Fazil, K.I.Kottawatta, K.S.A.Rajapakse, R.P.V.J.Saheed, S.Thilakarathne, D.S.2025-12-222025-12-222024-08-29Proceedings of the Peradeniya University International Research Sessions (iPURSE) – 2024, University of Peradeniya, P 1411391-4111https://ir.lib.pdn.ac.lk/handle/20.500.14444/7296Ticks transmit a variety of zoonotic pathogens, making them medically significant. Given that Sri Lanka is a biodiversity hot spot, ticks are abundant, infesting both domestic and wild animals. During feeding, ticks inject saliva to the host, thereby facilitating the transmission of pathogens to the host. This study aims to identify bacteria present in saliva of ticks infesting diverse domestic animals in Kandy District. Hitherto, 10 ticks were collected: 3 from cattle, 1 from a horse and 6 from dogs. Tick species were identified using morphological keys, and they were aseptically dissected to collect salivary glands. Each salivary gland was inoculated in buffered peptone water at 37oC for 2 hours, cultured in blood agar and then incubated at 37oC for 18-24 hours. Morphologically distinct bacterial colonies were sub-cultured, and multiple conventional biochemical assays were conducted for bacterial identification. Identified ticks represented Boophilus (3), Ixodes (2), Ornithodorus (1), Haemaphysalis (1), Octobius (1), Rhipicephalus (1) and Aponoma (1) species. Colony morphology revealed the presence of 18 distinct bacterial isolates, of which 10 were Gram-positive cocci and 8 were Gram-negative rods. Among the Gram-positives, 5 were coagulase-positive Staphylococci. Available biochemical tests for Gram-negatives indicated that 6 isolates suggest the presence of Citrobacter species; however, further testing is required to confirm the remaining isolates. According to previous literature, ticks are known to transmit bacteria such as Aeromonas hydrophila, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter species, Serratia and Enterobacter species, where our findings are very much consistent with previous publications. Thus, aside from intracellular protozoans transmitted by ticks, ticks carry a variety of bacterial pathogens that can infect both animals and humans. Staphylococcus species, the most frequently isolated bacterium from tick saliva, demands further exploration of its antimicrobial profiles since it is resistant to most drugs and poses a zoonotic concern.en-USIdentificationBacteriaTickDomesticAnimalArticle