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Luo S, Bao F, Wu H, Ma W, Zhu L, Huang X, Yang R, Peng L, Gao L, Wu X, Zhong L, Dong Y, Li B, Ma W, Liu A. Global prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum coinfection in Ixodes tick populations: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e083052. [PMID: 38858141 PMCID: PMC11168166 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ixodes ticks are pivotal in transmitting diseases like Lyme disease and human granulocytic anaplasmosis, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, respectively. These pathogens not only affect humans through single or multiple tick bites but also pose risks to animal hosts, leading to potential coinfections. Despite regional studies indicating significant prevalence, their global coinfection data remain sparse. This study aims to bridge this gap through a systematic review and meta-analysis of B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum coinfections in Ixodes ticks worldwide. Addressing data limitations and study variability, it seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of coinfection patterns, their epidemiological implications and inform targeted prevention strategies. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols 2015 guidelines and PROSPERO registration, this study will undertake a thorough database search without constraints on language or publication date, using standardised screening and data extraction protocols. The quality and bias of studies will be evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. In the statistical analysis phase, conducted in R, we will initially determine the use of fixed or random-effects models based on the assessment of data heterogeneity. This choice will guide the framework for subsequent analyses. Within the selected model's framework, we will perform subgroup analyses and meta-regression to investigate the effects of various factors, ensuring that each step is tailored to the initial model selection to maintain analytical consistency. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION As this study does not involve clinical research or data collection from subjects, ethical approval is not required. We will uphold ethical standards in synthesising and reporting data. Study outcomes will be published in peer-reviewed journals, communicating findings to the scientific community and contributing to the understanding of Ixodes tickborne diseases. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42023449735.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyi Luo
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Fukai Bao
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hanxin Wu
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Weijie Ma
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Liangyu Zhu
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xun Huang
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Rui Yang
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Li Peng
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Li Gao
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xinya Wu
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lei Zhong
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yan Dong
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Bingxue Li
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Weijiang Ma
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Aihua Liu
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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Senbill H, Karawia D, Zeb J, Alyami NM, Almeer R, Rahman S, Sparagano O, Baruah A. Molecular screening and genetic diversity of tick-borne pathogens associated with dogs and livestock ticks in Egypt. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012185. [PMID: 38837987 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) offer optimal climatic conditions for tick reproduction and dispersal. Research on tick-borne pathogens in this region is scarce. Despite recent advances in the characterization and taxonomic explanation of various tick-borne illnesses affecting animals in Egypt, no comprehensive examination of TBP (tick-borne pathogen) statuses has been performed. Therefore, the present study aims to detect the prevalence of pathogens harbored by ticks in Egypt. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A four-year PCR-based study was conducted to detect a wide range of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) harbored by three economically important tick species in Egypt. Approximately 86.7% (902/1,040) of the investigated Hyalomma dromedarii ticks from camels were found positive with Candidatus Anaplasma camelii (18.8%), Ehrlichia ruminantium (16.5%), Rickettsia africae (12.6%), Theileria annulata (11.9%), Mycoplasma arginini (9.9%), Borrelia burgdorferi (7.7%), Spiroplasma-like endosymbiont (4.0%), Hepatozoon canis (2.4%), Coxiella burnetii (1.6%) and Leishmania infantum (1.3%). Double co-infections were recorded in 3.0% (27/902) of Hy. dromedarii ticks, triple co-infections (simultaneous infection of the tick by three pathogen species) were found in 9.6% (87/902) of Hy. dromedarii ticks, whereas multiple co-infections (simultaneous infection of the tick by ≥ four pathogen species) comprised 12% (108/902). Out of 1,435 investigated Rhipicephalus rutilus ticks collected from dogs and sheep, 816 (56.9%) ticks harbored Babesia canis vogeli (17.1%), Rickettsia conorii (16.2%), Ehrlichia canis (15.4%), H. canis (13.6%), Bo. burgdorferi (9.7%), L. infantum (8.4%), C. burnetii (7.3%) and Trypanosoma evansi (6.6%) in dogs, and 242 (16.9%) ticks harbored Theileria lestoquardi (21.6%), Theileria ovis (20.0%) and Eh. ruminantium (0.3%) in sheep. Double, triple, and multiple co-infections represented 11% (90/816), 7.6% (62/816), and 10.3% (84/816), respectively in Rh. rutilus from dogs, whereas double and triple co-infections represented 30.2% (73/242) and 2.1% (5/242), respectively in Rh. rutilus from sheep. Approximately 92.5% (1,355/1,465) of Rhipicephalus annulatus ticks of cattle carried a burden of Anaplasma marginale (21.3%), Babesia bigemina (18.2%), Babesia bovis (14.0%), Borrelia theleri (12.8%), R. africae (12.4%), Th. annulata (8.7%), Bo. burgdorferi (2.7%), and Eh. ruminantium (2.5%). Double, triple, and multiple co-infections represented 1.8% (25/1,355), 11.5% (156/1,355), and 12.9% (175/1,355), respectively. The detected pathogens' sequences had 98.76-100% similarity to the available database with genetic divergence ranged between 0.0001 to 0.0009% to closest sequences from other African, Asian, and European countries. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close similarities between the detected pathogens and other isolates mostly from African and Asian countries. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Continuous PCR-detection of pathogens transmitted by ticks is necessary to overcome the consequences of these infection to the hosts. More restrictions should be applied from the Egyptian authorities on animal importations to limit the emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne pathogens in the country. This is the first in-depth investigation of TBPs in Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haytham Senbill
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India
- Department of Applied Entomology & Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Donia Karawia
- Department of Pesticide Chemistry & Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Jehan Zeb
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Zoology, Govt. Ghazi Umara Khan Degree College Samarbagh, Higher Education Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Nouf M Alyami
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rafa Almeer
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sahidur Rahman
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Olivier Sparagano
- Agricultural Sciences and Practice, Royal Agricultural University (RAU), Cirencester, United Kingdom
| | - Aiswarya Baruah
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India
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Kim KG, Hwang DJ, Park JW, Ryu MG, Kim Y, Yang SJ, Lee JE, Lee GS, Lee JH, Park JS, Seo JM, Kim SH. Distribution and pathogen prevalence of field-collected ticks from south-western Korea: a study from 2019 to 2022. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12336. [PMID: 38811622 PMCID: PMC11136998 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61126-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Hard ticks are known vectors of various pathogens, including the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus, Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii, Borrelia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Ehrlichia spp. This study aims to investigate the distribution and prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in southwestern Korea from 2019 to 2022. A total of 13,280 ticks were collected during the study period, with H. longicornis accounting for 86.1% of the collected ticks. H. flava, I. nipponensis and A. testudinarium comprised 9.4%, 3.6%, and 0.8% of the ticks, respectively. Among 983 pools tested, Rickettsia spp. (216 pools, 1.6% MIR) were the most prevalent pathogens across all tick species, with R. japonica and R. monacensis frequently detected in I. nipponensis and Haemaphysalis spp., respectively. Borrelia spp. (28 pools, 0.2% MIR) were predominantly detected in I. nipponensis (27 pools, 13.8% MIR, P < 0.001). Co-infections, mainly involving Rickettsia monacensis and Borrelia afzelii, were detected in I. nipponensis. Notably, this study identified R. monacensis for the first time in A. testudinarium in South Korea. These findings offer valuable insights into the tick population and associated pathogens in the region, underscoring the importance of tick-borne disease surveillance and prevention measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang Gon Kim
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea.
| | - Da Jeong Hwang
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Wook Park
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Geum Ryu
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - Yujin Kim
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Jin Yang
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Eun Lee
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - Gi Seong Lee
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju Hye Lee
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Sun Park
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Mi Seo
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Hee Kim
- Division of Infectious Disease Investigation, Health and Environment Research Institute of Gwangju, 584 Mugindae-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, 61954, Republic of Korea.
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Szaroz D, Kulkarni M, Robayo González CX, Zinszer K. Study protocol for a scoping review of Lyme disease prediction methodologies. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e071402. [PMID: 38772589 PMCID: PMC11110606 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-071402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In the temperate world, Lyme disease (LD) is the most common vector-borne disease affecting humans. In North America, LD surveillance and research have revealed an increasing territorial expansion of hosts, bacteria and vectors that has accompanied an increasing incidence of the disease in humans. To better understand the factors driving disease spread, predictive models can use current and historical data to predict disease occurrence in populations across time and space. Various prediction methods have been used, including approaches to evaluate prediction accuracy and/or performance and a range of predictors in LD risk prediction research. With this scoping review, we aim to document the different modelling approaches including types of forecasting and/or prediction methods, predictors and approaches to evaluating model performance (eg, accuracy). METHODS AND ANALYSIS This scoping review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Review guidelines. Electronic databases will be searched via keywords and subject headings (eg, Medical Subject Heading terms). The search will be performed in the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CAB Abstracts, Global Health and SCOPUS. Studies reported in English or French investigating the risk of LD in humans through spatial prediction and temporal forecasting methodologies will be identified and screened. Eligibility criteria will be applied to the list of articles to identify which to retain. Two reviewers will screen titles and abstracts, followed by a full-text screening of the articles' content. Data will be extracted and charted into a standard form, synthesised and interpreted. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This scoping review is based on published literature and does not require ethics approval. Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific conferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Szaroz
- École de santé publique, Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP), Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Manisha Kulkarni
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Claudia Ximena Robayo González
- École de santé publique, Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP), Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Kate Zinszer
- École de santé publique, Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP), Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Goletić T, Klarić Soldo D, Kapo N, Goletić Š, Koro-Spahić A, Alispahić A, Softić A, Škapur V, Omeragić J. Tick-Borne Pathogens in Dermacentor reticulatus Ticks from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Pathogens 2024; 13:421. [PMID: 38787273 PMCID: PMC11123776 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Dermacentor (D.) reticulatus ticks carry and transmit a wide range of pathogens to vertebrate hosts. Limited information is available about the existence of emerging tick-borne pathogens and the distribution of D. reticulatus in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study aimed to investigate the occurrence and distribution of D. reticulatus and to detect the presence of Anaplasma spp., Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi s.l., Rickettsia spp., and Babesia spp. in samples originating from questing ticks and ticks collected from domestic animals in various regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A total of 402 collected D. reticulatus ticks were widely distributed throughout the country. Of the 41 pools consisting of 205 individual D. reticulatus ticks, 21 (51.2%) indicated the presence of Rickettsia spp., 17 (41.4%) of Babesia spp., 2 (4.8%) of Anaplasma spp., and 1 (2.4%) of B. burgdorferi s.l. after real-time PCR screening. Our study indicates that D. reticulatus has significantly expanded its distribution and host range in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moreover, our results represent the first detection of Babesia spp. in D. reticulatus in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Given the demonstrated presence of emerging pathogens in questing and feeding ticks, there is an urge to establish a surveillance system for ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teufik Goletić
- University of Sarajevo—Veterinary Faculty, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (D.K.S.); (N.K.); (Š.G.); (A.K.-S.); (A.A.); (A.S.); (J.O.)
| | - Darinka Klarić Soldo
- University of Sarajevo—Veterinary Faculty, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (D.K.S.); (N.K.); (Š.G.); (A.K.-S.); (A.A.); (A.S.); (J.O.)
| | - Naida Kapo
- University of Sarajevo—Veterinary Faculty, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (D.K.S.); (N.K.); (Š.G.); (A.K.-S.); (A.A.); (A.S.); (J.O.)
| | - Šejla Goletić
- University of Sarajevo—Veterinary Faculty, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (D.K.S.); (N.K.); (Š.G.); (A.K.-S.); (A.A.); (A.S.); (J.O.)
| | - Amira Koro-Spahić
- University of Sarajevo—Veterinary Faculty, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (D.K.S.); (N.K.); (Š.G.); (A.K.-S.); (A.A.); (A.S.); (J.O.)
| | - Amra Alispahić
- University of Sarajevo—Veterinary Faculty, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (D.K.S.); (N.K.); (Š.G.); (A.K.-S.); (A.A.); (A.S.); (J.O.)
| | - Adis Softić
- University of Sarajevo—Veterinary Faculty, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (D.K.S.); (N.K.); (Š.G.); (A.K.-S.); (A.A.); (A.S.); (J.O.)
| | - Vedad Škapur
- University of Sarajevo—Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina;
| | - Jasmin Omeragić
- University of Sarajevo—Veterinary Faculty, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (D.K.S.); (N.K.); (Š.G.); (A.K.-S.); (A.A.); (A.S.); (J.O.)
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Eilbert W, Matella A. Tick-Borne Diseases. Emerg Med Clin North Am 2024; 42:287-302. [PMID: 38641392 DOI: 10.1016/j.emc.2024.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Ticks are responsible for the vast majority of vector-borne illnesses in the United States. The number of reported tick-borne disease (TBD) cases has more than doubled in the past 20 years. The majority of TBD cases occur in warm weather months in individuals with recent outdoor activities in wooded areas. The risk of contracting a TBD is also highly dependent on geographic location. Between 24 and 48 hours of tick attachment is required for most disease transmission to occur. Only 50% to 70% of patients with a TBD will recall being bitten by a tick, and TBDs are often initially misdiagnosed as a viral illness. Most TBDs are easily treated when diagnosed early in their course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley Eilbert
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, College of Medicine, Room 469, COME, 1819 West Polk Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Andrew Matella
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, College of Medicine, Room 469, COME, 1819 West Polk Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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Abuin-Denis L, Piloto-Sardiñas E, Maître A, Wu-Chuang A, Mateos-Hernández L, Obregon D, Corona-González B, Fogaça AC, Palinauskas V, Aželytė J, Rodríguez-Mallon A, Cabezas-Cruz A. Exploring the impact of Anaplasma phagocytophilum on colonization resistance of Ixodes scapularis microbiota using network node manipulation. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2024; 5:100177. [PMID: 38765730 PMCID: PMC11098721 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Upon ingestion from an infected host, tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) have to overcome colonization resistance, a defense mechanism by which tick microbiota prevent microbial invasions. Previous studies have shown that the pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum alters the microbiota composition of the nymphs of Ixodes scapularis, but its impact on tick colonization resistance remains unclear. We analyzed tick microbiome genetic data using published Illumina 16S rRNA sequences, assessing microbial diversity within ticks (alpha diversity) through species richness, evenness, and phylogenetic diversity. We compared microbial communities in ticks with and without infection with A. phagocytophilum (beta diversity) using the Bray-Curtis index. We also built co-occurrence networks and used node manipulation to study the impact of A. phagocytophilum on microbial assembly and network robustness, crucial for colonization resistance. We examined network robustness by altering its connectivity, observing changes in the largest connected component (LCC) and the average path length (APL). Our findings revealed that infection with A. phagocytophilum does not significantly alter the overall microbial diversity in ticks. Despite a decrease in the number of nodes and connections within the microbial networks of infected ticks, certain core microbes remained consistently interconnected, suggesting a functional role. The network of infected ticks showed a heightened vulnerability to node removal, with smaller LCC and longer APL, indicating reduced resilience compared to the network of uninfected ticks. Interestingly, adding nodes to the network of infected ticks led to an increase in LCC and a decrease in APL, suggesting a recovery in network robustness, a trend not observed in networks of uninfected ticks. This improvement in network robustness upon node addition hints that infection with A. phagocytophilum might lower ticks' resistance to colonization, potentially facilitating further microbial invasions. We conclude that the compromised colonization resistance observed in tick microbiota following infection with A. phagocytophilum may facilitate co-infection in natural tick populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianet Abuin-Denis
- Animal Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Avenue 31 between 158 and 190, P.O. Box 6162, Havana, 10600, Cuba
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Elianne Piloto-Sardiñas
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, 32700, Cuba
| | - Apolline Maître
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
- INRAE, UR 0045 Laboratoire de Recherches sur le Développement de l'Elevage (SELMET-LRDE), 20250, Corte, France
- EA 7310, Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Corse, Corte, France
| | - Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Dasiel Obregon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Belkis Corona-González
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, 32700, Cuba
| | - Andréa Cristina Fogaça
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Justė Aželytė
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Alina Rodríguez-Mallon
- Animal Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Avenue 31 between 158 and 190, P.O. Box 6162, Havana, 10600, Cuba
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
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Zhao C, Cai G, Zhang X, Liu X, Wang P, Zheng A. Comparative Analysis of Bisexual and Parthenogenetic Populations in Haemaphysalis Longicornis. Microorganisms 2024; 12:823. [PMID: 38674766 PMCID: PMC11051975 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Haemaphysalis longicornis, a three-host tick with a wide host range, is widely distributed in different countries and regions. It stands out among ticks due to its unique feature of having both parthenogenetic and bisexual populations. Despite their morphological resemblance, the characteristics of the parthenogenetic population have been overlooked. In this comprehensive study, we systematically compared the similarities and differences between these two populations. Our investigation revealed that the parthenogenetic H. longicornis, widely distributed in China, was found in ten provinces, surpassing the previously reported distribution. Notably, individuals from the parthenogenetic population exhibited a prolonged blood-feeding duration during the larval and nymph stages compared to their bisexual counterparts. Additionally, the life cycle of the parthenogenetic population was observed to be longer. A flow cytometry analysis indicated a DNA content ratio of approximately 2:3 between the bisexual and parthenogenetic populations. A phylogenetic analysis using whole mitochondrial genome sequences resulted in the separation of the phylogenetic tree into two distinct branches. A molecular analysis unveiled a consistent single T-base deletion at nucleotide 8497 in the parthenogenetic population compared to the bisexual population. Both populations displayed high viral infection capability and significant resistance to ivermectin. Intriguingly, despite these differences, the parthenogenetic population exhibited a similar life cycle to the bisexual population, retaining the ability to transmit pathogens such as Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and Heartland Virus (HRTV). These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the distinct characteristics and similarities between different populations of H. longicornis, laying the foundation for future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyue Zhao
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China; (C.Z.); (G.C.); (X.L.)
| | - Guonan Cai
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China; (C.Z.); (G.C.); (X.L.)
| | - Xing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China; (C.Z.); (G.C.); (X.L.)
- Aulin College, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Pengfei Wang
- Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China; (C.Z.); (G.C.); (X.L.)
| | - Aihua Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;
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9
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Liberska J, Michalik JF, Olechnowicz J, Dabert M. Co-Occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato and Babesia spp. DNA in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected from Vegetation and Pets in the City of Poznań, Poland. Pathogens 2024; 13:307. [PMID: 38668262 PMCID: PMC11054194 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Here, we described the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia species found in mono- and double infections among Ixodes ricinus ticks occurring in urban areas of the city of Poznań, Poland. We tested 1029 host-seeking ticks and 1268 engorged ticks removed from pet animals. Borrelia afzelii and B. garinii prevailed both in ticks from vegetation (3.7% and 3.7%, respectively) and from pets (3.7% and 0.6%, respectively). Babesia canis and Ba. microti were the most prevalent in host-seeking (2.6% and 1.4%, respectively) and feeding ticks (2.8% and 2.2%, respectively). Babesia microti sequences proved to be identical to the human pathogenic Ba. microti genotype "Jena/Germany". Sequences of the rarest piroplasm Ba. venatorum (0.7%) were identical with those isolated from European patients. About 1.0% of tested ticks yielded dual infections; in host-seeking ticks, Ba. canis prevailed in co-infections with B. afzelii and B. garinii, whereas Ba. microti and B. afzelii dominated in double-infected feeding ticks. Dual infections, even with a low prevalence, pose a challenge for differential diagnosis in patients with acute febrile disease after a tick bite. The finding of Ba. canis in both tick groups suggests that I. ricinus could be involved in the circulation of this piroplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Liberska
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; (J.O.); (M.D.)
| | - Jerzy Franciszek Michalik
- Department of Animal Morphology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Julia Olechnowicz
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; (J.O.); (M.D.)
| | - Miroslawa Dabert
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; (J.O.); (M.D.)
