Confirmation of Rickettsia conorii Subspecies indica Infection by Next-Generation Sequencing, Shandong, China.

We describe 3 similar cases of rickettsial disease that occurred after tick bites in a mountainous rural area of Shandong Province, China. Next-generation sequencing indicated the etiologic agent of 1 patient was Rickettsia conorii subspecies indica. This agent may be more widely distributed across China than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]