title: Characterization of spotted fever group Rickettsiae in ticks from a city park of Rome, Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ticks are vectors and important reservoirs for microbial agents that cause disease in humans and animals. Among these pathogens, the members of Rickettsia species play an important role in public health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  One hundred twenty-nine ticks belonging to four tick species (Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Dermacentor marginatus, and Haemaphysalis punctata) were collected at different sites of the Insugherata Natural Reserve, localized in the urban area of Rome, Italy. Questing ticks were tested by PCR for Rickettsia spp., amplifying partial gene of ompA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-six ticks were found to be infected with Rickettsia species. Five SFG rickettsiae were identified: three human pathogens Rickettsia conorii, Rickettsia massiliae and Rickettsia aeschlimannii, and two putative new strains Rickettsia sp. strain RM1 and Rickettsia sp. strain RM2. The phylogenetic analysis of partial gene sequences of ompA, gltA, and 17-kd antigen showed that they clustered with several rickettsiae with unidentified pathogenicity. However, Rickettsia sp. strain RM1 and Rickettsia sp. strain RM2 clustered in a statistically supported clade with R. massiliae, and R. monacensis, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that Rickettsia species other than R. conorii are implicated in human disease in Italy.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabiola
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy - Università Campus-Biomedico, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciccozzi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lo Presti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cella
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovanetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Luca
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toma
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rezza
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciervo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001907:Boutonneuse Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D026863:Ixodidae; D008297:Male; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics; D012384:Rome / Q000453:epidemiology; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000635:transmission*; D013987:Ticks / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial