Author(s): Moerbeck, Leonardo ; Parreira, Ricardo ; Seixas, Gonçalo ; Velez, Rita ; Domingos, Ana ; Antunes, Sandra
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/180586
Origin: Repositório Institucional da UNL
Subject(s): DEBONEL; MSF-like disease; One health; SENLAT; Surveillance; TIBOLA; Tick-borne rickettsioses; Parasitology; veterinary(all); Infectious Diseases; SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the financial support from Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) through the PhD scholarship 2022.14376.BD awarded to Leonardo Moerbeck. Additionally, we deeply appreciate Dr. Ana Sofia Santos for her invaluable support, manuscript review and expertise in tick surveillance during the field campaigns. We also extend our gratitude to the administrative and technical staff of Tapada Nacional de Mafra and Funda\u00E7\u00E3o Mata do Bussaco. Finally, we acknowledge Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) for funding GHTM-UID/04413/2020 and LA-REAL\u2013LA/P/0117/2020. Funding Information: L. M. is a recipient of a PhD grant supported by Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e a Tecnologia (FCT), under reference 2022.14376.BD. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.
Background: Tick-borne rickettsioses (TBR) are emerging, neglected, zoonoses, caused by intracellular α-proteobacteria of the genus Rickettsia, that pose a growing public health concern. The aim of the present study was to evaluate rickettsial infections in questing ticks collected from four different ecological areas in mainland Portugal. Methods: Over a two-year period, a total of 707 questing ticks were collected. Individual adult ticks and pooled nymphs were submitted to DNA extraction, followed by qPCR assays targeting the gltA rickettsial gene. Positive samples were then submitted to conventional PCR targeting the gltA and the ompA genes for phylogenetic analysis. Results: In total, eight tick species were identified: Dermacentor marginatus, Haemaphysalis inermis, Haemaphysalis punctata, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Ixodes frontalis, Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus pusillus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. Additionally, rickettsial infection was associated with seven of these species, with I. frontalis being the exception. Notably, the prevalence of Rickettsia spp. was 26.35%, with phylogenetic validation confirming infections with R. helvetica, R. massiliae, R. monacensis, Candidatus R. rioja, and R. slovaca. Conclusions: The present study highlights the necessity for ongoing surveillance to map and monitor both questing and feeding ticks, along with their vertebrate hosts. Effective control strategies are of utmost importance to mitigate the escalating threat of TBR. Additionally, the present study provides valuable epidemiological insights into TBR in Portugal, including the identification of R. slovaca infecting I. ricinus - an unconventional tick-pathogen relationship - and the first report of Candidatus R. rioja infecting D. marginatus in Portugal. In conclusion, this study contributes with valuable data regarding epidemiological results on ticks and TBR circulating in Portugal, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures to address this emerging public health challenge.
