Molecular detection of Rickettsia in ectoparasites (Siphonaptera and Phthiraptera) of domestic and feral pigs from Argentina

RUIZ, MELANIE; ACOSTA, DIANA; BARICALLA, AGUSTÍN; SANCHEZ, JULIANA P.

PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2021

0932-0113

Rickettsioses are distributed among a variety of hematophagous arthropods, andrepresent an emergent threat. The presence of rickettsial bacteria in ectoparasitescollected from pigs from Argentina is still unknown. This study investigated thepresence and identity of Rickettsia spp. in fleas Pulex irritans and sucking liceHaematopinus suis of domestic and feral pigs Sus scrofa, from Central-NorthernArgentina, through the genes gltA and ompB . Rickettsial bacteria were detected in50% of fleas and 24% of lice. The BLASTn analysis of the ompB gene fragments inP. irritans samples showed identities 99% and 100% with R. felis. Positive samplesof H. suis were 99% similar with species from the spotted fever group, futureamplifications of a more polymorphic fragment of the ompB gene will allow tocorroborate the identity of the Rickettsia species present in these lice samples. TheRickettsia spp. reported in the present study are having eventually been associatedwith cases of human diseases, and the circulation of these agents in arthropods hasalready been reported in several countries. Therefore, the identification of circulatingpathogenic agents, such as reported in this study, are crucial for development ofpreventive measures for the control of ectoparasite-borne rickettsiosisdiseases. Further studies, using serology techniques, will be allow to explore the abilityof pigs as a possible Rickettsia reservoir and its role as part of transmission cycle ofRickettsia spp. in the studied scenarios.