Molecular detection of tick-borne pathogens of zoonotic and veterinary importance in ticks from hunting dogs in Ghana.

Domesticated dogs used for hunting come into close contact with humans, domestic animals and wildlife, exposing them to ticks and tick-borne pathogens. It is crucial to include them in surveillance activities to monitor the spread of zoonotic pathogens and formulate effective preventive and control measures. This study sought to examine the diversity of tick species infesting hunting dogs and to detect the DNA of tick-borne pathogens they carry. Ticks were collected from 28 hunting dogs, morphologically identified using available taxonomic keys, and their identifications confirmed by molecular methods. Total nucleic acid was extracted from individual tick species and screened for pathogens using PCR and Sanger sequencing. A total of 142 ticks were identified, with Rhipicephalus sanguineus (85.94%) as the predominant species. This study reports the first molecular confirmation and report of Amblyomma sparsum, Haemaphysalis parva, Rhipicephalus leporis and Rhipicephalus linnaei in Ghana. Pathogen DNA was detected in 31 (21.83%) of the ticks, with the occurring pathogens as Hepatozoon canis (13.28%), Uncultured Anaplasma sp. (7.75%), Ehrlichia canis (7.04%), Rickettsia africae (1.41%) and Uncultured Rickettsia sp. (0.7%). The findings of this study indicate that hunting dogs can be useful sentinels in monitoring tick populations and the spillover of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens from wildlife to humans and domestic animals. This study highlights the need for education, surveillance, and tick control strategies in Ghanaian dog populations to reduce the threat of zoonotic disease establishment and transmission.