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10
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Reller ME, Clemens EG, Bakken JS, Dumler JS. Emerging Tick-borne Infections in the Upper Midwest and Northeast United States Among Patients With Suspected Anaplasmosis. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofae149. [PMID: 38651141 PMCID: PMC11034950 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Emerging tick-transmitted illnesses are increasingly recognized in the United States (US). To identify multiple potential tick-borne pathogens in patients from the Upper Midwest and Northeast US with suspected anaplasmosis, we used state-of-the-art methods (polymerase chain reaction [PCR] and paired serology) to test samples from patients in whom anaplasmosis had been excluded. Methods Five hundred sixty-eight patients without anaplasmosis had optimal samples available for confirmation of alternative tick-borne pathogens, including PCR and/or paired serology (acute-convalescent interval ≤42 days). Results Among 266 paired serology evaluations, for which the median acute-convalescent sampling interval was 28 (interquartile range, 21-33) days, we identified 35 acute/recent infections (24 [9%] Borrelia burgdorferi; 6 [2%] Ehrlichia chaffeensis/Ehrlichia muris subsp eauclairensis [EC/EME]; 3 [1%] spotted fever group rickettsioses [SFGR], and 2 [<1%] Babesia microti) in 33 (12%) patients. Two had concurrent or closely sequential infections (1 B burgdorferi and EC/EME, and 1 B burgdorferi and SFGR). Using multiplex PCR and reverse-transcription PCR, we identified 7 acute infections (5/334 [1%] Borrelia miyamotoi and 2/334 [1%] B microti) in 5 (1%) patients, including 2 with B microti-B miyamotoi coinfection, but no Borrelia mayonii, SFGR, Candidatus Anaplasma capra, Heartland virus, or Powassan virus infections. Thus, among 568 patients with ruled-out anaplasmosis, 38 (6.7%) had ≥1 agent of tick-borne illness identified, with 33 patients (35 infections) diagnosed by paired serology and 5 additional patients (7 infections) by PCR. Conclusions By identifying other tick-borne agents in patients in whom anaplasmosis had been excluded, we demonstrate that emerging tick-borne infections will be identified if specifically sought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Reller
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Emily G Clemens
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- St Luke's Hospital, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - J Stephen Dumler
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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11
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Ostfeld RS, Adish S, Mowry S, Bremer W, Duerr S, Evans AS, Fischhoff IR, Keating F, Pendleton J, Pfister A, Teator M, Keesing F. Effects of residential acaricide treatments on patterns of pathogen coinfection in blacklegged ticks. Parasitology 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38494476 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182024000349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Medically important ixodid ticks often carry multiple pathogens, with individual ticks frequently coinfected and capable of transmitting multiple infections to hosts, including humans. Acquisition of multiple zoonotic pathogens by immature blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) is facilitated when they feed on small mammals, which are the most competent reservoir hosts for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (which causes anaplasmosis in humans), Babesia microti (babesiosis) and Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease). Here, we used data from a large-scale, long-term experiment to ask whether patterns of single and multiple infections in questing nymphal I. scapularis ticks from residential neighbourhoods differed from those predicted by independent assortment of pathogens, and whether patterns of coinfection were affected by residential application of commercial acaricidal products. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used for pathogen detection in multiplex reactions. In control neighbourhoods and those treated with a fungus-based biopesticide deployed against host-seeking ticks (Met52), ticks having only single infections of either B. microti or B. burgdorferi were significantly less common than expected, whereas coinfections with these 2 pathogens were significantly more common. However, use of tick control system bait boxes, which kill ticks attempting to feed on small mammals, eliminated the bias towards coinfection. Although aimed at reducing the abundance of host-seeking ticks, control methods directed at ticks attached to small mammals may influence human exposure to coinfected ticks and the probability of exposure to multiple tick-borne infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sahar Adish
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | - Stacy Mowry
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | - William Bremer
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | - Shannon Duerr
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | - Andrew S Evans
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, Dutchess County, NY 12601, USA
| | | | - Fiona Keating
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | | | - Ashley Pfister
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | - Marissa Teator
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
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12
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Duan L, Zhang L, Hou X, Bao Z, Zeng Y, He L, Liu Z, Zhou H, Hao Q, Dong A. Surveillance of tick-borne bacteria infection in ticks and forestry populations in Inner Mongolia, China. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1302133. [PMID: 38487180 PMCID: PMC10938913 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1302133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are one of the most important vectors that can transmit pathogens to animals and human beings. This study investigated the dominant tick-borne bacteria carried by ticks and tick-borne infections in forestry populations in Arxan, Inner Mongolia, China. Ticks were collected by flagging from May 2020 to May 2021, and blood samples were collected from individuals at high risk of acquiring tick-borne diseases from March 2022 to August 2023. The pooled DNA samples of ticks were analyzed to reveal the presence of tick-borne bacteria using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rDNA V3-V4 region, and species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) related to sequencing was performed to confirm the presence of pathogenic bacteria in individual ticks and human blood samples. All sera samples were examined for anti-SFGR using ELISA and anti-B. burgdorferi using IFA and WB. A total of 295 ticks (282 Ixodes persulcatus and 13 Dermacentor silvarum) and 245 human blood samples were collected. Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Coxiella endosymbiont were identified in I. persulcatus by high-throughput sequencing, while Candidatus R. tarasevichiae (89.00%, 89/100), B. garinii (17.00%, 17/100), B. afzelii (7.00%, 7/100), and B. miyamotoi (7.00%, 7/100) were detected in I. persulcatus, as well the dual co-infection with Candidatus R. tarasevichiae and B. garinii were detected in 13.00% (13/100) of I. persulcatus. Of the 245 individuals, B. garinii (4.90%, 12/245), R. slovaca (0.82%, 2/245), and C. burnetii (0.41%, 1/245) were detected by PCR, and the sequences of the target genes of B. garinii detected in humans were identical to those detected in I. persulcatus. The seroprevalence of anti-SFGR and anti-B. burgdorferi was 5.71% and 13.47%, respectively. This study demonstrated that Candidatus R. tarasevichiae and B. garinii were the dominant tick-borne bacteria in I. persulcatus from Arxan, and that dual co-infection with Candidatus R. tarasevichiae and B. garinii was frequent. This is the first time that B. miyamotoi has been identified in ticks from Arxan and R. solvaca has been detected in humans from Inner Mongolia. More importantly, this study demonstrated the transmission of B. garinii from ticks to humans in Arxan, suggesting that long-term monitoring of tick-borne pathogens in ticks and humans is important for the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Like Duan
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Xuexia Hou
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Zihao Bao
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zeng
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Lijuan He
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Zeliang Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Haijian Zhou
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Hao
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Aiying Dong
- Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
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13
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Xi D, Garg K, Lambert JS, Rajput-Ray M, Madigan A, Avramovic G, Gilbert L. Scrutinizing Clinical Biomarkers in a Large Cohort of Patients with Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Infections. Microorganisms 2024; 12:380. [PMID: 38399784 PMCID: PMC10893018 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Standard clinical markers can improve tick-borne infection (TBI) diagnoses. We investigated immune and other clinical biomarkers in 110 patients clinically diagnosed with TBIs before (T0) and after antibiotic treatment (T2). At T0, both the initial observation group and patients without seroconversion for tick-borne pathogens exhibited notably low percentages and counts of CD3 percentage (CD3%), CD3+ cells, CD8+ suppressors, CD4 percentage (CD4%), and CD4+ helper cells, with the latter group showing reductions in CD3%, CD3+, and CD8+ counts in approximately 15-22% of cases. Following treatment at the T2 follow-up, patients typically experienced enhancements in their previously low CD3%, CD3+ counts, CD4%, and CD4+ counts; however, there was no notable progress in their low CD8+ counts, and a higher number of patients presented with insufficient transferrin levels. Moreover, among those with negative serology for tick-borne infections, there was an improvement in low CD3% and CD3+ counts, which was more pronounced in patients with deficient transferrin amounts. Among those with CD57+ (n = 37) and CD19+ (n = 101) lymphocyte analysis, 59.46% of patients had a low CD57+ count, 14.85% had a low CD19 count, and 36.63% had a low CD19 percentage (CD19%). Similar findings were observed concerning low CD57+, CD19+, and CD19% markers for negative TBI serology patients. Overall, this study demonstrates that routine standard clinical markers could assist in a TBI diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Xi
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland; (D.X.); (J.S.L.); (G.A.)
| | | | - John S. Lambert
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland; (D.X.); (J.S.L.); (G.A.)
- Infectious Diseases Department, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, D07 R2WY Dublin, Ireland
- Infectious Diseases Department, The Rotunda Hospital, D01 P5W9 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Minha Rajput-Ray
- Curaidh Clinic: Innovative Solutions for Pain, Chronic Disease and Work Health, Perth PH2 8EH, UK;
| | - Anne Madigan
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland; (D.X.); (J.S.L.); (G.A.)
| | - Gordana Avramovic
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland; (D.X.); (J.S.L.); (G.A.)
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14
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CHIKUFENJI B, CHATANGA E, GALON EM, MOHANTA UK, MDZUKULU G, MA Y, NKHATA M, UMEMIYA-SHIRAFUJI R, XUAN X. First report of dog ticks and tick-borne pathogens they are carrying in Malawi. J Vet Med Sci 2024; 86:150-159. [PMID: 38171881 PMCID: PMC10898992 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.23-0397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are vectors for transmitting tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in animals and humans. Therefore, tick identification is necessary to understand the distribution of tick species and the pathogens they carry. Unfortunately, data on dog ticks and the TBPs they harbor in Malawi are incomplete. This study aimed to identify dog ticks and the TBPs they transmit in Malawi. One hundred thirty-two ticks were collected from 87 apparently healthy but infested domestic dogs in four districts of Malawi, which were pooled into 128 tick samples. The ticks were morphologically identified under a stereomicroscope using identification keys, and species identification was authenticated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) through the amplification and sequencing of 12S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (CO1) genes. The tick species identified were Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (58.3%), Haemaphysalis elliptica (32.6%), and Hyalomma truncatum (9.1%). Screening for TBPs using species-specific PCR assays revealed that 48.4% of the ticks were infected with at least one TBP. The TBP detection rates were 13.3% for Anaplasma platys, 10.2% for Babesia rossi, 8.6% for B. vogeli, 6.3% for Ehrlichia canis, 3.9% for A. phagocytophilum, 3.1% for B. gibsoni, 2.3% for B. canis and 0.8% for Hepatozoon canis. Co-infections of up to three pathogens were observed in 48.4% of the positive samples. This is the first study to identify dog ticks and the TBPs they harbor in Malawi. These findings provide the basis for understanding dog tick distribution and pathogens they carry in Malawi. This study necessitates the examination of ticks from more study locations to have a better picture of tick challenge, and the development of ticks and tick-borne disease control methods in Malawi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boniface CHIKUFENJI
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro
University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
- Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development,
Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development, Lilongwe, Malawi
- Vets of Purpose Organization, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Elisha CHATANGA
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Eloiza May GALON
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro
University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences,
Cavite State University, Cavite, Philippines
| | - Uday Kumar MOHANTA
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro
University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Sher-e-Bangla
Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Gift MDZUKULU
- Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development,
Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Yihong MA
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro
University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
| | | | - Rika UMEMIYA-SHIRAFUJI
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro
University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Xuenan XUAN
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro
University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
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15
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Jaenson TGT, Gray JS, Lindgren PE, Wilhelmsson P. Coinfection of Babesia and Borrelia in the Tick Ixodes ricinus-A Neglected Public Health Issue in Europe? Pathogens 2024; 13:81. [PMID: 38251388 PMCID: PMC10818971 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Ixodes ricinus nymphs and adults removed from humans, and larvae and nymphs from birds, have been analysed for infection with Babesia species and Borrelia species previously in separately published studies. Here, we use the same data set to explore the coinfection pattern of Babesia and Borrelia species in the ticks. We also provide an overview of the ecology and potential public health importance in Sweden of I. ricinus infected both with zoonotic Babesia and Borrelia species. Among 1952 nymphs and adult ticks removed from humans, 3.1% were PCR-positive for Babesia spp. Of these Babesia-positive ticks, 43% were simultaneously Borrelia-positive. Among 1046 immatures of I. ricinus removed from birds, 2.5% were Babesia-positive, of which 38% were coinfected with Borrelia species. This study shows that in I. ricinus infesting humans or birds in Sweden, potentially zoonotic Babesia protozoa sometimes co-occur with human-pathogenic Borrelia spp. Diagnostic tests for Babesia spp. infection are rarely performed in Europe, and the medical significance of this pathogen in Europe could be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G. T. Jaenson
- Evolutionary Biology Centre, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18d, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Jeremy S. Gray
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, D04 N2E5 Dublin, Ireland;
| | - Per-Eric Lindgren
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden;
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Region Jönköping County, SE-551 11 Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Peter Wilhelmsson
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden;
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Region Jönköping County, SE-551 11 Jönköping, Sweden
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16
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Melis S, Batisti Biffignandi G, Olivieri E, Galon C, Vicari N, Prati P, Moutailler S, Sassera D, Castelli M. High-throughput screening of pathogens in Ixodes ricinus removed from hosts in Lombardy, northern Italy. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102285. [PMID: 38035456 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are important vectors of many pathogens in Europe, where the most impactful species is Ixodes ricinus. Recently, the geographical distribution of this tick species has been expanding, resulting in an increased risk of human exposure to tick bites. With the present study, we aimed to screen 350 I. ricinus specimens collected from humans and wild animals (mainly ungulates), to have a broader understanding of the tick-borne pathogens circulating in the Lombardy region, in northern Italy. To do so, we took advantage of a high-throughput real-time microfluidic PCR approach to screen ticks in a cost-effective and time-saving manner. Molecular analysis of the dataset revealed the presence of four genera of bacteria and two genera of protozoa: in ungulates, 77 % of collected ticks carried Anaplasma phagocytophilum, while the most common pathogen species in ticks removed from humans were those belonging to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group (7.6 %). We also detected other pathogenic microorganisms, such as Rickettisa monacensis, Rickettsia helvetica, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Babesia venatorum, and Hepatozoon martis. Besides, we also reported the presence of the pathogenic agent Borrelia miyamotoi in the area (1.4 % overall). The most common dual co-infection detected in the same tick individual involved A. phagocytophilum and Rickettsia spp. Our study provided evidence of the circulation of different tick-borne pathogens in a densely populated region in Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Melis
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Emanuela Olivieri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Pavia, Italy
| | - Clémence Galon
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Nadia Vicari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Pavia, Italy
| | - Paola Prati
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Pavia, Italy
| | - Sara Moutailler
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Pavia Italy
| | - Michele Castelli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
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Oundo JW, Kalayou S, Bosch QT, Villinger J, Koenraadt CJM, Masiga D. Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting cattle in coastal Kenya harbor a diverse array of tick-borne pathogens. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102266. [PMID: 37813003 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Ticks and the microbes they transmit have emerged in sub-Saharan Africa as a major threat to veterinary and public health. Although progress has been made in detecting and identifying tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) across vast agroecologies of Kenya, comprehensive information on tick species infesting cattle and their associated pathogens in coastal Kenya needs to be updated and expanded. Ticks infesting extensively grazed zebu cattle in 14 villages were sampled and identified based on morphology and molecular methods and tested for the presence of bacterial and protozoan TBPs using PCR with high-resolution melting analysis and gene sequencing. In total, 3,213 adult ticks were collected and identified as Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (15.8%), R. evertsi (12.8%), R. microplus (11.3%), R. pulchellus (0.1%), Amblyomma gemma (24.1%), A. variegatum (35.1%), Hyalomma rufipes (0.6%), and H. albiparmatum (0.2%). Ticks were infected with Rickettsia africae, Ehrlichia ruminantium, E. minasensis, Theileria velifera and T. parva. Coxiella sp. endosymbionts were detected in the Rhipicephalus and Amblyomma ticks. Co-infections with two and three different pathogens were identified in 6.9% (n = 95/1382) and 0.1% (n = 2/1382) of single tick samples, respectively, with the most common co-infection being R. africae and E. ruminantium (7.2%, CI: 4.6 - 10.6). All samples were negative for Coxiella burnetii, Anaplasma spp. and Babesia spp. Our study provides an overview of tick and tick-borne microbial diversities in coastal Kenya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Wang'ang'a Oundo
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 338 6700AH Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Shewit Kalayou
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Quirine Ten Bosch
- Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 338 6700AH Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jandouwe Villinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Daniel Masiga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
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18
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Foster E, Maes SA, Holcomb KM, Eisen RJ. Prevalence of five human pathogens in host-seeking Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus by region, state, and county in the contiguous United States generated through national tick surveillance. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102250. [PMID: 37703795 PMCID: PMC10629455 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
The majority of vector-borne disease cases reported in the United States (U.S.) are caused by pathogens spread by the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. In recent decades, the geographic ranges of the tick and its associated human pathogens have expanded, putting an increasing number of communities at risk for tick-borne infections. In 2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiated a national tick surveillance program to monitor changes in the distribution and abundance of ticks and the presence and prevalence of human pathogens in them. We assessed the geographical representativeness of prevalence data submitted to CDC as part of the national tick surveillance effort. We describe county, state, and regional variation in the prevalence of five human pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), Borrelia mayonii, Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia microti) in host-seeking I. scapularis and I. pacificus nymphs and adults. Although I. scapularis and I. pacificus are widely distributed in the eastern and western U.S., respectively, pathogen prevalence was estimated predominantly in ticks collected in the Northeast, Ohio Valley, and Upper Midwest regions, where human Lyme disease cases are most commonly reported. Within these regions, we found that state and regional estimates of pathogen prevalence generally reached predictable and stable levels, but variation in prevalence estimates at the sub-state level was considerable. Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. was the most prevalent and widespread pathogen detected. Borrelia miyamotoi and A. phagocytophilum shared a similarly broad geographic range, but were consistently detected at much lower prevalence compared with B. burgdorferi s.s. Babesia microti was detected at similar prevalence to A. phagocytophilum, where both pathogens co-occurred, but was reported over a much more limited geographic range compared with A. phagocytophilum or B. burgdorferi s.s. Borrelia mayonii was identified at very low prevalence with a focal distribution within the Upper Midwest. National assessments of risk for tick-borne diseases need to be improved through collection and testing of ticks in currently under-represented regions, including the West, South, Southeast, and eastern Plains states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Foster
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.
| | - Sarah A Maes
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Karen M Holcomb
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Rebecca J Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
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19
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Drews SJ, Kjemtrup AM, Krause PJ, Lambert G, Leiby DA, Lewin A, O'Brien SF, Renaud C, Tonnetti L, Bloch EM. Transfusion-transmitted Babesia spp.: a changing landscape of epidemiology, regulation, and risk mitigation. J Clin Microbiol 2023; 61:e0126822. [PMID: 37750699 PMCID: PMC10595070 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01268-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Babesia spp. are tick-borne parasites with a global distribution and diversity of vertebrate hosts. Over the next several decades, climate change is expected to impact humans, vectors, and vertebrate hosts and change the epidemiology of Babesia. Although humans are dead-end hosts for tick-transmitted Babesia, human-to-human transmission of Babesia spp. from transfusion of red blood cells and whole blood-derived platelet concentrates has been reported. In most patients, transfusion-transmitted Babesia (TTB) results in a moderate-to-severe illness. Currently, in North America, most cases of TTB have been described in the United States. TTB cases outside North America are rare, but case numbers may change over time with increased recognition of babesiosis and as the epidemiology of Babesia is impacted by climate change. Therefore, TTB is a concern of microbiologists working in blood operator settings, as well as in clinical settings where transfusion occurs. Microbiologists play an important role in deploying blood donor screening assays in Babesia endemic regions, identifying changing risks for Babesia in non-endemic areas, investigating recipients of blood products for TTB, and drafting TTB policies and guidelines. In this review, we provide an overview of the clinical presentation and epidemiology of TTB. We identify approaches and technologies to reduce the risk of collecting blood products from Babesia-infected donors and describe how investigations of TTB are undertaken. We also describe how microbiologists in Babesia non-endemic regions can assess for changing risks of TTB and decide when to focus on laboratory-test-based approaches or pathogen reduction to reduce TTB risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Drews
- Microbiology, Donation Policy and Studies, Canadian Blood Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Diagnostic and Applied Microbiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anne M. Kjemtrup
- California Department of Public Health, Vector-Borne Disease Section, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Peter J. Krause
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Grayson Lambert
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - David A. Leiby
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, USA
| | - Antoine Lewin
- Epidemiology, Surveillance and Biological Risk Assessment, Medical Affairs and Innovation, Héma-Québec, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Département d'Obstétrique et de Gynécologie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sheila F. O'Brien
- Epidemiology and Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, Donation Policy and Studies, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christian Renaud
- Department of Microbiology, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Laura Tonnetti
- American Red Cross, Scientific Affairs, Holland Laboratories for the Biomedical Sciences, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Evan M. Bloch
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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20
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Zanet S, Occhibove F, Capizzi D, Fratini S, Giannini F, Hoida AD, Sposimo P, Valentini F, Ferroglio E. Zoonotic Microparasites in Invasive Black Rats ( Rattus rattus) from Small Islands in Central Italy. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3279. [PMID: 37894002 PMCID: PMC10603634 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive species have a detrimental impact on native populations, particularly in island ecosystems, and they pose a potential zoonotic and wildlife threat. Black rats (Rattus rattus) are invasive species that disrupt native flora and fauna on islands and serve as potential competent reservoirs for various pathogens and parasites. Microparasites screening was conducted in rat populations from small islands in central Italy (the Pontine Islands and Pianosa) with the aim of assessing the role of rats in maintaining infections, particularly in cases where key reservoir hosts were scarce or absent. We focused on microparasites of zoonotic and veterinary relevance. A total of 53 rats was kill-trapped and target tissues were analysed with molecular techniques. We observed the absence or very low prevalence of Anaplasma spp., while Babesia was found in rats from all locations, marking the first recorded instance of Babesia divergens in wild rats. Data from Pianosa strongly suggest the presence of an autochthonous Leishmania infantum cycle in the Tuscan archipelago islands. Neospora caninum was absent from all islands, even in areas where dogs, the main reservoirs, were present. Toxoplasma gondii was only recorded on the Pontine Islands, where genotyping is needed to shed light on infection dynamics. This study confirms that invasive species, such as rats, may be responsible for maintaining an increased parasitological threat to fauna and human communities in certain ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Zanet
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (S.Z.); (A.D.H.); (F.V.); (E.F.)
| | - Flavia Occhibove
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (S.Z.); (A.D.H.); (F.V.); (E.F.)
| | - Dario Capizzi
- Directorate for Natural Capital, Latium Region, Parks and Protected Areas, Viale del Tintoretto 432, 00142 Rome, Italy;
| | - Sara Fratini
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
| | - Francesca Giannini
- Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano, Loc. Enfola, 57037 Portoferraio, Italy;
| | - Avner Dan Hoida
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (S.Z.); (A.D.H.); (F.V.); (E.F.)
| | - Paolo Sposimo
- Nature and Environment Management Operators SRL (NEMO), Piazza Massimo D’Azeglio 11, 50121 Florence, Italy;
| | - Flaminia Valentini
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (S.Z.); (A.D.H.); (F.V.); (E.F.)
| | - Ezio Ferroglio
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (S.Z.); (A.D.H.); (F.V.); (E.F.)
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21
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Narasimhan S, Fish D, Pedra JHF, Pal U, Fikrig E. A ticking time bomb hidden in plain sight. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadi7829. [PMID: 37851823 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi7829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The deer tick transmits nearly half of the known tick-borne pathogens in the United States, and its expanding geographic range increases the risk of human infection. To decrease the abundance of and infection risk from deer ticks, approaches that include vaccines for human use and for animal hosts are desired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Durland Fish
- Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06420, USA
- American Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc., New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Joao H F Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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22
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Rowan S, Mohseni N, Chang M, Burger H, Peters M, Mir S. From Tick to Test: A Comprehensive Review of Tick-Borne Disease Diagnostics and Surveillance Methods in the United States. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2048. [PMID: 37895430 PMCID: PMC10608558 DOI: 10.3390/life13102048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) have become a significant public health concern in the United States over the past few decades. The increasing incidence and geographical spread of these diseases have prompted the implementation of robust surveillance systems to monitor their prevalence, distribution, and impact on human health. This comprehensive review describes key disease features with the geographical distribution of all known tick-borne pathogens in the United States, along with examining disease surveillance efforts, focusing on strategies, challenges, and advancements. Surveillance methods include passive and active surveillance, laboratory-based surveillance, sentinel surveillance, and a One Health approach. Key surveillance systems, such as the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), TickNET, and the Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory Network (TBDLN), are discussed. Data collection and reporting challenges, such as underreporting and misdiagnosis, are highlighted. The review addresses challenges, including lack of standardization, surveillance in non-human hosts, and data integration. Innovations encompass molecular techniques, syndromic surveillance, and tick surveillance programs. Implications for public health cover prevention strategies, early detection, treatment, and public education. Future directions emphasize enhanced surveillance networks, integrated vector management, research priorities, and policy implications. This review enhances understanding of TBD surveillance, aiding in informed decision-making for effective disease prevention and control. By understanding the current surveillance landscape, public health officials, researchers, and policymakers can make informed decisions to mitigate the burden of (TBDs).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Sheema Mir
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA; (S.R.)
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23
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Zając Z, Kulisz J, Woźniak A, Bartosik K, Foucault-Simonin A, Moutailler S, Cabezas-Cruz A. Tick Activity, Host Range, and Tick-Borne Pathogen Prevalence in Mountain Habitats of the Western Carpathians, Poland. Pathogens 2023; 12:1186. [PMID: 37764994 PMCID: PMC10534405 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In mountainous regions, diverse ecosystems provide a habitat for numerous species of organisms. In this study, we focused on ixodid ticks and their presence in the Western Carpathians, Poland. Our objectives were to investigate the impact of environmental factors on tick occurrence and activity, the prevalence of vectored pathogens, and tick hosts, and their role as reservoir organisms for tick-borne pathogens (TBPs). To this end, we collected ticks from the vegetation and from animals (Apodemus agrarius, A. flavicollis, Capreolus capreolus, Microtus spp., Myodes glareolus, Ovis aries). In addition, we collected blood samples from rodents. The collected material underwent molecular analysis, utilizing the high-throughput microfluidic real-time PCR technique, to detect the presence of TBPs. Our findings confirmed the occurrence of only two species of ixodid ticks in the study area: the dominant Ixodes ricinus, and Dermacentor reticulatus with very limited abundance. Temperature significantly influenced tick activity, and the number of I. ricinus nymphs varied with altitude. We also observed a circadian pattern of questing activity in I. ricinus ticks. The main hosts for juvenile tick stages were M. glareolus and A. agrarius, while adult stages were frequently found on C. capreolus. I. ricinus ticks collected from the vegetation were often infected with Rickettsia helvetica (up to 35.71%), Borrelia afzelii (up to 28.57%), and Ehrlichia spp. (up to 9.52%). In contrast, juvenile stages frequently carried Bartonella spp. (up to 10.00%), Mycoplasma spp. (up to 16.67%) and R. helvetica (up to 16.67%). Moreover, we detected genetic material of Mycoplasma spp. (up to 100.00%), Ehrlichia spp. (up to 35.71%), Bartonella spp. (up to 25.00%), and Borrelia spp. (up to 6.25%) in rodent blood samples. The obtained results indicate A. agrarius and M. glareolus as reservoir animals for TBPs in the studied region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zbigniew Zając
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11, 20-080 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.W.); (K.B.)
| | - Joanna Kulisz
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11, 20-080 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.W.); (K.B.)
| | - Aneta Woźniak
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11, 20-080 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.W.); (K.B.)
| | - Katarzyna Bartosik
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11, 20-080 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.W.); (K.B.)
| | - Angélique Foucault-Simonin
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (A.F.-S.); (S.M.)
| | - Sara Moutailler
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (A.F.-S.); (S.M.)
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (A.F.-S.); (S.M.)
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24
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Xi D, Thoma A, Rajput-Ray M, Madigan A, Avramovic G, Garg K, Gilbert L, Lambert JS. A Longitudinal Study of a Large Clinical Cohort of Patients with Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Co-Infections Treated with Combination Antibiotics. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2152. [PMID: 37763996 PMCID: PMC10536678 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The rising prevalence of tick-borne infections (TBIs) necessitates further attention. This study retrospectively investigated the types of TBIs, symptoms, and if combination antibiotics were helpful within a patient cohort at an infectious disease clinic in Ireland. In this chart audit of 301 individuals (184 female, 117 male) tested for TBIs, 140 (46.51%) had positive antibody responses for TBIs from an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoassay) that was based on a modified two-tiered testing protocol. A total of 93 (66.43%) patients had positive antibody responses to one TBI: 83 (59.29%) for Borrelia, 7 (5.00%) for Rickettsia, and 1 (0.71%) each for either Babesia, Bartonella, or Ehrlichia. The remaining 47 (33.57%) patients were infected with multiple TBIs. These patients were treated with combination antibiotics and monitored at two subsequent follow-ups. Only 2 of 101 patients (1.98%) had discontinued treatment by the second follow-up. In the first follow-up with 118 patients, 70 (59.32%) reported pain and 48 (40.68%) had neurological symptoms. In the next follow-up of 101 patients, 41 (40.59%) had pain while 30 (29.70%) had neurological symptoms. There were statistically significant reductions in the incidence of pain (41.43%) and neurological (37.50%) symptoms between follow-ups. Thus, our study demonstrates that combination antibiotics effectively relieve TBI symptoms with good patient tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Xi
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland; (D.X.); (A.T.); (A.M.); (G.A.)
| | - Abbie Thoma
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland; (D.X.); (A.T.); (A.M.); (G.A.)
| | - Minha Rajput-Ray
- Curaidh Clinic: Innovative Solutions for Pain, Chronic Disease and Work Health, Perthshire PH2 8EH, UK;
| | - Anne Madigan
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland; (D.X.); (A.T.); (A.M.); (G.A.)
| | - Gordana Avramovic
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland; (D.X.); (A.T.); (A.M.); (G.A.)
| | - Kunal Garg
- Te?ted Oy, 40100 Jyväskylä, Finland; (K.G.); (L.G.)
| | | | - John S. Lambert
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland; (D.X.); (A.T.); (A.M.); (G.A.)
- Infectious Diseases Department, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, D07 R2WY Dublin, Ireland
- Infectious Diseases Department, The Rotunda Hospital, D01 P5W9 Dublin, Ireland
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25
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Wang G, Zhuge J, Wormser GP. Frequency of Positive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Testing for Borrelia burgdorferi on Whole Blood Samples That Tested Positive for Babesia microti by PCR from an Endemic Area for Both Infections in New York State. Pathogens 2023; 12:1066. [PMID: 37624026 PMCID: PMC10459504 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12081066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Because both Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi can be transmitted by the bite of a single coinfected Ixodes scapularis tick, an attempt was made to determine the frequency with which whole blood samples that tested positive for B. microti infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) would also test positive by PCR for B. burgdorferi infection. Over a 7-year period from 2013 to 2019, 119 different patients tested positive for B. microti infection by PCR on at least one blood sample. Among the 118 patients with a positive B. microti PCR blood sample that could also be tested by a qualitative PCR for B. burgdorferi, only one patient tested positive (0.85%, 95% CI 0.02 to 4.6%). Routine PCR testing of every B. microti PCR-positive blood specimen to detect B. burgdorferi coinfection appears to have a low yield, even in a highly endemic geographic area for both of these infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiqing Wang
- Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA;
| | - Jian Zhuge
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA;
| | - Gary P. Wormser
- Division of Infectious Diseases, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
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26
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Sawczyn-Domańska A, Zwoliński J, Kloc A, Wójcik-Fatla A. Prevalence of Borrelia, Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Babesia in ticks collected from vegetation in eastern Poland. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2023; 90:409-428. [PMID: 37389691 PMCID: PMC10406691 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-023-00818-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
In Poland, tick-borne diseases constitute the majority of diseases related to exposure to biological agents with a predominance of Lyme borreliosis; therefore, research on ticks as a reservoir of various pathogens remains crucial in the epidemiology of human diseases after tick bites. This study aimed to identify the occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Borrelia miyamotoi, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, and Babesia spp. in ticks collected from vegetation in eastern Poland. Additionally, the prevalence of co-infections in the adult Ixodes ricinus ticks was determined. Among I. ricinus ticks the predominantly detected pathogen was B. burgdorferi s.l. (23%) with B. burgdorferi sensu stricto as the most frequently identified species, followed by B. garinii. In 2013, the double or triple infections of B. burgdorferi s.s., B. afzelii, and B. garinii species did not exceed 9% in adult ticks, whereas in 2016, the prevalence of mixed infections reached 29%. The prevalence of N. mikurensis and B. miyamotoi in I. ricinus was determined at the same level of 2.8%. Four Babesia species were identified in the examined I. ricinus population: B. microti (1.5%), B. venatorum (1.2%), B. divergens (0.2%), and B. capreoli (0.1%). Co-infections were detected in 10.1% of all infected ticks with the highest prevalence of co-infections with B. burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia species. The changes in the prevalence and the distribution of particular pathogens within tick populations indicate the need for monitoring the current situation related to tick-borne pathogens from the aspect of risk to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Sawczyn-Domańska
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Jacek Zwoliński
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Kloc
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | - Angelina Wójcik-Fatla
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
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Kipp EJ, Lindsey LL, Khoo B, Faulk C, Oliver JD, Larsen PA. Metagenomic surveillance for bacterial tick-borne pathogens using nanopore adaptive sampling. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10991. [PMID: 37419899 PMCID: PMC10328957 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37134-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Technological and computational advancements in the fields of genomics and bioinformatics are providing exciting new opportunities for pathogen discovery and genomic surveillance. In particular, single-molecule nucleotide sequence data originating from Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing platforms can be bioinformatically leveraged, in real-time, for enhanced biosurveillance of a vast array of zoonoses. The recently released nanopore adaptive sampling (NAS) strategy facilitates immediate mapping of individual nucleotide molecules to a given reference as each molecule is being sequenced. User-defined thresholds then allow for the retention or rejection of specific molecules, informed by the real-time reference mapping results, as they are physically passing through a given sequencing nanopore. Here, we show how NAS can be used to selectively sequence DNA of multiple bacterial tick-borne pathogens circulating in wild populations of the blacklegged tick vector, Ixodes scapularis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan J Kipp
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA.
| | - Laramie L Lindsey
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Benedict Khoo
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Christopher Faulk
- Department of Animal Science, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Jonathan D Oliver
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Peter A Larsen
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA
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Yang TS, LaDouceur EEB, Baumgartner WA, Marr HS, Karounos M, Robertson J, Whitehurst N, Miller LS, Birkenheuer AJ. A practical protocol to prepare paraffin-embedded whole tick histology sections. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102162. [PMID: 36965259 PMCID: PMC10652274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are important ectoparasites that are capable of transmitting multiple classes of pathogens and are currently linked with many emerging tick-borne diseases worldwide. With increasing occurrences of tick-borne diseases in both humans and veterinary species, there is a continuous need to further our understanding of ticks and the pathogens they transmit. Whole tick histology provides a full scope of the tick internal anatomy, allowing researchers to examine multiple organs of interest in a single section. This is in contrast to other techniques that are more commonly utilized in tick-borne disease research, such as electron microscopy and light microscopy of individual organs. There is a lack of literature describing a practical technique to process whole tick histologic sections. Therefore, the current study aims to provide researchers with a workable protocol to prepare high quality paraffin-embedded whole tick histology sections. Amblyomma americanum adults were used as an example species for this study. After a series of pilot experiments using a combination of various fixatives, softening agents and processing techniques, we elected to compare two common fixatives, 10% neutral-buffered formalin (NBF) and Bouin's solution for whole ticks. Equal numbers of A. americanum unfed adults (n = 10/fixative) were processed identically and their whole tick histology coronal sections were individually scored. Higher scores were assigned to whole tick sections that contained more internal organs that are crucial for tick-borne disease research (e.g. salivary glands and midgut), high integrity of tissues and exoskeleton on the section, and good fixation and staining quality of the tissues. The mean total scores for Bouin's-fixed ticks were significantly higher compared to NBF-fixed ticks (p = 0.001). To further assess our preferred technique, we also demonstrated the feasibility of producing high quality whole tick sections for three other common tick species of medical importance (Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes scapularis, and Dermacentor variabilis) using Bouin's solution. While this technique may require further optimization for other tick species, we described a feasible protocol that uses commonly available tools, reagents and standard histologic equipment. This should allow any investigator to easily make adjustments to this protocol as needed based on their experimental goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzushan S Yang
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Elise E B LaDouceur
- Joint Pathology Center, Veterinary Pathology Services, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Wes A Baumgartner
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Henry S Marr
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Michael Karounos
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - James Robertson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA; Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Nathan Whitehurst
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Laura S Miller
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Adam J Birkenheuer
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA.
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Price KJ, Khalil N, Witmier BJ, Coder BL, Boyer CN, Foster E, Eisen RJ, Molaei G. EVIDENCE OF PROTOZOAN AND BACTERIAL INFECTION AND CO-INFECTION AND PARTIAL BLOOD FEEDING IN THE INVASIVE TICK HAEMAPHYSALIS LONGICORNIS IN PENNSYLVANIA. J Parasitol 2023; 109:265-273. [PMID: 37436911 PMCID: PMC10658867 DOI: 10.1645/22-122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, an invasive tick species in the United States, has been found actively host-seeking while infected with several human pathogens. Recent work has recovered large numbers of partially engorged, host-seeking H. longicornis, which together with infection findings raises the question of whether such ticks can reattach to a host and transmit pathogens while taking additional bloodmeals. Here we conducted molecular blood meal analysis in tandem with pathogen screening of partially engorged, host-seeking H. longicornis to identify feeding sources and more inclusively characterize acarological risk. Active, statewide surveillance in Pennsylvania from 2020 to 2021 resulted in the recovery of 22/1,425 (1.5%) partially engorged, host-seeking nymphal and 5/163 (3.1%) female H. longicornis. Pathogen testing of engorged nymphs detected 2 specimens positive for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, 2 for Babesia microti, and 1 co-infected with Bo. burgdorferi s.l. and Ba. microti. No female specimens tested positive for pathogens. Conventional PCR blood meal analysis of H. longicornis nymphs detected avian and mammalian hosts in 3 and 18 specimens, respectively. Mammalian blood was detected in all H. longicornis female specimens. Only 2 H. longicornis nymphs produced viable sequencing results and were determined to have fed on black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax. These data are the first to molecularly confirm H. longicornis partial blood meals from vertebrate hosts and Ba. microti infection and co-infection with Bo. burgdorferi s.l. in host-seeking specimens in the United States, and the data help characterize important determinants indirectly affecting vectorial capacity. Repeated blood meals within a life stage by pathogen-infected ticks suggest that an understanding of the vector potential of invasive H. longicornis populations may be incomplete without data on their natural host-seeking behaviors and blood-feeding patterns in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith J. Price
- Division of Vector Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 2575 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110
| | - Noelle Khalil
- Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases and Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511
- Department of Entomology, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511
| | - Bryn J. Witmier
- Division of Vector Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 2575 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110
| | - Brooke L. Coder
- Division of Vector Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 2575 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110
| | - Christian N. Boyer
- Division of Vector Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 2575 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110
| | - Erik Foster
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521
| | - Rebecca J. Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521
| | - Goudarz Molaei
- Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases and Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511
- Department of Entomology, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06510
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Locke S, O'Bryan J, Zubair AS, Rethana M, Moffarah AS, Krause PJ, Farhadian SF. Neurologic Complications of Babesiosis, United States, 2011-2021. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:1127-1135. [PMID: 37209667 PMCID: PMC10202888 DOI: 10.3201/eid2906.221890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Babesiosis is a globally distributed parasitic infection caused by intraerythrocytic protozoa. The full spectrum of neurologic symptoms, the underlying neuropathophysiology, and neurologic risk factors are poorly understood. Our study sought to describe the type and frequency of neurologic complications of babesiosis in a group of hospitalized patients and assess risk factors that might predispose patients to neurologic complications. We reviewed medical records of adult patients who were admitted to Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, during January 2011-October 2021 with laboratory-confirmed babesiosis. More than half of the 163 patients experienced >1 neurologic symptoms during their hospital admissions. The most frequent symptoms were headache, confusion/delirium, and impaired consciousness. Neurologic symptoms were associated with high-grade parasitemia, renal failure, and history of diabetes mellitus. Clinicians working in endemic areas should recognize the range of symptoms associated with babesiosis, including neurologic.
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Kosak L, Satz N, Jutzi M, Dobec M, Schlagenhauf P. Spotted fever group rickettsiae and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato seropositive individuals with or without Lyme disease: A retrospective analysis. New Microbes New Infect 2023; 53:101139. [PMID: 37168237 PMCID: PMC10165448 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2023.101139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Ixodes ricinus tick is the main vector of Borrelia burgdorferi and tick-borne encephalitis virus in Switzerland. Spotted fever group Rickettsiae (SFG) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum have been detected in Swiss ticks, however, information about the extent and clinical presentation of these infections in humans is scant. Methods Indirect fluorescent antibody tests for SFG rickettsiae and Anaplasma phagocytophilum were performed on serum samples of 121 Borrelia burgdorferi seropositive patients with and without Lyme disease and 43 negative controls. Results Out of 121 Borrelia burgdorferi seropositive individuals, 65 (53.7%) were seropositive for IgG and 15 (12.4%) for IgM antibodies to SFG rickettsiae. IgM antibodies were detected more frequently in early-than in late-stage of Lyme disease (12 out of 51 and 2 out of 49; respectively; p = 0.0078). Significantly higher IgG antibody titers against SFG rickettsiae were found in patients with late-stage compared to patients with early-stage Lyme disease (mean titer 1:261 and 1:129, respectively; p = 0.038). This difference was even more pronounced in patients with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans compared to patients with early stage of Lyme disease (mean titer 1:337 and 1:129, respectively; p = 0.009).In patients presenting with fatigue, headache and myalgia, the prevalence of IgG antibodies against SFG rickettsiae was significantly higher (7 out of 11; 63.6%) than in Borrelia burgdorferi seropositive individuals without clinical illness (1 out of 10; 10%; p = 0.024). IgG antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum were detected in 12 out of 121 individuals (9.9%), no IgM antibodies were found. Conclusion Infections with SFG rickettsiae and Anaplasma phagocytophilum are underdiagnosed and should be ruled out after a tick bite. Further studies are needed to elucidate the possible causative role of SFG rickettsiae for myalgia, headache and long-lasting fatigue after a tick bite and to determine the necessity for an antibiotic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Kosak
- University of Zürich, Institute for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention, Zürich, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
| | | | - Markus Jutzi
- Analytica Medizinische Laboratorien AG, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marinko Dobec
- Analytica Medizinische Laboratorien AG, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Schlagenhauf
- University of Zürich, Institute for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Travellers' Health, Department of Global and Public Health, MilMedBiol Competence Centre, Zürich, Switzerland
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Wilson C, Gasmi S, Bourgeois AC, Badcock J, Carr J, Chahil N, Coatsworth H, Dibernardo A, Goundar P, Leighton P, Lee MK, Morshed M, Ripoche M, Savage J. Surveillance for Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks and their associated pathogens in Canada, 2020. CANADA COMMUNICABLE DISEASE REPORT = RELEVE DES MALADIES TRANSMISSIBLES AU CANADA 2023; 49:288-298. [PMID: 38444700 PMCID: PMC10914093 DOI: 10.14745/ccdr.v49i06a06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Background Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks are the principal vectors of the agent of Lyme disease and several other tick-borne diseases in Canada. Tick surveillance data can be used to identify local tick-borne disease risk areas and direct public health interventions. The objective of this article is to describe the seasonal and spatial characteristics of the main Lyme disease vectors in Canada, and the tick-borne pathogens they carry, using passive and active surveillance data from 2020. Methods Passive and active surveillance data were compiled from the National Microbiology Laboratory Branch (Public Health Agency of Canada), provincial and local public health authorities, and eTick (an online, image-based platform). Seasonal and spatial analyses of ticks and their associated pathogens are presented, including infection prevalence estimates. Results In passive surveillance, I. scapularis (n=7,534) were submitted from all provinces except Manitoba and British Columbia, while I. pacificus (n=718) were submitted only from British Columbia. No ticks were submitted from the Territories. The seasonal distribution of I. scapularis submissions was bimodal, but unimodal for I. pacificus. Four tick-borne pathogens were identified in I. scapularis (Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti and Borrelia miyamotoi) and one in I. pacificus (B. miyamotoi). In active surveillance, I. scapularis (n=688) were collected in Ontario, Québec and New Brunswick. Five tick-borne pathogens were identified: B. burgdorferi, A. phagocytophilum, B. microti, B. miyamotoi and Powassan virus. Conclusion This article provides a snapshot of the distribution of I. scapularis and I. pacificus and their associated human pathogens in Canada in 2020, which can help assess the risk of exposure to tick-borne pathogens in different provinces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy Wilson
- Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON
| | - Salima Gasmi
- Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC
| | - Annie-Claude Bourgeois
- Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON
| | - Jacqueline Badcock
- Public Health New Brunswick, New Brunswick Department of Health, Fredericton, NB
| | - Justin Carr
- New Brunswick Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Fredericton, NB
| | - Navdeep Chahil
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC
| | - Heather Coatsworth
- National Microbiology Laboratory Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- National Microbiology Laboratory Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB
| | | | - Patrick Leighton
- Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health Research Group (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC
| | - Min-Kuang Lee
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC
| | - Muhammad Morshed
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Marion Ripoche
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal, QC
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Mazuecos L, Alberdi P, Hernández-Jarguín A, Contreras M, Villar M, Cabezas-Cruz A, Simo L, González-García A, Díaz-Sánchez S, Neelakanta G, Bonnet SI, Fikrig E, de la Fuente J. Frankenbacteriosis targeting interactions between pathogen and symbiont to control infection in the tick vector. iScience 2023; 26:106697. [PMID: 37168564 PMCID: PMC10165458 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick microbiota can be targeted for the control of tick-borne diseases such as human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) caused by model pathogen, Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Frankenbacteriosis is inspired by Frankenstein and defined here as paratransgenesis of tick symbiotic/commensal bacteria to mimic and compete with tick-borne pathogens. Interactions between A. phagocytophilum and symbiotic Sphingomonas identified by metaproteomics analysis in Ixodes scapularis midgut showed competition between both bacteria. Consequently, Sphingomonas was selected for frankenbacteriosis for the control of A. phagocytophilum infection and transmission. The results showed that Franken Sphingomonas producing A. phagocytophilum major surface protein 4 (MSP4) mimic pathogen and reduce infection in ticks by competition and interaction with cell receptor components of infection. Franken Sphingomonas-MSP4 transovarial and trans-stadial transmission suggests that tick larvae with genetically modified Franken Sphingomonas-MSP4 could be produced in the laboratory and released in the field to compete and replace the wildtype populations with associated reduction in pathogen infection/transmission and HGA disease risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Mazuecos
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Angélica Hernández-Jarguín
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Marinela Contreras
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Margarita Villar
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Ladislav Simo
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Almudena González-García
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sandra Díaz-Sánchez
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Girish Neelakanta
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
| | - Sarah I. Bonnet
- Functional Genetics of Infectious Diseases Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 2000, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
- Animal Health Department, INRAE, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 208022, USA
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
- Corresponding author
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Vannier E, Richer LM, Dinh DM, Brisson D, Ostfeld RS, Gomes-Solecki M. Deployment of a Reservoir-Targeted Vaccine Against Borrelia burgdorferi Reduces the Prevalence of Babesia microti Coinfection in Ixodes scapularis Ticks. J Infect Dis 2023; 227:1127-1131. [PMID: 36416014 PMCID: PMC10175066 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the Northeast and upper Midwest of the United States, Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi use Ixodes scapularis ticks as vector and Peromyscus leucopus mice as major reservoir host. We previously established, in a 5-year field trial, that a reservoir-targeted outer surface protein A vaccine reduces the prevalence of B. burgdorferi-infected ticks. We accessed ticks and mouse blood samples collected during the trial, extracted total DNA, and amplified the B. microti 18S rRNA gene. Vaccine deployment reduced the prevalence of ticks coinfected with B. microti and that of mice infected with B. microti. Breaking the enzootic cycle of B. burgdorferi may reduce the incidence of babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edouard Vannier
- Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Luciana M Richer
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Duy M Dinh
- Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dustin Brisson
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Maria Gomes-Solecki
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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Çelebi B, Yeni DK, Yılmaz Y, Matur F, Babür C, Öktem MA, Sözen M, Karataş A, Raoult D, Mediannikov O, Fournier PE. Borrelia miyamotoi in wild rodents from four different regions of Turkey. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102143. [PMID: 36857879 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-borne zoonotic agent that causes hard tick-borne relapsing fever, an emerging disease in humans. Some small mammalian and bird species are reported to be reservoirs of B. miyamotoi. This study aims to examine Borrelia species present in rodents captured from rural areas of Turkey. Blood samples of rodents were initially screened with Borrelia 16S rRNA qPCR. The Borrelia flaB gene was subsequently amplified by conventional PCR, after which all positive samples were sequenced. Borrelia miyamotoi was observed in nine out of 536 blood samples (1.7%) collected from wild rodents. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all positive samples belonged to the European genotype clade of B. miyamotoi. PCR positivity was 5.3%, 3.7%, and 1.8% in Apodemus uralensis, Apodemus flavicollis, and Myodes glareolus, respectively. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato that causes Lyme borreliosis in humans could not be detected in the rodents. In this study, presence of B. miyamotoi DNA is reported for the first time in rodents in Turkey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bekir Çelebi
- Microbiology Reference Laboratory Department, General Directorate of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Derya Karataş Yeni
- Veterinary Control Central Research Institute, Bacterial Disease Laboratory, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Yılmaz
- Microbiology Reference Laboratory Department, General Directorate of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ferhat Matur
- Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Cahit Babür
- Microbiology Reference Laboratory Department, General Directorate of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Ali Öktem
- Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Sözen
- Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Karataş
- Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, Nigde, Turkey
| | - Didier Raoult
- Institut Méditerranée-Infection, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Oleg Mediannikov
- Institut Méditerranée-Infection, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Pierre Edouard Fournier
- Institut Méditerranée-Infection, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
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Liu D, Wulantuya, Fan H, Li X, Li F, Gao T, Yin X, Zhang Z, Cao M, Kawabata H, Sato K, Ohashi N, Ando S, Gaowa. Co-infection of tick-borne bacterial pathogens in ticks in Inner Mongolia, China. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011121. [PMID: 36893172 PMCID: PMC10030021 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne infectious diseases pose a serious health threat in certain regions of the world. Emerging infectious diseases caused by novel tick-borne pathogens have been reported that are causing particular concern. Several tick-borne diseases often coexist in the same foci, and a single vector tick can transmit two or more pathogens at the same time, which greatly increases the probability of co-infection in host animals and humans and can lead to an epidemic of tick-borne disease. The lack of epidemiological data and information on the specific clinical symptoms related to co-infection with tick-borne pathogens means that it is not currently possible to accurately and rapidly distinguish between a single pathogen infection and co-infection with multiple pathogens, which can have serious consequences. Inner Mongolia in the north of China is endemic for tick-borne infectious diseases, especially in the eastern forest region. Previous studies have found that more than 10% of co-infections were in host-seeking ticks. However, the lack of data on the specific types of co-infection with pathogens makes clinical treatment difficult. In our study, we present data on the co-infection types and the differences in co-infection among different ecological regions through genetic analysis of tick samples collected throughout Inner Mongolia. Our findings may aid clinicians in the diagnosis of concomitant tick-borne infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Wulantuya
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Hongxia Fan
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xiaona Li
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Fangchao Li
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Ting Gao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xuhong Yin
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Zitong Zhang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Minzhi Cao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Hiroki Kawabata
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kozue Sato
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norio Ohashi
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shuji Ando
- Department of Virology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Gaowa
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
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Bolnick DI, Arruda S, Polania C, Simonse L, Padhiar A, Roth A, Rodgers ML. The dominance of coinfecting parasites' indirect effects on host traits. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.12.528182. [PMID: 36798170 PMCID: PMC9934634 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.12.528182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Indirect genetic effects (IGEs) exist when there is heritable variation in one species' ability to alter a second species' traits. For example, parasites can evolve disparate strategies to manipulate host immune response, whether by evading detection or suppressing immunity. A complication arises during coinfection, when two or more parasite genotypes may try to impose distinct IGEs on the same host trait: which parasite's IGE will be dominant? Here, we apply the notion of dominance to IGEs during coinfection. Using a mathematical model we show that the dominance of IGEs can alter the evolutionary dynamics of parasites. We consider a resident parasite population receiving rare immigrants with a different immune manipulation trait. These immigrants' relative fitness depends on resident prevalence (e.g., the probability immigrants are alone in a host, or coinfecting with a native), and the dominance of the immigrant's IGE on host immunity. Next, we show experimentally that the cestode Schistocephalus solidus exerts an IGE on a host immune trait: parasite antigens from different populations produced different intensities of fibrosis. We then evaluated IGE dominance, finding evidence for overdominance (coinjected antigens induced an even stronger host immune response) which would be detrimental to immigrants when resident prevalence is high. This combination of experimental and modeling results shows that parasites do exhibit IGEs on host traits, and that the dominance of these IGEs during coinfection can substantially alter parasite evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel I. Bolnick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269, USA
| | - Sophia Arruda
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269, USA
| | - Christian Polania
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269, USA
| | - Lauren Simonse
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269, USA
| | - Arshad Padhiar
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269, USA
| | - Andrea Roth
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269, USA
| | - Maria L. Rodgers
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269, USA
- Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Morehead City NC 28557, USA
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Coraor Fried J, Ross JJ, Weiss ZF, Levy BD, Loscalzo J. A Breathtaking Discovery. N Engl J Med 2023; 388:454-459. [PMID: 36724332 DOI: 10.1056/nejmcps2209057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Coraor Fried
- From the Departments of Medicine (J.C.F., J.J.R., B.D.L., J.L.) and Pathology (Z.F.W.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
| | - John J Ross
- From the Departments of Medicine (J.C.F., J.J.R., B.D.L., J.L.) and Pathology (Z.F.W.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
| | - Zoe F Weiss
- From the Departments of Medicine (J.C.F., J.J.R., B.D.L., J.L.) and Pathology (Z.F.W.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
| | - Bruce D Levy
- From the Departments of Medicine (J.C.F., J.J.R., B.D.L., J.L.) and Pathology (Z.F.W.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
| | - Joseph Loscalzo
- From the Departments of Medicine (J.C.F., J.J.R., B.D.L., J.L.) and Pathology (Z.F.W.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
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Narasimhan S, Booth CJ, Philipp MT, Fikrig E, Embers ME. Repeated Tick Infestations Impair Borrelia burgdorferi Transmission in a Non-Human Primate Model of Tick Feeding. Pathogens 2023; 12:132. [PMID: 36678479 PMCID: PMC9861725 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the predominant vector of Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease in the USA. Natural hosts of I. scapularis such as Peromyscus leucopus are repeatedly infested by these ticks without acquiring tick resistance. However, upon repeated tick infestations, non-natural hosts such as guinea pigs, mount a robust immune response against critical tick salivary antigens and acquire tick resistance able to thwart tick feeding and Borrelia burgdorferi transmission. The salivary targets of acquired tick resistance could serve as vaccine targets to prevent tick feeding and the tick transmission of human pathogens. Currently, there is no animal model able to demonstrate both tick resistance and diverse clinical manifestations of Lyme disease. Non-human primates serve as robust models of human Lyme disease. By evaluating the responses to repeated tick infestation, this animal model could accelerate our ability to define the tick salivary targets of acquired resistance that may serve as vaccines to prevent the tick transmission of human pathogens. Towards this goal, we assessed the development of acquired tick resistance in non-human primates upon repeated tick infestations. We report that following repeated tick infestations, non-human primates do not develop the hallmarks of acquired tick resistance observed in guinea pigs. However, repeated tick infestations elicit immune responses able to impair the tick transmission of B. burgdorferi. A mechanistic understanding of the protective immune responses will provide insights into B. burgdorferi-tick-host interactions and additionally contribute to anti-tick vaccine discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Carmen J. Booth
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Mario T. Philipp
- Division of Bacteriology & Parasitology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Monica E. Embers
- Division of Bacteriology & Parasitology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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40
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Vector-Borne Diseases in Ruminants. Infect Dis (Lond) 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2463-0_1095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
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Kumar A, Kabra A, Igarashi I, Krause PJ. Animal models of the immunology and pathogenesis of human babesiosis. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:38-52. [PMID: 36470781 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Animal models of human babesiosis have provided a basic understanding of the immunological mechanisms that clear, or occasionally exacerbate, Babesia infection and those pathological processes that cause disease complications. Human Babesia infection can cause asymptomatic infection, mild to moderate disease, or severe disease resulting in organ dysfunction and death. More than 100 Babesia species infect a wide array of wild and domestic animals, and many of the immunologic and pathologic responses to Babesia infection are similar in animals and humans. In this review, we summarize the knowledge gained from animal studies, their limitations, and how animal models or alternative approaches can be further leveraged to improve our understanding of human babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinav Kumar
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Aditya Kabra
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Peter J Krause
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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Šujanová A, Čužiová Z, Václav R. The Infection Rate of Bird-Feeding Ixodes ricinus Ticks with Borrelia garinii and B. valaisiana Varies with Host Haemosporidian Infection Status. Microorganisms 2022; 11:microorganisms11010060. [PMID: 36677352 PMCID: PMC9861293 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birds are known to maintain and spread human pathogenic borreliae, but they are common hosts of diverse parasite communities, notably haemosporidians. Only a few studies examined whether tick infestation and/or Borrelia prevalences vary with hosts' haemosporidian infection status. METHODS Here, we study whether Ixodes ricinus infestation rates and Borrelia infection rates in bird-feeding ticks vary according to haemosporidian infection status in a community of free-living avian tick hosts. RESULTS Birds of six avian species harbored the majority of ticks. Both the tick infestation prevalence and the intensity peaked during spring and summer, but while bird-feeding nymphs prevailed in spring, bird-feeding larvae dominated in summer. Almost half of the bird-feeding ticks were found to be positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. Although the majority of infections involved bird-associated B. garinii and B. valaisiana, B. garinii appears to be the dominant Borrelia strain circulating in locally breeding avian species. We detected a negative link between the hosts' haemosporidian infection status and the Borrelia infection rate of bird-feeding ticks, but the association was dependent on the host's age. CONCLUSIONS Our results on tick infestation intensity support the idea that more immunologically vulnerable hosts harbor more ticks but suggest that different mechanisms may be responsible for tick infestation rates among immunologically naïve and experienced avian hosts. The results on Borrelia infection rates in bird-feeding ticks are consistent with studies revealing that intracellular parasites, such as haemosporidians, can benefit from the host immune system prioritizing immune responses against extracellular parasites at the expense of immune responses against intracellular parasites. The findings of our study urge for a more robust design of parasitological studies to understand the ecology of interactions among hosts and their parasites.
