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Review
. 2021 Feb 8;10(2):181.
doi: 10.3390/pathogens10020181.

Rickettsiales in Italy

Cristoforo Guccione  1 , Claudia Colomba  1   2 , Manlio Tolomeo  1 , Marcello Trizzino  2 , Chiara Iaria  3 , Antonio Cascio  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Rickettsiales in Italy

Cristoforo Guccione et al. Pathogens. .

Abstract

There is no updated information on the spread of Rickettsiales in Italy. The purpose of our study is to take stock of the situation on Rickettsiales in Italy by focusing attention on the species identified by molecular methods in humans, in bloodsucking arthropods that could potentially attack humans, and in animals, possible hosts of these Rickettsiales. A computerized search without language restriction was conducted using PubMed updated as of December 31, 2020. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was followed. Overall, 36 species of microorganisms belonging to Rickettsiales were found. The only species identified in human tissues were Anaplasma phagocytophilum,Rickettsia conorii, R. conorii subsp. israelensis, R. monacensis, R. massiliae, and R. slovaca. Microorganisms transmissible by bloodsucking arthropods could cause humans pathologies not yet well characterized. It should become routine to study the pathogens present in ticks that have bitten a man and at the same time that molecular studies for the search for Rickettsiales can be performed routinely in people who have suffered bites from bloodsucking arthropods.

Keywords: Anaplasma; Ehrlichia; Orientia; Rickettsia; Rickettsiales.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Process of selection of articles for the review according to PRISMA methodology [7]. *: Bibliography.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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