Identification of Rickettsia spp. in Ticks Removed from Tick-Bitten Humans in Northwestern Spain.

ABSTRACT: Tick-borne rickettsioses (TBRs) are distributed worldwide and are recognized as important emerging vector-borne zoonotic diseases in Europe. The aim of this study was to identify tick-associated Rickettsia among ticks removed from humans, and to track how tick populations and their associated pathogens have changed over the years. For this purpose, we conducted a tick surveillance study in northwestern Spain between 2018 and 2022. Ticks were morphologically identified and analyzed for the presence of rickettsial pathogens through the amplification of the citrate synthase (gltA) and the outer membrane protein A (ompA) genes. PCR products were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analyses. We collected 7397 ticks, with Ixodes ricinus being the species most freq

SUBMITTER: Vieira Lista MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11354666 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature