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Alkathiri B, Lee S, Ahn K, Cho YS, Youn SY, Seo K, Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Xuan X, Kwak D, Shin S, Lee SH. 16S rRNA metabarcoding for the identification of tick-borne bacteria in ticks in the Republic of Korea. Sci Rep 2024; 14:19708. [PMID: 39181959 PMCID: PMC11344767 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70815-7] [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: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites that act as vectors for transmission of various pathogens. The purpose of this study was to assess tick-borne bacteria, whether pathogenic or not, in ticks distributed in Korea using 16S rRNA metabarcoding and to confirm the results by PCR. Questing ticks were collected from four provinces in Korea in 2021 using the flagging method. After pooling the DNAs from the 61 tick pools (including 372 ticks), the bacterial 16S rRNA V3-V4 hypervariable region was amplified and sequenced using the MiSeq platform. Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and the endosymbiont Wolbachia were confirmed by conventional PCR and molecular analysis. In total, 6907 ticks (534 pools) were collected and identified as belonging to five species (Haemaphysalis spp., H. longicornis, H. flava, I. nipponensis, and A. testudinarium). Through 16S rRNA metabarcoding, 240 amplicon sequence variants were identified. The dominant taxa were Rickettsiella and Coxiella. Additionally, pathogenic bacteria such as Rickettsia and Ehrlichia, endosymbiotic bacteria such as Wolbachia and Spiroplasma were identified. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to confirm the presence of Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Bartonella, and Wolbachia in individual ticks. Overall, 352 (65.92%) of 534 pools tested positive for at least one of the screened tick-borne bacteria. Rickettsia was the most prevalent (61.42%), followed by Wolbachia (5.05%). Ehrlichia was detected in 4.86% of tested samples, whereas Bartonella was not detected. In this study, 16S rRNA metabarcoding revealed the presence of Rickettsia, Wolbachia, and Ehrlichia, in that order of abundance, while showing absence of Bartonella. These results were confirmed to exhibit the same trend as that of the conventional PCR. Therefore, large-scale screening studies based on pooling, as applied in this study, will be useful for examining novel or rare pathogens present in various hosts and vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Badriah Alkathiri
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk, 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Subin Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk, 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - KyuSung Ahn
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Sang Cho
- Laboratory of Parasitic and Honeybee Diseases, Bacterial Disease Division, Department of Animal & Plant Health Research, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon, 39660, Republic of Korea
| | - So Youn Youn
- Laboratory of Parasitic and Honeybee Diseases, Bacterial Disease Division, Department of Animal & Plant Health Research, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon, 39660, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwangwon Seo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk, 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Dongmi Kwak
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - SungShik Shin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Hun Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk, 28644, Republic of Korea.
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Yean S, Prasetyo DB, Marcombe S, Hadi UK, Kazim AR, Tiawsirisup S, Chinh VD, Matsuno K, Low VL, Bonnet S, Boulanger N, Lam TTY, Abdad MY, Herbreteau V, Chavatte JM, Sum S, Ren T, Sakuntabhai A, Maquart PO, Rakotonirina A, Boyer S. Challenges for ticks and tick-borne diseases research in Southeast Asia: Insight from the first international symposium in Cambodia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012269. [PMID: 38985826 PMCID: PMC11236135 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012269] [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: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks, as critical vectors of a variety of pathogens, pose a significant public health challenge globally. In Southeast Asia (SEA), ticks are responsible for transmitting a diverse array of pathogens affecting humans and animals. The geographical and ecological diversity of SEA provides a unique environment that supports a wide range of tick species, which complicates the management and study of tick-borne diseases (TBDs). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS This article synthesizes findings from the first international symposium on ticks and TBDs in Southeast Asia, held in Phnom Penh on June 22 and 23, 2023. It highlights regional efforts to understand tick ecology and pathogen transmission. This paper proposes to present a summary of the various presentations given during the symposium following 3 main parts. The first one is devoted to the state of knowledge regarding ticks and TBDs in SEA countries, with presentations from 6 different countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The second part focuses on the development of new research approaches on tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) and TBDs. The last part is a summary of the round table discussion held on the final day, with the aim of defining the most important challenges and recommendations for researches on TBP and TBD in the SEA region. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Key topics discussed include advancements in diagnostic tools, such as MALDI-TOF MS and proteomics, and the development of sustainable strategies for tick management and disease prevention. The symposium facilitated the exchange of knowledge and collaborative networks among experts from various disciplines, promoting a unified approach to tackling TBDs in the region. The symposium underscored the need for enhanced surveillance, diagnostics, and inter-regional cooperation to manage the threat of TBDs effectively. Recommendations include the establishment of a regional database for tick identification and the expansion of vector competence studies. These initiatives are crucial for developing targeted interventions and understanding the broader implications of climate change and urbanization on the prevalence of TBDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sony Yean
- Medical and Veterinary Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Didot Budi Prasetyo
- Medical and Veterinary Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | | | - Upik Kesumawati Hadi
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Abdul Rahman Kazim
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Vu Duc Chinh
- National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Keita Matsuno
- International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Van Lun Low
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sarah Bonnet
- Ecology and Emergence of Arthropod-borne pathogens Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 2000, INRAE USC 1510, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Boulanger
- University of Strasbourg and French Reference Center Lyme, Strasbourg, France
| | | | | | | | - Jean-Marc Chavatte
- National Public Health Laboratory–National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health, Singapore
| | - Samuth Sum
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Theary Ren
- National Animal Health and Production Research Institute, General Directorate of Animal Health and Production, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Anavaj Sakuntabhai
- Ecology and Emergence of Arthropod-borne pathogens Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 2000, INRAE USC 1510, Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Olivier Maquart
- Medical and Veterinary Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Antsa Rakotonirina
- Medical and Veterinary Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Sebastien Boyer
- Medical and Veterinary Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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Seo J, Kim G, Lim JA, Song S, Yoo DS, Cho HS, Oh Y. Tick Diversity and Pathogen Transmission in Daejeon, Korea: Implications from Companion Animals and Walking Trails. Vet Sci 2024; 11:90. [PMID: 38393108 PMCID: PMC10892892 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11020090] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
With the ongoing global warming-induced climate change, there has been a surge in vector-borne diseases, particularly tick-borne diseases (TBDs). As the population of companion animals grows, there is growing concern from a One Health perspective about the potential for these animals to spread TBDs. In this study, ticks were collected from companion animals and the surrounding environment in Daejeon Metropolitan City, Korea, using flagging and dragging, and CO2 trap methods. These ticks were then subjected to conventional (nested) PCR for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Borrelia spp. We identified a total of 29,176 ticks, consisting of three genera and four species: H. longicornis, H. flava, I. nipponensis, and A. testudinarium. Notably, H. longicornis was the predominant species. The presence of A. testudinarium suggested that the species traditionally found in southern regions are migrating northward, likely as a result of climate change. Our PCR results confirmed the presence of all four pathogens in both companion animals and the surrounding environment, underscoring the potential for the indirect transmission of tick-borne pathogens to humans through companion animals. These findings emphasize the importance of the ongoing surveillance of companion animals in the management and control of TBDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinwoo Seo
- Division of Animal Health, Daejeon Institute of Health and Environment, Daejeon 34142, Republic of Korea; (J.S.); (J.-a.L.); (S.S.)
| | - Gyurae Kim
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jeong-ah Lim
- Division of Animal Health, Daejeon Institute of Health and Environment, Daejeon 34142, Republic of Korea; (J.S.); (J.-a.L.); (S.S.)
| | - Seungho Song
- Division of Animal Health, Daejeon Institute of Health and Environment, Daejeon 34142, Republic of Korea; (J.S.); (J.-a.L.); (S.S.)
| | - Dae-Sung Yoo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea;
| | - Ho-Seong Cho
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Safety Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yeonsu Oh
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea;
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Kazim AR, Subramaniam V, Houssaini J, Tappe D, Heo CC. Haemaphysalis wellingtoni (Acari: Ixodidae) from the helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris (Galliformes: Numididae): A new tick-host record in Peninsular Malaysia. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2024; 47:100965. [PMID: 38199684 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100965] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
This paper describes a new tick-host record of Haemaphysalis wellingtoni from the helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) in Peninsular Malaysia. This record is also the first report of a tick infestation from N. meleagris in Asia. A checklist of the tick-guineafowl associations has been designed, resulting in 32 tick species including H. wellingtoni recorded as infesting N. meleagris worldwide. A list of pathogens harboured or transmitted by H. wellingtoni is provided. The status of H. wellingtoni as a true parasite of N. meleagris, and the health threat posed to the guineafowls are discussed in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Rahman Kazim
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Vellayan Subramaniam
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jamal Houssaini
- Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Dennis Tappe
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Chong Chin Heo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Thanchomnang T, Rodpai R, Thinnabut K, Boonroumkaew P, Sadaow L, Tangkawanit U, Sanpool O, Janwan P, Intapan PM, Maleewong W. Characterization of the bacterial microbiota of cattle ticks in northeastern Thailand through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 115:105511. [PMID: 37820843 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are vectors of a variety of pathogens that can infect humans and animals. Ticks also harbor non-pathogenic microbiota. This study characterized the microbiota of the ticks infesting beef cattle in Thailand. Two species of ticks; Rhipicephalus microplus (n = 15) and Haemaphysalis bispinosa (n = 5), were collected in seven provinces in northeastern Thailand. Microbial community profile of ticks was examined based on sequences of the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene. Proteobacteria (Pseudomonadota) was the most abundant phylum, followed by Firmicutes (Bacillota), and Actinobacteriota. Coxiella-like endosymbiont was the most abundant bacterial taxon overall (49% of sequence reads), followed by Anaplasma (8.5%), Corynebacterium (5.5%), Ehrlichia (3.9%), and Castellaniella (3.4%). Co-infections of the pathogenic bacteria Ehrlichia and Anaplasma were detected in 19/20 (95%) female ticks. The tick with the lowest number of bacteria had the lowest abundance of the Coxiella-like endosymbiont, and the pathogenic bacteria Anaplasma and Ehrlichia were absent. This study provides baseline information of the microbiota of cattle ticks in northeastern Thailand, suggesting that ticks carry a few dominant bacterial taxa that are primarily non-pathogenic but can co-occur with pathogenic microorganisms. The information obtained is useful for monitoring disease outbreaks in the future and informing prevention and control strategies against cattle tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongjit Thanchomnang
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Faculty of Medicine, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44000, Thailand
| | - Rutchanee Rodpai
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Kanchana Thinnabut
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Patcharaporn Boonroumkaew
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Lakkhana Sadaow
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Ubon Tangkawanit
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Oranuch Sanpool
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Penchom Janwan
- Department of Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
| | - Pewpan M Intapan
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Wanchai Maleewong
- Mekong Health Science Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
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Che Lah EF, Ahamad M, Dmitry A, Md Zain BM, Yaakop S. Metagenomic profile of the bacterial communities associated with Ixodes granulatus (Acari: Ixodidae): a potential vector of tick-borne diseases. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023:7131392. [PMID: 37075471 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Ixodes granulatus Supino, 1897 (Acari: Ixodida) is one of Malaysia's most common hard ticks and is a potential vector for tick-borne diseases (TBDs). Despite its great public health importance, research on I. granulatus microbial communities remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the bacterial communities of on-host I. granulatus collected from three different recreational areas on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia using high throughput Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). A total of 9 females on-host I. granulatus were subjected to metabarcoding analysis targeting V3-V4 regions of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) using the Illumina MiSeq platform. This study identified 15 bacterial phyla corresponding to 19 classes, 54 orders, and 90 families from 435 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), revealing a diverse bacterial community profile. Together with 130 genera assigned, local I. granulatus harbored 4 genera of pathogens, i.e., Rickettsia da Rocha Lima, 1916 (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) (58.6%), Borrelia Swellengrebel 1907 (Spirochaetales: Borreliaceae) (31.6%), Borreliella Adeolu and Gupta 2015 (Spirochaetales: Borreliaceae) (0.6%), and Ehrlichia Cowdria Moshkovski 1947 (Rickettsiales: Ehrlichiaceae) (39.9%). Some endosymbiont bacteria, such as Coxiella (Philip, 1943) (Legionellales: Coxiellaceae), Wolbachia Hertig 1936 (Rickettsiales: Ehrlichiaceae), and Rickettsiella Philip, 1956 (Legionellales: Coxiellaceae), were also detected at very low abundance. Interestingly, this study reported the co-infection of Borrelia and Ehrlichia for the first time, instilling potential health concerns in the context of co-transmission to humans, especially in areas with a high population of I. granulatus. This study successfully characterized the tick microbiome and provided the first baseline data of I. granulatus bacterial communities in Malaysia. These results support the need for way-forward research on tick-associated bacteria using NGS, focusing on medically important species toward TBD prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernieenor Faraliana Che Lah
- Acarology Unit, Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research (IMR), National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, Shah Alam, Selangor 40170, Malaysia
- Centre for Insect Systematics, Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia
| | - Mariana Ahamad
- Acarology Unit, Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research (IMR), National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, Shah Alam, Selangor 40170, Malaysia
| | - Apanaskevich Dmitry
- United States National Tick Collection, The James H. Oliver, Jr. Institute for Coastal Plain Science, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460-8042, USA
| | - Badrul Munir Md Zain
- Centre for Insect Systematics, Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia
| | - Salmah Yaakop
- Centre for Insect Systematics, Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia
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Ortiz-Baez AS, Jaenson TGT, Holmes EC, Pettersson JHO, Wilhelmsson P. Substantial viral and bacterial diversity at the bat-tick interface. Microb Genom 2023; 9. [PMID: 36862584 PMCID: PMC10132063 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks harbour a high diversity of viruses, bacteria and protozoa. The soft tick Carios vespertilionis (Argasidae) is a common ectoparasite of bats in the Palearctic region and is suspected to be vector and reservoir of viruses and other microbial species in bat populations, some of which may act as zoonotic agents for human disease. The Soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Vespertilionidae) is widely distributed in Europe, where it can be found inside or close to human habitation. We used meta-transcriptomic sequencing to determine the RNA virome and common microbiota in blood-fed C. vespertilionis ticks collected from a Soprano pipistrelle bat roosting site in south-central Sweden. Our analyses identified 16 viruses from 11 virus families, of which 15 viruses were novel. For the first time in Sweden we identified Issuk-Kul virus, a zoonotic arthropod-borne virus previously associated with outbreaks of acute febrile illness in humans. Probable bat-associated and tick-borne viruses were classified within the families Nairoviridae, Caliciviridae and Hepeviridae, while other invertebrate-associated viruses included members of the Dicistroviridae, Iflaviridae, Nodaviridae, Partitiviridae, Permutotetraviridae, Polycipiviridae and Solemoviridae. Similarly, we found abundant bacteria in C. vespertilionis, including genera with known tick-borne bacteria, such as Coxiella spp. and Rickettsia spp. These findings demonstrate the remarkable diversity of RNA viruses and bacteria present in C. vespertilionis and highlight the importance of bat-associated ectoparasite surveillance as an effective and non-invasive means to track viruses and bacteria circulating in bats and ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayda Susana Ortiz-Baez
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Thomas G T Jaenson
- Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Edward C Holmes
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - John H-O Pettersson
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.,Zoonosis Science Center, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Uppsala, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden.,Clinical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Uppsala University Hospital, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter Wilhelmsson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Region Jönköping County, SE-553 05 Jönköping, Sweden
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8
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Melo Romano DMD, Pereira TN, de Almeida IB, Coelho CSG, Duarte FC, Harakava R, Cassiano LL, Mendes MC. First molecular evidence of Wolbachia occurrence in Amblyomma sculptum (Acari: Ixodidae). Vet Parasitol 2023; 317:109907. [PMID: 37001324 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.109907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
As the main vector for the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii in Brazil, the tick Amblyomma sculptum is a parasite of great public health importance in this country. Wolbachia is an endosymbiont bacterium highly widespread among invertebrates and because of its impact on its hosts' biology, form a powerful alternative for pests and disease control. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of this bacterium in A. sculptum. For this, 187 adult ticks collected in two municipalities in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, were analyzed using molecular techniques and bioinformatics tools. A total of 15 ticks were positive for the presence of Wolbachia. Phylogenetic analysis on the 16S rRNA gene indicated that the Wolbachia DNA sequences obtained in this investigation belonged to different clades, probably in supergroups B and F. This was the first study to report the occurrence of Wolbachia in A. sculptum and it enriches knowledge about the susceptibility of ticks to this bacterium. Now that we know that Wolbachia can be found in A. sculptum, the objective for a next study must be to investigate Wolbachia's possible origin in this tick.
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Lau ACC, Mohamed WMA, Nakao R, Onuma M, Qiu Y, Nakajima N, Shimozuru M, Mohd-Azlan J, Moustafa MAM, Tsubota T. The dynamics of the microbiome in Ixodidae are shaped by tick ontogeny and pathogens in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Microb Genom 2023; 9:mgen000954. [PMID: 36757789 PMCID: PMC9997734 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000954] [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: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases have recently been considered a potential emerging public health threat in Malaysia; however, fundamental studies into tick-borne pathogens and microbiome appear limited. In this study, six tick species (Ixodes granulatus, Haemaphysalis hystricis, Haemaphysalis shimoga, Dermacentor compactus, Dermacentor steini and Dermacentor atrosignatus) collected from two primary forests and an oil palm plantation in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, were used for microbiome analysis targeting bacterial 16S rDNA using next-generation sequencing (NGS). In addition, bacterial species were further characterized in conventional PCRs to identify potential pathogens. Sequences generated from NGS were first filtered with the Decontam package in R before subsequent microbial diversity analyses. Alpha and beta analyses revealed that the genus Dermacentor had the highest microbial diversity, and H. shimoga significantly differed in microbial composition from other tick species. Alpha and beta diversities were also significantly different between developmental stages of H. shimoga. Furthermore, we observed that some bacterial groups were significantly more abundant in certain tick species and developmental stages of H. shimoga. We tested the relative abundances using pairwise linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), which also revealed significant microbial composition differences between Borrelia-positive and Borrelia-negative I. granulatus ticks. Finally, pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria circulating in different tick species, such as Rickettsia heilongjiangensis, Ehrlichia sp., Anaplasma sp. and Bartonella spp. were characterized by PCR and sequencing. Moreover, Coxiella and Francisella-like potential symbionts were identified from H. shimoga and D. steini, respectively. More studies are required to unravel the factors associated with the variations observed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice C. C. Lau
- Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Wessam Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
- Division of Bioinformatics, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0020, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, 08901, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Manabu Onuma
- Biodiversity Division, National Institute of Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-806, Japan
| | - Yongjin Qiu
- Division of International Research Promotion, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0020, Japan
| | - Nobuyoshi Nakajima
- Biodiversity Division, National Institute of Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-806, Japan
| | - Michito Shimozuru
- Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Jayasilan Mohd-Azlan
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, 94300, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed Moustafa
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
- Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, Egypt
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Toshio Tsubota
- Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
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Hamid PH, Cahyadi M, Wardhana AH, Sawitri DH, Setya NNR, Insyariati T, Kurnianto H, Hermosilla CR. First Autochthonous Report on Cattle Babesia naoakii in Central Java, Indonesia, and Identification of Haemaphysalis bispinosa Ticks in the Investigated Area. Pathogens 2022; 12:pathogens12010059. [PMID: 36678407 PMCID: PMC9864747 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010059] [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: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In tropical countries, clinical bovine babesiosis is a tick-borne disease primarily caused by Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina. Here, we investigated 11 cattle with presumptive diagnosis of clinical babesiosis in Boyolali district, Central Java, Indonesia. The majority of the animals were anemic, as evidenced by lower hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, and red blood cell counts than the normal ranges. Blood DNA was analyzed by a PCR assay targeting the 18S rRNA-ITS region of babesial origin, and the results confirmed that the cattle were infected with Babesia species. The sequencing and phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the animals were infected with Babesia naoakii. This is the first report of B. naoakii in Indonesia and of B. naoakii-induced clinical bovine babesiosis outside of Sri Lanka. B. naoakii causes a persistent infection, as indicated by positive PCR results for serial blood samples of the circulatory system taken two weeks after treatment. Consequently, subclinical or newly recovered cattle may serve as potential intermediate hosts and infect ticks as definitive hosts to complete the life cycle. To identify potential tick vectors, we collected ticks from cattle, including 11 animals with clinical babesiosis. Based on the morphology and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) of collected ticks, we found that all of the collected ticks were Haemaphysalis bispinosa, identifying this tick species as a potential vector of B. naoakii in Indonesia. In this study, the evaluation of local farmers' awareness and practices regarding tick-borne diseases is presented, as disease prevention is also reliant on the implementation of strategies for vector control. Since livestock activities in Java represent the country's busiest animal trade, thereby the spread of disease to other regions is possible through anthropogenic factors. In conclusion, B. naoakii is a causative pathogen of clinical bovine babesiosis autochthonously occurred in this report and further research on B. naoakii-infection is required in other regions of the country. The prompt treatment of the disease seemed crucial for animal survival, which implies the necessity of early diagnosis and a sensitive detection method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penny Humaidah Hamid
- Department of Animal Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia
- Correspondence:
| | - Muhammad Cahyadi
- Department of Animal Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia
| | - April Hari Wardhana
- Research Center for Veterinary Science, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor 16114, Indonesia
| | | | | | - Titis Insyariati
- Department of Animal Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia
| | - Heri Kurnianto
- Research Center for Veterinary Science, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor 16114, Indonesia
| | - Carlos R. Hermosilla
- Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390 Giessen, Germany
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11
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Identification of Bacterial Communities and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Haemaphysalis spp. Collected from Shanghai, China. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7120413. [PMID: 36548668 PMCID: PMC9787663 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7120413] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks can carry and transmit a large number of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and protozoa, posing a huge threat to human health and animal husbandry. Previous investigations have shown that the dominant species of ticks in Shanghai are Haemaphysalis flava and Haemaphysalis longicornis. However, no relevant investigations and research have been carried out in recent decades. Therefore, we investigated the bacterial communities and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in Haemaphysalis spp. from Shanghai, China. Ixodid ticks were collected from 18 sites in Shanghai, China, and identified using morphological and molecular methods. The V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene were amplified from the pooled tick DNA samples and subject to metagenomic analysis. The microbial diversity in the tick samples was estimated using the alpha diversity that includes the observed species index and Shannon index. The Unifrac distance matrix as determined using the QIIME software was used for unweighted Unifrac Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA). Individual tick DNA samples were screened with genus-specific or group-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for these TBPs and combined with a sequencing assay to confirm the results of the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. We found H. flava and H. longicornis to be the dominant species of ticks in Shanghai in this study. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria are the main bacterial communities of Haemaphysalis spp. The total species abundances of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, are 48.8%, 20.8% and 18.1%, respectively. At the level of genus analysis, H. longicornis and H. flava carried at least 946 genera of bacteria. The bacteria with high abundance include Lactobacillus, Coxiella, Rickettsia and Muribaculaceae. Additionally, Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia japonica, Candidatus Rickettsia jingxinensis, Anaplasma bovis, Ehrlichia ewingii, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Coxiella spp. and Coxiella-like endosymbiont were detected in Haemaphysalis spp. from Shanghai, China. This study is the first report of bacterial communities and the prevalence of some main pathogens in Haemaphysalis spp. from Shanghai, China, and may provide insights and evidence for bacterial communities and the prevalence of the main pathogen in ticks. This study also indicates that people and other animals in Shanghai, China, are exposed to several TBPs.
