BUDAPEST, December 28th (BIERMANN) – In his article, to be published in the January issue of Veterinary Microbiology, Hornok and his associates screened a total of 3442 unfed hard ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, D. reticulatus, Haemaphysalis inermis, H. concinna, H. punctata) and 939 fleas of cats and dogs (Ctenocephalides felis, C. canis, Pulex irritans) that were collected in Hungary. The samples were to be evaluated via molecular biological methods. For this, the DNA was extracted and analyzed in pools for representatives of the orders Rickettsiales and Mycoplasmatales.

One hard tick species, H. inermis, was newly identified to be the most important potential vector for Rickettsia helvetica in the study region, the authors write. The researchers also found a novel Rickettsia genotype - designated as “R. hungarica” – that was detected in this newly found species. This novel Rickettsia genotype had a maximum of 95,8 % gltA gene sequence identity to known Rickettsiae.

As for fleas, P. irritans tested positive for the Rickettsia sp. RF2125, which has not been previously described in Europe, Hornok and his colleagues write. Also, the researchers could demonstrate the presence of the pathogens R. felis and the prospectively named “Mycoplasma turicensis” in Central-Eastern Europe, a novel finding. The researchers also could determine the existence of Spiroplasma spp. In D. marginatus and flea species.  

Thus, the authors conclude that the molecular study of various hard tick and fleas in Hungary has extended the geographic range and vector spectrum of several arthropod-borne agents, some of which have zoonotic potential.

References

• Vet Microbiol. 140(1-2):98-104