title: Use of DNA sequences for Rickettsia identification in Ixodes ricinus ticks: the first detection of Rickettsia monacensis in Poland.
abstract: The cosmopolitan tick Ixodes ricinus inhabiting Europe, including Poland, is a vector for many pathogens, such as various Rickettsia species, which spread to new territories. They are present mainly in the Mediterranean countries, but have also been found in Central Europe at increasing frequency. In the present study, the gltA gene, encoding citrate synthase, and an internal transcribed spacer (ITS) were employed to detect the DNA and identify the species of tick-borne pathogens of the Rickettsia genus. The presence of bacterial DNA was detected in 9.5% of the examined I. ricinus individuals. Based on the nucleotide sequences of the analysed genomic fragments, most pathogens were identified as Rickettsia helvetica, while Rickettsia monacensis was revealed in one case. We have described for the first time, to our knowledge, the occurrence of this species in Poland. Both markers employed in the experiments were successful in species identification of R. helvetica. The newly described species R. monacensis may be identified by the protein-coding gene, but the ITS nucleotide sequences proved insufficient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of Szczecin, 71-412 Szczecin, ul. Felczaka 3C, Poland. ankas@univ.szczecin.pl
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rymaszewska
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piotrowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005819:Genetic Markers; D018884:Ixodes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D011044:Poland; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D005819:Genetic Markers; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase