Epidemiology of boutonneuse fever in Western Sicily: Distribution and prevalence of spotted fever group rickettsial infection in dog ticks (rhipicephalus sanguineus)

The distribution and prevalence of spotted fever group rlckettslal infection in the ixodld dog tick Rhlpicephalus sangulneus were found to occur at a rate of 19.7% with variation related to geographic and soclooccupational factors. A higher rate of infection was demonstrated in ticks removed from dogs associated with documented cases of boutonneuse fever. The results fit into available clinical and seroepidemlologic data on Rickettsla conorll infection in western Sicily.