title: Molecular detection and characterization of spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks from Central Italy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of rickettsial pathogens in ticks from Central Italy. A total of 113 ticks hailed from Latium and Tuscany regions were identified and tested by PCR to detect gltA, ompA, ompB genes of Rickettsia. Positive amplicons were sequenced and identified at species level. Ticks were analyzed individually or in pools. The percentage of positivity for SFG rickettsiae was 12.4%, expressed as minimum infection rate (MIR) assuming that one tick was positive in each positive pool. Rickettsia aeschlimannii was detected in Hyalomma marginatum, Rickettsia monacensis in Ixodes ricinus and Rickettsia massiliae and Rickettsia conorii in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. These findings confirm the circulation of pathogenic rickettsiae in Latium and Tuscany regions. To our knowledge this is the first report of R. massiliae in Latium region.
authors.affiliation: Zooprophylaxis and Research Institute of Latium and Tuscany "M. Aleandri'', Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scarpulla
authors.affiliation: Zooprophylaxis and Research Institute of Latium and Tuscany "M. Aleandri'', Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: giulia.barlozzari@izslt.it.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barlozzari
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata'', Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcario
authors.affiliation: Zooprophylaxis and Research Institute of Latium and Tuscany "M. Aleandri'', Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salvato
authors.affiliation: C.R.A.Ba.R.T. Zooprophylaxis and Research Institute of Sicily, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Blanda
authors.affiliation: Zooprophylaxis and Research Institute of Latium and Tuscany "M. Aleandri'', Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Liberato
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Virology, Polyclinic "Tor Vergata" Foundation, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Agostini
authors.affiliation: C.R.A.Ba.R.T. Zooprophylaxis and Research Institute of Sicily, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torina
authors.affiliation: Zooprophylaxis and Research Institute of Latium and Tuscany "M. Aleandri'', Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Macrì
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D048508:Rhipicephalus sanguineus / Q000382:microbiology*; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D020114:Rickettsia conorii / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C078167:OMPA outer membrane proteins
keywords: Italy; Latium; PCR; Rickettsia massiliae; Spotted fever group rickettsiae; Ticks