Rickettsia conorii israelensis in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks, Sardinia, Italy

Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2014 Jun;5(4):446-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.02.003. Epub 2014 May 19.

Abstract

The presence of tick-borne Rickettsia spp. was examined by PCR using DNA samples extracted from 254 ticks collected from mammals originating from northern and eastern Sardinia, Italy. The spotted fever group rickettsial agent Rickettsia conorii israelensis was detected in 3 Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks from a dog for the first time in this geographical area. In addition, Ri. massiliae, Ri. slovaca, and Ri. aeschlimannii were detected in Rh. turanicus, Rh. sanguineus, Dermacentor marginatus, and Hyalomma marginatum marginatum ticks from dogs, goats, wild boar, and horse. Moreover, Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae was detected in 2 Rh. turanicus ticks from goats. The detection of Ri. conorii israelensis, an emergent agent which causes Israeli spotted fever, increases our knowledge on tick-borne rickettsioses in Sardinia.

Keywords: Pathogen; Rickettsia; Tick-borne disease; Vector tick.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arachnid Vectors / microbiology*
  • Boutonneuse Fever / microbiology
  • Boutonneuse Fever / veterinary
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Dog Diseases / microbiology*
  • Dog Diseases / parasitology
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Italy
  • Ixodidae / microbiology*
  • Male
  • Mammals*
  • Rhipicephalus sanguineus / microbiology
  • Rickettsia / genetics
  • Rickettsia / isolation & purification*
  • Rickettsia Infections / microbiology
  • Rickettsia Infections / veterinary*
  • Rickettsia conorii / genetics
  • Rickettsia conorii / isolation & purification
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / veterinary
  • Tick Infestations / parasitology
  • Tick Infestations / veterinary*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial