First isolation and identification of Rickettsia conorii from ticks collected in the region of Fokida in Central Greece

J Clin Microbiol. 2003 Jul;41(7):3317-9. doi: 10.1128/JCM.41.7.3317-3319.2003.

Abstract

Three different spotted-fever group rickettsiae-Rickettsia conorii, R. massiliae, and R. rhipicephali-were detected and identified by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in Rhipicephalus ticks collected from domestic animals in the Fokida region of Greece, where a high seroprevalence of antibodies to R. conorii was previously demonstrated. The infection rate of ticks was 1.6%. Moreover, R. conorii was isolated from one Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic / parasitology
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • Greece
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*
  • Rickettsia conorii* / classification*
  • Rickettsia conorii* / genetics
  • Rickettsia conorii* / growth & development
  • Rickettsia conorii* / isolation & purification*
  • Tick Infestations / parasitology
  • Ticks / classification
  • Ticks / microbiology*
  • Vero Cells

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial