Tick-borne rickettsial diseases: emerging risks in Europe. 2004

Philippe Parola
Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Université de la Méditerranée, Faculté de Médecine, 27 Bd. Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France. philippe.parola@medecine.univ-mrs.fr

Ticks are currently considered the main vectors of human infectious diseases in Europe, particularly since their role in the transmission of the agent of Lyme borreliosis was demonstrated in the 1980s. In the recent years, ticks have also been shown to be the vectors of numerous emerging rickettsial diseases. Although Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) due to Rickettsia conorii was thought for a long time to be the only tick-borne rickettsial disease prevalent in Europe, five more spotted fever rickettsiae have been described as emerging pathogens in the last decade. Further, cases of infection due to Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the agent of human anaplasmosis (previously known as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis), have been reported throughout Europe. We present here these emerging diseases and discuss other potential threat for the future.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D005060 Europe The continent north of AFRICA, west of ASIA and east of the ATLANTIC OCEAN. Northern Europe,Southern Europe,Western Europe
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012281 Rickettsia A genus of gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria often surrounded by a protein microcapsular layer and slime layer. The natural cycle of its organisms generally involves a vertebrate and an invertebrate host. Species of the genus are the etiological agents of human diseases, such as typhus.
D012282 Rickettsia Infections Infections by the genus RICKETTSIA. Infections, Rickettsia,Rickettsial Diseases,Rickettsiosis,Infection, Rickettsia,Rickettsia Infection,Rickettsial Disease,Rickettsioses
D013987 Ticks Blood-sucking acarid parasites of the order Ixodida comprising two families: the softbacked ticks (ARGASIDAE) and hardbacked ticks (IXODIDAE). Ticks are larger than their relatives, the MITES. They penetrate the skin of their host by means of highly specialized, hooked mouth parts and feed on its blood. Ticks attack all groups of terrestrial vertebrates. In humans they are responsible for many TICK-BORNE DISEASES, including the transmission of ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER; TULAREMIA; BABESIOSIS; AFRICAN SWINE FEVER; and RELAPSING FEVER. (From Barnes, Invertebrate Zoology, 5th ed, pp543-44) Ixodida,Ixodidas,Tick
D016873 Ehrlichiosis A tick-borne disease characterized by FEVER; HEADACHE; myalgias; ANOREXIA; and occasionally RASH. It is caused by several bacterial species and can produce disease in DOGS; CATTLE; SHEEP; GOATS; HORSES; and humans. The primary species causing human disease are EHRLICHIA CHAFFEENSIS; ANAPLASMA PHAGOCYTOPHILUM; and Ehrlichia ewingii. E chaffeensis Infection,E ewingii Infection,E. chaffeensis Infection,E. ewingii Infection,Ehrlichia Infection,Ehrlichia chaffeensis Infection,Ehrlichia ewingii Infection,Human Ehrlichiosis,E chaffeensis Infections,E ewingii Infections,E. ewingii Infections,Ehrlichia Infections,Ehrlichia chaffeensis Infections,Ehrlichia ewingii Infections,Ehrlichioses,Human Ehrlichioses,Infection, E chaffeensis,Infection, E. chaffeensis,Infections, E chaffeensis
D017282 Tick-Borne Diseases Bacterial, viral, or parasitic diseases transmitted to humans and animals by the bite of infected ticks. The families Ixodidae and Argasidae contain many bloodsucking species that are important pests of man and domestic birds and mammals and probably exceed all other arthropods in the number and variety of disease agents they transmit. Many of the tick-borne diseases are zoonotic. Tick Borne Disease,Tick-Borne Infection,Infections, Tick-Borne,Tick-Borne Infections,Borne Disease, Tick,Borne Diseases, Tick,Disease, Tick Borne,Disease, Tick-Borne,Diseases, Tick Borne,Diseases, Tick-Borne,Infection, Tick-Borne,Infections, Tick Borne,Tick Borne Diseases,Tick Borne Infection,Tick Borne Infections,Tick-Borne Disease
D041081 Anaplasma phagocytophilum A species of gram-negative bacteria in the genus ANAPLASMA, family ANAPLASMATACEAE, formerly called Ehrlichia phagocytophila or Ehrlichia equi. This organism is tick-borne (IXODES) and causes disease in horses and sheep. In humans, it causes human granulocytic EHRLICHIOSIS. Cytoecetes phagocytophila,Ehrlichia equi,Ehrlichia phagocytophila,HGE Agent

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