Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. This work was aimed at increasing epidemiological knowledge of Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia slovaca in a geographical area in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) lacking prior data, through a seroprevalence study in potential wild rodent reservoirs.
A serological survey collected 118 rodent sera from field (79) and peri-urban (39) areas through convenience sampling between April and September 2019 in Montes de Toledo (56.7% Mus spretus, 24.6% Mus domesticus, 10.1% Apodemus sylvaticus, and 8.5% Rattus norvegicus). Sera were tested for antibodies to R. conorii and R. slovaca through indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA).
Antibodies to R. conorii were detected in 62/118 rodents (52.5%). The highest prevalence was observed in R. norvegicus (90%) and M. spretus (62.7%). In field areas and peri-urban areas, the prevalence was 53.2% vs 51.3%, respectively (χ2=0.04; p=0.847). Antibodies to R. slovaca were found in 22/118 (18.6%), primarily in R. norvegicus (90%) and M. spretus (17.9%), and did not show differences between field and peri-urban environments (15.2% vs 25.6%; χ2=1.88; p=0.17). The overall prevalence of R. conorii was significantly elevated (χ2=29.57; p<0.001).
The data indicated widespread R. conorii and R. slovaca infection among rodents in Montes de Toledo, thus suggesting their potential role as reservoirs and highlighting zoonotic transmission risk in this area.
Read More: https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.15212/ZOONOSES-2026-0001
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eISSN 2737-7474
ISSN 2737-7466
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Lourdes Lledó, Consuelo Giménez-Pardo. Serological Screening of Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia slovaca Infection in Wild Rodents from Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Zoonoses. 2026. Vol. 6(1). DOI: 10.15212/ZOONOSES-2026-0001