AI Article Synopsis
- - Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are common wild carnivores that can carry diseases transmitted by ticks, such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi, which are significant for public health.
- - A study of 353 red foxes in 14 Romanian counties found 2.55% were positive for A. phagocytophilum and 1.42% for B. burgdorferi, with no infections of A. platys or E. canis detected.
- - The findings indicate that while red foxes in Romania show a limited connection to these pathogens, they could still pose a potential public health risk due to their
Article Abstract
Background: Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are one of the most widespread wild carnivores in the world, being recognized to harbor and transmit a wide range of vector-borne diseases. Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato are zoonotic tick-borne pathogens causing emerging diseases. Wild animals play an essential role in the transmission of diseases and pathogens maintenance in nature. Epidemiological studies regarding the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in red foxes are of public health importance, as they may successfully act as a pathogen transmission interface between wildlife, domestic animals and humans.
Findings: This study included 14 counties from Romania. A total number of 353 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were examined. Heart tissue samples were collected during necropsy and stored at -20 °C. Genomic DNA extraction was performed and all samples were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Specific primers for A. phagocytophilum, A. platys, E. canis and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. were used. Sequence analysis was performed (Macrogen Europe, Amsterdam) and obtained sequences are available at GenBank™. Out of the 353 samples, 9 (2.55 %; 95 % CI: 1.25-4.96 %) were positive for A. phagocytophilum. Positive animals originated from 5 counties. In total, 5 out of 353 heart tissue samples (1.42 %; 95 % CI: 0.52-3.47 %) collected from red foxes were positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. Red foxes originated from 4 counties. None of the samples were positive for A. platys or E. canis. No co-infection with A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. was found.
Conclusion: This first report of A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. in red foxes from Romania suggests a limited role of foxes in the maintenance of the two related pathogens, but may represent a potential risk from a public health perspective.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4599586 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-015-1130-9 | DOI Listing |
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