Ticks and Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Swiss Zoological Gardens Compared to in Contiguous and Distant Control Areas
Ticks are vectors of numerous agents of medical importance and may be infected by various <i>Chlamydia</i>-related bacteria, such as members of <i>Parachlamydiaceae</i> and <i>Rhabdochlamydiaceae</i> families, which are sharing the same biphasic life cycle with th...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/10/2468 |
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| author | Vincent Vanat Sébastien Aeby Gilbert Greub |
| author_facet | Vincent Vanat Sébastien Aeby Gilbert Greub |
| author_sort | Vincent Vanat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ticks are vectors of numerous agents of medical importance and may be infected by various <i>Chlamydia</i>-related bacteria, such as members of <i>Parachlamydiaceae</i> and <i>Rhabdochlamydiaceae</i> families, which are sharing the same biphasic life cycle with the pathogenic <i>Chlamydia</i>. However, the veterinary importance of ticks and of their internalized pathogens remains poorly studied. Thus, we wondered (i) whether the prevalence of ticks was higher in zoological gardens than in control areas with similar altitude, vegetation, humidity and temperature, and (ii) whether the presence of <i>Chlamydia</i>-related bacteria in ticks may vary according to the environment in which the ticks are collected. A total of 212 <i>Ixodes ricinus</i> ticks were collected, and all were tested for the presence of DNA from any member of the <i>Chlamydiae</i> phylum using a pan-<i>Chlamydiae</i> quantitative PCR (qPCR). We observed a higher prevalence of ticks outside animal enclosures in both zoos, compared to in enclosures. Tick prevalence was also higher outside zoos, compared to in enclosures. With 30% (3/10) of infected ticks, the zoological gardens presented a prevalence of infected ticks that was higher than that in contiguous areas (13.15%, 10/76), and higher than the control distant areas (8.65%, 9/104). In conclusion, zoological gardens in Switzerland appear to contain fewer ticks than areas outside zoological gardens. However, ticks from zoos more often contain <i>Chlamydia</i>-like organisms than ticks from contiguous or distant control areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:02:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de8ab471645345eebb655721242171e3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:02:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-de8ab471645345eebb655721242171e32023-11-19T17:27:12ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072023-09-011110246810.3390/microorganisms11102468Ticks and Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Swiss Zoological Gardens Compared to in Contiguous and Distant Control AreasVincent Vanat0Sébastien Aeby1Gilbert Greub2Institute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center (CHUV), 1005 Lausanne, SwitzerlandInstitute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center (CHUV), 1005 Lausanne, SwitzerlandInstitute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center (CHUV), 1005 Lausanne, SwitzerlandTicks are vectors of numerous agents of medical importance and may be infected by various <i>Chlamydia</i>-related bacteria, such as members of <i>Parachlamydiaceae</i> and <i>Rhabdochlamydiaceae</i> families, which are sharing the same biphasic life cycle with the pathogenic <i>Chlamydia</i>. However, the veterinary importance of ticks and of their internalized pathogens remains poorly studied. Thus, we wondered (i) whether the prevalence of ticks was higher in zoological gardens than in control areas with similar altitude, vegetation, humidity and temperature, and (ii) whether the presence of <i>Chlamydia</i>-related bacteria in ticks may vary according to the environment in which the ticks are collected. A total of 212 <i>Ixodes ricinus</i> ticks were collected, and all were tested for the presence of DNA from any member of the <i>Chlamydiae</i> phylum using a pan-<i>Chlamydiae</i> quantitative PCR (qPCR). We observed a higher prevalence of ticks outside animal enclosures in both zoos, compared to in enclosures. Tick prevalence was also higher outside zoos, compared to in enclosures. With 30% (3/10) of infected ticks, the zoological gardens presented a prevalence of infected ticks that was higher than that in contiguous areas (13.15%, 10/76), and higher than the control distant areas (8.65%, 9/104). In conclusion, zoological gardens in Switzerland appear to contain fewer ticks than areas outside zoological gardens. However, ticks from zoos more often contain <i>Chlamydia</i>-like organisms than ticks from contiguous or distant control areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/10/2468chlamydia<i>Chlamydiae</i> phylum<i>Chlamydiales</i> order<i>Rhabdochlamydia</i><i>Parachlamydia</i>intracellular bacteria |
| spellingShingle | Vincent Vanat Sébastien Aeby Gilbert Greub Ticks and Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Swiss Zoological Gardens Compared to in Contiguous and Distant Control Areas Microorganisms chlamydia <i>Chlamydiae</i> phylum <i>Chlamydiales</i> order <i>Rhabdochlamydia</i> <i>Parachlamydia</i> intracellular bacteria |
| title | Ticks and Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Swiss Zoological Gardens Compared to in Contiguous and Distant Control Areas |
| title_full | Ticks and Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Swiss Zoological Gardens Compared to in Contiguous and Distant Control Areas |
| title_fullStr | Ticks and Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Swiss Zoological Gardens Compared to in Contiguous and Distant Control Areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ticks and Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Swiss Zoological Gardens Compared to in Contiguous and Distant Control Areas |
| title_short | Ticks and Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Swiss Zoological Gardens Compared to in Contiguous and Distant Control Areas |
| title_sort | ticks and chlamydia related bacteria in swiss zoological gardens compared to in contiguous and distant control areas |
| topic | chlamydia <i>Chlamydiae</i> phylum <i>Chlamydiales</i> order <i>Rhabdochlamydia</i> <i>Parachlamydia</i> intracellular bacteria |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/10/2468 |
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