Little is known of the endemicity of flea-borne rickettsiae in Kazakhstan. Thus, a survey for rickettsiae within great gerbil fleas was conducted in Almaty oblast. High prevalence of Rickettsia asembonensis was detected among Xenopsylla gerbilli, demonstrating that flea-borne rickettsiae are endemic to southeastern Kazakhstan. Interestingly, no Rickettsia typhi were detected in these same fleas.
Keywords: Kazakhstan; Rickettsia asembonensis; Rickettsia felis; Xenopsylla gerbilli; flea-borne rickettsiae; great gerbil.