Detection of Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus in Ixodes Ticks Collected Near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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Abstract Background Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a flavivirus that causes a range of clinical presentations including severe neurological complications in humans. In Mongolia, TBEV is primarily transmitted by the Ixodes persulcatus tick, which serves as both a vector and reservoir. Historically, TBEV in Mongolian ticks has been predominantly described in the forested regions of the Bulgan and Selenge aimags (provinces). Methods In 2021 and 2024, I persulcatus ticks (n = 240) were collected from Bulgan and Tuv aimags in northern Mongolia, respectively, and pooled into 52 groups of 1 to 7 ticks. Using polymerase chain reaction, we identified the presence of TBEV RNA in six pooled samples, which were subjected to sequencing. Results Two full genomes of Siberian TBEV were sequenced and assembled from tick pools collected in Tuv aimag, signifying the closest documented occurrence of this pathogen to the capital of Ulaanbaatar (83 km away). An additional partial Siberian genome was sequenced from a tick pool from Bulgan aimag. Conclusions This finding indicates an elevated risk for TBEV transmission near Mongolia's largest urban center. The detection of TBEV in I persulcatus ticks in new geographic and ecologic areas underscores the necessity for continuous surveillance of tick populations, especially in densely populated regions.

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