Les animaux vertébrés et les maladies dues à des bactéries vectorisées par les tiques

Vertebrate animals (mammals, birds, and reptiles) occupy a prominent place in the biology of bacteria transmitted by ticks, as reservoirs of bacteria but also allowing the reproductive cycle of vector ticks. In addition, domesticated animals express clinical presentations similar to those described in humans and laboratory diagnosis use globally the same techniques. This paper presents the main diseases caused by tick-borne bacteria: Lyme disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacteria with varied animal reservoirs (small wild mammals, birds, lizards) and which infects several domestic animal species; granulocytic anaplasmosis due to Anaplasma phagocytophilum whose economic consequences for cattle are important; bartonellosis due to Bartonella vinsonii berkhoffii and rikettsiosis due to Rickettsia conorii (Mediterranean spotted fever) and R. slovaca (tick borne lymphadenopathy/ TIBOLA). Epidemiological and clinical aspects, and diagnosis are discussed for each of the diseases.