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Molecular detection and groEL typing of Rickettsia aeschlimannii in Sardinian ticks

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Abstract

Rickettsia aeschlimannii is an emerging tick-borne pathogen of the spotted fever group Rickettsiae with considerable impact on both human and animal health. This study reports the molecular detection and groEL characterization of R. aeschlimannii in ticks collected from birds and ruminants in a typical Mediterranean environment. Phylogeny of R. aeschlimannii and species representative of the spotted fever and typhus groups based on the groEL gene is reconstructed for the first time. Results expand the knowledge on distribution and typing of emerging human tick-borne diseases in Sardinia and pave the way for future molecular epidemiology studies of zoonotic Rickettsiae.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Sassari, Italy

      Valentina Chisu, Cipriano Foxi & Giovanna Masala

    2. Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy

      Rosanna Zobba & Alberto Alberti

    3. Osservatorio Faunistico Parco Nazionale Asinara, Asinara, Italy

      Danilo Pisu

    Authors
    1. Valentina Chisu
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    2. Rosanna Zobba
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    3. Cipriano Foxi
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    4. Danilo Pisu
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    5. Giovanna Masala
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    6. Alberto Alberti
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    Corresponding author

    Correspondence to Valentina Chisu.

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    Valentina Chisu and Rosanna Zobba contributed equally to this work.

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    Chisu, V., Zobba, R., Foxi, C. et al. Molecular detection and groEL typing of Rickettsia aeschlimannii in Sardinian ticks. Parasitol Res 115, 3323–3328 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-5091-5

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-5091-5

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