Rickettsia raoultii, the predominant Rickettsia found in Mongolian Dermacentor nuttalli.
Since the year 2005, clinical patterns resembling tick-borne rickettsioses have been noticed in Mongolia. Epidemiological data regarding species of the aetiological agent, tick vector, prevalence, and distribution as well as incidence of human cases throughout Mongolia are still sparse to date. In order to identify Rickettsia species occurring in Mongolia, we investigated Dermacentor nuttalli (n=179) and Ixodes persulcatus (n=374) collected in 4 selected provinces. Rickettsia raoultii was the predominant Rickettsia (82% prevalence) found in D. nuttalli and was also detected in I. persulcatus (0.8%). The Rickettsia prevalence in D. nuttalli from different provinces varied between 70% and 97%. In addition, R. sibirica was identified in approximately 4% of D. nuttalli, but solely from Arkhanghai province. The results of this study extend the common knowledge about the geographic distribution of R. raoultii and its high prevalence in D. nuttalli. Although the pathogenicity of this Rickettsia is still unclear, it should be considered in Mongolian patients suspected of having tick-borne rickettsiosis.
Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany. stephaniespeck@bundeswehr.org
Stephanie
S
Speck
Henri
H
Derschum
Tserennorov
T
Damdindorj
Otgonbaatar
O
Dashdavaa
Ju
J
Jiang
Philipp
P
Kaysser
Battsetseg
B
Jigjav
Erdenebat
E
Nyamdorj
Undraa
U
Baatar
Enkhtuya
E
Munkhbat
Otgonchimeg
O
Choijilsuren
Otgonsuren
O
Gerelchuluun
Angelika
A
Römer
Allen L
AL
Richards
Daniel
D
Kiefer
Holger
H
Scholz
Roman
R
Wölfel
Lothar
L
Zöller
Gerhard
G
Dobler
Sandra
S
Essbauer
D000818:Animals; D003870:Dermacentor / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008986:Mongolia; D010802:Phylogeny; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*