Rickettsiae in red fox (Vulpes vulpes), marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna) and their ticks in northwestern China ...

• Main Authors: Liu, Gang, Zhao, Shanshan, Tan, Wenbo, Hornok, Sándor, Yuan, Wumei, Mi, Ligu, Wang, Suwen, Liu, Zhiqiang, Zhang, Yanyan, Hazihan, Wurelihazi, Gu, Xinli, Wang, Yuanzhi
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: figshare 2021
• Subjects: Molecular Biology; Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified; Ecology; FOS Biological sciences; Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; Developmental Biology; Infectious Diseases; FOS Health sciences; Computational Biology; Pipistrellus pipistrellus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5394708.v1; https://springernature.figshare.com/collections/Rickettsiae_in_red_fox_Vulpes_vulpes_marbled_polecat_Vormela_peregusna_and_their_ticks_in_northwestern_China/5394708/1

Abstract Background Previously, twelve Rickettsia species were identified in ticks, fleas, sheep keds (Melophagus ovinus), bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and a tick-bitten patient in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in northwestern China. Here we aimed to molecularly detect rickettsial agents in red fox (Vulpes vulpes), marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna) and their ticks. Methods During 2018–2019, 12 red foxes, one marbled polecat and their ticks were sampled in two counties and a city of the XUAR. The heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney of these 13 carnivores were dissected, followed by DNA extraction. Hard ticks were identified both morphologically and molecularly. All samples were examined for the presence of rickettsiae by amplifying four genetic markers (17-kDa, gltA, ompA, sca1). Results A total of 26 adult ticks and 28 nymphs (38 Ixodes canisuga, nine Ixodes kaiseri, six Haemaphysalis erinacei and one Dermacentor marginatus) were collected from red foxes, and four Ha. erinacei ticks ...