While studying rickettsial infections in Peru, we detected Rickettsia asembonensis in fleas from domestic animals. We characterized 5 complete genomic regions (17kDa, gltA, ompA, ompB, and sca4) and conducted multilocus sequence typing and phylogenetic analyses. The molecular isolate from Peru is distinct from the original R. asembonensis strain from Kenya.
Keywords: Peru; Rickettsia; Rickettsia asembonensis; ectoparasites; fleas; multilocussequence typing; next-generation sequencing; parasites; vector-borne infections; zoonoses.