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Tick species and tick-borne infections identified in population from a rural area of Spain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2005

FRANCISCO JESÚS MERINO
Affiliation:
Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Santa Bárbara, Complejo Hospitalario de Soria, Soria, Spain
TERESA NEBREDA
Affiliation:
Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Santa Bárbara, Complejo Hospitalario de Soria, Soria, Spain
JOSE LUIS SERRANO
Affiliation:
Servicio Territorial de Sanidad y Bienestar Social, Soria, Spain
PEDRO FERNÁNDEZ-SOTO
Affiliation:
Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
ANTONIO ENCINAS
Affiliation:
Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
RICARDO PÉREZ-SÁNCHEZ
Affiliation:
Departamento de Patología Animal, IRNA-CSIC, Salamanca, Spain
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Abstract

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To determine the tick species that bite humans in the province of Soria (Spain) and ascertain the tick-borne pathogens that threaten people's health in that province, 185 tick specimens were collected from 179 patients who sought medical advice at health-care centres. The ticks were identified, and their DNA examined by PCR for pathogens. Most ticks were collected in autumn and spring (59 and 57 respectively). Nine species of ticks were identified, the most frequent being Dermacentor marginatus (55·7%), Ixodes ricinus (12·4%) and Rhipicephalus bursa (11·9%). Ninety-seven females, 66 males, 21 nymphs and one larva were identified. Twenty-six ticks carried DNA from Rickettsia spp. (11 Rickettsia slovaca, 6 Rickettsia spp. RpA4/DnS14, 1 Rickettsia massiliae/Bar29, and 8 unidentified); two ticks carried DNA from Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and seven ticks harboured DNA from Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2005 Cambridge University Press