Rickettsia vini n. sp. (Rickettsiaceae) infecting the tick Ixodes arboricola (Acari: Ixodidae)

Nováková, Markéta; Costa, Francisco Borges; Krause, Frantisek; Literák, Ivan; Labruna, Marcelo Bahia

doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1742-8

Cited by 30 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…R. vini was first detected in the ticks I. arboricola and I. ricinus collected from birds in Spain and named “ Candidatus R. vini” [ 8 , 55 ]. This bacterium has since been detected in ticks feeding on birds in other European counties and Turkey [ 56 ]. The pathogenicity for humans and animals of this Rickettsia remains unknown [ 57 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and diversity of Rickettsia species in ectoparasites collected from small rodents in Lithuania

et al. 2018

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BackgroundRickettsiae are emerging pathogens causing public health problems in many countries around the world. Rickettsia spp. are found in association with a wide range of arthropods which feed on different species of animals. However, the distribution and natural cycle of Rickettsia species and their association with different arthropod vectors are not fully established. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in ticks, mites and fleas parasitizing different species of small mammals in Lithuania and to molecularly characterize the Rickettsia spp. obtained from different ectoparasites.ResultsA total of 1261 ectoparasites (596 Ixodes ricinus ticks, 550 mites of five species and 115 fleas of eight species) collected from 238 rodents in Lithuania during 2013–2014 were investigated for the presence of Rickettsia pathogens. Infection rates were calculated as the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The infection rate varied among ectoparasites and was found highest in fleas 43.5%, followed by I. ricinus ticks (MLE = 26.5%; 95% CI: 22.2–31.3%) and then mites (MLE = 9.3%; 95% CI: 7.0–12.2%). Sequence analysis of partial gltA and 17kDa genes revealed the presence of Rickettsia helvetica, R. felis, R. monacensis, Rickettsia sp. and rickettsial endosymbionts. Four Rickettsia spp. were identified in fleas, while three Rickettsia spp. were identified in Laelapidae mites and only one (R. helvetica) in I. ricinus ticks.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence and molecular characterization of Rickettsia spp. in 11 species of ectoparasites of small rodents in Lithuania. The present data extend the knowledge on the distribution of Rickettsia spp. and their association with different arthropod vectors. Prior to our study, R. felis had never been identified in Lithuania. To our knowledge, this is also the first report of R. felis in L. agilis and H. microti mites and in Ct. agyrtes and H. talpae fleas, as well as the first detection of R. monacensis in Ct. agyrtes fleas.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2947-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and diversity of Rickettsia species in ectoparasites collected from small rodents in Lithuania

et al. 2018

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“…Rickettsia vini, an obligate endosymbiont of ornithophilic Ixodes arboricola and Ixodes lividus ticks, has repeatedly been detected in Ixodes ricinus ticks, which may illustrate horizontal transmission of endosymbiotic Rickettsiae via co-feeding [34][35][36]. Since this species is a member of the SFG and was successfully isolated in vertebrate Vero cells, it may represent a potential candidate for a vertebrate pathogen [37].…”

Section: Are Pathogenic and Endosymbiotic Rickettsiae Two Separate Grmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rickettsial Endosymbionts of Ticks

Nováková¹,

Šmajs²

2019

Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens

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Rickettsiae are widely known to be human bacterial pathogens transmitted by blood-sucking ectoparasites, such as ticks, fleas, and lice. However, most rickettsial species are nonpathogenic endosymbionts with various groups of organisms, such as arthropods, protists, and other eukaryotes. While attention has been given to rickettsial endosymbionts of insects, rickettsial endosymbionts of ticks have been less well studied. Tick hosts are found across the phylogeny of Rickettsiae; hence, the tick was the most probable ancestral host of Rickettsiae associated with arthropods. Here, we focus on rickettsial endosymbionts of ticks, describing their role in association with ticks and comparing them to tick-borne vertebrate pathogens.

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“…In ticks, as for many other arthropods, some Rickettsia are maternally inherited endosymbionts with poorly known effects on tick biology. This is the case for R. buchneri in the black-legged tick I. scapularis 35 , R. peacockii in the American dog tick D. variabilis 36 , and R. vini in the tree-hole tick I. arboricola 16,37 . These nonpathogenic Rickettsia may interact with a variety of tick-borne pathogens 34 , including Anaplasma marginale 38 , Borrelia burgdorferi 39 and also other Rickettsia 40,41 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Novel Rickettsia genotypes in ticks in French Guiana, South America

Binetruy

Buysse

Barosi

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Rickettsia are obligate intracellular bacteria often associated with ticks and best known for causing human diseases (rickettsiosis), including typhus fever and sporadic cases of serious infection. in this study, we conducted a large survey of ticks in french Guiana to understand the overall diversity of Rickettsia in this remote area largely covered by dense rainforests. Out of 819 individuals (22 tick species in six genera), 252 (30.8%) samples were positive for Rickettsia infection. Multilocus typing and phylogenetic analysis identified 19 Rickettsia genotypes, but none was 100% identical to already known Rickettsia species or strains. Among these 19 genotypes, we identified two validated Rickettsia species, Rickettsia amblyommatis (spotted fever group) and Rickettsia bellii (bellii group), and characterized a novel and divergent Rickettsia phylogenetic group, the guiana group. While some tick hosts of these Rickettsia genotypes are among the most common ticks to bite humans in french Guiana, their potential pathogenicity remains entirely unknown. However, we found a strong association between Rickettsia genotypes and their host tick species, suggesting that most of these Rickettsia genotypes may be nonpathogenic forms maintained through transovarial transmission. Members of the Rickettsia genus are obligate intracellular bacteria of eukaryotes 1-3. The best known Rickettsia species are major human pathogens that include the etiological agents of the epidemic typhus, R. prowazekii, the Rocky Mountain spotted fever, R. rickettsii, and the flea-borne spotted fever, R. felis 1,4,5. Most of these pathogenic Rickettsia species have a zoonotic life cycle and are transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods such as ticks, mites, lice and fleas, which commonly serve as ecological bridges for transmission from wildlife to humans and domestic animals 1,4,5. However, members of the Rickettsia genus are actually more widespread than previously recognized: ecological surveys are uncovering substantial Rickettsia diversity associated with blood-feeding arthropods but also with non-blood-feeding arthropods, protozoa, algae and plants 1-3. There are currently more than 30 recognized Rickettsia species but the advent of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and molecular phylogenetics has recently led to the description of several new putative species 1,2,4,6,7. Historically, Rickettsia were classified into a few major groups based on serological characteristics, but subsequent DNA sequencing led to classification of at least 10 distinct phylogenetic groups 1,2,6. Three Rickettsia groups-the spotted fever group, the typhus group and the transitional group-are the subject of intensive study since they all include major pathogenic species and are commonly found in blood-feeding arthropods 1. In addition, another Rickettsia group widely found in ticks but also in many other arthropods, the bellii group, is also commonly studied. This group is thought to be basal to the three other major Rickettsia groups and is largely composed of nonpath...

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Rickettsia vini n. sp. (Rickettsiaceae) infecting the tick Ixodes arboricola (Acari: Ixodidae)

Cited by 30 publications

References 38 publications

Prevalence and diversity of Rickettsia species in ectoparasites collected from small rodents in Lithuania

Prevalence and diversity of Rickettsia species in ectoparasites collected from small rodents in Lithuania

Rickettsial Endosymbionts of Ticks

Novel Rickettsia genotypes in ticks in French Guiana, South America

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