Short report: New spotted fever group Rickettsia in a Rhipicephalus turanicus tick removed from a child in eastern Sicily, Italy

Abstract

A new genotype of spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) was identified in Rhipicephalus turanicus from eastern Sicily. On the basis of current molecular criteria, the genetic characteristics obtained from multiple locus sequence typing satisfy the requirements for Candidatus status of this SFGR. Further detection and identification of this SFGR during entomological and clinical surveys will be required to establish the prevalence of this Rickettsia and its potential pathogenicity for humans. Copyright © 2011 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.