Molecular survey of arthropod-borne pathogens in sheep keds (Melophagus ovinus), Central Europe.
In the study, we screened a total of 399 adult sheep keds (Melophagus ovinus) for the presence of RNA and DNA specific for arboviral, bacterial, and protozoan vector-borne pathogens. All investigated keds were negative for flaviviruses, phleboviruses, bunyaviruses, Borrelia burgdorferi, Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis," and Babesia spp. All ked pools were positive for Bartonella DNA. The sequencing of the amplified fragments of the gltA and 16S-23S rRNA demonstrated a 100 % homology with Bartonella melophagi previously isolated from a sheep ked and from human blood in the USA. The identification of B. melophagi in sheep keds in Central Europe highlights needs extending a list of hematophagous arthropods beyond ticks and mosquitoes for a search of emerging arthropod-borne pathogens.
Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences, Kvetna 8, CZ-603 65, Brno, Czech Republic. rudolf@ivb.cz.|Department of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic. rudolf@ivb.cz.
Ivo
I
Rudolf
Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences, Kvetna 8, CZ-603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.
Lenka
L
Betášová
, Spytihněv 47, Zlín, Czech Republic.
Vlastimil
V
Bischof
Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences, Kvetna 8, CZ-603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.|Department of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic.|Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.
Kristýna
K
Venclíková
Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences, Kvetna 8, CZ-603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.
Hana
H
Blažejová
Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences, Kvetna 8, CZ-603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.
Jan
J
Mendel
Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences, Kvetna 8, CZ-603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.|Department of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic.
Zdeněk
Z
Hubálek
Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA.
Michael
M
Kosoy
D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000710:Anaplasmataceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D001103:Arboviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001473:Bartonella / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004175:Diptera / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Arboviruses; Babesia spp.; Bartonella melophagi; Borrelia burgdorferi; Melophagus ovinus; Rickettsiae