title: The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) as a potential host for rickettsial pathogens in southern Italy.
abstract: Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis and rickettsiosis are zoonotic tick-borne diseases of canids caused by the intracellular obligate bacteria Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia species respectively. In this study, we investigated using standard and real-time PCR and sequencing, the occurrence and molecular characterization of E. canis and Rickettsia species in the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) from the southern Italian population. Samples were screened by using molecular assays also for Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Clamydophyla spp., Coxiella burnetii, Leishmania spp., Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia spp. detection, and helminths were studied by traditional methods. Out of six carcasses tested, three were positive for E. canis and co-infection with Rickettsia sp. occurred in one of those. Sequences of the 16S rRNA E. canis gene were identical to each other but differed from most of those previously found in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and wolves (Canis lupus) from southern Italy. Helminths included just cystacanths of Sphaerirostris spp. from the intestine of two Eurasian otters and the nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum from the lungs of a single Eurasian otter. None of the samples was positive for the other investigated selected pathogens. This study is the first report on the evidence of infection by rickettsial pathogens in the Eurasian otter. The present result prompts some inquiries into the pathogenic role of those bacteria for the isolated sub-populations of the endangered Eurasian otter in southern Italy.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici (Naples), Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6483-3103
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici (Naples), Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: D'Alessio
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici (Naples), Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerrone
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici (Naples), Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lucibelli
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici (Naples), Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borriello
authors.affiliation: Museo di Storia Naturale della Calabria e Orto Botanico, Università della Calabria, Rende (Cosenza), Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aloise
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici (Naples), Italy.
authors.forename: Clementina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Auriemma
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici (Naples), Italy.
authors.forename: Nunzia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Riccone
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici (Naples), Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galiero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D010041:Otters / Q000382:microbiology*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases; D015047:Zoonoses