First report of and sensu lato in poultry red mites, (), related to urban outbreaks of dermatitis in Italy.

The poultry red mite (PRM), is a nonburrowing haematophagous nest-dwelling ectoparasite of birds; occasionally it bites humans, inducing dermatitis. The possibility that this parasite may also be involved in transmission of pathogens is an additional concern. We investigated the presence of zoonotic agents in PRMs from bird nests and pets, and related them to urban outbreaks of dermatitis. A total of 98 PRMs from 12 outbreaks of PRM dermatitis that occurred in Italian cities from 2001 to 2017 were molecularly investigated for detection of spp. (16S rRNA), spp. (16S rRNA), spp. (17 kDa proteinencoding gene), sensu lato ( gene) and spp. (16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer). Of the 12 tested mite pools, one was positive for (100% identity) and two for sensu lato (99% with ). For the first time, the presence of sensu lato and is reported in PRMs from urban areas. Birds, mainly pigeons, can harbour both pathogens. Therefore, birds and their nest-dwelling PRMs may play a role in the epidemiology of these infections.