Historical and Recent Evidence for Close Relationships Among Rickettsia parkeri, R. Conorii, R. Africae, and R. Sibirica: Implications for Rickettsial Taxonomy

ORCID

Goddard: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2617-7141

MSU Affiliation

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology

Creation Date

2026-09-30

Abstract

Rickettsia parkeri, a member of the spotted fever group rickettsias, was first described in 1939 and was thought to be non-pathogenic until recently, when it was found to cause a spotted fever-like illness in humans and areas of necrosis (eschars) at the sites of tick bites. Accordingly, there is currently much interest in this emerging pathogen. In this study, all published articles concerning R. parken were reviewed and analyzed for evidence of relatedness among this agent and other spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae which also produce similar clinical syndromes and/or eschars, including R. conorii, R. africae, and R. sibirica. A synthesis of the historical (antigenic) and recent (molecular) data supporting a phylogenetic sub-grouping of these SFG organisms is presented and comments are offered about the taxonomy of rickettsial organisms in general, and R. parken in particular.

Keywords

American boutonneuse fever, phylogenetic analysis, Rickettsia parkeri, rickettsial taxonomy

Publication Date

11-12-2009

Publication Title

Journal of Vector Ecology

Publisher

Society for Vector Ecology

First Page

238

Last Page

242

Rights

© 2009 The Society for Vector Ecology

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.3376/038.034.0210