First report on the occurrence of <it>Rickettsia slovaca </it>and <it>Rickettsia raoultii </it>in <it>Dermacentor silvarum </it>in China

• Main Authors: Tian Zhan-Cheng, Liu Guang-Yuan, Shen Hui, Xie Jun-Ren, Luo Jin, Tian Mei-Yuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2012-01-01
• Series: Parasites & Vectors
• Online Access: http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/5/1/19

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rickettsioses are among both the longest known and most recently recognized infectious diseases. Although new spotted fever group rickettsiae have been isolated in many parts of the world including China, Little is known about the epidemiology of Rickettsia pathogens in ticks from Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In an attempt to assess the potential risk of <it>rickettsial </it>infection after exposure to ticks in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, a total of 200 <it>Dermacentor silvarum </it>ticks collected in Xinyuan district were screened by polymerase chain reaction based on the outer membrane protein A gene.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>22 of the 200 specimens (11%) were found to be positive by PCR. Phylogenetic analysis of OmpA sequences identified two <it>rickettsial species, Rickettsia raoultii </it>(4.5%) and <it>Rickettsia slovaca </it>(6.5%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study has reported the occurrence of <it>Rickettsia raoultii </it>and <it>Rickettsia slovaca </it>in Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China and suggests that <it>Dermacentor silvarum </it>could be involved in the transmission of rickettsial agents in China. Further studies on the characterization and culture of rickettsial species found in <it>Dermacentor silvarum </it>should be performed to further clarify this. Additionally, the screening of human specimens for rickettsial disease in this region will define the incidence of infection.</p>