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Detection of “Candidatus Rickettsia sp. strain Argentina”and Rickettsia bellii in Amblyomma ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from Northern Argentina

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Abstract

Ixodid ticks were collected from vegetation and from humans, wild and domestic mammals in a rural area in the semi-arid Argentine Chaco in late spring 2006 to evaluate their potential role as vectors of Spotted Fever Group (SFG) rickettsiae. A total of 233 adult ticks, identified as Amblyomma parvum, Amblyomma tigrinum and Amblyomma pseudoconcolor, was examined for Rickettsia spp. We identified an SFG rickettsia of unknown pathogenicity, “Candidatus Rickettsia sp. strain Argentina”, in A. parvum and A. pseudoconcolor by PCR assays targeting gltA, ompA, ompB and 17-kDa outer membrane antigen rickettsial genes. Rickettsia bellii was detected in a host-seeking male of A. tigrinum. Amblyomma parvum is widespread in the study area and is a potential threat to human health.

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Acknowledgments

We thank William Nicholson (CDC, Atlanta, USA) for providing us with positive controls for Rickettsia and Ehrlichia spp. and for useful suggestions in molecular diagnostic tools; Alberto Guglielmone (INTA, Rafaela, Argentina) for assistance in tick identification. Many thanks to the families of ‘Uchi’ Escalada and ‘Negro’ Pereira for helping us in tick collection. This project received support by NIH Research Grant # R01 TW05836 funded by the Fogarty International Center and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to UK and REG. Additional funding from Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Técnica de Argentina and EPIGENEVAC project n° 003713 from EU (to MF) and University of Buenos Aires (to REG). REG and MF are members of CONICET Researcher’s Career.

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Correspondence to M. Farber.

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Tomassone, L., Nuñez, P., Ceballos, L.A. et al. Detection of “Candidatus Rickettsia sp. strain Argentina”and Rickettsia bellii in Amblyomma ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from Northern Argentina. Exp Appl Acarol 52, 93–100 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-010-9339-y

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