Detection of spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae in Dermacentor reticulatus (Acari: Ixodidae) in Poland.
Dermacentor reticulatus ticks from Poland were investigated by molecular methods for the presence of rickettsiae. During 2003/2004, a total of 285 adult ticks was assayed using primers RpCS.877 and RpCS.1258 derived from the citrate synthase (gltA) gene, and 116 samples (40.7%) were positive for rickettsial DNA. Ten out of these positive samples were further assayed using SLO1F and SLO1R primers derived form the rOmpA-encoding gene to confirm that detected rickettsiae belong to the spotted fever group (SFG). The obtained sequence of a fragment of the gltA gene of Rickettsia sp. isolated from Polish D. reticulatus demonstrated 96-98% similarities to Rickettsia slovaca, Rickettsia sibirica, Rickettsia honei, and other SFG rickettsiae. The nucleotide sequences of the amplified fragments of the ompA gene were 98% homologous to RpA4 Rickettsia sp. reported from ticks collected in territories of the former Soviet Union.
Stańczak
Joanna
J
Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 9B Powstania Styczniowego str., PL-81519 Gdynia, Poland. astan@amg.gda.pl
D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003870:Dermacentor / Q000382:microbiology*; D011044:Poland; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C078167:OMPA outer membrane proteins; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase