ABSTRACT
The soft ticks (Argasidae) are known vectors of human and animal pathogens around the globe and are relatively understudied. Our aim was to assess the presence of Rickettsia and Borrelia bacteria in Alectorobius kelleyi (Argasidae) parasitizing synanthropic bats in the highly urbanized northeastern United States. By collaborating with parasitologists, bat scientists and wildlife rehabilitators we were successful in obtaining A. kelleyi from five states. Since Argasid larvae will attach to their hosts for many days, most A. kelleyi examined (92%) were larvae collected from sick or injured big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus, undergoing care at rehabilitation centers. In addition, we obtained adult A. kelleyi captured in residential living areas and trapped in attics. An in-depth analysis of a A. kelleyi found to be infected with a spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) revealed a dual infection with a R. belli-like taxon (ancestral group) as well as an SFGR closely related to R. peacockii, likely the same previously found in A. kelleyi from Iowa and Kansas. We found that 36% of the A. kelleyi tested carried the SFGR. Furthermore, we detected a relapsing fever spirochete, likely Candidatus Borrelia johnsonii, in 25% of the A. kelleyi from Pennsylvania. While it is unclear if these bacteria constitute a health risk to either bats or humans, our study indicates that human exposure to ectoparasites infesting peridomestic wildlife should be considered in the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases.
