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Abstract
Purpose: Pathogens of the genera Anaplasma, Borrelia and Rickettsia, and Tick-borne Encephalitis virus (TBEV) may be associated to various tick species which are hematophagous ectoparasites potentially hosted by any terrestrial vertebrate, humans included. This peculiarity makes ticks potential horizontal vectors of zoonotic importance. Liguria is characterized by mountains and an intense urbanization of the terminal part of the alluvial plains. The 12% of its surface is a protected natural area. The aim of our study is to provide an overview of the infection rate of tick-borne agents by analyzing ticks collected between 2016 and 2017 from wild mammals in Liguria. Methods & Materials: More than 200 ticks (124 Ixodes, 68 Dermacentor, 34 Haemaphysalis and 9 Riphicephalus spp.) were collected from 49 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 41 wild boars (Sus scrofa), 7 chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), 2 fallow deer (Dama dama) and 1 marten (Martes foina) and stored in 70% ethanol. After ticks identification and total nucleic acid extraction, simplex PCR assays to detect Anaplasma, Borrelia, Rickettsia spp. and TBE virus were performed. By project's design, all ticks belonging to a given species from the same animal and collection date were pooled and treated as a single sample. Results: PCR results revealed 36 ticks positive for Rickettsia spp. and 3 for Anaplasma spp.; all samples were negative for Borrelia spp. and TBEV. Rickettsia spp. were found in 32 Ixodes ricinus and 4 Dermacentor marginatus ticks, while Anaplasma spp. were related to 2 Haemaphysalis punctata and 1 Ixodes ricinus (co-infected with Rickettsia). Regarding the host species, the 15% of wild boars and 61% of roe deer sampled were carrying ticks infected with Rickettsia, while the 29% of chamois ticks infected with Anaplasma. Conclusion: Our study confirms the presence of Rickettsia and Anaplasma spp. in ticks in Liguria, giving proof of their circulation in wild mammals. This panorama suggests the importance of taking forward the health monitoring in order to ensure the early detection of potential zoonotic infections in this area.
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