title: [Molecular detection of Rickettsia massiliae and Anaplasma platys infecting Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks and dogs, Bahía Blanca (Argentina)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rickettsioses, ehrlichioses and anaplasmoses are caused by Gram negative obligate intracellular bacteria and transmitted mainly by arthropods.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To detect and perform the molecular characterization of these pathogens in ticks and domestic dogs in Bahia Blanca City (Buenos Aires, Argentina).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty six blood samples from dogs and 82 ticks (75 Rhipicephalus sanguineus and 7 Amblyomma tigrinum) were studied. The samples were analyzed by PCR for Rickettsia (intergenic space 23S-5S rRNA), Ehrlichia/Anaplasma (16S rRNA), and Anaplasma platys (16S rRNA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  12% of R. sanguineus resulted positive for Rickettsia, identified by sequencing as Rickettsia massiliae; and 37.5% of the canine blood samples analyzed were positive for A. platys. Molecular characterization was also performed by amplification of the fragment of the citrate synthase gene (gltA) (Rickettsia genus) and the groESL gene (A. platys). Phylogenetic trees were constructed using the neighbor-joining method. These trees revealed that sequences obtained are similar to those from other geographical regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate the presence of R. massiliae in R. sanguineus ticks for the second time in an urban area of South America and A. platys infection in dogs, being the southernmost region of Argentina where it has been notified.
authors.forename: Gabriel L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Cicuttin
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nazarena De Salvo
authors.forename: Fernando J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Beltrán
authors.forename: Federico E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Gury Dohmen
mesh_terms: D000709:Anaplasma / Q000235:genetics*; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D010802:Phylogeny; D048508:Rhipicephalus sanguineus / Q000382:microbiology*; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*