title: Molecular Detection of Rickettsia africae in Amblyomma variegatum Collected from Sudan.
abstract: Despite the increasing awareness of the importance of emerging vector-borne diseases, human tick-borne diseases, particularly rickettsial infections, are overlooked, especially in the countries such as Sudan with limited resources to perform molecular-based surveys. This study aimed at detection and genetic characterization of Rickettsia spp. in ticks collected from Sudan. The samples were first screened for the presence of rickettsial agents by gltA real-time PCR and subsequently characterized by gltA and ompA PCR and size-based multispacer typing. The results demonstrated the wide distribution of Rickettsia africae and/or closely related species across Sudan. The results of this report highlight the need for careful consideration of rickettsial infections in patients with nonmalarial febrile illness in this country. Nationwide surveillance on ticks associated with human rickettsial infections in Sudan is warranted.
authors.affiliation: 1Unit of Risk Analysis and Management, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.affiliation: 2Division of Collaboration and Education, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Yongjin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum-North, Sudan.|4Parasites, Vectors and Vector-borne Diseases, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
authors.forename: Bashir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salim
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum-North, Sudan.
authors.forename: Shawgi Mohamed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: 2Division of Collaboration and Education, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: African tick-bite fever; Real-time PCR; Rickettsia africae; Size-based multispacer typing; Sudan