Molecular detection of Rickettsia bellii in Ixodes loricatus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks associated with rodents from Buenos Aires province, Argentina

Abstract

The aim of this study was the detection of Rickettsia in ticks of sigmodontine rodents from Northeastern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. A total of 222 rodents were captured collecting 10 ticks identified as Ixodes loricatus Neumann, which were analysed by the real-time PCR and conventional PCR techniques. DNA of Rickettsia bellii was detected in nymphs obtained from the rodents Akodon azarae Fischer, Oxymycterus rufus Fischer and Deltamys kempi Thomas. This is the first report of R. bellii infecting I. loricatus in Argentina and the first report of this bacterium associated with ticks of sigmodontine rodents

Molecular screening for tick-borne bacteria and hematozoa in Ixodes cf. boliviensis and Ixodes tapirus (Ixodida: Ixodidae) from western highlands of Panama

“…endosymbionts in I. pararicinus , Ixodes fuscipes and Ixodes cf. affinis ( Sebastian et al., 2020 ), and the basal group rickettsia Rickettsia bellii in Ixodes loricatus and I. tropicalis (see Melis et al., 2020 ; Quintero et al., 2020 ). In addition, different genotypes of B .…”