| Summary: | Rickettsia species are obligate intracellular gram-negative bacteria responsible for human infections in many countries around the world. Vectors of these pathogens include arthropods such as ticks and mites, which feed on very different species of small rodents. Nevertheless, there are only few studies focusing on investigation of rickettsial pathogens in rodent ectoparasites. The aim of this study was to characterize the species of ticks and mites found on small rodents in Lithuania and to examine collected ectoparasites for the presence of Rickettsia pathogens. A total of 238 small rodents of six different species were collected in Curonian Spit (Lithuania) during 2013-2014. Rodents were found to be infested with Ixodes ricinus ticks (n=578) and 5 species of parasitic mites (n=570) from Laelapidae family (Laelaps agilis, Hyperlaelaps microti, Haemogamassus nidi, Eulaelaps stabularis, Myonyssus gigas). Rickettsia DNA was detected in 16.5% I. ricinus ticks and 7.4% Laelapidae mites. Infected ectoparasites were found on Apodemus flavicollis, Micromys minutus, Myodes glareolus, Microtus oeconomus and Microtus arvalis rodents. PCR and sequence analysis of partial gltA and 17kDa genes revealed the presence of R. helvetica, in I. ricinus ticks and L. agilis mites, and R. felis in H. microti mites. The results of the study demonstrate the presence of spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks and mites in Lithuania. This study is the first reports of Rickettsia species in ticks and mites in Lithuania, and the first detection of R. felis in Gamasida mites.
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