Molecular Investigation ofFrancisella-Like Endosymbiont in Ticks andFrancisella tularensisin Ixodid Ticks and Mosquitoes in Turkey

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the molecular prevalence of Francisella-like endosymbionts (FLEs) and Francisella tularensis in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and mosquitoes in Turkey. Genomic DNA pools were constructed from a total of 1477 adult hard ticks of Rhipicephalus (Rh.) annulatus, Rh. turanicus, Rh. sanguineus, Rh. bursa, Haemaphysalis (Hae.) parva, Hae. sulcata, Hyalomma marginatum marginatum, H. anatolicum anatolicum, H. anatolicum excavatum, H. detritum detritum, H. dromedarii, Dermacentor marginatus, and Ixodes ricinus species, which were collected from several barns, cattle, and people. Genomic DNA was also extracted from pools consisting of 6203 adult female mosquito species belonging to Aedes vexans, Culex (Cx.) pipiens, Cx. hortensis, Cx. theileri, Culiseta annulata, and Anopheles maculipennis species. Conventional PCR and TaqMan probe-based real- time PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene for FLEs and the lpnA gene for F. tularensis, respectively, were performed on the DNA isolates obtained. FLEs and F. tularensis were not found in any genomic DNA pools constructed from ixodid ticks and mosquitos. This study represents the first investigation of F. tularensis and FLEs in potential vector ticks and mosquitoes by molecular methods in Turkey. The present study provides useful insights into the molecular epidemiology of F. tularensis and FLEs. One of the major conclusions of the study is that tularemia outbreaks may be essentially due to direct transmission from the environment (especially from water) in Turkey and not to vector-borne transmission.

Tick-Borne Diseases in Turkey: A Review Based on One Health Perspective

“…In Turkey, tularemia is an important disease, which has re-emerged in 1988, and the first tularemia outbreak was recorded in 2005 [70]. The first case associated with the outbreak was diagnosed near Kayseri, and the region was described as an endemic area for tularemia [30], but no positivity was detected in pools of mosquitoes and ticks collected near the Kayseri area by molecular techniques [31]. …”

The potential for flower nectar to allow mosquito to mosquito transmission of Francisella tularensis

“…tularensis can persist through stages of mosquito development suggesting that mosquitoes are capable of perpetuating F . tularensis in nature more efficiently than a typical mechanical vector [18, 20, 21]. Nevertheless, the possibility exists that ecological parameters of the mosquito lifestyle may contribute to large mosquito-borne outbreaks of tularemia.…”

Molecular Characterization Based on 16S rDNA Phylogeny of Some Ixodid Ticks in Turkey

“…Bu çalışmada da, benzer bir şekilde, H. anatolicum ve H. marginatum arasında %3,1 (13 nükleotid) ve H. excavatum ve H. , son yıllarda bazı taksonomistler tarafından yapılan morfolojik analizler sonucunda H. detritum'un H. scupense'nin sinomi olduğu (45) ve sadece H. scupense isminin kullanılması gerektiği öne sürmüşlerdir(2,45). Ancak, halen bazı kene çalışmalarında H. detritum identifiye edilmekte ve bu isim kullanılmaktadır(46)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51). Geçmişten beri bu iki kenenin ayrımında kullanılan en büyük dayanak, biyolojik olarak H. detritum'un iki konaklı ve H. scupense'nin ise tek konaklı bir gelişim göstermesidir(45).…”