Molecular detection and genetic characterization of Dabieshan tick virus (Uukuvirus dabieshanense) in ticks collected from wildlife in the Republic of Korea

Hye-Ryung Byun; Seong-Ryeong Ji; Joon-Seok Chae

doi:10.1016/j.parint.2026.103272

Molecular detection and genetic characterization of Dabieshan tick virus (Uukuvirus dabieshanense) in ticks collected from wildlife in the Republic of Korea

Parasitol Int. 2026 Mar 25:114:103272. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2026.103272. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hye-Ryung Byun¹, Seong-Ryeong Ji¹, Joon-Seok Chae²

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 FOUR Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education and Research Center, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
² Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 FOUR Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education and Research Center, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jschae@snu.ac.kr.

PMID: 41895577
DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2026.103272

Abstract

Dabieshan tick virus (DTV, Uukuvirus dabieshanense), has been reported in China and Japan, but its presence and genetic characteristics in the Republic of Korea (ROK) remain poorly understood. This study investigated the occurrence and genetic diversity of DTV in ticks collected from wild animals in Gangwon-do, ROK, between July and September 2022. Among 324 ticks obtained from 29 individuals of eight wildlife species, 15 partial S-segment sequences (632 bp; 4.6%) were detected by nested PCR, including 13 Haemaphysalis (H.) longicornis, one H. flava, and one unidentified Haemaphysalis sp. Phylogenetic and haplotype analyses identified three genetic clusters and seven haplotypes (Hd = 0.867; π = 0.00727), with neutrality tests (Tajima's D and Fu and Li's D*/F*) indicating no evidence of recent population expansion. One genetically divergent sequence detected in H. longicornis from a Northern Goshawk suggests potential host-associated variation. This study bridges a regional data gap by providing the first molecular evidence of DTV circulating in wildlife-associated ticks in the ROK and offers baseline information on its genetic diversity. Continued surveillance of ticks and wildlife hosts will help clarify the distribution and evolutionary dynamics of DTV in the region.

Keywords: Dabieshan tick virus; Republic of Korea; Surveillance; Ticks; Wildlife.