Molecular Detection of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia in Feral Raccoons (Procyon lotor) in the Western Part of Japan

Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

Kenji BABA¹  Hitoshi NISHIMURA¹  Toshiya KANEDA¹  Hiroshi SATO¹ 

[1] Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677–1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753–8515, Japan

关键词: Japan;    raccoon;    spotted fever group rickettsia;   

DOI  :  10.1292/jvms.12-0143

学科分类：兽医学

来源: Japanese Society of Veterinary Science

【 摘 要 】

References(17)Rickettsial infection in feral raccoons (Procyon lotor) in the western part of Japan (Shimane, Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures) was surveyed by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay detecting the rickettsial citrate synthase (gltA) gene. Four of one hundred and ninety-four feral raccoon spleens (2.1%) were positive for Rickettsia spp. One gltA gene sequence was identical to R. helvetica, whereas the other 3 sequences were identical and had the highest similarity (98.4%) to R. amblyommii. Simultaneously, we determined a partial sequence of the rickettsial 17-kilodalton (17K) genus-common antigen gene in the later 3 raccoon samples. Their sequences were identical and had the highest similarity (98.5%) to Rickettsia sp. Hj126. Based on the sequences of gltA and 17K antigen genes, these raccoons might be infected with spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsia most closely related to R. amblyommii and/or Rickettsia sp. Hj126. Feral raccoons may be a susceptible reservoir for SFG rickettsiae in Japan.

【 授权许可】

Unknown