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12
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Agwunobi DO, Wang M, Wang Z, Bai R, Wang R, Hu Q, Yu Z, Liu J. The toxicity of the monoterpenes from lemongrass is mitigated by the detoxifying symbiosis of bacteria and fungi in the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 247:114261. [PMID: 36332404 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The entry mode of terpenes into the atmosphere is via volatilization of hydrocarbons from foliage over heavily forested areas besides entering the environment through surface water runoff. Some monoterpenes in essential oils are phytotoxins, acting as plant chemical defenses against bacteria or fungi infections and plant-eating insects. For organisms to survive, their enzymatic systems are activated in response to an assault by potentially harmful compounds. Certain bacterial and fungal genera have developed special abilities to transform toxic terpenes into less toxic derivatives. Here, we investigated the response of the bacterial and fungal community in Haemaphysalis longicornis exposed to Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) essential oil (EO) and citronellal. Sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS1 regions on an Illumina NovaSeq PE250 sequencing platform was performed for H. longicornis tick samples treated with 15 and 20 mg/mL of lemongrass essential oil and citronellal. The diversity recorded in samples treated with C. citratus EO was higher in comparison to those treated with citronellal but significantly lower in the control samples as reflected by the Shannon diversity index. All major H. longicornis bacterial phyla, including Proteobacteria (93.81 %), Firmicutes (2.58 %), and Bacteroidota (0.99 %) were detected. A switch of dominance from Coxiella to Pseudomonas, which has high biotransformation capacity, was observed in the bacterial community, whereas the phylum Ascomycota (Genera: Aspergillus, Archaeorhizomyces, Alternaria, and Candida) dominated in the fungal community indicating detoxifying symbiosis. Other significantly abundant bacterial genera include Ralstonia, Acinetobacter, Vibrio, and Pseudoalteromonas, while Ganoderma and Trichosporon (yeasts) spp. represented the fungi Basidiomycota. This study expanded the understanding of enzymatic modification of phytotoxic substances by microorganisms, which could provide deeper insights into the mitigation of harmful phytotoxins and the synthesis of eco-friendly derivatives for the control of ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desmond O Agwunobi
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Min Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Zihao Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Ruwei Bai
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Ruotong Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Qiuyu Hu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Zhijun Yu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China.
| | - Jingze Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China.
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Culture Isolate of Rickettsia felis from a Tick. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19074321. [PMID: 35410003 PMCID: PMC8998211 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19074321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Although the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, has been identified as the primary vector of Rickettsia felis, additional flea, tick, mite, and louse species have also been associated with this bacterium by molecular means; however, the role of these arthropods in the transmission of R. felis has not been clarified. Here, we succeeded in culture isolation of R. felis from a host-seeking castor bean tick, Ixodes ricinus, the most common tick in Slovakia. The bacterial isolation was performed on XTC-2 cells at 28 °C using the shell-vial technique. An evaluation of the growth properties was performed for both the XTC-2 and Vero cell lines. We observed R. felis in the infected host cells microscopically by Gimenez staining and immunofluorescence assay. The R. felis isolate was purified by gradient ultracentrifugation and visualized by electron microscopy. Fragments of the genes gltA, ompA, ompB, htrA, rpoB, sca4, rffE, and rrs were amplified and compared with the corresponding sequences of the type strain URRWXCal2 and other R. felis culture -isolated strains. We did not detect any nucleotide polymorphisms; however, plasmid pRFδ, characteristic of the standard strain, was absent in our isolate. Herein, we describe the first successful isolation and characterization of a tick-derived R. felis strain “Danube”, obtained from an I. ricinus nymph.
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Moustafa MAM, Mohamed WMA, Lau AC, Chatanga E, Qiu Y, Hayashi N, Naguib D, Sato K, Takano A, Mastuno K, Nonaka N, Taylor D, Kawabata H, Nakao R. Novel symbionts and potential human pathogens excavated from argasid tick microbiomes that are shaped by dual or single symbiosis. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:1979-1992. [PMID: 35521555 PMCID: PMC9062450 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on vector-associated microbiomes has been expanding due to increasing emergence of vector-borne pathogens and awareness of the importance of symbionts in the vector physiology. However, little is known about microbiomes of argasid (or soft-bodied) ticks due to limited access to specimens. We collected four argasid species (Argas japonicus, Carios vespertilionis, Ornithodoros capensis, and Ornithodoros sawaii) from the nests or burrows of their vertebrate hosts. One laboratory-reared argasid species (Ornithodoros moubata) was also included. Attempts were then made to isolate and characterize potential symbionts/pathogens using arthropod cell lines. Microbial community structure was distinct for each tick species. Coxiella was detected as the predominant symbiont in four tick species where dual symbiosis between Coxiella and Rickettsia or Coxiella and Francisella was observed in C. vespertilionis and O. moubata, respectively. Of note, A. japonicus lacked Coxiella and instead had Occidentia massiliensis and Thiotrichales as alternative symbionts. Our study found strong correlation between tick species and life stage. We successfully isolated Oc. massiliensis and characterized potential pathogens of genera Ehrlichia and Borrelia. The results suggest that there is no consistent trend of microbiomes in relation to tick life stage that fit all tick species and that the final interpretation should be related to the balance between environmental bacterial exposure and endosymbiont ecology. Nevertheless, our findings provide insights on the ecology of tick microbiomes and basis for future investigations on the capacity of argasid ticks to carry novel pathogens with public health importance.
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Perveen N, Muzaffar SB, Vijayan R, Al-Deeb MA. Assessing Temporal Changes in Microbial Communities in Hyalomma dromedarii Collected From Camels in the UAE Using High-Throughput Sequencing. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:861233. [PMID: 35433895 PMCID: PMC9008585 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.861233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks (Acari) are ectoparasites of animals that harbor communities of microbes of importance to animal and human health. Microbial communities associated with ticks exhibit temporal patterns of variation in their composition, with different genera dominating at different times of the year. In this study, molecular tools were used to assess the composition of the microbial communities associated with Hyalomma dromdarii. Adult ticks were collected every month for 1 year from 25 camels in the UAE. A total of 12 DNA pools were prepared (one pool for each month). We monitored the microbiota of ticks using high-throughput sequencing of the V3–V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. A total of 614 operational taxonomic units were produced through de novo clustering and belonged to 17 phyla, 30 classes, 46 orders, 118 families, and 222 genera. Fifteen bacterial families were found to be the most abundant. The dominant bacterial communities associated with H. dromedarii belonged to the genera Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Francisella, and Corynebacterium, which were reported with high relative abundance from all months. No significant correlation occurred between the abundance of microbial families or genera in H. dromedarii ticks and the ambient temperature. Our findings revealed, for the first time in the UAE, temporal fluctuations of microbial communities in H. dromedarii ticks and provided key insights on the interaction between different microbial groups. Moreover, our results contribute to the current understanding of disease development and allow more investigations for potentially pathogenic microbiota.
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Wu-Chuang A, Hodžić A, Mateos-Hernández L, Estrada-Peña A, Obregon D, Cabezas-Cruz A. Current debates and advances in tick microbiome research. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2022; 1:100036. [PMID: 35284884 PMCID: PMC8906078 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2021.100036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The main importance of ticks resides in their ability to harbor pathogens that can be transmitted to terrestrial vertebrates including humans. Recently, studies have focused on the taxonomic and functional composition of the tick microbiome, its microbial diversity and variation under different factors including tick species, sex, and environment among others. Of special interest are the interactions between the tick, the microbiome and pathogens since tick microbiome can influence pathogen colonization within the tick vector, and potentially, transmission to the vertebrate host. In this review, we tackled a synthesis on the growing field of tick microbiomes. We focus on the current state of tick microbiome research, addressing controversial and hotly debated topics and advances in the precise manipulation of tick microbiome. Furthermore, we discuss the innovative anti-tick microbiota vaccines as a possible tool for microbiome modulation and thus, control of tick-borne diseases. Deciphering tick-microbiome pathogen interactions can spur new strategies to control tick-borne diseases via modulation of tick microbiome. Whether the diversity observed in tick microbiomes concerns the biology or the methodology remains an open question. Tick immunity must play a major role in selecting ‘who stays and who leaves’ the microbiome. Anti-tick microbiota vaccines can target specific bacteria and subsequently modulate tick microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Adnan Hodžić
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - 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, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
- Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, 13400-970, Brazil
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
- Corresponding author.
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17
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Hirunkanokpun S, Ahantarig A, Baimai V, Pramual P, Rakthong P, Trinachartvanit W. Spotted fever group Rickettsia, Anaplasma and Coxiella-like endosymbiont in Haemaphysalis ticks from mammals in Thailand. Vet Res Commun 2022; 46:1209-1219. [PMID: 35945408 PMCID: PMC9684344 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-022-09980-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are ectoparasites of vertebrates and vectors of various pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, the presence of bacteria and protozoa was evaluated by PCR and DNA sequencing in 233 mammal ticks collected from 8 provinces in Thailand. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of partial rickettsial ompA, ompB, sca4 and partial Coxiella 16S rRNA, GroEL, rpoB genes clearly revealed, for the first time, a co-infection of SFG Rickettsia belonging to R. massiliae subgroup and Coxiella-like endosymbiont (CLE), Cox-hein, in a male of Haemaphysalis heinrichi tick infesting Burmese ferret-badger in Loei province. Moreover, a male of H. hystricis tick infesting the same host was infected with another CLE, Cox-hys. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, Anaplasma sp., closely related to Anaplasma bovis was also detected in a male of H. heinrichi infesting the same Burmese ferret-badger. In addition, the third CLE, Cox-asia, found in H. asiatica collected from Asian palm civet in Chiang Rai province, was different from both Cox-hein and Cox-hys. This study provided important data and broadened our knowledge on tick-borne pathogens and endosymbionts in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supanee Hirunkanokpun
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok, 10240, Thailand
| | - Arunee Ahantarig
- Biodiversity Research Cluster, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Visut Baimai
- Biodiversity Research Cluster, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Pairot Pramual
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, 44150, Thailand
| | - Pakavadee Rakthong
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajabhat Suratthani University, Surat Thani, 84100, Thailand
| | - Wachareeporn Trinachartvanit
- Biodiversity Research Cluster, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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Takhampunya R, Sakolvaree J, Chanarat N, Youngdech N, Phonjatturas K, Promsathaporn S, Tippayachai B, Tachavarong W, Srinoppawan K, Poole-Smith BK, McCardle PW, Chaorattanakawee S. The Bacterial Community in Questing Ticks From Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:764763. [PMID: 34881320 PMCID: PMC8645651 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.764763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are known vectors for a variety of pathogens including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. In this study, bacterial communities were investigated in active life stages of three tick genera (Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor, and Amblyomma) collected from Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. Four hundred and thirty-three questing ticks were selected for pathogen detection individually using real-time PCR assays, and 58 of these were subjected to further metagenomics analysis. A total of 62 ticks were found to be infected with pathogenic bacteria, for a 14.3% prevalence rate, with Amblyomma spp. exhibiting the highest infection rate (20.5%), followed by Haemaphysalis spp. (14.5%) and Dermacentor spp. (8.6%). Rickettsia spp. were the most prevalent bacteria (7.9%) found, followed by Ehrlichia spp. (3.2%), and Anaplasma spp. and Borrelia spp. each with a similar prevalence of 1.6%. Co-infection between pathogenic bacteria was only detected in three Haemaphysalis females, and all co-infections were between Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasmataceae (Ehrlichia spp. or Anaplasma spp.), accounting for 4.6% of infected ticks or 0.7% of all examined questing ticks. The prevalence of the Coxiella-like endosymbiont was also investigated. Of ticks tested, 65.8% were positive for the Coxiella-like endosymbiont, with the highest infection rate in nymphs (86.7%), followed by females (83.4%). Among tick genera, Haemaphysalis exhibited the highest prevalence of infection with the Coxiella-like endosymbiont. Ticks harboring the Coxiella-like endosymbiont were more likely to be infected with Ehrlichia spp. or Rickettsia spp. than those without, with statistical significance for Ehrlichia spp. infection in particular (p-values = 0.003 and 0.917 for Ehrlichia spp. and Rickettsia spp., respectively). Profiling the bacterial community in ticks using metagenomics revealed distinct, predominant bacterial taxa in tick genera. Alpha and beta diversities analyses showed that the bacterial community diversity and composition in Haemaphysalis spp. was significantly different from Amblyomma spp. However, when examining bacterial diversity among tick life stages (larva, nymph, and adult) in Haemaphysalis spp., no significant difference among life stages was detected. These results provide valuable information on the bacterial community composition and co-infection rates in questing ticks in Thailand, with implications for animal and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratree Takhampunya
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences-United States Army Medical Directorate, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jira Sakolvaree
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences-United States Army Medical Directorate, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nitima Chanarat
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences-United States Army Medical Directorate, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nittayaphon Youngdech
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences-United States Army Medical Directorate, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kritsawan Phonjatturas
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences-United States Army Medical Directorate, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sommai Promsathaporn
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences-United States Army Medical Directorate, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Bousaraporn Tippayachai
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences-United States Army Medical Directorate, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wirunya Tachavarong
- Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kanchit Srinoppawan
- Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Betty K Poole-Smith
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences-United States Army Medical Directorate, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - P Wesley McCardle
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences-United States Army Medical Directorate, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suwanna Chaorattanakawee
- Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Duan DY, Liu YK, Liu L, Liu GH, Cheng TY. Microbiome analysis of the midguts of different developmental stages of Argas persicus in China. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 13:101868. [PMID: 34800866 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Argas persicus is an ectoparasite of poultry. The bacterial community structure and the pathogenic bacteria associated with different developmental stages of A. persicus have implications for control. Argas persicus were collected from chickens in the city of Jiuquan in Gansu, China. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the midgut contents of blood engorged larvae, nymphs and adult females. The V3-V4 hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA genes were sequenced using the IonS5™XL platform. Identification of Rickettsia spp. and detection of Coxiella burnetii were performed using PCR on target genes. The bacterial diversity within larvae was the highest and the bacterial diversity within nymphs was greater than that of adults. At different classification levels, seven bacterial phyla were common phyla, 27 genera were common genera, and 18 species were common species in the three samples. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria showed a marked predominance in all samples. Rickettsia, Stenotrophomonas, Spiroplasma, and Coxiella were the dominant bacteria at the genus level. The Rickettsia species in A. persicus was identified as Rickettsia hoogstraalii and the Coxiella species was identified as a Coxiella-like endosymbiont. Additionally, some bacterial species such as Pseudomonas geniculata, Sphingomonas koreensis, and Acinetobacter haemolyticus were reported here for the first time in A. persicus.
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Yong Duan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China
| | - Yu-Ke Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China
| | - Lei Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China
| | - Guo-Hua Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China.
| | - Tian-Yin Cheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China.
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20
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Molecular and Biological Characterization of Haemaphysalis Leachi (Acari: Ixodidae) in Nigeria West Africa. FOLIA VETERINARIA 2021. [DOI: 10.2478/fv-2021-0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Ticks constitute a serious threat to the wellbeing of humans and other animals. The accurate identification of ticks is paramount in epidemiological investigations. Genetic markers have been identified and used to overcome the limitations of phenotypic identification of ticks. In this study, the cytochrome c oxidase 1 (Cox1) gene was amplified and sequenced for the identification of Haemaphysalis leachi, the putative vector of Babesia rossi in Nigeria. Amplification was successful in 34 out of 39 (87 %) ticks collected from dogs in three Nigerian states with sequence homology of 99 % to H. leachi in Genbank (GenBank: MN663156.1). Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analysis showed significant grouping of H. leachi sequences in independent monophyletic subclade with a bootstrap value of 100 %. Genetic distance analysis of H. leachi identified in this study indicated a very low level of intraspecific diversity (0.016 %) compared to 0.150—0.190 % interspecific distance to other Haemaphysalis species. The number of eggs laid by engorged female ticks maintained in the laboratory ranged from 885 to 2190 and was proportional to the ticks’ initial weight. The mean value of other biological parameters; female engorgement weight, pre-oviposition period, oviposition period, total egg mass, egg size, efficiency rates of female ticks in converting their food reservoir to eggs and incubation period are, 147.5 mg, 7.8 days, 13.2 days, 59.5 mg, 485.5 × 348.7 µm, 41.2 % and 26.2 days, respectively. This study reports the first molecular identification of H. leachi in Nigeria.
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21
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Current tools for the diagnosis and detection of spotted fever group Rickettsia. Acta Trop 2021; 218:105887. [PMID: 33713627 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae causes a number of diseases in humans worldwide, which can range from mild to highly lethal. Since the clinical presentations of rickettsioses caused by SFG rickettsiae are variable and may be similar to the diseases caused by other rickettsiae, such as Orientia tsutsugamushi (agent for scrub typhus), Coxiella burnetii (agent for Q fever) and the typhus group rickettsiae (agents for epidemic and murine typhus), the accurate diagnosis of infections caused by SFG Rickettsia remains challenging especially in resource-poor settings in developing countries. This review summarizes the various diagnostic and detection tools that are currently available for the confirmation of infections by SFG rickettsiae. The advantages and challenges pertaining to the different serological and molecular detections methods, as well as new assays in development, are discussed. The utility of the detection tools contributing to the surveillance of SFG rickettsiae in arthropods and animals are reviewed.
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22
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Gomard Y, Flores O, Vittecoq M, Blanchon T, Toty C, Duron O, Mavingui P, Tortosa P, McCoy KD. Changes in Bacterial Diversity, Composition and Interactions During the Development of the Seabird Tick Ornithodoros maritimus (Argasidae). MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 81:770-783. [PMID: 33025063 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01611-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Characterising within-host microbial interactions is essential to understand the drivers that shape these interactions and their consequences for host ecology and evolution. Here, we examined the bacterial microbiota hosted by the seabird soft tick Ornithodoros maritimus (Argasidae) in order to uncover bacterial interactions within ticks and how these interactions change over tick development. Bacterial communities were characterised through next-generation sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Bacterial co-occurrence and co-exclusion were determined by analysing networks generated from the metagenomic data obtained at each life stage. Overall, the microbiota of O. maritimus was dominated by four bacterial genera, namely Coxiella, Rickettsia, Brevibacterium and Arsenophonus, representing almost 60% of the reads. Bacterial diversity increased over tick development, and adult male ticks showed higher diversity than did adult female ticks. Bacterial networks showed that co-occurrence was more frequent than co-exclusion and highlighted substantial shifts across tick life stages; interaction networks changed from one stage to the next with a steady increase in the number of interactions through development. Although many bacterial interactions appeared unstable across life stages, some were maintained throughout development and were found in both sexes, such as Coxiella and Arsenophonus. Our data support the existence of a few stable interactions in O. maritimus ticks, on top of which bacterial taxa accumulate from hosts and/or the environment during development. We propose that stable associations delineate core microbial interactions, which are likely to be responsible for key biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Gomard
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France.
