Naslov
A follow up study on newly recognized spotted fever group Rickettsiae in ticks collected in southern Croatia

Autori
Duh, Darja ; Petrovec, Miroslav ; Trilar, Tomi ; Punda-Polić, Volga ; Bradarić, Nikola ; Avšič-Županc, Tatjana

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Book of abstracts of the International Conference on Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Diseases / Petrovec, Miroslav ; Avšič-Županc, Tatjana - Ljubljana : Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical Faculty, Ljubljana, 2002, 89-89

Skup
International Conference on Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Diseases joint with ASR Conference 2002

Mjesto i datum
Ljubljana, Slovenija, 04.09.2002. - 07.09.2002

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Spotted fever group Rickettsiae; Ticks; PCR; southern Croatia

Sažetak
In our recent study of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFG) in ticks collected in southern Croatia, two SFG rickettsiae were identified in addition to well described Rickettsia conorii. R. slovaca and R. aeschlimanii were detected in Dermacentor marginatus and Hyalomma marginatum ticks, respectively. The aim was to study the impact of environmental conditions on seasonal population dynamics of different tick species with the consequence on rickettsiae vectored by them. Therefore, a follow up study was conducted in which ticks were collected from domestic animals in the same region but in different time period. A total of 192 ticks belonging to five species (Haemaphysalis punctata, D. marginatus, H. marginatum ; Rhipicephalus bursa, Rh. turanicus)were collected in May 2001. By using PCR and subsequent sequence analysis of the portion of four genes: gltA, ompA, ompB and gene for 17-kDa protein, the presence of rickettsiae was determined. Comparing the results from the collection in autumn 2000, a major decline was noticed in adult H. punctata population (from 115 ticks in October 2000 to 4 ticks in May 2001) with no rickettsial DNA detected in this species. Rh. Bursa ticks were also proven not to be good vectors for SFG rickettsiae. Neither 27 nymphs collected in October 2000 nor 46 adults collected in May 2001 were infected. Three of 33 (9.1%) newly recognized species in the region, Rh. turanicus, were infected with Rickettsia rhipicephali, non-pathogenic SFG rickettsiae. As previously determined, D. marginatus and H. marginatum ticks were repeatedly infected with R. slovaca and R. aeschlimanii, respectively. An increase in population of adult D. marginatus and H. marginatum ticks was detected over the follow up. However, the percent of infection in ticks was lower (64.7% in October 2000 and 26.1% in May 2001) for R. aeschlimanii and higher (36.8% in October 2000 and 60.0% in May 2001) for R. slovaca. The results of this study indicate the new genetic evidence of Rickettsia rhipicephali and confirm the persistent presence of two recently described pathogenic rickettsiae, namely R. slovaca and R. aeschlimanii, in sothern Croatia.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita

POVEZANOST RADA