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Molecular Detection and Characterization of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Taiwan

Rickettsioses are emerging infectious diseases caused by rickettsiae in association with arthropods. We report the detection of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) in Taiwan using molecular methods. Phylogenetic analyses of the 17-kd protein and citrate synthase (gltA) genes showed that SFGR TwKM01 detected in Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides ticks was most similar to Rickettsia rhipicephali. Three TwKM01 isolates were obtained from three individual R. haemaphysaloides ticks. Small, intracellular, coccobacillary bacteria were found in infected L929 cells using immunofluorescence antibody testing and transmission electron microscopy. Two other SFGRs, TwKM02 and TwKM03, identified in Leptotrombidium chigger mites, were closely related to R. australis and R. felis URRWXCal₂, respectively. The TwKM03 strain was also detected in Ixodes granulatus ticks and widely distributed in Hualien, Kinmen, and Lienchiang counties in Taiwan. The endonucleases MaeII and HhaI selected for restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the gltA and 17-kd polymerase chain reaction products, respectively, were useful for genotyping Rickettsia species TwKM01, TwKM02, TwKM03, and other SFGRs. Although their infectivity and pathogenicity for vertebrates are unknown, the finding of SFGRs raises the possibility that bacteria other than Orientia tsutsugamushi, Coxiella burnetii, and R. typhi may be involved in rickettsial diseases in Taiwan.

Received February 14, 2007. Accepted for publication August 2, 2007.

Acknowledgments: We thank the rodent-related infectious disease surveillance team of the Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Republic of China, for the collection of field samples, and Lih-Jeng Tarn and Chia-Tsui Yeh for animal manipulations.

Financial support: This research was funded by the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China and partially supported by Grant NSC 91-2314-B-016-039 from the National Science Council, Taiwan.

^* Address correspondence to Dar-Der Ji, Research and Diagnostic Center, Centers for Disease Control, No. 161, Kun-Yang Street, Taipei, Taiwan. E-mail: jidarder{at}cdc.gov.tw

Authors’ addresses: Pei-Yi Tsui, Ming-Hui Weng, Yao-Wen Hung, Jih-Ching Lien, and Pey-Ru Lin, Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, No. 72, Da-Po Rd, San Shia, Taipei, Taiwan, Telephone: 886-2-81777038, Fax: 886-2-86743126, E-mail: pytsui{at}mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw. Kun-Hsien Tsai, Hsis-Chieh Wang, and Dar-Der Ji, Research and Diagnostic Center, Centers for Disease Control, No. 161, Kun-Yang St., Nang Kang, Taipei 116, Taiwan. Telephone: 886-2-26531367, Fax: 886-2-27830877. E-mail: jidarder{at}cdc.gov.tw. Yu-Tien Liu and Kuang-Yu Hu, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Department of Biochemistry, National Defense Medical Center, No. 161, Section 6, Min-Chuan East Rd, Taipei 114, Taiwan, Telephone: 886-2-87923100, E-mail: ytliu{at}ndmctsgh.edu.tw. Men-Fang Shaio, Kuang Tien General Hospital, and Departments of Medical Research and Clinical Nutrition, Hung-Kuang University, No. 34 Chung-Chie Rd, Sha Lu, Taichung, 443, Taiwan, Tel: 886-4-26318652. Fax: 886-4-26338212, E-mail: Shaio22{at}yahoo.com.tw.