Survey of tick fauna possessing the ability to act as vectors of rickettsiosis in Toyama Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

During 1991-2007 a total of 3,562 ixodid ticks were collected by flagging at altitudes from 20 to 1,470m in Toyama Prefecture. Two genera and nine species were identified as follows: Haemaphysalis flava, H. japonica, H. kitaokai, H. longicornis, H. megaspinosa, Ixodes monospinosus, I. nipponensis, I. ovatus, and I. persulcatus. Ixodes ovatus was the most dominant species at elevations of 400m and above, but was also distributed at the low altitudes. Haemaphysalis flava was predominant below 401m above sea level. Haemaphysalis kitaokai, H. megaspinosa, and I. monospinosus were newly recorded in Toyama Prefecture. Rickettsial DNA detected from I. monospinosus was closely related to Rickettsia helvetica, indicating a potential threat of spotted fever group rickettsial infection in Toyama Prefecture.