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Tick-borne zoonotic pathogens are increasingly becoming important across the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, tick-borne pathogens identified include viruses, bacteria and protozoa, with  Rickettsia  being the most frequently reported. This study was conducted to screen and identify  Rickettsia  species in ticks (Family  Ixodidae ) infesting livestock in selected districts of southern Zambia. A total of 236 ticks from three different genera ( Amblyomma, Hyalomma , and  Rhipicephalus ) were collected over 14 months (May 2018–July 2019) and were subsequently screened for the presence of  Rickettsia  pathogens based on PCR amplification targeting the outer membrane protein B ( ompB ). An overall  Rickettsia  prevalence of 18.6% (44/236) was recorded. Multi-locus sequencing and phylogenetic characterization based on the  ompB, ompA , 16S  rRNA  and citrate synthase ( gltA ) genes revealed the presence of  Rickettsia africae  ( R. africae ),  R. aeschlimannii -like species and unidentified  Rickettsia  species. While  R. aeschlimannii -like species are being reported for the first time in Zambia,  R. africae  has been reported previously, with our results showing a wider distribution of the bacteria in the country. Our study reveals the potential risk of human infection by zoonotic  Rickettsia  species and highlights the need for increased awareness of these infections in Zambia's public health systems.

Molecular Detection and Characterization of Rickettsia Species in Ixodid Ticks Collected From Cattle in Southern Zambia