Prevalence and diversity of Rickettsia species in ectoparasites collected from small rodents in Lithuania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rickettsiae are emerging pathogens causing public health problems in many countries around the world. Rickettsia spp. are found in association with a wide range of arthropods which feed on different species of animals. However, the distribution and natural cycle of Rickettsia species and their association with different arthropod vectors are not fully established. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in ticks, mites and fleas parasitizing different species of small mammals in Lithuania and to molecularly characterize the Rickettsia spp. obtained from different ectoparasites.

Results

A total of 1261 ectoparasites (596 Ixodes ricinus ticks, 550 mites of five species and 115 fleas of eight species) collected from 238

SUBMITTER: Radzijevskaja J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6025725 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature