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Co-Occurrence of Francisella, Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia, and Midichloria in Avian-Associated Hyalomma rufipes. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071393. [PMID: 35889112 PMCID: PMC9323704 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The migratory behavior of wild birds contributes to the geographical spread of ticks and their microorganisms. In this study, we aimed to investigate the dispersal and co-occurrence of Francisella and spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) in ticks infesting birds migrating northward in the African-Western Palaearctic region (AWPR). Birds were trapped with mist nests across the Mediterranean basin during the 2014 and 2015 spring migration. In total, 575 ticks were collected from 244 birds. We screened the ticks for the species Francisella tularensis, the genus Francisella, and SFGR by microfluidic real-time PCR. Confirmatory analyses and metagenomic sequencing were performed on tick samples that putatively tested positive for F. tularensis during initial screenings. Hyalomma rufipes was the most common tick species and had a high prevalence of Francisella, including co-occurrence of Francisella and SFGR. Metagenomic analysis of total DNA extracted from two H. rufipes confirmed the presence of Francisella, Rickettsia, and Midichloria. Average nucleotide identity and phylogenetic inference indicated the highest identity of the metagenome-assembled genomes to a Francisella-like endosymbiont (FLE), Rickettsia aeschlimannii, and Midichloria mitochondrii. The results of this study suggest that (i) FLE- and SFGR-containing ticks are dispersed by northbound migratory birds in the AWPR, (ii) H. rufipes likely is not involved in transmission of F. tularensis in the AWPR, and (iii) a dual endosymbiosis of FLEs and Midichloria may support some of the nutritional requirements of H. rufipes.
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Kato CY, Chung IH, Robinson LK, Eremeeva ME, Dasch GA. Genetic typing of isolates of Rickettsia typhi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010354. [PMID: 35639778 PMCID: PMC9203007 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Murine typhus, which is caused by Rickettsia typhi, has a wide range of clinical manifestations. It has a low mortality rate but may result in meningoencephalitis and interstitial pneumonia in severe cases. Comparisons of complete genome sequences of R. typhi isolates from North Carolina, USA (Wilmington), Myanmar (B9991PP), and Thailand (TH1527) identified only 26 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and 7 insertion-deletion (INDEL) sites in these highly syntenic genomes. Assays were developed to further define the distribution of these variant sites among 15 additional isolates of R. typhi with different histories from Asia, the USA, and Africa. Mismatch amplification mutation assays (MAMA) were validated for 22 SNP sites, while the 7 INDEL sites were analyzed directly on agarose gels. Six SNP types, 9 INDEL types, 11 total types were identified among these 18 isolates. Replicate DNA samples as well as comparisons of isolates with different passage and source histories gave consistent genetic typing profiles. Comparison of the SNP and INDEL markers to R. typhi’s nearest neighbor Rickettsia prowazekii demonstrated that the majority of the SNPs represent intra-species variation that arose post divergence of these two species while several INDEL sites also exhibited intraspecies variability among the R. prowazekii genomes that have been completely sequenced. The assays for the presence of these SNP and INDEL sites, particularly the latter, comprise a low technology gel method for consistently distinguishing R. typhi and R. prowazekii as well as for differentiating genetic types of R. typhi. Rickettsia typhi is an obligately intracellular bacterium which is most commonly transmitted by rat fleas to humans and can cause the disease murine (endemic) typhus wherever both humans and infected rats are present. However, this agent is also present in a variety of other arthropod species associated with other vertebrate animals. Its closest relative is Rickettsia prowazekii, the etiologic agent of epidemic typhus (human louse-borne) and sylvatic typhus (associated with flying squirrels and its ectoparasites in the Eastern United States). Both classic louse-borne and flea-borne typhus rickettsiae can cause fatal infections and have the potential for use as biothreat agents as they can be grown in large quantities. We investigated the genetic differences that can be found in different stocks of R. typhi. Our work is important for two reasons. We have developed robust and sensitive methods for distinguishing isolates of R. typhi originating from different continents; these new assays require only simple instrumentation which is available in nearly all biology laboratories. Our results also provided new insights confirming the probable origin of R. typhi in Asia and its likely cosmopolitan spread by rats on ships around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Y. Kato
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ida H. Chung
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Lauren K. Robinson
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Marina E. Eremeeva
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Gregory A. Dasch
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Paris DH, Kelly DJ, Fuerst PA, Day NPJ, Richards AL. A Brief History of the Major Rickettsioses in the Asia-Australia-Pacific Region: A Capstone Review for the Special Issue of TMID. Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 5:tropicalmed5040165. [PMID: 33121158 PMCID: PMC7709643 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5040165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The rickettsioses of the "Far East" or Asia-Australia-Pacific region include but are not limited to endemic typhus, scrub typhus, and more recently, tick typhus or spotted fever. These diseases embody the diversity of rickettsial disease worldwide and allow us to interconnect the various contributions to this special issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease. The impact of rickettsial diseases-particularly of scrub typhus-was substantial during the wars and "police actions" of the last 80 years. However, the post-World War II arrival of effective antibiotics reduced their impact, when recognized and adequately treated (chloramphenicol and tetracyclines). Presently, however, scrub typhus appears to be emerging and spreading into regions not previously reported. Better diagnostics, or higher population mobility, change in antimicrobial policies, even global warming, have been proposed as possible culprits of this phenomenon. Further, sporadic reports of possible antibiotic resistance have received the attention of clinicians and epidemiologists, raising interest in developing and testing novel diagnostics to facilitate medical diagnosis. We present a brief history of rickettsial diseases, their relative importance within the region, focusing on the so-called "tsutsugamushi triangle", the past and present impact of these diseases within the region, and indicate how historically, these often-confused diseases were ingeniously distinguished from each another. Moreover, we will discuss the importance of DNA-sequencing efforts for Orientia tsutsugamushi, obtained from patient blood, vector chiggers, and rodent reservoirs, particularly for the dominant 56-kD type-specific antigen gene (tsa56), and whole-genome sequences, which are increasing our knowledge of the diversity of this unique agent. We explore and discuss the potential of sequencing and other effective tools to geographically trace rickettsial disease agents, and develop control strategies to better mitigate the rickettsioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H. Paris
- Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-61-284-8111
| | - Daryl J. Kelly
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (D.J.K.); (P.A.F.)
| | - Paul A. Fuerst
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (D.J.K.); (P.A.F.)
| | - Nicholas P. J. Day
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Programme, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithee Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand;
- Center for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UK
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
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Hvidsten D, Frafjord K, Gray JS, Henningsson AJ, Jenkins A, Kristiansen BE, Lager M, Rognerud B, Slåtsve AM, Stordal F, Stuen S, Wilhelmsson P. The distribution limit of the common tick, Ixodes ricinus, and some associated pathogens in north-western Europe. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101388. [PMID: 32122808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In north-western Europe, the common tick, Ixodes ricinus, is widely established, its distribution appears to be increasing and the spread of tick-borne diseases is of increasing concern. The project 'Flått i Nord' (Ticks in northern Norway) commenced in spring 2009 with the intention of studying the tick's distribution and that of its pathogens in northern Norway. Several methods were used: cloth-dragging, collecting from trapped small mammals, and collecting from pets. Since 2010, the occurrence of ticks in the region of northern Norway was determined directly by cloth-dragging 167 times in 109 separate locations between the latitudes of 64 °N and 70 °N (included seven locations in the northern part of Trøndelag County). The northernmost location of a permanent I. ricinus population was found to be Nordøyvågen (66.2204 °N, 12.59 °E) on the Island of Dønna. In a sample of 518 nymphal and adult ticks, the Borrelia prevalence collected close to this distribution limit varied but was low (1-15 %) compared with the locations in Trøndelag, south of the study area (15-27 %). Five specimens (1 %) were positive for Rickettsia helvetica. The length of the vegetation growing season (GSL) can be used as an approximate index for the presence of established populations of I. ricinus. The present study suggests that the threshold GSL for tick establishment is about 170 days, because the median GSL from 1991 to 2015 was 174-184 days at sites with permanent tick populations, showing a clear increase compared with the period 1961-1990. This apparent manifestation of climate change could explain the northward extension of the range of I. ricinus.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Hvidsten
- University Hospital of North Norway, Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Tromsø, Norway; Nordland Hospital, Division of Diagnostic Services, Department of Microbiology, Bodø, Norway.
| | - K Frafjord
- UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø University Museum, Tromsø, Norway
| | - J S Gray
- University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - A J Henningsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Jönköping, Region Jönköping County, AND Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - A Jenkins
- University of South-Eastern Norway, Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, Bø, Norway
| | | | - M Lager
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Jönköping, Region Jönköping County, AND Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - B Rognerud
- University of Oslo, Department of Geosciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - A M Slåtsve
- Nordland Hospital, Division of Diagnostic Services, Department of Microbiology, Bodø, Norway
| | - F Stordal
- University of Oslo, Department of Geosciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - S Stuen
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Section for Small Ruminants Research, Sandnes, Norway
| | - P Wilhelmsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Jönköping, Region Jönköping County, AND Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Jaenson TGT, Wilhelmsson P. First records of tick-borne pathogens in populations of the taiga tick Ixodes persulcatus in Sweden. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:559. [PMID: 31775857 PMCID: PMC6882324 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3813-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The common tick Ixodes ricinus and the taiga tick I. persulcatus are the main tick vectors of Borrelia spirochaetes, TBE virus (TBEV) and of several other zoonotic pathogens in the western and eastern areas, respectively of the Palaearctic region. Recently, populations of the taiga tick were, for the first time, detected in northern Sweden. This prompted us to investigate if they harbour human pathogens. Methods A total of 276 I. persulcatus ticks (136 males, 126 females and 14 nymphs) and one I. ricinus nymph was collected by the cloth-dragging method in northern Sweden in July–August 2015 and May–July 2016. In addition, 8 males and 10 females of I. persulcatus were collected from two dogs (16 and 2 ticks, respectively) in two of the localities. All ticks were microscopically and molecularly identified to developmental stage and species and screened for B. burgdorferi (sensu lato), B. miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Babesia spp. and TBEV using real-time PCR followed by species identification by sequencing the PCR-products of conventional PCR assays. Results Of the ticks collected by the cloth-dragging method, 55% (152/277) were positive for Borrelia. There was no significant difference between the proportions of Borrelia-infected nymphs (33%, 5/15) and Borrelia-infected adult ticks (56%, 147/262), and no significant difference between the proportions of Borrelia-infected males (54%, 74/136) and Borrelia-infected females (58%, 73/126). Three different Borrelia species were identified. Borrelia afzelii was the predominant species and detected in 46% of all Borrelia-infected ticks followed by B. garinii, 35%, B. valaisiana, 1%, and mixed infections of different Borrelia species, 1%; 17% of all Borrelia-infections were untypeable. One I. persulcatus female contained Rickettsia helvetica, and one nymph contained Rickettsia sp. Of the 277 ticks analysed, all were negative for A. phagocytophilum, Babesia spp., Borrelia miyamotoi, N. mikurensis and TBEV. The ticks collected from the two dogs were negative for all pathogens examined except for Borrelia spp., that was detected in 5 out of 16 ticks removed from one of the dogs. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first time that I. persulcatus from Sweden has been analysed for the presence of tick-borne pathogens. The examined tick populations had a low diversity of tick-borne pathogens but a high prevalence of B. burgdorferi (s.l.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G T Jaenson
- Medical Entomology Unit, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter Wilhelmsson
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. .,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden.
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Afzal Z, Kallumadanda S, Wang F, Hemmige V, Musher D. Acute Febrile Illness and Complications Due to Murine Typhus, Texas, USA1,2. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 23:1268-1273. [PMID: 28726607 PMCID: PMC5547806 DOI: 10.3201/eid2308.161861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Murine typhus occurs relatively commonly in southern Texas, as well as in California. We reviewed records of 90 adults and children in whom murine typhus was diagnosed during a 3-year period in 2 hospitals in southern Texas, USA. Most patients lacked notable comorbidities; all were immunocompetent. Initial signs and symptoms included fever (99%), malaise (82%), headache (77%), fatigue (70%), myalgias (68%), and rash (39%). Complications, often severe, in 28% of patients included bronchiolitis, pneumonia, meningitis, septic shock, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, myositis, and rhabdomyolysis; the last 3 are previously unreported in murine typhus. Low serum albumin and elevated procalcitonin, consistent with bacterial sepsis, were observed in >70% of cases. Rash was more common in children; thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia, elevated hepatic transaminases, and complications were more frequent in adults. Murine typhus should be considered as a diagnostic possibility in cases of acute febrile illness in southern and even in more northern US states.
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Wu JJ, Huang DB, Pang KR, Tyring SK. Rickettsial Infections around the World, Part 2: Rickettsialpox, the Typhus Group, and Bioterrorism. J Cutan Med Surg 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/120347540500900302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jashin J. Wu
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - David B. Huang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- University of Texas at Houston School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Katie R. Pang
- Department of Dermatology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Stephen K. Tyring
- Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Clinical Studies, Houston, Texas, USA
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Luce-Fedrow A, Mullins K, Kostik AP, St John HK, Jiang J, Richards AL. Strategies for detecting rickettsiae and diagnosing rickettsial diseases. Future Microbiol 2016; 10:537-64. [PMID: 25865193 DOI: 10.2217/fmb.14.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Rickettsial diseases and scrub typhus constitute a group of the oldest known vector-borne diseases. The cosmopolitan distribution of the vectors that transmit rickettsiae and orientiae leads to a worldwide prevalence of these diseases. Despite their significant historical status, detection and diagnosis of these diseases are still evolving today. Serological methods remain among the most prevalent techniques used for the detection/diagnosis of rickettsial diseases and scrub typhus. Molecular techniques have been instrumental in increasing the sensitivity/specificity of diagnosis, identifying new Rickettsia and Orientia species and have enhanced epidemiological capabilities when used in combination with serological methods. In this review, we discuss these techniques and their associated pros and cons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Luce-Fedrow
- Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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Eremeeva ME, Shpynov SN, Tokarevich NK. MODERN APPROACHES TO LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS OF RICKETTSIAL DISEASES. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND IMMUNITY 2014. [DOI: 10.15789/2220-7619-2014-2-113-134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. We present a concise review of contemporary laboratory methods for diagnosis of rickettsioses with special emphasis on diseases known in Russian Federation. Classic and emerging rickettsioses are transmitted by a diverse and expanding group of arthropod vectors including ticks, fleas, lice and mites. While epidemiological and clinical clues can provide information important for initial suspicion of rickettsial infection, sensitive and specific laboratory methods are necessary for providing probable or confirmed diagnosis of the rickettsial infection. Accurate and rapid confirmation of rickettsial infection is important for ensuring proper clinical care and prompt initiation of antibiotic therapy. Correct identification of the etiology of rickettsial diseases is also important for early identification of clustered cases, novel foci of infections, and for timely initiation of public health responses to these potentially fatal infections.
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Leydet BF, Liang FT. Detection of human bacterial pathogens in ticks collected from Louisiana black bears (Ursus americanus luteolus). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2013; 4:191-6. [PMID: 23415850 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2012.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2012] [Revised: 11/30/2012] [Accepted: 12/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There are 4 major human-biting tick species in the northeastern United States, which include: Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma maculatum, Dermacentor variabilis, and Ixodes scapularis. The black bear is a large mammal that has been shown to be parasitized by all the aforementioned ticks. We investigated the bacterial infections in ticks collected from Louisiana black bears (Ursus americanus subspecies luteolus). Eighty-six ticks were collected from 17 black bears in Louisiana from June 2010 to March 2011. All 4 common human-biting tick species were represented. Each tick was subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting select bacterial pathogens and symbionts. Bacterial DNA was detected in 62% of ticks (n=53). Rickettsia parkeri, the causative agent of an emerging spotted fever group rickettsiosis, was identified in 66% of A. maculatum, 28% of D. variabilis, and 11% of I. scapularis. The Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, was detected in 2 I. scapularis, while one A. americanum was positive for Borrelia bissettii, a putative human pathogen. The rickettsial endosymbionts Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae, rickettsial endosymbiont of I. scapularis, and Rickettsia amblyommii were detected in their common tick hosts at 21%, 39%, and 60%, respectively. All ticks were PCR-negative for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia spp., and Babesia microti. This is the first reported detection of R. parkeri in vector ticks in Louisiana; we also report the novel association of R. parkeri with I. scapularis. Detection of both R. parkeri and B. burgdorferi in their respective vectors in Louisiana demands further investigation to determine potential for human exposure to these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian F Leydet
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
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Wallménius K, Pettersson JHO, Jaenson TGT, Nilsson K. Prevalence of Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Coxiella burnetii in adult Ixodes ricinus ticks from 29 study areas in central and southern Sweden. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2012; 3:100-6. [PMID: 22487426 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2011.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2011] [Revised: 11/16/2011] [Accepted: 11/17/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
A total of 887 adult Ixodes ricinus ticks (469 females and 418 males) from 29 different localities in Sweden were screened for Rickettsia, Anaplasma, and Coxiella DNA using PCR and then subjected to gene sequencing. Rickettsial DNA was detected in 9.5-9.6% of the ticks. Most of the positive ticks were infected with Rickettsia helvetica. One tick harbored another spotted fever rickettsia, closely related to or identical with R. sibirica not previously found in I. ricinus nor in Sweden. Six of the ticks (0.7%) were infected with an Anaplasma sp., presumably A. phagocytophilum. Coxiella burnetii DNA was not detected in any of the ticks. The detection of R. helvetica and A. phagocytophilum in several of the localities sampled suggests that these potentially human-pathogenic agents are common in Sweden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Wallménius
- Unit of Clinical Bacteriology, Dept. of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Mokhtar AS, Tay ST. Molecular detection of Rickettsia felis, Bartonella henselae, and B. clarridgeiae in fleas from domestic dogs and cats in Malaysia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011; 85:931-3. [PMID: 22049052 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of Rickettsia felis, Bartonella henselae and B. clarridgeiae in 209 fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) obtained from domestic cats and dogs in several locations in Malaysia was investigated in this study. Using a polymerase chain reaction specific for the citrate synthase (gltA) and 17-kD antigenic protein (17kD) genes of rickettsiae, we detected R. felis DNA in 6 (2.9%) fleas. For detection of bartonellae, amplification of the heme-binding protein (pap31) and riboflavin synthase (ribC) genes identified B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae DNA in 24 (11.5%) and 40 (19.1%) fleas, respectively. The DNA of B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae was detected in 10 (4.8%) fleas. Two B. henselae genogroups (Marseille and Houston-1) were detected in this study; genogroup Marseille (genotype Fizz) was found more often in the fleas. The findings in this study suggest fleas as potential vectors of rickettsioses and cat-scratch disease in this country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Syafinaz Mokhtar
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Radulović Ž, Chochlakis D, Tomanović S, Milutinović M, Tselentis Y, Psaroulaki A. First Detection of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Ticks in Serbia. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2011; 11:111-5. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2009.0254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Željko Radulović
- Laboratory for Medical Arachnoentomology, Serbian Centre for Parasitic Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dimosthenis Chochlakis
- Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses, and Geographical Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
| | - Snežana Tomanović
- Laboratory for Medical Arachnoentomology, Serbian Centre for Parasitic Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marija Milutinović
- Laboratory for Medical Arachnoentomology, Serbian Centre for Parasitic Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Yannis Tselentis
- Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses, and Geographical Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
| | - Anna Psaroulaki
- Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses, and Geographical Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
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Reeves WK, Loftis AD, Nicholson WL, Czarkowski AG. The first report of human illness associated with the Panola Mountain Ehrlichia species: a case report. J Med Case Rep 2008; 2:139. [PMID: 18447934 PMCID: PMC2396651 DOI: 10.1186/1752-1947-2-139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2007] [Accepted: 04/30/2008] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Two species of Ehrlichia are known to cause human illness. Several other species have been discovered in ticks and animals, and recent reports suggest that some of these Ehrlichia species might be human pathogens. We report here the first association of a recently discovered pathogen, the Panola Mountain Ehrlichia species, with a case of human illness. CASE PRESENTATION A 31-year-old man from Atlanta, Georgia (GA) in the United States of America (USA) presented with a persistent sore neck of 3 weeks duration following a tick bite. DNA from the Panola Mountain Ehrlichia species, which was recently discovered in a goat in Georgia, was detected in an acute blood sample. Serologic testing was inconclusive. Polymerase chain reaction tests for other tick-borne diseases found in this region were negative. The patient rapidly improved in response to doxycycline therapy. CONCLUSION Detection of Ehrlichia DNA in an acute blood sample meets the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention laboratory confirmation criteria for ehrlichiosis, and response to doxycycline provides supporting clinical evidence. The Panola Mountain Ehrlichia species, an emerging pathogen transmitted by ticks in the eastern USA, should be considered as a possible cause of tick-borne illness in this region.
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Reeves WK. Molecular evidence for a novel Coxiella from Argas monolakensis (Acari: Argasidae) from Mono Lake, California, USA. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2008; 44:57-60. [PMID: 18247143 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-008-9128-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2007] [Accepted: 01/10/2008] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Argasid ticks are vectors of viral and bacterial agents of humans and animals. Recent reports indicate that some ornithophilic argasids harbored rickettsial agents. A Nearctic tick, Argas monolakensis Schwan, Corwin, Brown is ornithophilic and has not previously been examined for rickettsial agents. Thirty adult A. monolakensis were tested by PCR for DNA from Rickettsia or Coxiella. Amplicons from a Coxiella sp. that were divergent from Coxiella burnetii were detected in 16/30 A. monolakensis. These molecular isolates were similar but not identical to C. burnetii, the Coxiella spp. of other ticks, and "Coxiella cheraxi" a pathogen of crayfish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will K Reeves
- Department 3354, College of Agriculture, USDA-ARS-ABADRL, 1000 E University Ave, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
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17
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Svraka S, Rolain JM, Bechah Y, Gatabazi J, Raoult D. Rickettsia prowazekii and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Emerg Infect Dis 2006; 12:428-32. [PMID: 16704780 PMCID: PMC3291444 DOI: 10.3201/eid1203.050888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This highly standardized and adaptable assay could improve epidemic typhus surveillance. Rickettsia prowazekii is the causative agent of epidemic typhus and a potential bioterrorism agent. Sensitive and specific rapid assays are needed to complement existing methods of detecting this organism. We developed a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay by using a species-specific probe targeting the gltA gene. This assay, which was rapid, specific for R. prowazekii only, and sensitive (cutoff detection of 1 to 5 copies per sample), detected and directly identified R. prowazekii in blood of 12 experimentally infected mice sampled at day 3 and 6 postinfection or in naturally or experimentally infected lice. Because our assay is highly standardized and easily adaptable, it could improve epidemic typhus surveillance in public health programs, especially for countries with underdiagnosed or unrecognized human cases.
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Henry KM, Jiang J, Rozmajzl PJ, Azad AF, Macaluso KR, Richards AL. Development of quantitative real-time PCR assays to detect Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis, the causative agents of murine typhus and flea-borne spotted fever. Mol Cell Probes 2006; 21:17-23. [PMID: 16893625 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2006.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2006] [Accepted: 06/28/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis are the etiologic agents of murine typhus and flea-borne spotted fever, respectively. We have constructed two quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays to detect these pathogenic rickettsiae. The qPCR assays were developed utilizing unique sequences of the R. typhi and R. felis outer membrane protein B genes (ompB) to design the specific primers and molecular beacon probes. The assays were found to be species-specific and did not yield false-positive reactions with nucleic acid from other rickettsiae, orientiae, neorickettsiae or unrelated bacteria. In addition, the assays were sensitive enough to detect three target sequence copies per reaction and were capable of detecting R. typhi and R. felis nucleic acid in the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. These results demonstrate that two sensitive and specific qPCR assays have been successfully developed to detect and enumerate R. typhi and R. felis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Henry
- Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500, USA
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19
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Pappas G, Panagopoulou P, Christou L, Akritidis N. Category B Potential Bioterrorism Agents: Bacteria, Viruses, Toxins, and Foodborne and Waterborne Pathogens. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2006; 20:395-421, x. [PMID: 16762744 DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2006.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Pappas
- Institute for Continuing Medical Education of Ioannina, Velissariou 15-19, 45221 Ioannina, Greece.
