Silent Circulation of Spotted Fever Group – Like Rickettsia Among Asymptomatic Border Personnel in the Eastern Himalaya

Abstract

ABSTRACT Rickettsial infections are usually investigated in febrile patients, whereas molecular evidence from clinically asymptomatic populations remains limited. In this study, we screened 50 apparently healthy adult male Indo‐Tibetan Border Police personnel stationed in Dirang, West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, during December 2025. Of the 50 individuals, 27 (54.0%) were positive by nested gltA PCR and by TaqMan real‐time PCR. A subset of 15/27 (55.6%) were additionally positive for 17 kDa. None reported fever, rash, eschar, lymphadenopathy, or hospitalization around sampling and/or during follow‐ups. Sequencing placed the gltA and 17 kDa amplicons within spotted fever group rickettsiae, with affinity to R. hoogstraalii / R. asemboensis lineage. These findings provide multi‐targeted molecular evidence of spotted fever group (SFG) like Rickettsia in clinically asymptomatic border personnel and highlight the need for serology, longitudinal follow‐up, and vector surveillance to clarify its epidemiological significance.