Detection of Rickettsia raoultii in Dermacentor reticulatus and Haemaphysalis inermis ticks in Slovakia

Basma Ouarti, Basma El Hamzaoui, Michal Stanko, Maureen Laroche, Oleg Mediannikov, Philippe Parola, Zuzana Sekeyová

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ticks are vector arthropods responsible for the transmission of several pathogenic agents that affect both human and animal health worldwide. In this study our objective was to analyse, using molecular tools, the bacterial community of Dermacentor reticulatus and Haemaphysalis inermis ticks collected in south-eastern Slovakia. Using real-time PCR, we identified the presence of Rickettsia spp. DNA at levels of 14/59 (23.72 %) and 29/173 (16.76 %) in D. reticulatus and H. inermis, respectively. In addition, using standard PCR and sequencing, we identified the presence of Rickettsia raoultii DNA in 13 ticks belonging to the two investigated species. Rickettsia raoultii blast results revealed an average identification percentage of 99.62 %. Following the results of this molecular study there is a possibility that D. reticulatus and H. inermis play a potential role in the transmission of R. raoultii. To prove the possibility of validity of this hypothesis, we suggest performing experimental models in future studies. Our results can serve as preliminary data for future transmission models.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1611-1617
Number of pages7
JournalBiologia
Volume77
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2022
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Dermacentor reticulatus
  • Haemaphysalis inermis
  • Slovakia
  • Ticks

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Biochemistry
  • Animal Science and Zoology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Plant Science
  • Cell Biology

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