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20
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Choi YJ, Lee SH, Park KH, Koh YS, Lee KH, Baik HS, Choi MS, Kim IS, Jang WJ. Evaluation of PCR-based assay for diagnosis of spotted fever group rickettsiosis in human serum samples. CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY IMMUNOLOGY 2006; 12:759-63. [PMID: 15939751 PMCID: PMC1151970 DOI: 10.1128/cdli.12.6.759-763.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A nested PCR assay was developed for the detection of spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae in serum samples. The assay was based on specific primers derived from the rickettsial outer membrane protein B gene (rompB) of Rickettsia conorii. An SFG rickettsia-specific signal is obtained from R. akari, R. japonica, R. sibirica, and R. conorii. Other bacterial species tested did not generate any signal, attesting to the specificity of the assay. As few as seven copies of the rompB gene of R. conorii could be detected in 200 microl of serum sample. The assay was evaluated with a panel of sera obtained from patients with acute-phase febrile disease tested by immunofluorescent antibody assay (IFA). The SFG rickettsia-specific DNA fragment was detected in 71 out of 100 sera, which were proven to have immunoglobulin M antibodies against SFG rickettsial antigen by IFA. The results were further confirmed by restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing analysis of the DNA fragments. The results indicated that this PCR assay is suitable for the diagnosis of spotted fever group rickettsiosis in Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeon-Joo Choi
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Choongu-shi, Choongbuk 380-701, Republic of Korea
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21
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Reeves WK, Szumlas DE, Moriarity JR, Loftis AD, Abbassy MM, Helmy IM, Dasch GA. LOUSE-BORNE BACTERIAL PATHOGENS IN LICE (PHTHIRAPTERA) OF RODENTS AND CATTLE FROM EGYPT. J Parasitol 2006; 92:313-8. [PMID: 16729688 DOI: 10.1645/ge-717r.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
We collected 1,023 lice, representing 5 species, from rats and domestic cattle throughout 13 governorates in Egypt and tested these lice for Anaplasma marginale, Bartonella spp., Brucella spp., Borrelia recurrentis, Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, and Rickettsia spp. by PCR amplification and sequencing. Five different louse-borne bacterial agents were detected in lice from rodents or cattle, including "Bartonella rattimassiliensis", "B. phoceensis", and Bartonella sp. near Bartonella tribocorum, Coxiella burnetii, and Rickettsia typhi. More lice from governorates bordering the Mediterranean and Red Seas contained pathogens. Our data indicate that lice of urban and domestic animals harbor pathogenic or potentially pathogenic bacterial agents throughout Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will K Reeves
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, MS G-13, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
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22
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Abstract
Tick-borne encephalopathies constitute a broad range of infectious diseases affecting the brain and other parts of the CNS. The causative agents are both viral and bacterial. This review focuses on the current most important tick-borne human diseases: tick-borne encephalitis (TBE; including Powassan encephalitis) and Lyme borreliosis. Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and Colorado tick fever (CTF), less common tick-borne diseases associated with encephalopathy, are also discussed. TBE is the most important flaviviral infection of the CNS in Europe and Russia, with 10 000-12 000 people diagnosed annually. The lethality of TBE in Europe is 0.5% and a post-encephalitic syndrome is seen in over 40% of affected patients, often producing a pronounced impairment in quality of life. There is no specific treatment for TBE. Two vaccines are available to prevent infection. Although these have a good protection rate and good efficacy, there are few data on long-term immunity. Lyme borreliosis is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe and North America, with >50 000 cases annually. Localised early disease can be treated with oral phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V), doxycycline or amoxicillin. The later manifestations of meningitis, arthritis or acrodermatitis can be treated with oral doxycycline, oral amoxicillin or intravenous ceftriaxone; intravenous benzylpenicillin (penicillin G) or cefotaxime can be used as alternatives. The current use of vaccines against Lyme borreliosis in North America is under discussion, as the LYMErix vaccine has been withdrawn from the market because of possible adverse effects, for example, arthritis. RMSF and CTF appear only in North America. RMSF is an important rickettsial disease and is effectively treated with doxycycline. There is no treatment or preventative measure available for CTF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Göran Günther
- Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Sciences, Akademiska Sjukhuset, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
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23
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Reeves WK, Loftis AD, Sanders F, Spinks MD, Wills W, Denison AM, Dasch GA. Borrelia, Coxiella, and Rickettsia in Carios capensis (Acari: Argasidae) from a brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) rookery in South Carolina, USA. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2006; 39:321-9. [PMID: 16821092 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-006-9012-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2006] [Accepted: 06/01/2006] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Argasid ticks are vectors of viral and bacterial agents of humans and animals. Carios capensis, a tick of seabirds, infests the nests of brown pelicans, Pelecanus occidentalis, and other ground nesting birds along the coast of South Carolina. This tick is associated with pelican nest abandonment and could pose a threat to humans visiting pelican rookeries if visitors are exposed to ticks harboring infectious agents. We collected ticks from a pelican rookery on Deveaux Bank, South Carolina and screened 64 individual ticks, six pools of larvae, and an egg mass for DNA from Bartonella, Borrelia, Coxiella, and Rickettsia by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing. Ticks harbored DNA from "Borrelia lonestari", a novel Coxiella sp., and three species of Rickettsia, including Rickettsia felis and two undescribed Rickettsia spp. DNA from the Coxiella and two undescribed Rickettsia were detected in unfed larvae that emerged in the laboratory, which implies these agents are transmitted vertically by female ticks. We partially characterize the novel Coxiella by molecular means.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will K Reeves
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS G-13, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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24
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Loftis AD, Reeves WK, Szumlas DE, Abbassy MM, Helmy IM, Moriarity JR, Dasch GA. Rickettsial agents in Egyptian ticks collected from domestic animals. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2006; 40:67-81. [PMID: 17004028 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-006-9025-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2006] [Accepted: 08/06/2006] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
To assess the presence of rickettsial pathogens in ticks from Egypt, we collected ticks from domestic and peridomestic animals between June 2002 and July 2003. DNA extracts from 1019 ticks were tested, using PCR and sequencing, for Anaplasma spp., Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia spp., and Rickettsia spp. Ticks included: 29 Argas persicus, 10 Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, 55 Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum, 174 Hyalomma dromedarii, 2 Hyalomma impeltatum, 3 Hyalomma marginatum rufipes, 55 unidentified nymphal Hyalomma, 625 Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, 49 Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and 17 Rhipicephalus turanicus. Ticks were collected predominantly (>80%) from buffalo, cattle, and camels, with smaller numbers from chicken and rabbit sheds, sheep, foxes, a domestic dog, a hedgehog, and a black rat. We detected Anaplasma marginale, Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia aeschlimannii, and four novel genotypes similar to: "Anaplasma platys," Ehrlichia canis, Ehrlichia spp. reported from Asian ticks, and a Rickettsiales endosymbiont of Ixodes ricinus.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic/parasitology
- Base Sequence
- DNA, Bacterial/chemistry
- DNA, Bacterial/genetics
- Egypt
- Female
- Male
- Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary
- Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/chemistry
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/chemistry
- RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics
- Rickettsia/genetics
- Rickettsia/isolation & purification
- Rural Population
- Tick-Borne Diseases/microbiology
- Ticks/microbiology
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda D Loftis
- Viral and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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25
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Reeves WK, Dowling APG, Dasch GA. Rickettsial agents from parasitic dermanyssoidea (Acari: Mesostigmata). EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2006; 38:181-8. [PMID: 16596351 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-006-0007-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2005] [Accepted: 02/01/2006] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Mites are often overlooked as vectors of pathogens, but have been shown to harbor and transmit rickettsial agents such as Rickettsia akari and Orientia tsutsugamushi. We screened DNA extracts from 27 mites representing 25 species of dermanyssoids for rickettsial agents such as Anaplasma, Bartonella, Rickettsia, and Wolbachia by PCR amplification and sequencing. DNA from Anaplasma spp., a novel Bartonella sp., Spiroplasma sp., Wolbachia sp., and an unclassified Rickettsiales were detected in mites. These could represent mite-borne bacterial agents, bacterial DNA from blood meals, or novel endosymbionts of mites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will K Reeves
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, MS G-13, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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26
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Wu JJ, Huang DB, Pang KR, Tyring SK. Rickettsial Infections Around the World, Part 2: Rickettsialpox, the Typhus Group, and Bioterrorism. J Cutan Med Surg 2005; 9:105-15. [PMID: 16392013 DOI: 10.1007/s10227-005-0134-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jashin J Wu
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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27
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Loftis AD, Gill JS, Schriefer ME, Levin ML, Eremeeva ME, Gilchrist MJR, Dasch GA. Detection of Rickettsia, Borrelia, and Bartonella in Carios kelleyi (Acari: Argasidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2005; 42:473-80. [PMID: 15962801 DOI: 10.1093/jmedent/42.3.473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Carios kelleyi (Colley & Kohls 1941), a tick associated with bats and bat habitats, has been reported to feed on humans, but there is little published data regarding the presence of vector-borne pathogens in these ticks. C. kelleyi nymphs and adults were collected from residential and community buildings in Jackson County, Iowa, and tested by polymerase chain reaction for Rickettsia, Borrelia, Bartonella, Coxiella, and Anaplasma. Rickettsia DNA was detected in 28 of 31 live ticks. Sequences of the 17-kDa and rOmpA genes suggest that this agent is a novel spotted fever group Rickettsia. Transstadial and transovarial transmission of this Rickettsia were demonstrated. The flagellin gene of a Borrelia, closely related to B. turicatae, was detected in one of 31 live ticks. The 16S-23S intergenic spacer region of Bartonella henselae also was detected in one of 31 live ticks. Coxiella or A. phagocytophilum DNA were not detected in these ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda D Loftis
