Seroprevalence of rickettsial infection in northern Cyprus: A study among hunters

@#This study was conducted to investigate rickettsial seropositivity among hunters, a high-risk population for tick-borne diseases in northern Cyprus. Serum samples were collected from 300 hunters from different locations during the 2017-2018 hunting season (November 2017 - February 2018). The samples were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using slides coated with Rickettsia slovaca, a species belonging to the spotted fever group (SFG). During the sample collection, a questionnaire was also applied to evaluate possible risk factors for rickettsial seropositivity. Of the 300 serum samples, six (2.0%) were found to be IgG-positive with a titer of 1:64. While all seropositive individuals were male, the statistical analysis revealed no significant association of gender with rickettsial seropositivity (p=1.000). Other factors including age (p=0.414), residential places of the participants (p=0.347), hunting years (p=0.694) or hunting abroad (p=1.000) did not significantly affect the IgG positivity. Also, no statistical correlation was found between a history of an arthropod (tick, louse, or flea) bite and rickettsial seropositivity (p=1.000). To our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates rickettsial seropositivity among human population in northern Cyprus. Our study suggests that awareness should be raised among the people especially involved in outdoor activities such as hunting, and control programs should be implemented to prevent possible rickettsiosis cases. Further serological studies using other Rickettsia spp. antigens, as well as molecular studies that search for Rickettsia spp. in humans, animals and arthropods are needed to obtain more comprehensive data on rickettsiosis in northern Cyprus.

Biodiversity of Holocene marine fish of the southeast coast of Brazil / Biodiversidade de peixes marinhos do Holoceno da costa Sudeste brasileira

Abstract Middens are archaeological sites dating between 8,000 and 1,000 years before present and are commonly found on the Brazilian coast. Data were collected from 68 middens allowing an inventory of 142 fish species, most of them recorded in no more than five sites. Conversely, Micropogonias furnieri and Pogonias cromis had the highest frequencies of occurrence. The biogeographic, ecological and economic data showed that most of the identified fish are widely distributed in the Western Atlantic (59.72%) and inhabit estuarine environments (53.99%), while most species have a demersal habit (35.92%) and exhibit oceanic migratory behaviour (28.87%). Lastly, the surveyed fish are predominantly carnivorous (72.54%) with some commercial value (96.48%). Chi-squared tests comparing midden inventory and current ichthyofauna checklists failed to show significant differences between them (p > 0.99). Thus, the results indicate that zoo-archaeological fish remains are key evidence of Holocene biodiversity and may help the establishment of more complete baselines.

Resumo Sambaquis são sítios arqueológicos, datando entre 8,000 e 1,000 anos antes do presente, encontrados na costa brasileira. Neste trabalho, dados ictiológicos referentes a 68 sambaquis da costa Sudeste do Brasil foram compilados e construído um inventário de referência no qual constam 142 espécies, a maioria das quais com registro em não mais que cinco sítios. Por outro lado, as espécies Micropogonias furnieri e Pogonias cromis apresentaram alta frequência de ocorrência nos sambaquis. Os dados biogeográficos, ecológicos e econômicos mostraram que a maioria das espécies registradas nos sambaquis são de ampla distribuição no Atlântico Ocidental (59.72%), habitam ambientes estuarinos (53.99%), tem um hábito demersal (35.92%) e comportamento oceânico migratório (28.87%). A maioria dos registros diz respeito a peixes carnívoros (72.54%) e com algum valor comercial (96.48%). A comparação da lista de ictiofauna registrada para os sambaquis com uma lista construída com base em inventários atuais de peixes para mesma região não mostrou diferenças significativas (teste de qui-quadrado, p> 0.99). Dessa forma, os resultados apresentados indicam que os vestígios de ictiofauna encontrados em sambaquis constituem uma amostra relevante da biodiversidade do Holoceno podendo ser muito úteis na construção de inventários de referências mais completos da fauna ictiológica da costa brasileira.

Molecular survey of tick-borne pathogens in Ixodid ticks collected from hunted wild animals in Tuscany, Italy

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the prevalence of zoonotic tick-borne bacteria in feeding ticks removed from hunted wild animals.@*METHODS@#PCR was executed on DNA extracted from 77 tick pools to detect Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii and Rickettsia spp.@*RESULTS@#A total of 432 ticks were collected: 30 (6.94%) Haemaphysalis punctata, 72 (16.7%) Dermacentor marginatus and 330 (76.38%) Ixodes ricinus. For each animal one or two pools of 3 ticks of the same species was constituted. Seventy-seven tick pools were examined by PCR: 58 (75.32%) resulted infected and among them 14 (18.18%) showed co-infections. In particular, 29 (37.66%) pools were positive for Bartonella spp., 23 (29.87%) for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, 16 (20.78%) for Rickettsia spp., and 5 (6.49%) for Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. All samples were negative for Coxiella burnetii.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The results demonstrate the presence of several zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in the studied area, and underline the risk of exposure to infections for hunters not only during the outdoor activity, but also when they manipulate hunted animals infested by infected ticks.

Molecular survey of tick-borne pathogens in Ixodid ticks collected from hunted wild animals in Tuscany, Italy

Objective: To determine the prevalence of zoonotic tick-borne bacteria in feeding ticks removed from hunted wild animals. Methods: PCR was executed on DNA extracted from 77 tick pools to detect Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii and Rickettsia spp. Results: A total of 432 ticks were collected: 30 (6.94%) Haemaphysalis punctata, 72 (16.7%) Dermacentor marginatus and 330 (76.38%) Ixodes ricinus. For each animal one or two pools of 3 ticks of the same species was constituted. Seventy-seven tick pools were examined by PCR: 58 (75.32%) resulted infected and among them 14 (18.18%) showed co-infections. In particular, 29 (37.66%) pools were positive for Bartonella spp., 23 (29.87%) for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, 16 (20.78%) for Rickettsia spp., and 5 (6.49%) for Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. All samples were negative for Coxiella burnetii. Conclusions: The results demonstrate the presence of several zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in the studied area, and underline the risk of exposure to infections for hunters not only during the outdoor activity, but also when they manipulate hunted animals infested by infected ticks.