| | - Olivier Flores
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT (Peuplements Végétaux et Bioagresseurs en Milieu Tropical), CIRAD, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | - Marion Vittecoq
- Tour de Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, Arles, France
| | - Thomas Blanchon
- Tour de Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, Arles, France
| | - Céline Toty
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier CNRS IRD, Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Duron
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier CNRS IRD, Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
- Centre for Research on the Ecology and Evolution of Diseases (CREES), Montpellier, France
| | - Patrick Mavingui
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Karen D McCoy
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier CNRS IRD, Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
- Centre for Research on the Ecology and Evolution of Diseases (CREES), Montpellier, France
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Wang S, Hua X, Cui L. Characterization of microbiota diversity of engorged ticks collected from dogs in China. J Vet Sci 2021; 22:e37. [PMID: 34056878 PMCID: PMC8170221 DOI: 10.4142/jvs.2021.22.e37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks are one of the most common external parasites in dogs, and are associated with the transmission of a number of major zoonoses, which result in serious harm to human health and even death. Also, the increasing number of pet dogs and pet owners in China has caused concern regarding human tick-borne illnesses. Accordingly, studies are needed to gain a complete understanding of the bacterial composition and diversity of the ticks that parasitize dogs. OBJECTIVES To date, there have been relatively few reports on the analysis of the bacterial community structure and diversity in ticks that parasitize dogs. The objective of this study was to investigate the microbial composition and diversity of parasitic ticks of dogs, and assessed the effect of tick sex and geographical region on the bacterial composition in two tick genera collected from dogs in China. METHODS A total of 178 whole ticks were subjected to a 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) next generation sequencing analysis. The Illumina MiSeq platform targeting the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was used to characterize the bacterial communities of the collected ticks. Sequence analysis and taxonomic assignment were performed using QIIME 2 and the GreenGene database, respectively. After clustering the sequences into taxonomic units, the sequences were quality-filtered and rarefied. RESULTS After pooling 24 tick samples, we identified a total of 2,081 operational taxonomic units, which were assigned to 23 phyla and 328 genera, revealing a diverse bacterial community profile. The high, moderate and low prevalent taxa include 46, 101, and 182 genera, respectively. Among them, dominant taxa include environmental bacterial genera, such as Psychrobacter and Burkholderia. Additionally, some known tick-associated endosymbionts were also detected, including Coxiella, Rickettsia, and Ricketssiella. Also, the potentially pathogenic genera Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas were detected in the tick pools. Moreover, our preliminary study found that the differences in microbial communities are more dependent on the sampling location than tick sex in the tick specimens collected from dogs. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study support the need for future research on the microbial population present in ticks collected from dogs in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seongjin Wang
- Director for Epidemiological Investigation Analysis, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju 28159, Korea
| | - Xiuguo Hua
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Li Cui
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
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24
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Chao LL, Castillo CT, Shih CM. Molecular detection and genetic identification of Wolbachia endosymbiont in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks of Taiwan. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 83:115-130. [PMID: 33196908 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-020-00574-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The genetic identity of Wolbachia endosymbiont in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks was determined for the first time in Taiwan. In total 1004 Rh. sanguineus ticks were examined for Wolbachia by polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene. The prevalence of Wolbachia infection was detected in nymphs, females, and males with an infection rate of 55.8, 39.8, and 44%, respectively. The phylogenetic relationships were analyzed by comparing the sequences of wsp gene obtained from 60 strains of Wolbachia representing 11 strains of supergroup A and 10 strains of supergroup B. In general, seven major clades of supergroup A and six major clades of supergroup B can be easily distinguished by neighbour-joining analysis and were congruent by maximum likelihood method. All these Wolbachia strains of Taiwan were genetically affiliated to supergroups A and B with high sequence similarity of 98.3-100% and 98.6-100%, respectively. Intra- and inter-group analysis based on the genetic distance (GD) values indicated a lower level (GD < 0.017) within the group A strains of Taiwan compared with the group B (GD > 0.576) of other Wolbachia strains, as well as a lower level (GD < 0.062) within the group B strains of Taiwan compared with the group A (GD > 0.246) of other Wolbachia strains. Our results provide the first genetic identification of Wolbachia endosymbiont in Rh. sanguineus ticks collected from Taiwan, and detection of Wolbachia in male and nymphal ticks may imply the possible mechanism of transstadial transmission in Rh. sanguineus ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Lian Chao
- M.Sc. Program in Tropical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chantel Tamar Castillo
- M.Sc. Program in Tropical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chien-Ming Shih
- M.Sc. Program in Tropical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan, Republic of China.
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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25
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Madhav M, Baker D, Morgan JAT, Asgari S, James P. Wolbachia: A tool for livestock ectoparasite control. Vet Parasitol 2020; 288:109297. [PMID: 33248417 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ectoparasites and livestock-associated insects are a major concern throughout the world because of their economic and welfare impacts. Effective control is challenging and relies mainly on the use of chemical insecticides and acaricides. Wolbachia, an arthropod and nematode-infecting, maternally-transmitted endosymbiont is currently of widespread interest for use in novel strategies for the control of a range of arthropod-vectored human diseases and plant pests but to date has received only limited consideration for use in the control of diseases of veterinary concern. Here, we review the currently available information on Wolbachia in veterinary ectoparasites and disease vectors, consider the feasibility for use of Wolbachia in the control of livestock pests and diseases and highlight critical issues which need further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukund Madhav
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Dalton Baker
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jess A T Morgan
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sassan Asgari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Peter James
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
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26
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Perveen N, Muzaffar SB, Vijayan R, Al-Deeb MA. Microbial communities associated with the camel tick, Hyalomma dromedarii: 16S rRNA gene-based analysis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17035. [PMID: 33046763 PMCID: PMC7550333 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74116-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyalomma dromedarii is an important blood-feeding ectoparasite that affects the health of camels. We assessed the profile of bacterial communities associated with H. dromedarii collected from camels in the eastern part of the UAE in 2010 and 2019. A total of 100 partially engorged female ticks were taken from tick samples collected from camels (n = 100; 50/year) and subjected to DNA extraction and sequencing. The 16S rRNA gene was amplified from genomic DNA and sequenced using Illumina MiSeq platform to elucidate the bacterial communities. Principle Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) was conducted to determine patterns of diversity in bacterial communities. In 2010 and 2019, we obtained 899,574 and 781,452 read counts and these formed 371 and 191 operational taxonomic units (OTUs, clustered at 97% similarity), respectively. In both years, twenty-five bacterial families with high relative abundance were detected and the following were the most common: Moraxellaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Bacillaceae, Corynebacteriaceae, Flavobacteriaceae, Francisellaceae, Muribaculaceae, Neisseriaceae, and Pseudomonadaceae. Francisellaceae and Enterobacteriaceae coexist in H. dromedarii and we suggest that they thrive under similar conditions and microbial interactions inside the host. Comparisons of diversity indicated that microbial communities differed in terms of richness and evenness between 2010 and 2019, with higher richness but lower evenness in communities in 2010. Principle coordinates analyses showed clear clusters separating microbial communities in 2010 and 2019. The differences in communities suggested that the repertoire of microbial communities have shifted. In particular, the significant increase in dominance of Francisella and the presence of bacterial families containing pathogenic genera shows that H. dromedarii poses a serious health risk to camels and people who interact with them. Thus, it may be wise to introduce active surveillance of key genera that constitute a health hazard in the livestock industry to protect livestock and people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nighat Perveen
- Biology Department, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, UAE
| | - Sabir Bin Muzaffar
- Biology Department, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, UAE
| | - Ranjit Vijayan
- Biology Department, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, UAE
| | - Mohammad Ali Al-Deeb
- Biology Department, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, UAE.
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27
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Khoo JJ, Husin NA, Lim FS, Oslan SNH, Mohd Azami SNI, To SW, Abd Majid MA, Lee HY, Loong SK, Khor CS, AbuBakar S. Molecular detection of pathogens from ectoparasites recovered from peri-domestic animals, and the first description of a Candidatus Midichloria sp. from Haemaphysalis wellingtoni from rural communities in Malaysia. Parasitol Int 2020; 80:102202. [PMID: 33038482 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Rural communities in Malaysia have been shown to be exposed to Coxiella, Borrelia and rickettsial infections in previous seroprevalence studies. Further research is necessary to identify the actual causative agents and the potential vectors of these infections. The arthropods parasitizing peri-domestic animals in these communities may serve as the vector in transmitting arthropod-borne and zoonotic agents to the humans. Molecular screening of bacterial and zoonotic pathogens from ticks and fleas collected from dogs, cats and chickens from six rural communities in Malaysia was undertaken. These communities were made up of mainly the indigenous people of Malaysia, known as the Orang Asli, as well as settlers in oil palm plantations. The presence of Coxiella burnetii, Borrelia, and rickettsial agents, including Rickettsia and Anaplasma, was investigated by performing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis was detected in one out of eight pools of Ctenocephalides felis fleas. A relapsing fever group Borrelia sp. was identified from one of seven Haemaphysalis hystricis ticks tested. The results from the PCR screening for Anaplasma unexpectedly revealed the presence of Candidatus Midichloria sp., a potential tick endosymbiont, in two out of fourteen Haemaphysalis wellingtoni ticks tested. C. burnetii was not detected in any of the samples tested. The findings here provide evidence for the presence of potentially novel strains of rickettsial and borrelial agents in which their impact on public health risks among the rural communities in Malaysia merit further investigation. The detection of a potential endosymbiont of ticks also suggest that the presence of tick endosymbionts in the region is not fully explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Jing Khoo
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Nurul Aini Husin
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fang Shiang Lim
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Siti Nur Hazwani Oslan
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, 17600 Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Siti Nurul Izzah Mohd Azami
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Soon Wei To
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Faculty of Biosciences and Medical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad Azlan Abd Majid
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Hai Yen Lee
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shih Keng Loong
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Chee Sieng Khor
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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28
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Sharifah N, Heo CC, Ehlers J, Houssaini J, Tappe D. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens in animals and humans in the island nations of Southeast Asia: A review. Acta Trop 2020; 209:105527. [PMID: 32447029 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites and major vectors of pathogens that cause infectious diseases in humans and animals worldwide including mammals, birds and reptiles. Despite the growing scientific effort in the 20th century, there is still limited information on ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Southeast Asia, especially concerning medical, veterinary, socioeconomic and agricultural aspects in the island nations. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of ticks and their pathogens in the island nations of Southeast Asia and peninsular Malaysia. We aim to stimulate further research studies on ticks and tick-borne pathogens of human and veterinary importance in this geographical region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadiah Sharifah
- Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chong Chin Heo
- Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Julian Ehlers
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jamal Houssaini
- Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Dennis Tappe
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
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29
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Isolation and Propagation of Laboratory Strains and a Novel Flea-Derived Field Strain of Wolbachia in Tick Cell Lines. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8070988. [PMID: 32630209 PMCID: PMC7409115 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8070988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia are intracellular endosymbionts of several invertebrate taxa, including insects and nematodes. Although Wolbachia DNA has been detected in ticks, its presence is generally associated with parasitism by insects. To determine whether or not Wolbachia can infect and grow in tick cells, cell lines from three tick species, Ixodes scapularis, Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus microplus, were inoculated with Wolbachia strains wStri and wAlbB isolated from mosquito cell lines. Homogenates prepared from fleas collected from cats in Malaysia were inoculated into an I. scapularis cell line. Bacterial growth and identity were monitored by microscopy and PCR amplification and sequencing of fragments of Wolbachia genes. The wStri strain infected Ixodes spp. cells and was maintained through 29 passages. The wAlbB strain successfully infected Ixodes spp. and R. microplus cells and was maintained through 2–5 passages. A novel strain of Wolbachia belonging to the supergroup F, designated wCfeF, was isolated in I. scapularis cells from a pool of Ctenocephalides sp. cat fleas and maintained in vitro through two passages over nine months. This is the first confirmed isolation of a Wolbachia strain from a flea and the first isolation of any Wolbachia strain outside the “pandemic” A and B supergroups. The study demonstrates that tick cells can host multiple Wolbachia strains, and can be added to panels of insect cell lines to improve success rates in isolation of field strains of Wolbachia.
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30
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Hoffmann A, Fingerle V, Noll M. Analysis of Tick Surface Decontamination Methods. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8070987. [PMID: 32630152 PMCID: PMC7409031 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8070987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Various microbial pathogens have been found in ticks such as Ixodes ricinus. However, most studies assessed tick microbiomes without prior decontamination of the tick surface, which may alter the results and mislead conclusions regarding the composition of the tick-borne microbiome. The aim of this study was to test four different decontamination methods, namely (i.) 70% ethanol, (ii.) DNA Away, (iii.) 5% sodium hypochlorite and (iv.) Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL), which have been previously reported for tick surface and animal or human skin decontamination. To test the efficiency of decontamination, we contaminated each tick with a defined mixture of Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas fluorescens, dog saliva and human sweat. No contamination was used as a negative control, and for a positive control, a no decontamination strategy was carried out. After nucleic acid extraction, the recovery rate of contaminants was determined for RNA and DNA samples by qPCR and tick-borne microbiome analyses by bacterial 16S rRNA and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Ticks treated with 5% sodium hypochlorite revealed the lowest number of contaminants followed by DNA Away, RSDL and 70% ethanol. Moreover, tick microbiomes after 5% sodium hypochlorite decontamination clustered with negative controls. Therefore, the efficiency of decontamination was optimal with 5% sodium hypochlorite and is recommended for upcoming studies to address the unbiased detection of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeline Hoffmann
- Institute for Bioanalysis, Department of Applied Sciences, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany;
| | - Volker Fingerle
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), National Reference Center for Borrelia, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany;
| | - Matthias Noll
- Institute for Bioanalysis, Department of Applied Sciences, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-9561-317-645
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Lejal E, Estrada-Peña A, Marsot M, Cosson JF, Rué O, Mariadassou M, Midoux C, Vayssier-Taussat M, Pollet T. Taxon Appearance From Extraction and Amplification Steps Demonstrates the Value of Multiple Controls in Tick Microbiota Analysis. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1093. [PMID: 32655509 PMCID: PMC7325928 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The development of high-throughput sequencing technologies has substantially improved analysis of bacterial community diversity, composition, and functions. Over the last decade, high-throughput sequencing has been used extensively to identify the diversity and composition of tick microbial communities. However, a growing number of studies are warning about the impact of contamination brought along the different steps of the analytical process, from DNA extraction to amplification. In low biomass samples, e.g., individual tick samples, these contaminants may represent a large part of the obtained sequences, and thus generate considerable errors in downstream analyses and in the interpretation of results. Most studies of tick microbiota either do not mention the inclusion of controls during the DNA extraction or amplification steps, or consider the lack of an electrophoresis signal as an absence of contamination. In this context, we aimed to assess the proportion of contaminant sequences resulting from these steps. We analyzed the microbiota of individual Ixodes ricinus ticks by including several categories of controls throughout the analytical process: homogenization, DNA extraction, and DNA amplification. Results Controls yielded a significant number of sequences (1,126-13,198 mean sequences, depending on the control category). Some operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected in these controls belong to genera reported in previous tick microbiota studies. In this study, these OTUs accounted for 50.9% of the total number of sequences in our samples, and were considered contaminants. Contamination levels (i.e., the percentage of sequences belonging to OTUs identified as contaminants) varied with tick instar and sex: 76.3% of nymphs and 75% of males demonstrated contamination over 50%, while most females (65.7%) had rates lower than 20%. Contamination mainly corresponded to OTUs detected in homogenization and extraction reagent controls, highlighting the importance of carefully controlling these steps. Conclusion Here, we showed that contaminant OTUs from sample laboratory processing steps can represent more than half the total sequence yield in sequencing runs, and lead to unreliable results when characterizing tick microbial communities. We thus strongly advise the routine use of negative controls in tick microbiota studies, and more generally in studies involving low biomass samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Lejal
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Maud Marsot
- Laboratory for Animal Health, Epidemiology Unit, ANSES, University Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Jean-François Cosson
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Olivier Rué
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,INRAE, Bioinfomics, MIGALE Bbioinformatics Facility, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Mahendra Mariadassou
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,INRAE, Bioinfomics, MIGALE Bbioinformatics Facility, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Cédric Midoux
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,INRAE, Bioinfomics, MIGALE Bbioinformatics Facility, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,INRAE, PROSE, Université Paris-Saclay, Antony, France
| | | | - Thomas Pollet
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France.,UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
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Low VL, Tan TK, Khoo JJ, Lim FS, AbuBakar S. An overview of rickettsiae in Southeast Asia: Vector-animal-human interface. Acta Trop 2020; 202:105282. [PMID: 31778642 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Rickettsioses are emerging, and re-emerging diseases caused by obligate intracellular arthropod-borne bacteria that infect humans and animals worldwide. Various rickettsiae such as Orientia, Rickettsia, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia have been circulated in companion, domesticated and wild animals through bites of infected ticks, fleas, lice or mites. This review summarizes the infections of rickettsiae, including the newly discovered regional species Rickettsia thailandii, Candidatus Rickettsia sepangensis, Candidatus Rickettsia johorensis, Candidatus Rickettsia laoensis, Candidatus Rickettsia mahosotii, Candidatus Rickettsia khammouanensis, Candidatus Anaplasma pangolinii, and other novel genotypes in vectors, humans and animals in Southeast Asia. Issues on some unidentified rickettsiae that elicit immune responses and production of antibodies that are cross-reactive with the antigens used are discussed. Knowledge gaps which required attention are also identified in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van Lun Low
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Tiong Kai Tan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jing Jing Khoo
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fang Shiang Lim
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Lim FS, Khoo JJ, Tan KK, Zainal N, Loong SK, Khor CS, AbuBakar S. Bacterial communities in Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor and Amblyomma ticks collected from wild boar of an Orang Asli Community in Malaysia. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 11:101352. [PMID: 31866439 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous vectors of arthropod-borne disease agents globally. In Malaysia, despite seroprevalence studies indicating the presence of tick-borne diseases among the indigenous people, the etiological agents of these diseases are still unclear. These indigenous people, also known as the Orang Asli, still live in forested areas with frequent contact with wildlife. Wild boar are ubiquitously found in the forested areas where the Orang Asli communities are located and are commonly hunted as a food supplement. In this study, we aim to determine the tick species parasitizing wild boar from an Orang Asli community, and explore the tick-associated bacterial communities using 16 s rRNA amplicon sequencing on the Ion Torrent PGM™ platform. A total of 72 ticks were collected from three wild boar and were morphologically identified as Haemaphysalis hystricis (n = 32), Dermacentor compactus (n = 15), Amblyomma testudinarium (n = 13), Dermacentor steini (n = 10) and Dermacentor atrosignatus (n = 2). Across all tick samples, 910 bacterial taxa were identified. Although the bacterial communities were not significantly distinct between tick species in beta-diversity analyses, Coxiella, Rickettsia and Francisella were detected at high relative abundance in H. hystricis, D. compactus and D. steini respectively. Many other bacterial genera, including those that have been described in many different tick species, were also identified, including Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium. Beta-diversity analyses also showed that the bacterial communities were separated based on the animal host from which the ticks were collected from, suggesting that the bacterial communities here may be influenced by the animal skin microflora, host blood or the environment. PCR screening confirmed the presence of Rickettsia sp. related to spotted fever group Rickettsia in some of the ticks. This study provides baseline knowledge of the microbiome of H. hystricis, D. atrosignatus, D. compactus, D. steini and A. testudinarium parasitizing wild boar in this region. The information gained in this study provides the basis to target our efforts in H. hystricis, D. compactus and D. steini for the future investigation of vector competence and the zoonotic potential for the Coxiella, Rickettsia and Francisella detected here, as well as their implications for the risks of tick-borne diseases among the Orang Asli communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Shiang Lim
- Tick Cell Biobank Asia Outpost, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603 Malaysia; Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603 Malaysia
| | - Jing Jing Khoo
- Tick Cell Biobank Asia Outpost, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603 Malaysia.
| | - Kim Kee Tan
- Tick Cell Biobank Asia Outpost, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603 Malaysia
| | - Nurhafiza Zainal
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603 Malaysia
| | - Shih Keng Loong
- Tick Cell Biobank Asia Outpost, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603 Malaysia
| | - Chee Sieng Khor
- Tick Cell Biobank Asia Outpost, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603 Malaysia
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Tick Cell Biobank Asia Outpost, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603 Malaysia; Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603 Malaysia.
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Bennett KL, Almanza A, McMillan WO, Saltonstall K, Vdovenko EL, Vinda JS, Mejia L, Driesse K, De León LF, Loaiza JR. Habitat disturbance and the organization of bacterial communities in Neotropical hematophagous arthropods. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222145. [PMID: 31491005 PMCID: PMC6730880 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbiome plays a key role in the biology, ecology and evolution of arthropod vectors of human pathogens. Vector-bacterial interactions could alter disease transmission dynamics through modulating pathogen replication and/or vector fitness. Nonetheless, our understanding of the factors shaping the bacterial community in arthropod vectors is incomplete. Using large-scale 16S amplicon sequencing, we examine how habitat disturbance structures the bacterial assemblages of field-collected whole-body hematophagous arthropods that vector human pathogens including mosquitoes (Culicidae), sand flies (Psychodidae), biting midges (Ceratopogonidae) and hard ticks (Ixodidae). We found that all comparisons of the bacterial community among species yielded statistically significant differences, but a difference was not observed between adults and nymphs of the hard tick, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi. While Culicoides species had the most distinct bacterial community among dipterans, tick species were composed of entirely different bacterial OTU’s. We observed differences in the proportions of some bacterial types between pristine and disturbed habitats for Coquillettidia mosquitoes, Culex mosquitoes, and Lutzomyia sand flies, but their associations differed within and among arthropod assemblages. In contrast, habitat quality was a poor predictor of differences in bacterial classes for Culicoides biting midges and hard tick species. In general, similarities in the bacterial communities among hematophagous arthropods could be explained by their phylogenetic relatedness, although intraspecific variation seems influenced by habitat disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly L. Bennett
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancon, República de Panamá
- * E-mail: (KLB); (JRL)
| | - Alejandro Almanza
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancon, República de Panamá
| | - W. Owen McMillan
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancon, República de Panamá
| | | | | | - Jorge S. Vinda
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancon, República de Panamá
| | - Luis Mejia
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancon, República de Panamá
- Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Kaitlin Driesse
- University at Albany, State University of New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Luis F. De León
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Jose R. Loaiza
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancon, República de Panamá
- Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, Panamá, República de Panamá
- Programa Centroamericano de Maestría en Entomología, Universidad de Panamá, Panamá, República de Panamá
- * E-mail: (KLB); (JRL)
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Binetruy F, Dupraz M, Buysse M, Duron O. Surface sterilization methods impact measures of internal microbial diversity in ticks. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:268. [PMID: 31138324 PMCID: PMC6537145 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3517-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks are obligate blood feeders transmitting major pathogens worldwide. Over the past few years, considerable research efforts have focused on the diversity, distribution and impact of gut and intracellular bacterial symbionts on tick development and tick-borne pathogen transmission. The study of this internal microbiome requires the use of a sterilization method to remove external (i.e. cuticular) microbes present on the tick's surface and to avoid any further contamination. Several sterilization methods exist, including ethanol- or bleach-based treatments that are both effective in killing microbes but with different potential effects on DNA denaturation. METHODS We examined how these different sterilization methods impact the measure of internal microbial diversity hosted by the Cayenne tick Amblyomma cajennense (sensu stricto). Bacterial barcoding investigations based on 16S rRNA gene sequences were conducted on two batches of 50 individuals each: Ticks of the first batch were sterilized with bleach diluted at 1% and the second batch with 70% ethanol. Tick external microbiome was also determined from cuticle smearing and water samples used for tick washing. RESULTS Bacterial barcoding investigations showed major differences between ethanol- and bleach-treated specimens. Both methods led to the detection of major intracellular bacteria associated with A. cajennense (s.s.) but ethanol-treated ticks always harbored a higher bacterial diversity than bleach-treated ticks. Further examinations of tick gut and tick external microbiome revealed that ethanol-based surface sterilization method is inefficient to eliminate the DNA of external bacteria. CONCLUSIONS We herein provide evidence that studies investigating the internal microbiome of ticks should consider bleach as the gold standard to efficiently remove cuticular bacterial DNA. Indeed, this method does not impact the internal bacterial diversity hosted by ticks and is thus a better method than the ethanol-based one for studying the internal microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Binetruy
- MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD) - Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France.
| | - Marlène Dupraz
- MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD) - Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | - Marie Buysse
- MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD) - Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Duron
- MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD) - Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
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Lee S, Kim JY, Yi MH, Lee IY, Fyumagwa R, Yong TS. Comparative microbiomes of ticks collected from a black rhino and its surrounding environment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2019; 9:239-243. [PMID: 31198683 PMCID: PMC6556756 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
‘Eliska,’ an endangered black rhino (Diceros bicornis), died suddenly in Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania in 2016. Three Amblyomma gemma ticks were collected from Eliska's body, and four ticks were collected from the surrounding field. We conducted 16S rRNA targeted high-throughput sequencing to evaluate the overall composition of bacteria in the ticks' microbiomes and investigate whether the ticks could be the cause of Eliska's death. The ticks collected from Eliska's body and the field were found to differ in their bacterial composition. Bacillus chungangensis and B. pumilus were the most commonly found bacteria in the ticks collected from the field, and B. cereus and Lysinibacillus sphaericus were the most commonly found in the ticks collected from Eliska's body. The abundance was higher in the ticks collected from the field. In contrast, the equity was higher in the ticks collected from Eliska's body. No known pathogenic bacteria that could explain Eliska's sudden death were found in any of the ticks. The differences between the microbiome of ticks collected from Eliska's body and from the field indicate that the microbiome of ticks' changes through the consumption of blood. Ticks were collected from a dead Black rhino of the endangered species Diceros bicorn. Ticks collected from the body and the surrounding field had different microbiome patterns. Bacillus chungangensis and B. pumilus were commonly found in the ticks collected from the field, and B. cereus and Lysinibacillus sphaericus were commonly found in the ticks collected from Black rhino.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seogwon Lee
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Ju Yeong Kim
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Myung-Hee Yi
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - In-Yong Lee
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Robert Fyumagwa
- Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O. Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Tai-Soon Yong
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
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Thu MJ, Qiu Y, Kataoka-Nakamura C, Sugimoto C, Katakura K, Isoda N, Nakao R. Isolation of Rickettsia, Rickettsiella, and Spiroplasma from Questing Ticks in Japan Using Arthropod Cells. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019; 19:474-485. [PMID: 30779681 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites that transmit zoonotic pathogens to humans and animals. Ticks harbor not only pathogenic microorganisms but also endosymbionts. Although some tick endosymbionts are known to be essential for the survival of ticks, their roles in ticks remain poorly understood. The main aim of this study was to isolate and characterize tick-borne microorganisms from field-collected ticks using two arthropod cell lines derived from Ixodes scapularis embryos (ISE6) and Aedes albopictus larvae (C6/36). A total of 170 tick homogenates originating from 15 different tick species collected in Japan were inoculated into each cell line. Bacterial growth was confirmed by PCR amplification of 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of eubacteria. During the 8-week observation period, bacterial isolation was confirmed in 14 and 4 samples using ISE6 and C6/36 cells, respectively. The sequencing analysis of the 16S rDNA PCR products indicated that they were previously known tick-borne pathogens/endosymbionts in three different genera: Rickettsia, Rickettsiella, and Spiroplasma. These included four previously validated rickettsial species namely Rickettsia asiatica (n = 2), Rickettsia helvetica (n = 3), Rickettsia monacensis (n = 2), and Rickettsia tamurae (n = 3) and one uncharacterized genotype Rickettsia sp. LON (n = 2). Four isolates of Spiroplasma had the highest similarity with previously reported Spiroplasma isolates: Spiroplasma ixodetis obtained from ticks in North America and Spiroplasma sp. Bratislava 1 obtained from Ixodes ricinus in Europe, while two isolates of Rickettsiella showed 100% identity with Rickettsiella sp. detected from Ixodes uriae at Grimsey Island in Iceland. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on successful isolation of Rickettsiella from ticks. The isolates obtained in this study can be further analyzed to evaluate their pathogenic potential in animals and their roles as symbionts in ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- May June Thu
- 1 Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.,2 Unit of Risk Analysis and Management, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yongjin Qiu
- 3 Hokudai Center for Zoonosis Control in Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Chikako Kataoka-Nakamura
- 2 Unit of Risk Analysis and Management, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan.,4 Surveillance Section, Biomedical Science Center, Seto Center, Kanonji Institute, The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University, Kagawa, Japan
| | - Chihiro Sugimoto
- 5 Division of Collaboration and Education, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan.,6 Global Station for Zoonosis Control, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ken Katakura
- 1 Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Norikazu Isoda
- 2 Unit of Risk Analysis and Management, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan.,6 Global Station for Zoonosis Control, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryo Nakao
- 1 Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Regier Y, Komma K, Weigel M, Kraiczy P, Laisi A, Pulliainen AT, Hain T, Kempf VAJ. Combination of microbiome analysis and serodiagnostics to assess the risk of pathogen transmission by ticks to humans and animals in central Germany. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:11. [PMID: 30616666 PMCID: PMC6322329 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3240-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arthropod-borne diseases remain a major health-threat for humans and animals worldwide. To estimate the distribution of pathogenic agents and especially Bartonella spp., we conducted tick microbiome analysis and determination of the infection status of wild animals, pets and pet owners in the state of Hesse, Germany. RESULTS In total, 189 engorged ticks collected from 163 animals were tested. Selected ticks were analyzed by next generation sequencing (NGS) and confirmatory PCRs, blood specimens of 48 wild animals were analyzed by PCR to confirm pathogen presence and sera of 54 dogs, one cat and 11 dog owners were analyzed by serology. Bartonella spp. were detected in 9.5% of all ticks and in the blood of 17 roe deer. Further data reveal the presence of the human and animal pathogenic species of genera in the family Spirochaetaceae (including Borrelia miyamotoi and Borrelia garinii), Bartonella spp. (mainly Bartonella schoenbuchensis), Rickettsia helvetica, Francisella tularensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in ticks. Co-infections with species of several genera were detected in nine ticks. One dog and five dog owners were seropositive for anti-Bartonella henselae-antibodies and one dog had antibodies against Rickettsia conorii. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a snapshot of pathogens circulating in ticks in central Germany. A broad range of tick-borne pathogens are present in ticks, and especially in wild animals, with possible implications for animal and human health. However, a low incidence of Bartonella spp., especially Bartonella henselae, was detected. The high number of various detected pathogens suggests that ticks might serve as an excellent sentinel to detect and monitor zoonotic human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Regier
- University Hospital, Goethe-University, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kassandra Komma
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Markus Weigel
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- University Hospital, Goethe-University, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Arttu Laisi
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Center for Cancer, Infections and Immunity, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Arto T. Pulliainen
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Center for Cancer, Infections and Immunity, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Torsten Hain
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Giessen-Marburg-Langen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Volkhard A. J. Kempf
- University Hospital, Goethe-University, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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The microbiome of Haemaphysalis lemuris (Acari: Ixodidae), a possible vector of pathogens of endangered lemur species in Madagascar. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1252-1260. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Ixodes scapularis does not harbor a stable midgut microbiome. ISME JOURNAL 2018; 12:2596-2607. [PMID: 29946195 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0161-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Hard ticks of the order Ixodidae serve as vectors for numerous human pathogens, including the causative agent of Lyme Disease Borrelia burgdorferi. Tick-associated microbes can influence pathogen colonization, offering the potential to inhibit disease transmission through engineering of the tick microbiota. Here, we investigate whether B. burgdorferi encounters abundant bacteria within the midgut of wild adult Ixodes scapularis, its primary vector. Through the use of controlled sequencing methods and confocal microscopy, we find that the majority of field-collected adult I. scapularis harbor limited internal microbial communities that are dominated by endosymbionts. A minority of I. scapularis ticks harbor abundant midgut bacteria and lack B. burgdorferi. We find that the lack of a stable resident midgut microbiota is not restricted to I. scapularis since extension of our studies to I. pacificus, Amblyomma maculatum, and Dermacentor spp showed similar patterns. Finally, bioinformatic examination of the B. burgdorferi genome revealed the absence of genes encoding known interbacterial interaction pathways, a feature unique to the Borrelia genus within the phylum Spirochaetes. Our results suggest that reduced selective pressure from limited microbial populations within ticks may have facilitated the evolutionary loss of genes encoding interbacterial competition pathways from Borrelia.
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Greay TL, Gofton AW, Paparini A, Ryan UM, Oskam CL, Irwin PJ. Recent insights into the tick microbiome gained through next-generation sequencing. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:12. [PMID: 29301588 PMCID: PMC5755153 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2550-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The tick microbiome comprises communities of microorganisms, including viruses, bacteria and eukaryotes, and is being elucidated through modern molecular techniques. The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has enabled the genes and genomes within these microbial communities to be explored in a rapid and cost-effective manner. The advantages of using NGS to investigate microbiomes surpass the traditional non-molecular methods that are limited in their sensitivity, and conventional molecular approaches that are limited in their scalability. In recent years the number of studies using NGS to investigate the microbial diversity and composition of ticks has expanded. Here, we provide a review of NGS strategies for tick microbiome studies and discuss the recent findings from tick NGS investigations, including the bacterial diversity and composition, influential factors, and implications of the tick microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Telleasha L Greay
- Vector and Waterborne Pathogens Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Alexander W Gofton
- Vector and Waterborne Pathogens Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Andrea Paparini
- Vector and Waterborne Pathogens Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Una M Ryan
- Vector and Waterborne Pathogens Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Charlotte L Oskam
- Vector and Waterborne Pathogens Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Peter J Irwin
- Vector and Waterborne Pathogens Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
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Panetta JL, Šíma R, Calvani NED, Hajdušek O, Chandra S, Panuccio J, Šlapeta J. Reptile-associated Borrelia species in the goanna tick (Bothriocroton undatum) from Sydney, Australia. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:616. [PMID: 29262840 PMCID: PMC5738880 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2579-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Knowledge on the capacity of Australian ticks to carry Borrelia species is currently limited or missing. To evaluate the potential of ticks to carry bacterial pathogens and their DNA, it is imperative to have a robust workflow that maximises recovery of bacterial DNA within ticks in order to enable accurate identification. By exploiting the bilateral anatomical symmetry of ticks, we were able to directly compare two DNA extraction methods for 16S rRNA gene diversity profiling and pathogen detection. We aimed to assess which combination of DNA extraction and 16S rRNA hypervariable region enables identification of the greatest bacterial diversity, whilst minimising bias, and providing the greatest capacity for the identification of Borrelia spp. RESULTS We collected Australian endemic ticks (Bothriocroton undatum), isolated DNA from equal tick halves using two commercial DNA extraction methods and sequenced samples using V1-V3 and V3-V4 16S rRNA gene diversity profiling assays. Two distinct Borrelia spp. operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected using the V1-V3 16S rRNA hypervariable region and matching Borrelia spp. sequences were obtained using a conventional nested-PCR. The tick 16S rRNA gene diversity profile was dominated by Rickettsia spp. (98-99%), while the remaining OTUs belonged to Proteobacteria (51-81%), Actinobacteria (6-30%) and Firmicutes (2-7%). Multiple comparisons tests demonstrated biases in each of the DNA extraction kits towards different bacterial taxa. CONCLUSIONS Two distinct Borrelia species belonging to the reptile-associated Borrelia group were identified. Our results show that the method of DNA extraction can promote bias in the final microbiota identified. We determined an optimal DNA extraction method and 16S rRNA gene diversity profile assay that maximises detection of Borrelia species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Panetta
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Radek Šíma
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Nichola E. D. Calvani
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Ondřej Hajdušek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Shona Chandra
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Jessica Panuccio
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Jan Šlapeta
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
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Clow KM, Weese JS, Rousseau J, Jardine CM. Microbiota of field-collected Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor variabilis from eastern and southern Ontario, Canada. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2017; 9:235-244. [PMID: 29042239 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The microbiota of hard ticks has been an area of growing interest due to the potential role that the broader microbial community may play in pathogen carriage and transmission. In the last two decades, Ontario, Canada has experienced rapid changes in the risk of tick-borne disease, primarily due to the range expansion of Ixodes scapularis. Another human-biter, Dermacentor variabilis, is a longstanding resident of the province, but currently poses minimal risk of pathogen transmission. To examine the microbiota of these two species, we collected adult and nymphal I. scapularis and D. variabilis from the eastern and southern regions of the province via tick dragging, and conducted next generation sequencing of 19 samples (composed of 45 ticks) via Illumina MiSeq. A total of 1400469 sequences were detected (median 69118/sample; range 23350-155227). The most abundant families of bacteria were unclassified Clostridiales and Ruminococcaceae for both I. scapularis and D. variabilis. No significant differences in the relative abundances of any phylum, class, order, family or genus were detected between locations (east vs south), sex, life stage or tick species. There were no differences in community membership or structure based on unifrac and AMOVA analyses. Female and male ticks had lower microbial diversity when compared to nymphs, based on the Simpson's index and Shannon evenness index. The findings of our study differ from previous studies of these tick species conducted in other geographic areas, and highlight the potential role geography and related ecological factors may have in shaping the tick microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie M Clow
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - J Scott Weese
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada; Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Joyce Rousseau
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada; Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Claire M Jardine
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada; Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Khoo JJ, Lim FS, Tan KK, Chen FS, Phoon WH, Khor CS, Pike BL, Chang LY, AbuBakar S. Detection in Malaysia of a Borrelia sp. From Haemaphysalis hystricis (Ixodida: Ixodidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:1444-1448. [PMID: 28874019 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Spirochetes from the Borrelia genus are known to cause diseases in humans, namely Lyme disease and relapsing fever. These organisms are commonly transmitted to humans by arthropod vectors including ticks, mite, and lice. Here, we report the molecular detection of a Borrelia sp. from a Haemaphysalis hystricis Supino tick collected from wildlife in an Orang Asli settlement in Selangor, Malaysia. Phylogenetic analyses of partial 16s rRNA and flaB gene sequences revealed that the Borrelia sp. is closely related to the relapsing fever group borreliae, Borrelia lonestari, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Borrelia theileri, as well as a number of uncharacterized Borrelia sp. from ticks in Portugal and Japan. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a Borrelia sp. detected in H. hystricis, and in Malaysia. The zoonotic potential of this Borrelia sp. merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Khoo
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - F S Lim
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - K K Tan
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - F S Chen
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - W H Phoon
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - C S Khor
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - B L Pike
- Naval Medical Research Center-Asia (NMRC-A), Singapore
| | - L Y Chang
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - S AbuBakar
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
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Low VL, Prakash BK, Tan TK, Sofian-Azirun M, Anwar FHK, Vinnie-Siow WY, AbuBakar S. Pathogens in ectoparasites from free-ranging animals: Infection with Rickettsia asembonensis in ticks, and a potentially new species of Dipylidium in fleas and lice. Vet Parasitol 2017; 245:102-105. [PMID: 28969827 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Vector-borne infections are persistent public health threats worldwide. In recent years, a number of mosquito-borne viruses have emerged or re-emerged to cause major disease outbreaks. Other vector-borne pathogens, however, remain understudied and much neglected especially in the developing regions of the world including Southeast Asia. In this study, the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, cat louse Felicola subrostratus, and cat fleas Ctenocephalides felis and Ctenocephalides orientis collected from free-ranging cats and dogs in Malaysia were molecularly screened for the presence of Bartonella and Rickettsia bacteria, and Dipylidium tapeworm. Our results showed the presence of Bartonella clarridgeiea, Bartonella henselae (lineage Marseille and lineage Houston-1), and Rickettsia sp. in C. felis. We also detected Rickettsia asembonensis in C. orientis and R. sanguineus s.l. Additionally, this study provides the first documentation on a potentially new species of Dipylidium infecting F. subrostratus and C. felis. Our results highlight the role of ectoparasites from free-ranging animals including cats and dogs, in harboring multiple transmissible pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van Lun Low
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Batah Kunalan Prakash
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Tiong Kai Tan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mohd Sofian-Azirun
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Wei Yin Vinnie-Siow
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Ernieenor FCL, Ernna G, Mariana A. Phenotypic and genotypic identification of hard ticks of the genus Haemaphysalis (Acari: Ixodidae) in Peninsular Malaysia. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 71:387-400. [PMID: 28409404 PMCID: PMC5437174 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-017-0120-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Morphotaxonomy based on phenotypic traits of immature hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) is a skill challenge and has prompted many inexperienced acarologists to adopt DNA-based methods for identifying and discriminating the species. The aim of this study is therefore to utilize COI gene for verifying the morphological status of Haemaphysalis ticks in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 19 on-host ticks collected from four localities were first identified using specific illustrated taxonomic keys that lead to the genus of Haemaphysalis. Genotypic traits of tick species were then verified molecularly based on cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene using polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. Clustering analysis was carried out by constructing a phylogenetic tree to determine the genetic variation and diversity of local Haemaphysalis ticks. Based on external morphological characterizations, all immature ticks were successfully identified down to the genus level only. Molecular analysis of the genotypic using COI gene revealed 16 individuals (84%) as Haemaphysalis hystricis, and three individuals as H. humerosa with sequence homology of 97-99 and 86-87%, respectively. Haemaphysalis hystricis were clustered in their respective monophyletic group in the phylogeny trees with a bootstrap of 100%. Furthermore, a low intraspecific variation (<0.3%) was observed among Malaysian H. hystricis but high interspecific value (>15%) recorded. This study morphologically and molecularly confirms the presence of H. hystricis in Malaysia and the findings will add value to the existing knowledge in identification of ticks in this country.
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Affiliation(s)
- F C L Ernieenor
- Acarology Unit, Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - G Ernna
- Acarology Unit, Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - A Mariana
- Acarology Unit, Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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47
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Khoo JJ, Lim FS, Chen F, Phoon WH, Khor CS, Pike BL, Chang LY, AbuBakar S. Coxiella Detection in Ticks from Wildlife and Livestock in Malaysia. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:744-751. [PMID: 27763821 PMCID: PMC5144871 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.1959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that ticks harbor Coxiella-like bacteria, which are potentially tick-specific endosymbionts. We recently described the detection of Coxiella-like bacteria and possibly Coxiella burnetii in ticks found from rural areas in Malaysia. In the present study, we collected ticks, including Haemaphysalis bispinosa, Haemaphysalis hystricis, Dermacentor compactus, Dermacentor steini, and Amblyomma sp. from wildlife and domesticated goats from four different locations in Malaysia. Coxiella 16s rRNA genomic sequences were detected by PCR in 89% of ticks tested. Similarity analysis and phylogenetic analyses of the 16s rRNA and rpoB partial sequences were performed for 10 representative samples selected based on the tick species, sex, and location. The findings here suggested the presence of C. burnetii in two samples, each from D. steini and H. hystricis. The sequences of both samples clustered with published C. burnetii sequences. The remaining eight tick samples were shown to harbor 16s rRNA sequences of Coxiella-like bacteria, which clustered phylogenetically according to the respective tick host species. The findings presented here added to the growing evidence of the association between Coxiella-like bacteria and ticks across species and geographical boundaries. The importance of C. burnetii found in ticks in Malaysia warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Jing Khoo
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fang-Shiang Lim
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fezshin Chen
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Wai-Hong Phoon
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Chee-Sieng Khor
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Brian L. Pike
- Naval Medical Research Center-Asia (NMRC-A), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Li-Yen Chang
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Li K, Chen H, Jiang J, Li X, Xu J, Ma Y. Diversity of bacteriome associated with Phlebotomus chinensis (Diptera: Psychodidae) sand flies in two wild populations from China. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36406. [PMID: 27819272 PMCID: PMC5098245 DOI: 10.1038/srep36406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sand fly Phlebotomus chinensis is a primary vector of transmission of visceral leishmaniasis in China. The sand flies have adapted to various ecological niches in distinct ecosystems. Characterization of the microbial structure and function will greatly facilitate the understanding of the sand fly ecology, which would provide critical information for developing intervention strategy for sand fly control. In this study we compared the bacterial composition between two populations of Ph. chinensis from Henan and Sichuan, China. The phylotypes were taxonomically assigned to 29 genera of 19 families in 9 classes of 5 phyla. The core bacteria include Pseudomonas and enterobacteria, both are shared in the sand flies in the two regions. Interestingly, the endosymbionts Wolbachia and Rickettsia were detected only in Henan, while the Rickettsiella and Diplorickettsia only in Sichuan. The intracellular bacteria Rickettsia, Rickettsiella and Diplorickettsia were reported for the first time in sand flies. The influence of sex and feeding status on the microbial structure was also detected in the two populations. The findings suggest that the ecological diversity of sand fly in Sichuan and Henan may contribute to shaping the structure of associated microbiota. The structural classification paves the way to function characterization of the sand fly associated microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaili Li
- Department of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Huiying Chen
- Department of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jinjin Jiang
- Biology Department, Molecular Biology Program, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM 88003, USA
| | - Xiangyu Li
- Department of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jiannong Xu
- Biology Department, Molecular Biology Program, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM 88003, USA
| | - Yajun Ma
- Department of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
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