Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators
Rickettsioses are arthropod-borne zoonotic diseases, several of which occur in Australia. This study aimed to assess the exposure levels and risk factors for <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. among Australian wildlife rehabilitators (AWRs) using serology, PCR and a questionnaire. Antibody titres ag...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/6/745 |
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| author | Karen O. Mathews David Phalen Jacqueline M. Norris John Stenos Jenny-Ann Toribio Nicholas Wood Stephen Graves Paul A. Sheehy Chelsea Nguyen Katrina L. Bosward |
| author_facet | Karen O. Mathews David Phalen Jacqueline M. Norris John Stenos Jenny-Ann Toribio Nicholas Wood Stephen Graves Paul A. Sheehy Chelsea Nguyen Katrina L. Bosward |
| author_sort | Karen O. Mathews |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rickettsioses are arthropod-borne zoonotic diseases, several of which occur in Australia. This study aimed to assess the exposure levels and risk factors for <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. among Australian wildlife rehabilitators (AWRs) using serology, PCR and a questionnaire. Antibody titres against Spotted Fever Group (SFG), Typhus Group (TG) and Scrub Typhus Group (STG) antigens were determined using an immunofluorescence assay. PCR targeting the <i>gltA</i> gene was performed on DNA extracts from whole blood and serum. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity. Of the 27 (22.1%; 27/122) seropositive participants all were seropositive for SFG, with 5/27 (4.1%) also positive for TG. Of the 27 positive sera, 14.8% (4/27) were further classified as exposure to <i>R. australis</i>, 3.7% (1/27) to <i>R. honei</i>, 3.7% (1/27) to <i>R. felis</i> and 77.8% (21/27) were classified as ‘indeterminate’—most of which (85.7%; 18/21) were indeterminate <i>R. australis</i>/<i>R. honei</i> exposures. Rickettsia DNA was not detected in whole blood or serum. Rehabilitators were more likely to be seropositive if more than one household member rehabilitated wildlife, were older than 50 years or had occupational animal contact. These findings suggest that AWRs are at increased risk of contracting <i>Rickettsia</i>-related illnesses, however the source of the increased seropositivity remains unclear. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:27:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
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| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f08986532d040f4b9d85dbca39266ce2023-11-21T23:54:51ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-06-0110674510.3390/pathogens10060745Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife RehabilitatorsKaren O. Mathews0David Phalen1Jacqueline M. Norris2John Stenos3Jenny-Ann Toribio4Nicholas Wood5Stephen Graves6Paul A. Sheehy7Chelsea Nguyen8Katrina L. Bosward9Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, AustraliaSydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, AustraliaSydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, AustraliaAustralian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, VIC 3220, AustraliaSydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, AustraliaDiscipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, AustraliaAustralian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, VIC 3220, AustraliaSydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, AustraliaAustralian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, VIC 3220, AustraliaSydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, AustraliaRickettsioses are arthropod-borne zoonotic diseases, several of which occur in Australia. This study aimed to assess the exposure levels and risk factors for <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. among Australian wildlife rehabilitators (AWRs) using serology, PCR and a questionnaire. Antibody titres against Spotted Fever Group (SFG), Typhus Group (TG) and Scrub Typhus Group (STG) antigens were determined using an immunofluorescence assay. PCR targeting the <i>gltA</i> gene was performed on DNA extracts from whole blood and serum. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity. Of the 27 (22.1%; 27/122) seropositive participants all were seropositive for SFG, with 5/27 (4.1%) also positive for TG. Of the 27 positive sera, 14.8% (4/27) were further classified as exposure to <i>R. australis</i>, 3.7% (1/27) to <i>R. honei</i>, 3.7% (1/27) to <i>R. felis</i> and 77.8% (21/27) were classified as ‘indeterminate’—most of which (85.7%; 18/21) were indeterminate <i>R. australis</i>/<i>R. honei</i> exposures. Rickettsia DNA was not detected in whole blood or serum. Rehabilitators were more likely to be seropositive if more than one household member rehabilitated wildlife, were older than 50 years or had occupational animal contact. These findings suggest that AWRs are at increased risk of contracting <i>Rickettsia</i>-related illnesses, however the source of the increased seropositivity remains unclear.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/6/745seroprevalence <i>Rickettsia australis</i><i>Rickettsia honei</i><i>Rickettsia felis</i><i>Rickettsia typhi</i>Australiawildlife rehabilitators |
| spellingShingle | Karen O. Mathews David Phalen Jacqueline M. Norris John Stenos Jenny-Ann Toribio Nicholas Wood Stephen Graves Paul A. Sheehy Chelsea Nguyen Katrina L. Bosward Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators Pathogens seroprevalence <i>Rickettsia australis</i> <i>Rickettsia honei</i> <i>Rickettsia felis</i> <i>Rickettsia typhi</i> Australia wildlife rehabilitators |
| title | Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators |
| title_full | Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators |
| title_fullStr | Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators |
| title_full_unstemmed | Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators |
| title_short | Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators |
| title_sort | serological evidence of exposure to spotted fever group and typhus group rickettsiae in australian wildlife rehabilitators |
| topic | seroprevalence <i>Rickettsia australis</i> <i>Rickettsia honei</i> <i>Rickettsia felis</i> <i>Rickettsia typhi</i> Australia wildlife rehabilitators |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/6/745 |
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