title: Molecular detection of spotted fever group rickettsiae in Amblyomma variegatum ticks from Benin.
abstract: Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae are obligate intracellular, Gram-negative bacteria transmitted by ticks and causing febrile illness in humans. Despite the presence of suitable tick vectors, the occurrence of SFG rickettsiae has never been investigated in the Republic of Benin (West Africa). In the present study, 910 Amblyomma variegatum ticks collected from 8 different locations in North Eastern Benin were tested for SFG rickettsiae. The samples were first screened for the presence of rickettsial bacteria using 16S rDNA PCR and positive samples were subsequently characterized by ompA PCR. Randomly selected samples among those positive for both assays were subjected to sequencing of 16S rDNA and ompA genes for species identification. The 16S rDNA gene was amplified in 63.4% of the samples (585/910) and the SFG rickettsia-specific ompA gene was detected in 29.4% of the samples (267/910). The prevalence of SFG rickettsiae varied according to the location, and tick gender. Sequence analyses demonstrated the presence of Rickettsia africae and/or closely related species in Benin. These findings extend the geographic distribution of R. africae and spotted fever rickettsioses in Africa. Clinicians in Benin and those treating travellers should be aware of the possibility of SFG rickettsiae infection when they are treating patients with febrile illness.
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Paul Franck
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Adjou Moumouni
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Mohamad Alaa
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Terkawi
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Charoonluk
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jirapattharasate
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Mingming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Rika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Umemiya-Shirafuji
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan.
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujisaki
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan. Electronic address: gen@obihiro.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Xuenan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xuan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001541:Benin / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C078167:OMPA outer membrane proteins
keywords: African tick bite fever; Amblyomma variegatum; Benin; Rickettsia africae; Spotted fever group rickettsiae