Tick-borne zoonotic pathogens in birds in Guangxi, Southwest China

BACKGROUND: Wildlife is an important natural reservoir of many tick-borne pathogens. These agents have an impact on the health of humans and other animals throughout the world. This study was conducted to determine whether and what species of tick-borne agents had infected wild birds collected from Guangxi, in southwest China. FINDINGS: Liver samples obtained from wild birds were tested for the presence of tick-borne pathogens by PCR assays and sequencing of the flagellin and 16S rRNA genes. Borrelia garinii was detected in Eurasian collared doves (2/57, 3.5 %) from among the 95 wild birds. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected in Eurasian collared doves (2/57, 3.5 %) and Eurasian eagle owls (2/13, 15.4 %). Ehrlichia chaffeensis and a potential novel Anaplasma sp. were identified in Common pheasant (1/12, 8.3 %). These results suggest the involvement of birds in the cycle of tick-borne diseases. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document infection of birds with B. garinii, A. phagocytophilum, E. chaffeensis and the novel Anaplasma sp. in China. CONCLUSIONS: Tick-borne zoonotic bacteria B. garinii, A. phagocytophilum and E. chaffeensis, and a potential novel Anaplasma sp., were identified in wild birds in southwest China. The presence of these agents in birds increases the potential spread over long distances and the risk of transmission of infection from birds to new hosts, including humans.