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43
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Oundo JW, Masiga D, ten Bosch Q, Villinger J, Koenraadt CJ, Kalayou S. Epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens of cattle and tick control practices in coastal Kenya. Prev Vet Med 2022; 209:105777. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2022.105777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Akoolo L, Rocha SC, Parveen N. Protozoan co-infections and parasite influence on the efficacy of vaccines against bacterial and viral pathogens. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1020029. [PMID: 36504775 PMCID: PMC9732444 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1020029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A wide range of protozoan pathogens either transmitted by vectors (Plasmodium, Babesia, Leishmania and Trypanosoma), by contaminated food or water (Entamoeba and Giardia), or by sexual contact (Trichomonas) invade various organs in the body and cause prominent human diseases, such as malaria, babesiosis, leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, diarrhea, and trichomoniasis. Humans are frequently exposed to multiple pathogens simultaneously, or sequentially in the high-incidence regions to result in co-infections. Consequently, synergistic or antagonistic pathogenic effects could occur between microbes that also influences overall host responses and severity of diseases. The co-infecting organisms can also follow independent trajectory. In either case, co-infections change host and pathogen metabolic microenvironments, compromise the host immune status, and affect microbial pathogenicity to influence tissue colonization. Immunomodulation by protozoa often adversely affects cellular and humoral immune responses against co-infecting bacterial pathogens and promotes bacterial persistence, and result in more severe disease symptoms. Although co-infections by protozoa and viruses also occur in humans, extensive studies are not yet conducted probably because of limited animal model systems available that can be used for both groups of pathogens. Immunosuppressive effects of protozoan infections can also attenuate vaccines efficacy, weaken immunological memory development, and thus attenuate protection against co-infecting pathogens. Due to increasing occurrence of parasitic infections, roles of acute to chronic protozoan infection on immunological changes need extensive investigations to improve understanding of the mechanistic details of specific immune responses alteration. In fact, this phenomenon should be seriously considered as one cause of breakthrough infections after vaccination against both bacterial and viral pathogens, and for the emergence of drug-resistant bacterial strains. Such studies would facilitate development and implementation of effective vaccination and treatment regimens to prevent or significantly reduce breakthrough infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lavoisier Akoolo
- Biorepository and Tissue Research Facility, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Sandra C. Rocha
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Nikhat Parveen
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States,*Correspondence: Nikhat Parveen,
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Ringo AE, Nonga HE, Galon EM, Ji S, Rizk MA, El-Sayed SAES, Mohanta UK, Ma Z, Chikufenji B, Do TT, Xuan X. Molecular Investigation of Tick-Borne Haemoparasites Isolated from Indigenous Zebu Cattle in the Tanga Region, Tanzania. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12223171. [PMID: 36428398 PMCID: PMC9686548 DOI: 10.3390/ani12223171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a major hindrance to livestock production in pastoral communities of Africa. Although information on tick-borne infections is necessary for setting up control measures, this information is limited in the pastoral communities of Tanzania. Therefore, this study aimed to provide an overview of the tick-borne infections in the indigenous cattle of Tanzania. A total of 250 blood samples were collected from the indigenous zebu cattle in the Tanga region, Tanzania. Then, we conducted a molecular survey using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene sequencing to detect and identify the selected tick-borne pathogens. The PCR was conducted using assays, based on Theileria spp. (18S rRNA), Theileria parva (p104), Theileria mutans and T. taurotragi (V4 region of the 18S rRNA), Babesia bigemina (RAP-1a), B. bovis (SBP-2), Anaplasma marginale (heat shock protein groEL) and Ehrlichia ruminantium (pCS20). The PCR screening revealed an overall infection rate of (120/250, 48%) for T. mutans, (64/250, 25.6%) for T. parva, (52/250, 20.8%) for T. taurotragi, (33/250, 13.2%) for B. bigemina and (81/250, 32.4%) for A. marginale. Co-infections of up to four pathogens were revealed in 44.8% of the cattle samples. A sequence analysis indicated that T. parva p104 and A. marginale groEL genes were conserved among the sampled animals with sequence identity values of 98.92−100% and 99.88−100%, respectively. Moreover, the B. bigemina RAP-1a gene and the V4 region of the 18S rRNA of T. mutans genes were diverse among the sampled cattle, indicating the sequence identity values of 99.27−100% and 22.45−60.77%, respectively. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that the T. parva (p104) and A. marginale (groEL) gene sequences of this study were clustered in the same clade. In contrast, the B. bigemina (RAP-1a) and the T. mutans V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene sequences appeared in the different clades. This study provides important basement data for understanding the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases and will serve as a scientific basis for planning future control strategies in the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Edmond Ringo
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
- Zanzibar Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Livestock, Zanzibar P.O. Box 159, Tanzania
| | - Hezron Emanuel Nonga
- Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Government City Mtumba, Dodoma P.O. Box 2870, Tanzania
| | - Eloiza May Galon
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Shengwei Ji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- Department of Internal medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Shimaa Abd El-Salam El-Sayed
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Uday Kumar Mohanta
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Zhuowei Ma
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Boniface Chikufenji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Thanh Thom Do
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-(155)-495-648
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A Case Report and Literature Review of Babesiosis-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Case Rep Infect Dis 2022; 2022:4318731. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/4318731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesiosis, a tick-borne protozoan disease, has been increasing in frequency in recent years. Familiarity with presentations of babesiosis is important for clinicians. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a rarely seen complication of severe babesiosis. In most cases, the patients with babesiosis developed ARDS several days after initiation of antibabesia therapy. We present a unique case of babesiosis without any respiratory symptoms on presentation who developed ARDS within 24 hours of babesiosis treatment initiation. Furthermore, we reviewed published cases of ARDS in babesiosis.
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Transmission Cycle of Tick-Borne Infections and Co-Infections, Animal Models and Diseases. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11111309. [PMID: 36365060 PMCID: PMC9696261 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne pathogens such as species of Borrelia, Babesia, Anaplasma, Rickettsia, and Ehrlichia are widespread in the United States and Europe among wildlife, in passerines as well as in domestic and farm animals. Transmission of these pathogens occurs by infected ticks during their blood meal, carnivorism, and through animal bites in wildlife, whereas humans can become infected either by an infected tick bite, through blood transfusion and in some cases, congenitally. The reservoir hosts play an important role in maintaining pathogens in nature and facilitate transmission of individual pathogens or of multiple pathogens simultaneously to humans through ticks. Tick-borne co-infections were first reported in the 1980s in white-footed mice, the most prominent reservoir host for causative organisms in the United States, and they are becoming a major concern for public health now. Various animal infection models have been used extensively to better understand pathogenesis of tick-borne pathogens and to reveal the interaction among pathogens co-existing in the same host. In this review, we focus on the prevalence of these pathogens in different reservoir hosts, animal models used to investigate their pathogenesis and host responses they trigger to understand diseases in humans. We also documented the prevalence of these pathogens as correlating with the infected ticks’ surveillance studies. The association of tick-borne co-infections with other topics such as pathogens virulence factors, host immune responses as they relate to diseases severity, identification of vaccine candidates, and disease economic impact are also briefly addressed here.
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Couret J, Schofield S, Narasimhan S. The environment, the tick, and the pathogen - It is an ensemble. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1049646. [PMID: 36405964 PMCID: PMC9666722 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1049646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis is one of the predominant vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease in the USA. The geographic distribution of I. scapularis, endemic to the northeastern and northcentral USA, is expanding as far south as Georgia and Texas, and northwards into Canada and poses an impending public health problem. The prevalence and spread of tick-borne diseases are influenced by the interplay of multiple factors including microbiological, ecological, and environmental. Molecular studies have focused on interactions between the tick-host and pathogen/s that determine the success of pathogen acquisition by the tick and transmission to the mammalian host. In this review we draw attention to additional critical environmental factors that impact tick biology and tick-pathogen interactions. With a focus on B. burgdorferi we highlight the interplay of abiotic factors such as temperature and humidity as well as biotic factors such as environmental microbiota that ticks are exposed to during their on- and off-host phases on tick, and infection prevalence. A molecular understanding of this ensemble of interactions will be essential to gain new insights into the biology of tick-pathogen interactions and to develop new approaches to control ticks and tick transmission of B. burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannelle Couret
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Samantha Schofield
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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Tick-borne diseases in Egypt: A one health perspective. One Health 2022; 15:100443. [PMID: 36561707 PMCID: PMC9767813 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are important arthropod vectors that transmit pathogens to humans and animals. Owing to favourable climatic and environmental conditions, along with animal importation from neighbouring countries, ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are widespread in Egyptian localities. Here, we review the current knowledge on the epidemiology of TBDs in Egypt in light of the One Health paradigm. Methods and results Five scientific databases, including "Web of Science", "Scopus", "PubMed", "Science Direct", and "Google Scholar", were searched for articles describing TBDs in Egypt. A total of 18 TBDs have been reported in humans and animals, including three protozoal diseases (babesiosis, theileriosis, and hepatozoonosis), 12 bacterial diseases (anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, Lyme borreliosis, bovine borreliosis, tick-borne relapsing fever, Mediterranean spotted fever, African tick-borne fever, lymphangitis-associated rickettsiosis, bartonellosis, tularaemia, Q fever, and aegyptianellosis), and three viral diseases (Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Alkhurma haemorrhagic fever, and Lumpy skin disease). Conclusions Despite the circulation of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens among livestock and tick vectors, human infections have been overlooked and are potentially limited to infer the actual communicable disease burden. Therefore, facility-based surveillance of TBDs, combined with capacity building for laboratory diagnostics in healthcare facilities, is urgently required to improve diagnosis and inform policy-making in disease prevention. Additionally, collaboration between expert researchers from various disciplines (physicians, biologists, acarologists, and veterinarians) is required to develop advanced research projects to control ticks and TBDs. Considering that domestic livestock is integral to many Egyptian households, comprehensive epidemiological studies on TBDs should assess all disease contributors, including vertebrate hosts (animals, humans, and rodents) and ticks in the same ecological region, for better assessment of disease burden. Additionally, upscaling of border inspections of imported animals is required to stop crossover movements of ticks and TBDs.
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Schwartz S, Calvente E, Rollinson E, Sample Koon Koon D, Chinnici N. Tick-Borne Pathogens in Questing Blacklegged Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) From Pike County, Pennsylvania. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:1793-1804. [PMID: 35920050 PMCID: PMC9473652 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Active surveillance was conducted by collecting questing ticks from vegetation through a 2-yr survey in Pike County, Pennsylvania. Over a thousand blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis Say) and American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis Say) were collected. A single specimen of the following species was collected: lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum L.), rabbit tick (Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Packard), and an Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann). This study represents the largest county-wide study in Pennsylvania, surveying 988 questing I. scapularis adult and nymphs. Molecular detection of five distinct tick-borne pathogens was screened through real-time PCR at a single tick resolution. Respectively, the overall 2-yr adult and nymph prevalence were highest with Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetacceae) (45.99%, 18.94%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) (12.29%, 7.95%) where the variant-ha (8.29%, 3.03%) was overall more prevalent than the variant-v1 (2.49%, 4.17%), Babesia microti (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) (4.97%, 5.30%), Borrelia miyamotoi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) (1.38%, 1.89%), and Powassan virus lineage II [POWV]/deer tick virus (DTV) (2.07%, 0.76%). Adult and nymph coinfection prevalence of B. burgdorferi and B. microti (3.03%, 4.97%) and adult coinfection of B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum or A. phagocytophilum and B. microti were significantly higher than the independent infection rate expected naturally. This study highlights the urgency to conduct diverse surveillance studies with large sample sizes to better understand the human risk for tick-borne diseases within small geographical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Schwartz
- Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 562 Independence Road, Suite 114, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, USA
| | - Elizabeth Calvente
- Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 562 Independence Road, Suite 114, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, USA
| | - Emily Rollinson
- East Stroudsburg University, 200 Prospect Street, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, USA
| | - Destiny Sample Koon Koon
- Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 562 Independence Road, Suite 114, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, USA
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