title: Spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks, Morocco.
abstract: A total of 370 ticks, encompassing 7 species from 4 genera, were collected during 2002-2006 from domestic animals and vegetation in the Taza region of northeastern Morocco. Rickettsial DNA was identified in 101 ticks (27%) by sequencing PCR products of fragments of the citrate synthase and outer membrane protein genes of Rickettsia spp. Seven rickettsiae of the spotted fever group were identified, including 4 pathogens: R. aeschlimannii in Hyalomma marginatum marginatum, R. massiliae in Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. slovaca in Dermacentor marginatus, and R. monacensis in Ixodes ricinus. Two suspected pathogens were also detected (R. raoultii in D. marginatus and R. helvetica in I. ricinus). An incompletely described Rickettsia sp. was detected in Haemaphysalis spp. ticks.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Mhammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarih
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Socolovschi
authors.forename: Najma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boudebouch
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassar
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001907:Boutonneuse Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C078167:OMPA outer membrane proteins; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase