# Metagenomic Profile of Bacterial Communities of Hyalomma scupense and Hyalomma asiaticum Ticks in Kazakhstan

## TL;DR

This study identifies bacterial communities in two tick species from Kazakhstan, revealing potential pathogens and differences between male and female ticks.

## Contribution

The first metagenomic analysis of bacterial communities in Hyalomma scupense and Hyalomma asiaticum ticks from Kazakhstan.

## Key findings

- 26 bacterial genera were identified, including pathogenic and symbiotic taxa.
- Francisella was dominant in H. scupense, while Helcococcus was prominent in H. asiaticum.
- Significant sex-based differences in bacterial composition were observed in both tick species.

## Abstract

Ticks are important vectors of pathogens affecting humans and animals, posing a serious threat to health. For the first time, we studied the metagenomic profile of the microbial composition of Hyalomma scupense and Hyalomma asiaticum ticks in Kazakhstan. A total of 94 adult H. asiaticum and H. scupense ticks collected from randomly selected cattle in Kazakhstan in 2023 were analyzed. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed using the Ion Torrent NGS platform. Taxonomic classification was carried out in the BV-BRC platform with the Kraken2 database. Metagenomic analysis revealed 26 bacterial genera, including both pathogenic and symbiotic taxa. In H. scupense, the dominant groups were Francisella (89.0%), Staphylococcus (76.0%) and Candidatus Midichloria (61.0%), while in H. asiaticum, they were Francisella (99.0% and 95.0%) and Helcococcus (65.0%). In male H. scupense, the proportion of Francisella reached 89%, whereas in females, it varied from 2% to 28%. In H. asiaticum, Helcococcus accounted for 65% in males compared to 11% in females. This is the first report on the metagenomic profile of the microbiota of H. scupense and H. asiaticum in Kazakhstan. The detection of pathogens indicates a risk of their transmission to humans and animals and highlights the need to develop new tick control strategies.