title: Molecular detection of spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks from Ethiopia and Chad.
abstract: DNA extracted from 363 ticks collected in Ethiopia and 9 ticks collected in Chad, Africa were screened by PCR to detect DNA from spotted fever group rickettsiae. Fifteen ticks (4.1%) collected in Ethiopia and one tick (11%) collected in Chad tested positive when PCR targeting the gltA and ompA rickettsial genes was performed. PCR-positive products of the gltA and ompA genes were used for DNA sequencing. Rickettsia africae was detected in 12/118 Amblyomma lepidum and in 1/2 A. variegatum. Also, 2/12 Hyalomma marginatum rufipes collected in Ethiopia and one H. marginatum rufipes collected in Chad were positive for R. aeschlimannii. Our results confirm the previously reported presence of R. africae in Ethiopia and also show the first evidence of R. aeschlimannii in ticks collected in Ethiopia and Chad.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mura
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Socolovschi
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ginesta
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lafrance
authors.forename: Stéphan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magnan
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rolain
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davoust
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus; D002417:Cattle; D002596:Chad / Q000453:epidemiology; D005002:Ethiopia; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial