A Molecular Survey ofAnaplasmaspp.,Rickettsiaspp.,Ehrlichia canisandBabesia microtiin Foxes and Fleas from Sicily

Abstract

Summary Fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) are obligate bloodsucking insects, which parasitize birds and mammals, and are distributed throughout the world. Several species have been implicated in pathogen transmission. This study aimed to monitor red foxes and the fleas isolated from them in the Palermo and Ragusa provinces of Sicily, Italy, as these organisms are potential reservoirs and vectors of pathogens. Thirteen foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and 110 fleas were analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect DNA of the pathogens Ehrlichia canis, Babesia microti, Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma ovis. In the foxes, A. ovis was detected in only one animal, whereas the prevalence of the E. canis pathogen was 31%. B. microti and Rickettsia spp. were not detected. Of all of the collected fleas, 75 belonged to the species Xenopsylla cheopis, 32 belonged to Ctenocephalides canis, two belonged to Ctenocephalides felis and one belonged to Cediopsylla inaequalis. In the fleas, the following pathogens were found: A. ovis (prevalence 25%), A. marginale (1%), A. phagocytophilum (1%), Rickettsia felis (2%) and E. canis (3%). X. cheopis was the flea species most frequently infected with Anaplasma, in particular A. ovis (33%), A. marginale (1%) and A. phagocytophilum (1%). Both C. felis exemplars were positive for R. felis. E. canis was found in the lone C. inaequalis and also in 3% of the X. cheopis specimens. No fleas were positive for B. microti or A. platys. As foxes often live in proximity to domestic areas, they may constitute potential reservoirs for human and animal parasites. Further studies should be performed on fleas to determine their vectorial capacity.

A Molecular Survey of Rickettsia felis in Fleas from Cats and Dogs in Sicily (Southern Italy)

“…In our previous research carried out on fleas collected from foxes in the same area, we observed no positivity in 32 C. canis and in other 76 fleas of various species, while the only two C. felis were both positive [27]. Other authors have reported the absence [25],[41],[42] or a low prevalence [39],[40] in larger sample sizes, in contrast to what has been observed in France, where 27.03% of C. canis (10/37) were infected [37].…”

“…In Italy, only a few studies have been carried out to establish the distribution of R. felis infection in invertebrate hosts [25]–[27], and no clinical case or infection has yet been reported in humans or other mammals.…”

Vector-borne pathogens in dogs and red foxes from the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany

“…In Sicily, DNA from spleens of 13 red foxes and from 110 fleas collected from these animals were examined by PCR. No pathogen was found in fox spleens, although R. felis was detected in two Ctenocephalides felis fleas collected from these foxes (Torina et al, 2013).…”

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) as a potential host for rickettsial pathogens in southern Italy

“…canis detection only from red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) [7–10], although recently this bacterium has been detected in red foxes and wolves ( Canis lupus ) from southern Italy [5]. The high prevalence of infection found in wildlife carnivores in this latter study suggests that a sylvatic life cycle of this pathogen may occur.…”