Rickettsiae in arthropods collected from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in France

The aim of our study was to detect the presence of Rickettsia spp. and Bartonella spp. in ticks and fleas collected from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in southeastern France during 2008. Using a genus-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay, which was followed by a species-specific qPCR assay for the positive samples, 45.2% (33/73) of ticks (Rhipicephalus turanicus) were found to be infected with Rickettsia massiliae. 10.5% (2/19) of the fleas (Archaeopsylla erinacei) collected in the study tested positive for Rickettsia felis. A genus-specific qPCR assay did not reveal any Bartonella species in any of the ticks or fleas collected. The role of red foxes in the epidemiology of spotted fever caused by Rickettsiae species requires further investigation.