Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rickettsia asembonensis found in pet dogs and cats in Thailand
By Aung, Aung et al.·Published in Zoonoses and public health·2026·Department of Veterinary Pathology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: First Molecular Detection of the Potential Zoonotic Pathogen Rickettsia asembonensis in Client-Owned Dogs and Cats in Thailand.
Plain-English summary
A study found that 21.6% of pet dogs and 2.4% of pet cats in Thailand tested positive for a bacteria called Rickettsia asembonensis, which can be spread by fleas and may pose health risks to humans. Out of nearly 1,000 pets tested, 114 were infected, with higher rates seen in dogs from certain areas. This is the first time this bacteria has been documented in pets in Thailand, highlighting the importance of monitoring and preventing flea infestations to protect both pets and their owners.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Rickettsioses are predominantly zoonotic infections that circulate among animal populations and can be transmitted to humans, representing emerging vector-borne diseases spread through infected arthropod vectors. Rickettsia asembonensis displays a broad geographic distribution and is predominantly associated with fleas. Recent reports have identified R. asembonensis in febrile human patients in Malaysia, Peru, and Zambia, underscoring its emerging zoonotic potential. In Thailand, however, investigations of Rickettsia spp. have concentrated mainly on ticks and fleas, with comparatively little information regarding infections in pet dogs and cats. METHODS: The present study examined Rickettsia spp. in 968 pets, 472 client-owned dogs, and 496 client-owned cats from the Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom regions, using the 17-kDa gene as a molecular marker. Genetic analyses of Rickettsia species were performed using maximum-likelihood phylogeny with IQ-TREE, Bayesian inference, pairwise sequence similarity assessment, and nucleotide sequence type network analysis. RESULTS: A total of 114 pets tested positive, corresponding to a prevalence of 11.8%, with 21.6% (102/472) in dogs and 2.4% (12/496) in cats. Of these, 48 samples were sequenced, leading to the identification of R. asembonensis and either uncultured Rickettsia spp. or the Rickettsia endosymbiont of Haemaphysalis bispinosa. Statistical analysis indicated significantly higher infection rates in pet dogs and cats from the Nakhon Pathom region. Phylogenetic reconstruction with maximum-likelihood and Bayesian-inference approaches revealed distinct clustering of R. asembonensis and uncultured Rickettsia spp. Furthermore, three nucleotide sequence types of R. asembonensis identified here were unique and not shared with isolates from other countries or host species, as demonstrated by phylogenetic and Templeton-Crandall-Sing network analyses. CONCLUSIONS: This work provides the first documentation of R. asembonensis in client-owned urban dogs and cats in Thailand and highlights the need for increased awareness among veterinarians and pet owners, given its public health relevance.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41786652/