| Summary: | To obtain a better understanding of the current magnitude of tick-borne rickettsioses in Corsica, we used molecular methods to characterize the occurrence of <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. in ixodid ticks collected from domestic and wild animals. The presence of <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting the <i>gltA</i> gene and by sequencing of <i>gltA</i> and <i>ompA</i> partial genes for species identification and phylogenetic analysis. Infection rates were calculated as the maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). In total, 1117 ticks belonging to four genera (<i>Rhipicephalus</i>, <i>Hyalomma</i>, <i>Ixodes</i>, and <i>Dermacentor</i>) were collected from cattle, sheep, wild boars, and companion animals during July−August 2017 and July 2018−January 2019. Overall, <i>Rickettsia</i> DNA was detected in 208 of 349 pools of ticks (MLE = 25.6%, 95% CI: 22.6−28.8%). The molecular analysis revealed five different rickettsial species of the spotted-fever group (SFG). We highlighted the exclusive detection of <i>Candidatus</i> Ri. barbariae in <i>R. bursa</i> and of <i>Ri. aeschlimanii</i> in <i>H. marginatum.</i> <i>Rickettsia slovaca</i> was detected in <i>D. marginatus</i> collected from wild boars. This study provides the first evidence of the presence of <i>Ri. monacensis</i> in <i>I. ricinus</i> ticks isolated from a dog in Corsica. In conclusion, our data revealed wide dispersal of SFG Rickettsiae and their arthropod hosts in Corsica, highlighting the need for surveillance of the risk of infection for people living and/or working close to infected or infested animals.
|
|---|