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Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in ticks collected in the Mexico-USA transboundary region

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Abstract

Zoonotic tick-borne diseases, including those caused by Rickettsia species, continue to have serious consequences for public health worldwide. One such disease that has emerged as a major problem in several countries of the American continent is the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. Several tick species are capable of transmitting R. rickettsia, including Amblyomma cajennense, A. aureolatum, A. imitator, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Dermacentor andersoni, D. variabilis and possibly A. americanum. Despite previous reports in Mexico linking new outbreaks of RMSF to the presence of these tick species, no robust measures have tackled transmission. In the present study, we amplified R. rickettsii from 109 test DNA samples extracted from ticks collected from several animals and humans of Tamaulipas, Mexico, between November 2015 and December 2017. Our analysis revealed the presence of R. rickettsii in six samples and these findings contribute to a spatial distribution map that is intended to minimize the risk of transmission to humans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Km. 5 Carretera Victoria-Mante, CP 87000, Ciudad Victoria, TAMPS, Mexico

    O. Merino, N. I. De la Cruz & J. Martinez

  2. USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA

    A. A. Pérez de León

  3. Laboratorio de Parasitología. UD PZTM. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, Mexico

    D. Romero-Salas

  4. Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    M. D. Esteve-Gassent

  5. Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Parasitología Veterinaria, INIFAP. AP 2016, Civac, CP 62550, Jiutepec, MOR, Mexico

    R. Lagunes-Quintanilla

Authors
  1. O. Merino
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  2. N. I. De la Cruz
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  3. J. Martinez
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  4. A. A. Pérez de León
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  5. D. Romero-Salas
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  6. M. D. Esteve-Gassent
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  7. R. Lagunes-Quintanilla
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Correspondence to O. Merino.

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Merino, O., De la Cruz, N.I., Martinez, J. et al. Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in ticks collected in the Mexico-USA transboundary region. Exp Appl Acarol 80, 559–567 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-020-00483-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-020-00483-5

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