title: Molecular detection and identification of Rickettsiales pathogens in dog ticks from Costa Rica.
abstract: Although vector-borne diseases are globally widespread with considerable impact on animal production and on public health, few reports document their presence in Central America. This study focuses on the detection and molecular identification of species belonging to selected bacterial genera (Ehrlichia, Anaplasma and Rickettsia) in ticks sampled from dogs in Costa Rica by targeting several genes: 16S rRNA/dsb genes for Ehrlichia; 16S rRNA/groEL genes for Anaplasma, and ompA/gltA/groEL genes for Rickettsia. PCR and sequence analyses provides evidences of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l ticks, and allow establishing the presence of Rickettsia monacensis in Ixodes boliviensis. Furthermore, the presence of recently discovered Mediterranean A. platys-like strains is reported for the first time in Central America. Results provide new background on geographical distribution of selected tick-transmitted bacterial pathogens in Costa Rica and on their molecular epidemiology, and are pivotal to the development of effective and reliable diagnostic tools in Central America.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Campus Benjamín Núñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica. Electronic address: lilliana.campos.calderon@una.cr.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Campos-Calderón
authors.affiliation: Maestría en Enfermedades Tropicales, Posgrado Regional en Ciencias Veterinarias Tropicales, Universidad Nacional, Campus Benjamín Nuñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica. Electronic address: leabrego@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Leyda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ábrego-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Campus Benjamín Núñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica. Electronic address: antony.solorzano.morales@una.cr.
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solórzano-Morales
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy. Electronic address: alberti@uniss.it.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alberti
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gessica
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tore
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy. Electronic address: rosannazobba@uniss.it.
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zobba
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Campus Benjamín Núñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica. Electronic address: anajimenez@racsa.co.cr.
authors.forename: Ana E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Rocha
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Campus Benjamín Núñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica; Maestría en Enfermedades Tropicales, Posgrado Regional en Ciencias Veterinarias Tropicales, Universidad Nacional, Campus Benjamín Nuñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica. Electronic address: gaby.dolz.wiedner@una.cr.
authors.forename: Gaby
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dolz
mesh_terms: D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D003364:Costa Rica / Q000453:epidemiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l.