Detection of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus in the French Pyrenees and first identification of Rickettsia monacensis in France
Ticks are important vectors of several human and animal pathogens. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of important tick-borne infections in questing ticks from an area in Southwestern France (Hautes-Pyrénées) inhabited by Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica) experiencing high tic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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EDP Sciences
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Parasite |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.parasite-journal.org/articles/parasite/full_html/2019/01/parasite180139/parasite180139.html |
| _version_ | 1827775415283875840 |
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| author | Akl Toufic Bourgoin Gilles Souq Marie-Line Appolinaire Joël Poirel Marie-Thérèse Gibert Philippe Abi Rizk Georges Garel Mathieu Zenner Lionel |
| author_facet | Akl Toufic Bourgoin Gilles Souq Marie-Line Appolinaire Joël Poirel Marie-Thérèse Gibert Philippe Abi Rizk Georges Garel Mathieu Zenner Lionel |
| author_sort | Akl Toufic |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ticks are important vectors of several human and animal pathogens. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of important tick-borne infections in questing ticks from an area in Southwestern France (Hautes-Pyrénées) inhabited by Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica) experiencing high tick burden. We examined adult and nymph ticks collected by the flag dragging method from 8 to 15 sites in the Pic de Bazès during the years 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015. PCR assays were conducted on selected ticks for the detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Babesia spp., Rickettsia spp., spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Randomly selected positive samples were submitted for sequence analysis. A total of 1971 questing ticks were collected including 95 males, 101 females and 1775 nymphs. All collected ticks were identified as Ixodes ricinus. Among them, 696 ticks were selected for pathogen detection and overall prevalence was 8.4% for B. burgdorferi s.l.; 0.4% for Babesia spp.; 6.1% for A. phagocytophilum; 17.6% for Rickettsia spp.; and 8.1% for SFG Rickettsia. Among the sequenced pathogens, we detected in this population of ticks the presence of Babesia sp. EU1 and Rickettsia helvetica, as well as Rickettsia monacensis for the first time in France. The detection of these pathogens in the Pic de Bazès highlights the potential infection risks for visitors to this area and the Pyrenean chamois population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:49:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cf38d85a2b1041b4888a393bc472f641 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1776-1042 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:49:35Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasite |
| spelling | doaj.art-cf38d85a2b1041b4888a393bc472f6412023-11-02T09:25:26ZengEDP SciencesParasite1776-10422019-01-01262010.1051/parasite/2019019parasite180139Detection of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus in the French Pyrenees and first identification of Rickettsia monacensis in FranceAkl Toufic0Bourgoin Gilleshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0993-0741Souq Marie-Line1Appolinaire Joël2Poirel Marie-ThérèseGibert Philippe3Abi Rizk Georges4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8415-3116Garel Mathieu5Zenner Lionelhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5637-8799Université Libanaise, Faculté d’Agronomie et de Médecine Vétérinaire, Département de Médecine VétérinaireUniversité de Lyon, VetAgro Sup – Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Laboratoire de Parasitologie VétérinaireOffice National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés SauvagesOffice National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés SauvagesUniversité Libanaise, Faculté d’Agronomie et de Médecine Vétérinaire, Département de Médecine VétérinaireOffice National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés SauvagesTicks are important vectors of several human and animal pathogens. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of important tick-borne infections in questing ticks from an area in Southwestern France (Hautes-Pyrénées) inhabited by Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica) experiencing high tick burden. We examined adult and nymph ticks collected by the flag dragging method from 8 to 15 sites in the Pic de Bazès during the years 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015. PCR assays were conducted on selected ticks for the detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Babesia spp., Rickettsia spp., spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Randomly selected positive samples were submitted for sequence analysis. A total of 1971 questing ticks were collected including 95 males, 101 females and 1775 nymphs. All collected ticks were identified as Ixodes ricinus. Among them, 696 ticks were selected for pathogen detection and overall prevalence was 8.4% for B. burgdorferi s.l.; 0.4% for Babesia spp.; 6.1% for A. phagocytophilum; 17.6% for Rickettsia spp.; and 8.1% for SFG Rickettsia. Among the sequenced pathogens, we detected in this population of ticks the presence of Babesia sp. EU1 and Rickettsia helvetica, as well as Rickettsia monacensis for the first time in France. The detection of these pathogens in the Pic de Bazès highlights the potential infection risks for visitors to this area and the Pyrenean chamois population.https://www.parasite-journal.org/articles/parasite/full_html/2019/01/parasite180139/parasite180139.htmlixodes ricinustick-borne infectionspublic healthpyrenean chamoisrickettsia monacensis |
| spellingShingle | Akl Toufic Bourgoin Gilles Souq Marie-Line Appolinaire Joël Poirel Marie-Thérèse Gibert Philippe Abi Rizk Georges Garel Mathieu Zenner Lionel Detection of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus in the French Pyrenees and first identification of Rickettsia monacensis in France Parasite ixodes ricinus tick-borne infections public health pyrenean chamois rickettsia monacensis |
| title | Detection of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus in the French Pyrenees and first identification of Rickettsia monacensis in France |
| title_full | Detection of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus in the French Pyrenees and first identification of Rickettsia monacensis in France |
| title_fullStr | Detection of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus in the French Pyrenees and first identification of Rickettsia monacensis in France |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus in the French Pyrenees and first identification of Rickettsia monacensis in France |
| title_short | Detection of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus in the French Pyrenees and first identification of Rickettsia monacensis in France |
| title_sort | detection of tick borne pathogens in questing ixodes ricinus in the french pyrenees and first identification of rickettsia monacensis in france |
| topic | ixodes ricinus tick-borne infections public health pyrenean chamois rickettsia monacensis |
| url | https://www.parasite-journal.org/articles/parasite/full_html/2019/01/parasite180139/parasite180139.html |
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