Abstract
Ticks play an important role in human and veterinary medicine, in particular due to their ability to transmit a wide spectrum of pathogenic micro-organisms of protozoal, rickettsial, bacterial and viral origin. Pathogens in ticks can be identified by conventional methods such as indirect immunofluorescence, isolation in cell culture or by using histological staining techniques. However, the advent of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has resulted in tremendous improvements in the specific and sensitive detection of pathogen DNA in ticks. In this paper, literature on DNA extraction methods, PCR protocols, primers and probes, which are in use for the successful detection and identification of pathogens in ticks, are critically reviewed. Some recommendations are also given towards the end of the review.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 929-960 |
| Number of pages | 32 |
| Journal | Experimental and Applied Acarology |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 1999 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
An ICTTD workshop held in 1997 and supported by the European Union on ‘PCR-based Detection and Identification of Pathogens in Tropical Ticks’ made several recommendations: The ICTTD Concerted Action Project (no IC18–CT95–0009) on the Integrated Control of Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, supported by the INCO-DC Programme of the European Union facilitated a workshop held in Utrecht, The Netherlands, on PCR-based detection and identification of pathogens in tropical ticks. Some of the recommendations of this workshop are included here. Dr O. Sparagano is supported by an EU Marie Curie Fellowship (ERBFMBICT 983200). We thank Professor A.W.C.A. Cornelissen for helpful advice in preparing this manuscript.
Keywords
- Anaplasma
- Babesia
- Borrelia
- Cowdria
- Dengue virus
- Ehrlichia
- PCR
- Primers
- Probes
- Rickettsia
- TBE virus
- Theileria
- Ticks
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Insect Science
