Prevalence of 'Candidatus Rickettsia vini' in Ixodes arboricola ticks in the North of Spain, 2011-2013

Parasit Vectors. 2015 Feb 19:8:110. doi: 10.1186/s13071-015-0724-6.

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in Ixodes arboricola ticks collected from birds in two locations in the North of Spain from 2011 to 2013 was studied.

Findings: The detection of the bacteria in 54 DNA extracts of I. arboricola was performed by PCR targeting an ompA fragment gene. The 94.4% of the samples yielded positive results and the nucleotide sequences were homologous (100% identity) to 'Candidatus Rickettsia vini'.

Conclusion: The high rate of infection suggests that 'Ca. R. vini' is a common endosymbiont of I. arboricola.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arachnid Vectors / microbiology*
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Bird Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Bird Diseases / microbiology
  • Birds
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Female
  • Ixodes / microbiology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Prevalence
  • Rickettsia / genetics
  • Rickettsia / isolation & purification*
  • Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology*
  • Rickettsia Infections / microbiology
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Symbiosis

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • OMPA outer membrane proteins