Detection of Rickettsia hoogstraalii, Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsia massiliae, Rickettsia slovaca and Rickettsia aeschlimannii in ticks from Sardinia, Italy

Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2017 Mar;8(3):347-352. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.12.007. Epub 2016 Dec 15.

Abstract

Tick-borne diseases represent a large proportion of infectious diseases that have become a world health concern. The presence of Rickettsia spp. was evaluated by standard PCR and sequencing in 123 ticks collected from several mammals and vegetation in Sardinia, Italy. This study provides the first evidence of the presence of Rickettsia hoogstralii in Haemaphysalis punctata and Haemaphysalis sulcata ticks from mouflon and Rickettsia helvetica in Ixodes festai ticks from hedgehog. In addition, Rickettsia massiliae, Rickettsia slovaca and Rickettsia aeschlimannii were detected in Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Dermacentor marginatus and Hyalomma marginatum marginatum ticks from foxes, swine, wild boars, and mouflon. The data presented here increase our knowledge of tick-borne diseases in Sardinia and provide a useful contribution toward understanding their epidemiology.

Keywords: Rickettsia helvetica; Rickettsia hoogstraalii; Sardinia; Ticks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Dermacentor / microbiology*
  • Hedgehogs / microbiology
  • Hedgehogs / parasitology
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Mammals / microbiology
  • Mammals / parasitology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Rickettsia / classification*
  • Rickettsia / genetics
  • Rickettsia / isolation & purification*
  • Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology
  • Rickettsia Infections / microbiology
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sheep, Domestic / microbiology
  • Sheep, Domestic / parasitology
  • Tick-Borne Diseases / epidemiology
  • Tick-Borne Diseases / microbiology

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial