettsia spp. in the ticks was 3.3% (24/726) and 69.9% (300/429), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of ompA and gltA genes revealed the presence of three pathogenic SFG rickettsiae: Candidatus R. tarasevichiae, R. aeschlimannii and R. raoultii in ticks collected from bitten humans. In addition, Candidatus R. barbariae was detected in six Rhipicephalus turanicus ticks for the first time in Kazakhstan. To determine the seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection, we performed a serological analysis of samples collected from 656 domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, and goats) in the region. Overall, 23.5% (154/656) of the animals tested were positive for IgG against C. burnetii. Seroprevalence at the herd level was 54% (28/52). Goats (43%; 12/28; odds ratio (OD) = 28.9, p < 0.05) and sheep (31.9%; 137/430; OD = 18.1, p < 0.05) had higher seroprevalence than cattle (2.5%; 5/198). Among the risk factors considered in this study, age (p = 0.003) and the oblast in which the animals were sampled (p = 0.049) were statistically associated with seropostivity for Q fever in sheep, according to the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis. Seroprevalence ranged from 0% to 55.5% in animals in different districts of the southern region of Kazakhstan. Active C. burnetii bacteremia was detected in four of 154 (2.6%) seropositive animals. The data obtained provide strong evidence of the presence of pathogenic rickettsiae and C. burnetii in the southern region of Kazakhstan and emphasize the need to improve epidemiological surveillance in the region.

Tick-borne relapsing fever group borreliae (TBRFGB) are spirochetes that cause disease in humans and animals. Little is known about the prevalence of TBRFGB infections in ticks and humans in Kazakhstan. A total of 846 ticks belonging to ten species of the family Ixodidae and three species of the family Argasidae were collected from the vegetation, poultry shelters, domestic ruminants, bitten humans, pigeons, dogs and house walls in four oblasts of the southern and southeastern regions of Kazakhstan. The ticks were subjected to DNA extraction and identification of TBRFGB by conventional PCR using primers targeting flagella subunit B (flaB), glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (glpQ) and P66 porin (P66) genes. The overall infection rate of TBRFGB in the ticks was 6.2 % (46/846). TBRFGB DNA was identified in Ixodes persulcatus (5.5 %; 26/477), Ornithodoros tartakovskyi (6 %; 2/36) and Argas persicus (13.4 %; 18/134) ticks. Partial sequencing of flaB, glpQ and P66 genes identified Borrelia miyamotoi in I. persulcatus and Borrelia anserina in A. persicus. To detect the presence of B. miyamotoi infection in people in the study region, we performed serological analysis of samples collected from 42 patients admitted to hospital with fever of unknown etiology or with a history of a tick bite. The analysis revealed IgM and IgG antibodies against one or several B. miyamotoi antigens in 10 % and 5 % of patients, respectively. The data obtained provide strong evidence of the presence of B. miyamotoi and B. anserina in the southern and southeastern regions of Kazakhstan, underscoring the need for increased awareness of potential infections caused by these borreliae in these regions.

Background. Information on the geographical distribution of different species of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s.l.) complex is of great epidemiological importance, since different genospecies are associated with certain clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis. Although Almaty region of the Republic of Kazakhstan is considered to be endemic for tick-borne borreliosis, there is still no accurate data on the level of borrelia infection in ticks in the region, including information on the genotypes of circulating borrelia.The aim of this work was to study ticks collected from humans in the Almaty region of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2018.Materials and methods. Ticks were tested for the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA, genotyping of the identified borrelia was done by sequencing of the fragment of 16S rRNA gene. The analysis of epidemiological data on the incidence of Lyme borreliosis in the Almaty region in 2013–2018 was performed.Results. Rhipicephalus turanicus (116/253), Haemaphysalis punctata (74/253), Dermacentor marginatus (28/253), and Ixodes persulcatus (23/253) were the predominant species of ticks taken from humans. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. infection in I. persulcatus ticks was 39.13% (9/23) It should be noted that the DNA of B. burgdorferi s.l. was also detected in single individuals of D. marginatus, H. punctata, and R. turanicus, although these species are not considered as competent B. burgdorferi s.l. vectors.Conclusion. As a result of sequencing of the positive homogenates of ticks, two genotypes of B. burgdorferi s.l. were identified: B. afzelii and B. garinii and/or B. bavariensis. Thus, at least two genospecies, B. afzelii and B. garinii and/or B. bavariensis, circulate in the territory of the Almaty region.