Molecular Identification and Genetic Characterization of Public Health Threatening Ticks - Chongming Island, China, 2021-2022.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC?: Although ticks and tick-borne diseases are prevalent throughout China, there remains a knowledge gap regarding their biology and potential risk of distribution to human and animal populations on Chongming Island. The island, being China's third largest and a crucial component in the ecological preservation of the Yangtze Delta region, has yet to be comprehensively studied in this context.

WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?: In this study, employing molecular methodologies, a significant prevalence of Haemaphysalis ( H .) longicornis and H. flava ticks - widely recognized for their high pathogenicity - is reported from Chongming Island. Additionally, the identification of two previously unreported species on the island, namely, H. doenitzi and H. japonica , expands our understanding of both the range and evolution of tick species.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE?: The populations of humans and animals in nearly all 18 towns on Chongming Island are potentially at risk for transmission of tick-borne infectious agents. As a result, there is a pressing necessity for public health alerts, proactive tick surveillance, and effective screening of suspected clinical cases of tick-borne diseases within the Chongming population.