title: Detection of Borrelia lusitaniae, Rickettsia sp. IRS3, Rickettsia monacensis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes ricinus collected in Madeira Island, Portugal.
abstract: A total of 300 Ixodes ricinus ticks were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Sequence analysis demonstrated 8 (2.7%) ticks infected with B. lusitaniae, 60 (20%) with Rickettsia spp., and 1 (0.3%) with A. phagocytophilum. Seven (2.3%) ticks were coinfected with B. lusitaniae and Rickettsia spp., 2 (0.6%) with R. monacensis, and 5 (1.7%) with Rickettsia sp. IRS3. The results of this study suggest simultaneous transmission of multiple tick-borne agents on Madeira Island, Portugal.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos de Vectores e Doenças Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal. isabel.carvalho@insa.min-saude.pt
authors.forename: Isabel Lopes
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Natacha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Milhano
authors.forename: Ana Sofia
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Silvia C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Sousa
authors.forename: Maria Sofia
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Núncio
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D001898:Borrelia / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D011174:Portugal; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*