Patterns of Midichloria infection in avian-borne African ticks and their trans-Saharan migratory hosts.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ticks are obligate haematophagous ectoparasites of vertebrates and frequently parasitize avian species that can carry them across continents during their long-distance migrations. Ticks may have detrimental effects on the health state of their avian hosts, which can be either directly caused by blood-draining or mediated by microbial pathogens transmitted during the blood meal. Indeed, ticks host complex microbial communities, including bacterial pathogens and symbionts. Midichloria bacteria (Rickettsiales) are widespread tick endosymbionts that can be transmitted to vertebrate hosts during the tick bite, inducing an antibody response. Their actual role as infectious/pathogenic agents is, however, unclear.

Methods

We screened for Midichloria DNA African ticks and

SUBMITTER: Di Lecce I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5824480 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature