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Rickettsia spp. in Dermacentor marginatus ticks: analysis of the host-vector-pathogen interactions in a northern Mediterranean area

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Abstract

In this work, we have analyzed the key features of Rickettsia spp. maintenance in Dermacentor marginatus ticks in four regions of the northern Mediterranean area, where extensive investigations are currently lacking. For this purpose, 380 adult D. marginatus ticks were collected from vegetation and wild ungulates during a 3-year study. A host-vector-pathogen interaction approach was applied to investigate the key components of the disease systems and evaluate their respective weight in the intensity of infection in natural foci. A high variability in the R. slovaca infection rate among sampling sites was observed, whereas R. raoultii was sporadically present and at low infection rates. Dermacentor marginatus presence was confirmed in all the investigated regions. The local wild boar population showed a strong association with adult D. marginatus ticks. The results of this investigation suggest that wild boars not only maintain D. marginatus populations by feeding adult ticks, but may also have a potential role in the eco-epidemiology of rickettsioses, as carriers of rickettsiae-infected ticks. The public health implications of these results are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Francesca Giannini and Silvia Contu for the coordination of the hunting teams and for their assistance in collecting specimens. In particular, the authors thank Walter Mignone, head of the local branch of IZSPLV in Imperia, Italy, for his invaluable support and advice. We are also grateful to Alessandro Mannelli and Gianluca Fichi for the inspiring conversations on the topic. This study was supported by the EU-funded projects “Réseau transfrontalier de démoustication et de lutte anti-vectorielle” (REDLAV) and “Réseau durable transfrontalier de démoustication et de lutte anti-vectorielle” (REDLAV 2.1), under the Programmes Interreg Italie-France Maritime 2007–2013 and 2014–2020.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Prevention, Observatory for Vector Borne Diseases, Piazza Aldo Moro, 55012, Capannori, LU, Italy

    Marco Selmi

  2. Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont Liguria and Aosta Valley (IZSPLV), Imperia, Italy

    Marco Ballardini

  3. Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lazio and Tuscany (IZSLT), Rome, Italy

    Laura Salvato & Enrica Ricci

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  1. Marco Selmi
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  2. Marco Ballardini
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  3. Laura Salvato
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  4. Enrica Ricci
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Correspondence to Marco Selmi.

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Selmi, M., Ballardini, M., Salvato, L. et al. Rickettsia spp. in Dermacentor marginatus ticks: analysis of the host-vector-pathogen interactions in a northern Mediterranean area. Exp Appl Acarol 72, 79–91 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-017-0132-z

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