Open AccessRole of reptiles and associated arthropods in the epidemiology of rickettsioses: A one health paradigm
Author(s) -
Domenico Otranto,
Ranju Ravindran Santhakumari Manoj,
Maria Stefanía Latrofa,
Roberta Iatta,
Giada Annoscia,
Piero Lovreglio,
Angela Stufano,
Filipe DantasTorres,
Bernard Davoust,
Younes Laidoudi,
Oleg Mediannikov,
Domenico Otranto
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos neglected tropical diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.99
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1935-2735
pISSN - 1935-2727
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009090
Subject(s) - anaplasma phagocytophilum , spotted fever , ixodes ricinus , biology , rickettsia , coxiella burnetii , tick , rickettsia rickettsii , enzootic , tick borne disease , boutonneuse fever , virology , veterinary medicine , borrelia burgdorferi , immunology , medicine , virus , antibody
We assessed the presence of Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in reptiles, their ectoparasites and in questing ticks collected in a nature preserve park in southern Italy, as well as in a peri-urban area in another region. We also investigated the exposure to these pathogens in forestry workers, farmers and livestock breeders living or working in the nature preserve park given the report of anecdotal cases of spotted fever rickettsioses. Rickettsia spp. were molecularly detected in Podarcis muralis and Podarcis siculus lizards (i.e., 3.1%), in Ixodes ricinus (up to 87.5%) and in Neotrombicula autumnalis (up to 8.3%) collected from them as well as in I . ricinus collected from the environment (up to 28.4%). Rickettsia monacensis was the most prevalent species followed by Rickettsia helvetica . An undescribed member of the family Anaplasmataceae was detected in 2.4% and 0.8% of the reptiles and ectoparasites, respectively. Sera from human subjects (n = 50) were serologically screened and antibodies to Rickettsia spp. (n = 4; 8%), C . burnetti (n = 8; 16%) and A . phagocytophilum (n = 11; 22%) were detected. Two ticks collected from two forestry workers were positive for spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. Ixodes ricinus is involved in the transmission of SFG rickettsiae ( R . monacensis and R . helvetica ) in southern Europe and lizards could play a role in the sylvatic cycle of R . monacensis , as amplifying hosts. Meanwhile, N . autumnalis could be involved in the enzootic cycle of some SFG rickettsiae among these animals. People living or working in the southern Italian nature preserve park investigated are exposed to SFG rickettsiae, C . burnetii and A . phagocytophilum .