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Volume 10
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10.3390/pathogens10060745
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Article

Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators

by
Karen O. Mathews
1,*,
David Phalen
1,
Jacqueline M. Norris
1,
John Stenos
2,
Jenny-Ann Toribio
1,
Nicholas Wood
3,4,
Stephen Graves
2,
Paul A. Sheehy
1,
Chelsea Nguyen
2 and
Katrina L. Bosward
1,*
1
Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
2
Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
3
Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
4
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Pathogens 2021, 10(6), 745; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10060745
Submission received: 30 March 2021 / Revised: 15 May 2021 / Accepted: 28 May 2021 / Published: 12 June 2021
(This article belongs to the Collection Updates on Rickettsia and Coxiella)
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Abstract

Rickettsioses are arthropod-borne zoonotic diseases, several of which occur in Australia. This study aimed to assess the exposure levels and risk factors for Rickettsia spp. among Australian wildlife rehabilitators (AWRs) using serology, PCR and a questionnaire. Antibody titres against Spotted Fever Group (SFG), Typhus Group (TG) and Scrub Typhus Group (STG) antigens were determined using an immunofluorescence assay. PCR targeting the gltA gene was performed on DNA extracts from whole blood and serum. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity. Of the 27 (22.1%; 27/122) seropositive participants all were seropositive for SFG, with 5/27 (4.1%) also positive for TG. Of the 27 positive sera, 14.8% (4/27) were further classified as exposure to R. australis, 3.7% (1/27) to R. honei, 3.7% (1/27) to R. felis and 77.8% (21/27) were classified as ‘indeterminate’—most of which (85.7%; 18/21) were indeterminate R. australis/R. honei exposures. Rickettsia DNA was not detected in whole blood or serum. Rehabilitators were more likely to be seropositive if more than one household member rehabilitated wildlife, were older than 50 years or had occupational animal contact. These findings suggest that AWRs are at increased risk of contracting Rickettsia-related illnesses, however the source of the increased seropositivity remains unclear.
Keywords: seroprevalence Rickettsia australis; Rickettsia honei; Rickettsia felis; Rickettsia typhi; Australia; wildlife rehabilitators; spotted fever; typhus seroprevalence Rickettsia australis; Rickettsia honei; Rickettsia felis; Rickettsia typhi; Australia; wildlife rehabilitators; spotted fever; typhus

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MDPI and ACS Style

Mathews, K.O.; Phalen, D.; Norris, J.M.; Stenos, J.; Toribio, J.-A.; Wood, N.; Graves, S.; Sheehy, P.A.; Nguyen, C.; Bosward, K.L. Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators. Pathogens 2021, 10, 745. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10060745

AMA Style

Mathews KO, Phalen D, Norris JM, Stenos J, Toribio J-A, Wood N, Graves S, Sheehy PA, Nguyen C, Bosward KL. Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators. Pathogens. 2021; 10(6):745. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10060745

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mathews, Karen O., David Phalen, Jacqueline M. Norris, John Stenos, Jenny-Ann Toribio, Nicholas Wood, Stephen Graves, Paul A. Sheehy, Chelsea Nguyen, and Katrina L. Bosward. 2021. "Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators" Pathogens 10, no. 6: 745. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10060745

APA Style

Mathews, K. O., Phalen, D., Norris, J. M., Stenos, J., Toribio, J.-A., Wood, N., Graves, S., Sheehy, P. A., Nguyen, C., & Bosward, K. L. (2021). Serological Evidence of Exposure to Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsiae in Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators. Pathogens, 10(6), 745. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10060745

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