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Background: Tick-borne rickettsioses (TBR) are emerging, neglected, zoonoses, caused by intracellular α-proteobacteria of the genus Rickettsia, that pose a growing public health concern. The aim of the present study was to evaluate rickettsial infections in questing ticks collected from four different ecological areas in mainland Portugal., Methods: Over a two-year period, a total of 707 questing ticks were collected. Individual adult ticks and pooled nymphs were submitted to DNA extraction, followed by qPCR assays targeting the gltA rickettsial gene. Positive samples were then submitted to conventional PCR targeting the gltA and the ompA genes for phylogenetic analysis., Results: In total, eight tick species were identified: Dermacentor marginatus, Haemaphysalis inermis, Haemaphysalis punctata, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Ixodes frontalis, Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus pusillus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. Additionally, rickettsial infection was associated with seven of these species, with I. frontalis being the exception. Notably, the prevalence of Rickettsia spp. was 26.35%, with phylogenetic validation confirming infections with R. helvetica, R. massiliae, R. monacensis, Candidatus R. rioja, and R. slovaca., Conclusions: The present study highlights the necessity for ongoing surveillance to map and monitor both questing and feeding ticks, along with their vertebrate hosts. Effective control strategies are of utmost importance to mitigate the escalating threat of TBR. Additionally, the present study provides valuable epidemiological insights into TBR in Portugal, including the identification of R. slovaca infecting I. ricinus - an unconventional tick-pathogen relationship - and the first report of Candidatus R. rioja infecting D. marginatus in Portugal. In conclusion, this study contributes with valuable data regarding epidemiological results on ticks and TBR circulating in Portugal, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures to address this emerging public health challenge., Competing Interests: Declarations. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Aim: This study aimed to: i) examine the differences in insulin resistance (IR) across adiposity levels; and ii) ascertain whether high levels of adiponectin attenuate the detrimental association of adiposity with IR in adolescents., Methods and Results: A total of 529 adolescents aged 12-18 years participated in this cross-sectional study (267 girls). Anthropometry and body adiposity parameters [body mass index (BMI), sum of skinfolds, body fat percentage (BF %) by bio-impedance analysis and waist circumference (WC)], were measured according to standardized procedures and categorized into age- and sex-specific quartiles. Socioeconomic status, pubertal stage and lifestyle determinants (Mediterranean diet adherence and cardiorespiratory fitness) were gathered and used as confounders. Serum adiponectin and IR (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] estimated from fasting serum insulin and glucose were assessed. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that HOMA-IR increased in a linear fashion throughout the quartiles of all adiposity measures (p < 0.001 for all), independently of age, sex, pubertal stage, socioeconomic status, adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cardiorespiratory fitness. Two-way ANCOVA showed that adolescents in the higher quartile of adiposity for BF%, BMI, WC and skinfolds sum (Q4) presented the highest adiponectin levels, and had 0.77 Standard Deviation (SD), 0.8 SD, 0.85 SD and 0.8 SD lower HOMA-IR, respectively (p < 0.01) than their low adiponectin group counterparts, after adjustments for potential confounders., Conclusion: Higher adiponectin levels may attenuate the detrimental association between adiposity and IR, particularly in subjects with higher adiposity., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ticks are obligatory blood-sucking arthropod (Acari:Ixodida) ectoparasites of domestic and wild animals as well as humans. The incidence of tick-borne diseases is rising worldwide, challenging our approach toward diagnosis, treatment and control options. Rhipicephalus bursa Canestrini and Fanzago, 1877, a two-host tick widely distributed in the Palearctic Mediterranean region, is considered a multi-host tick that can be commonly found on sheep, goats and cattle, and occasionally on horses, dogs, deer and humans. R. bursa is a species involved in the transmission of several tick-borne pathogens with a known impact on animal health and production. The aim of this study was to estimate R. bursa prevalence in Portugal Mainland and circulating pathogens in order to contribute to a better knowledge of the impact of this tick species. Anaplasma marginale and Theileria spp. were detected and classified using phylogenetic analysis. This is the first report of Theileria annulata and Theileria equi detection in R. bursa ticks feeding on cattle and horses, respectively, in Portugal. This study contributes toward the identification of currently circulating pathogens in this tick species as a prerequisite for developing future effective anti-tick control measures., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)