Diversity of Rickettsia spp. in ticks from wild mammals of Morocco and Mauritania
Summary: Ticks are known as vectors and reservoirs of rickettsiae and, wildlife vertebrate hosts as suitable dispersers of ticks contributing to the life cycle of rickettsial agents in nature. In the herein study, the presence of rickettsiae was investigated in ticks from wild mammals (Gerbillus and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X23001164 |
| _version_ | 1797676291026059264 |
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| author | Sérgio Santos-Silva Nuno Santos Zbyszek Boratyński João R. Mesquita Patrícia F. Barradas |
| author_facet | Sérgio Santos-Silva Nuno Santos Zbyszek Boratyński João R. Mesquita Patrícia F. Barradas |
| author_sort | Sérgio Santos-Silva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Ticks are known as vectors and reservoirs of rickettsiae and, wildlife vertebrate hosts as suitable dispersers of ticks contributing to the life cycle of rickettsial agents in nature. In the herein study, the presence of rickettsiae was investigated in ticks from wild mammals (Gerbillus and Jaculus, Vulpes rueppellii, Canis anthus, Felis lybica and Felis margarita) in Mauritania and Morocco. Morphological and molecular analysis of ticks allowed their identification as Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and Hyalomma impeltatum. A total of 126 partially engorged adult ticks, collected from 40 animals, were screened for the presence of rickettsial DNA by conventional PCR targeting the ompB gene, followed by ompA and gltA targets and bidirectional sequencing. As a result of the sequence analyses, that at least three different species of pathogenic spotted fever group rickettsiae were detected. Rickettsia parkeri-like was detected in a R. sanguineus s.l. (n=1) collected from an African wildcat from Morocco. Rickettsia aeschlimannii was detected in a H. impeltatum (n=1) collected from a gerbil rodent. Rickettsia massiliae was detected in R. sanguineus s.l. ticks (n=5) collected from two Ruppells’ foxes. The herein study demonstrates that pathogenic Rickettsia species are circulating in Morocco and Mauritania wildlife. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T22:26:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-67770f1cc97d494ba7c40d1e853ac576 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1877-9603 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T22:26:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-67770f1cc97d494ba7c40d1e853ac5762023-09-24T05:14:38ZengElsevierTicks and Tick-Borne Diseases1877-96032023-11-01146102235Diversity of Rickettsia spp. in ticks from wild mammals of Morocco and MauritaniaSérgio Santos-Silva0Nuno Santos1Zbyszek Boratyński2João R. Mesquita3Patrícia F. Barradas4Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, PortugalCIBIO/InBio, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Campus of Vairão, University of Porto, Vila do Conde 4485-661, PortugalBIOPOLIS, CIBIO/InBio, Research Center in Biodiversity & Genetic Resources, University of Porto, PortugalInstitute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, PortugalEPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal; Department of Sciences, CESPU, CRL, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), Gandra, Portugal; Corresponding author at: Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas 135, Porto 4050-091, Portugal.Summary: Ticks are known as vectors and reservoirs of rickettsiae and, wildlife vertebrate hosts as suitable dispersers of ticks contributing to the life cycle of rickettsial agents in nature. In the herein study, the presence of rickettsiae was investigated in ticks from wild mammals (Gerbillus and Jaculus, Vulpes rueppellii, Canis anthus, Felis lybica and Felis margarita) in Mauritania and Morocco. Morphological and molecular analysis of ticks allowed their identification as Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and Hyalomma impeltatum. A total of 126 partially engorged adult ticks, collected from 40 animals, were screened for the presence of rickettsial DNA by conventional PCR targeting the ompB gene, followed by ompA and gltA targets and bidirectional sequencing. As a result of the sequence analyses, that at least three different species of pathogenic spotted fever group rickettsiae were detected. Rickettsia parkeri-like was detected in a R. sanguineus s.l. (n=1) collected from an African wildcat from Morocco. Rickettsia aeschlimannii was detected in a H. impeltatum (n=1) collected from a gerbil rodent. Rickettsia massiliae was detected in R. sanguineus s.l. ticks (n=5) collected from two Ruppells’ foxes. The herein study demonstrates that pathogenic Rickettsia species are circulating in Morocco and Mauritania wildlife.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X23001164Hyalomma impeltatumRickettsia aeschlimanniiRickettsia parkeriMoroccoMauritania |
| spellingShingle | Sérgio Santos-Silva Nuno Santos Zbyszek Boratyński João R. Mesquita Patrícia F. Barradas Diversity of Rickettsia spp. in ticks from wild mammals of Morocco and Mauritania Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases Hyalomma impeltatum Rickettsia aeschlimannii Rickettsia parkeri Morocco Mauritania |
| title | Diversity of Rickettsia spp. in ticks from wild mammals of Morocco and Mauritania |
| title_full | Diversity of Rickettsia spp. in ticks from wild mammals of Morocco and Mauritania |
| title_fullStr | Diversity of Rickettsia spp. in ticks from wild mammals of Morocco and Mauritania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity of Rickettsia spp. in ticks from wild mammals of Morocco and Mauritania |
| title_short | Diversity of Rickettsia spp. in ticks from wild mammals of Morocco and Mauritania |
| title_sort | diversity of rickettsia spp in ticks from wild mammals of morocco and mauritania |
| topic | Hyalomma impeltatum Rickettsia aeschlimannii Rickettsia parkeri Morocco Mauritania |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X23001164 |
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