Identification of closely related Ixodes species by protein profiling with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

ABSTRACT: Ticks are vectors of infectious diseases of major importance in human and veterinary medicine. For epidemiological studies, accurate identification of ticks is crucial to define their potential role as vectors and to develop control and prevention strategies. Although morphological and molecular methods are widely used to identify ticks, an innovative approach using MALDI-TOF MS technology recently emerged as an alternative tool. Previous works showed that MALDI-TOF MS was highly effective in identifying ticks, but these works mainly tested tick specimens of different genera. To confirm the accuracy of this new tool for tick identification, nine closely related tick species belonging to the Ixodes genus were analysed, specimens of the Dermacentor reticulatus species were also included in t

SUBMITTER: Boyer PH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6797106 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature