Ticks on wild boar in the metropolitan area of Barcelona (Spain) are infected with spotted fever group rickettsiae

Abstract

Tick‐borne pathogens (TBPs) constitute an emerging public health concern favoured by multidimensional global changes. Amongst these, increase and spread of wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations are of special concern since this species can act as a reservoir of zoonotic pathogens and promote tick abundance. Thus, we aimed to make a first assessment of the risk by TBPs resulting from wild boar and ticks in the vicinity of a highly populated area. Between 2014 and 2016, we collected spleen samples and 2256 ticks from 261 wild boars (out of 438 inspected) in the metropolitan area of Barcelona (MAB; northeast Spain). We morphologically identified four tick species: Hyalomma lusitanicum (infestation prevalence: 33.6%), Dermacentor marginatus (26.9%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (18.9%) and R. bursa (0.2%). Ticks were pooled according to species and individual host. A total of 180 tick pools and 167 spleen samples were screened by real‐time PCR and/or reverse line blot hybridization assay for Ehrlichia sp., Anaplasma sp., Babesia sp., Rickettsia sp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Coxiella burnetii. Seventy‐two out of the 180 tick pools were positive to Rickettsia spp. (minimum prevalence of 8.7%), including Rickettsia massiliae, R. slovaca and R. raoultii. We did not detect Rickettsia spp. in wild boar spleens nor other TBPs in ticks or wild boars. Since the ticks identified can bite humans, and the recorded spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae are zoonotic pathogens, there is a risk of SFG rickettsiae transmission for MAB inhabitants. Our results suggest a broader distribution of H. lusitanicum, competent vector for the Crimean‐Congo haemorrhagic fever virus than previously known. Wild boar is not a Rickettsia spp. reservoir according to the spleen negative results. However, its abundance could favour tick life cycle and abundance, and its proximity to humans could promote the infection risk by Rickettsia spp.

Molecular Survey and Spatial Distribution of Rickettsia spp. in Ticks Infesting Free-Ranging Wild Animals in Pakistan (2017–2021)

“…turanicus and Rh. sanguineus ticks collected from wild boars [26,38]. To date, there has been a lack of information about the detection of R. massiliae in Rh.…”

High Prevalence and Genetic Variability of Hepatozoon canis in Grey Wolf (Canis lupus L. 1758) Population in Serbia

“…In the previous study, it was elucidated that the most common natural prey species of the grey wolf in Serbia are roe deer ( Capreolus capreoulus L. 1758) and wild boar ( Sus scrofa L. 1758), and less often ( Lepus europaeus P. 1778) and small rodents [ 32 ]. These species are known as common hosts for ticks, including R. sanguines , the predominant vector of H. canis [ 33 , 34 ]. Further, wild boar is an omnivorous species with the domination of plants in its diet (93%), but it also consumes animal material, including reptiles, small rodents, and carcasses of game animals, which are known to harbour Hepatozoon spp.…”

Determinants of Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus exposure dynamics in Mediterranean environments

“…This is probably not because environmental favourable conditions for the species are not improving in areas where it is not present, as it is happening for H. marginatum (Bah et al., 2022) and Hyalomma scupense (Grech‐Angelini et al., 2016), but because its movements are probably closely linked to the natural movements of its main hosts that only occasionally include birds. However, the species appears in low abundance in areas where it had not been documented, perhaps associated with notable changes in the population dynamics of its hosts (Castillo‐Contreras et al., 2021). A notable change in the favourable environmental conditions for H. lusitanicum and other exophilic ticks has been, apart from climate change, the unprecedented expansion of wild ungulate populations in the northern hemisphere, not only in spatial distribution but also in densities (Valente et al., 2020).…”