Novel Genetic Lineages of Rickettsia helvetica Associated with Ixodes apronophorus and Ixodes trianguliceps Ticks.

ABSTRACT: Ixodes apronophorus is an insufficiently studied nidicolous tick species. For the first time, the prevalence and genetic diversity of Rickettsia spp. in Ixodes apronophorus, Ixodes persulcatus, and Ixodes trianguliceps ticks from their sympatric habitats in Western Siberia were investigated. Rickettsia helvetica was first identified in I. apronophorus with a prevalence exceeding 60%. "Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae" dominated in I. persulcatus, whereas I. trianguliceps were infected with "Candidatus Rickettsia uralica", R. helvetica, and "Ca. R. tarasevichiae". For larvae collected from small mammals, a strong association was observed between tick species and rickettsiae species/sequence variant

SUBMITTER: Igolkina Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10223337 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature