Prevalence of Bacterial Agents in Ixodes persulcatus Ticks from the Vologda Province of Russia
The prevalence of rickettsiae, ehrlichiae, and the rickettsia-like endosymbiont called Montezuma relative to that ofBorreliawas determined in questingIxodes persulcatus(I. persulcatus)ticks collected in 20022003 from Vologda Province, Russia.Ehrlichia muris,Anaplasma phagocytophilum,Montezuma, and new spotted fever group rickettsiae were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the first time in this area. The rickettsiae were allCandidatusRickettsia tarasevichiae, the furthest west this organism has been detected. AfterBorrelia,Montezuma was the agent most frequently detected; it may be present throughout the distribution ofI. persulcatusin Russia. Ehrlichiae and rickettsiae frequently share the same tick host withBorrelia burgdorferi sensu latoso cotransmission and mixed infections in vertebrate hosts, including humans, may occur
ixodes persulcatus vologda ehrlichia muris anaplasma candidatus rickettsia tarasevichiae borrelia burgdoreri coinfection