Coxiellaceae in Ticks from Human, Domestic and Wild Hosts from Sardinia, Italy: High Diversity of Coxiella-like Endosymbionts.

This study reports the molecular detection of a high diversity of Coxiella-like bacteria in Sardinian ticks and confirms also the presence of C. burnetii in tick species previously identified in the island. The role that Coxiella-like endosymbionts play in Sardinian ticks and in their vertebrate hosts needs to be explored further.