Rickettsial agents from parasitic Dermanyssoidea (Acari: Mesostigmata)

• Published in: Experimental & applied acarology Vol. 38; no. 2-3; pp. 181 - 188
• Main Authors: Reeves, W.K, Dowling, A.P.G, Dasch, G.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-02-2006; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acari; Anaplasma; Anaplasma - genetics; Anaplasma - isolation & purification; Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella - genetics; Bartonella - isolation & purification; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Deoxyribonucleic acid; detection; disease vectors; DNA; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gram-Negative Bacteria - genetics; Gram-Negative Bacteria - isolation & purification; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Mesostigmata; Mites; Mites - microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; nucleotide sequences; Orientia tsutsugamushi; parasites; parasitic mites; pathogen identification; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rickettsia - genetics; Rickettsia - isolation & purification; Rickettsia akari; rickettsial diseases; Rickettsiales; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - chemistry; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; screening; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Spiroplasma; Spiroplasma - genetics; Spiroplasma - isolation & purification; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; Wolbachia; Wolbachia - genetics; Wolbachia - isolation & purification; Bartonella; Spinturnix psi; Mesostigmata; Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Acari; Pathogenic; Bacteria; Rickettsia; Gamasida; Vector; Parasitiformes; Wolbachieae; Parasite; Anaplasma; Rickettsiales; Arachnida; Faunal survey; Wolbachia; Arthropoda; DNA; Host range; Bartonellaceae; Rickettsieae; Ectoparasite; Invertebrata; Detection; Rickettsiaceae
• ISSN: 0168-8162; 1572-9702
• DOI: 10.1007/s10493-006-0007-1

Mites are often overlooked as vectors of pathogens, but have been shown to harbor and transmit rickettsial agents such as Rickettsia akari and Orientia tsutsugamushi. We screened DNA extracts from 27 mites representing 25 species of dermanyssoids for rickettsial agents such as Anaplasma, Bartonella, Rickettsia, and Wolbachia by PCR amplification and sequencing. DNA from Anaplasma spp., a novel Bartonella sp., Spiroplasma sp., Wolbachia sp., and an unclassified Rickettsiales were detected in mites. These could represent mite-borne bacterial agents, bacterial DNA from blood meals, or novel endosymbionts of mites.