Abstract
A total of 167 ticks collected from humans in Istanbul (Turkey) in 2006 were screened for Rickettsia species, and nested PCRs targeting gltA and ompA rickettsial fragment genes were carried out. Rickettsia monacensis (51), R. aeschlimannii (8), R. conorii subsp. conorii (3), R. helvetica (2), R. raoultii (1), R. africae (1), R. felis (1), and other Rickettsia spp. (2), were detected. To our knowledge, these Rickettsia species (except R. conorii) had never been reported in ticks removed from humans in Turkey. The presence of R. africae also had not been previously described, either in Hyalomma ticks or in any European tick species. In addition, R. aeschlimannii and R. felis had not been found associated with Rhipicephalus bursa specimens. The presence of human pathogenic Rickettsia in ticks removed from humans provides information about the risk of tick-borne rickettsioses in Turkey.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Arachnid Vectors / microbiology*
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Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Bacterial Proteins / genetics
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Citrate (si)-Synthase / genetics
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DNA Primers
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DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
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DNA, Bacterial / genetics
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DNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
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DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
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Genotype
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Humans
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Ixodidae / microbiology*
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
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Rickettsia / genetics
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Rickettsia / isolation & purification*
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Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology
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Rickettsia Infections / microbiology*
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Rickettsia Infections / transmission
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Sequence Analysis, DNA
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Tick Bites / complications
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Tick Bites / epidemiology
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Tick Bites / parasitology
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Turkey / epidemiology
Substances
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Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
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Bacterial Proteins
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DNA Primers
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DNA, Bacterial
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DNA, Ribosomal
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RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
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OMPA outer membrane proteins
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Citrate (si)-Synthase