Abstract
Bacteria genetically related to Coxiella burnetii have been found in ticks. Using molecular techniques, we detected Coxiella-like bacteria, here named Candidatus Coxiella massiliensis, in skin biopsy samples and ticks removed from patients with an eschar. This organism may be a common agent of scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy after tick bite.
Highlights
Bacteria genetically related to Coxiella burnetii have been found in ticks
On the basis of phylogenetic clustering, epidemiologic role, and the fact that we used its antigens for the diagnostic of human infection, we propose the name for the Coxiella-like bacteria associated with R. sanguineus, R. turanicus, and H. pusillus ticks to be Candidatus C. massiliensis (Figure 1)
We determined that Candidatus C. massiliensis is an etiologic agent of human infections
Summary
We detected Coxiella-like bacteria, here named Candidatus Coxiella massiliensis, in skin biopsy samples and ticks removed from patients with an eschar. This organism may be a common agent of scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy after tick bite. Patients were considered possibly infected if they had clinical signs (fever, skin eschar, local lymph node enlargement) and if a removed tick was positive for Coxiella-like bacteria according to qPCR but no skin biopsy was sampled or when serologic results were positive. On the basis of phylogenetic clustering, epidemiologic role, and the fact that we used its antigens for the diagnostic of human infection, we propose the name for the Coxiella-like bacteria associated with R. sanguineus, R. turanicus, and H. pusillus ticks to be Candidatus C. massiliensis (Figure 1).
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