title: Antibodies to Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi in Spanish Wild Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes).
abstract: We examined 314 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the province of Soria, Spain, for Rickettsia typhi, Rickettsia slovaca, and Borrelia burgdorferi infection. Immunofluorescence assays showed 1.9% had antibodies to R. typhi, 6.7% had antibodies to R. slovaca, and 8.3% had antibodies to B. burgdorferi. Serostatus was not correlated with sex or age. Because red foxes can be infected by Rickettsiae and B. burgdorferi, presence of red foxes may be and indicator for the presence of these pathogens.
authors.affiliation: 1  Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km. 33.6, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lledó
authors.affiliation: 2  Territorial Health and Social Welfare Service, Junta de Castilla y León, Soria, Spain.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.affiliation: 1  Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km. 33.6, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isabel Gegúndez
authors.affiliation: 1  Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km. 33.6, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
authors.forename: Consuelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giménez-Pardo
authors.affiliation: 1  Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km. 33.6, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
authors.forename: José Vicente
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Saz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000276:immunology*; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D004199:Disease Vectors / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000276:immunology*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
keywords: Borrelia burgdorferi; Rickettsia sp.; epidemiology; vector borne diseases