Spotted fever group rickettsiae in Dermacentor reticulatus and Haemaphysalis punctata ticks in the UK.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae have recently been identified for the first time in UK ticks. This included the findings of Rickettsia helvetica in Ixodes ricinus and Rickettsia raoultii in Dermacentor reticulatus. This paper further investigates the occurrence of SFG rickettsiae in additional geographically distinct populations of D. reticulatus, and for the first time, investigates the occurrence of SFG rickettsiae in UK populations of Haemaphysalis punctata ticks.

Methods

Questing D. reticulatus and H. punctata were collected at a number of sites in England and Wales. DNA from questing ticks was extracted by alkaline lysis and detection of rickettsiae DNA was performed, in addition to detection of A. phagocytophilum, N. mikurensis, C. burnetii and B. burg

SUBMITTER: Tijsse-Klasen E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3725166 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature