title: Molecular and serological study of rickettsial infection in humans, and in wild and farm animals, in the province of Burgos, Spain.
abstract: Limited information is available on the presence of rickettsial infection in humans and animal reservoirs in Spain. Exposure to spotted fever group rickettsia in healthy humans and in farm and wild animals in the Province of Burgos, Spain, was examined by serological methods. Rickettsial DNA was also sought by PCR in animal samples. Of 102 human serum samples examined by indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA), 5.88% were positive for antibodies against Rickettsia conorii (titers 1/128-1/512). Significant differences were detected in human seroprevalence with respect to age. In further IFAs, 102 out of 375 (27.2%) serum samples from the wild animals reacted with R. conorii antigens (titers 1/64-1/1024); 32 out of 281 (11.38%) samples from farm animals were also positive for R. conorii (titers 1/64-1/2048). The prevalence detected among total wild animals was significantly higher than among total farm animals. No rickettsial DNA was found by PCR in any farm or wild animal sample.
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Universidad de Alcalá , Alcalá de Henares, Spain .
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lledó
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Peñafiel
authors.forename: Consuelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giménez-Pardo
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gegúndez
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: José Vicente
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Saz
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020114:Rickettsia conorii / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Epidemiology; Reservoir host; Rickettsia; Vector-borne