- Viral and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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28
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Loftis AD, Gill JS, Schriefer ME, Levin ML, Eremeeva ME, Gilchrist MJR, Dasch GA. Detection of Rickettsia, Borrelia, and Bartonella in Carios kelleyi (Acari: Argasidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2005. [PMID: 15962801 DOI: 10.1603/0022-2585(2005)042[0473:dorbab]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Carios kelleyi (Colley & Kohls 1941), a tick associated with bats and bat habitats, has been reported to feed on humans, but there is little published data regarding the presence of vector-borne pathogens in these ticks. C. kelleyi nymphs and adults were collected from residential and community buildings in Jackson County, Iowa, and tested by polymerase chain reaction for Rickettsia, Borrelia, Bartonella, Coxiella, and Anaplasma. Rickettsia DNA was detected in 28 of 31 live ticks. Sequences of the 17-kDa and rOmpA genes suggest that this agent is a novel spotted fever group Rickettsia. Transstadial and transovarial transmission of this Rickettsia were demonstrated. The flagellin gene of a Borrelia, closely related to B. turicatae, was detected in one of 31 live ticks. The 16S-23S intergenic spacer region of Bartonella henselae also was detected in one of 31 live ticks. Coxiella or A. phagocytophilum DNA were not detected in these ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda D Loftis
- Viral and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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29
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Mokrani K, Fournier PE, Dalichaouche M, Tebbal S, Aouati A, Raoult D. Reemerging threat of epidemic typhus in Algeria. J Clin Microbiol 2004; 42:3898-900. [PMID: 15297561 PMCID: PMC497610 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.42.8.3898-3900.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We report a case of epidemic typhus in a patient from the Batna region of Algeria, who presented with generalized febrile exanthema. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by serological cross-adsorption followed by Western blotting. Our report emphasizes the threat of epidemic typhus in the highlands of Algeria.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Mokrani
- Clinique des Maladies Infectieuses, Centre Hospitalier de Batna, France
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30
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Fang R, Houhamdi L, Raoult D. Detection of Rickettsia prowazekii in body lice and their feces by using monoclonal antibodies. J Clin Microbiol 2002; 40:3358-63. [PMID: 12202579 PMCID: PMC130794 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.40.9.3358-3363.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to identify Rickettsia prowazekii in lice, we developed a panel of 29 representative monoclonal antibodies selected from 187 positive hybridomas made by fusing splenocytes of immunized mice with SP2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells. Immunoblotting revealed that 15 monoclonal antibodies reacted with the lipopolysaccharide-like (LPS-L) antigen and 14 reacted with the epitopes of a 120-kDa protein. Only typhus group rickettsiae reacted with the monoclonal antibodies against LPS-L. R. felis, a recently identified rickettsial species, did not react with these monoclonal antibodies, confirming that it is not antigenically related to the typhus group. Monoclonal antibodies against the 120-kDa protein were highly specific for R. prowazekii. We successfully applied a selected monoclonal antibody against the 120-kDa protein to detect by immunofluorescence assay R. prowazekii in smears from 56 wild and laboratory lice, as well as in 10 samples of louse feces infected or not infected with the organism. We have developed a simple, practical, and specific diagnostic assay for clinical specimens and large-scale epidemiological surveys with a sensitivity of 91%. These monoclonal antibodies could be added to the rickettsial diagnostic panel and be used to differentiate R. prowazekii from other rickettsial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Fang
- Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculty of Medicine, 13385 Marseille, France
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31
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Kelly DJ, Richards AL, Temenak J, Strickman D, Dasch GA. The past and present threat of rickettsial diseases to military medicine and international public health. Clin Infect Dis 2002; 34:S145-69. [PMID: 12016590 DOI: 10.1086/339908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Morbidity and mortality caused by rickettsioses have had a major influence on military activities and public health for >2000 years. The threat posed by the rickettsioses is reviewed, focusing on the impact and epidemiology of those that have adversely influenced wartime operations and the current challenges posed by these diseases. With their uneven worldwide distribution, the discovery of drug-refractory strains of Orientia tsutsugamushi, the increased threat of their use in acts of bioterrorism, frequent deployment of troops to regions of endemicity, and exposures due to increased humanitarian missions, these diseases continue to be a threat to military personnel in the field. Effective strategies to reduce the impact of these diseases include development of effective vaccines, enhanced surveillance, and development of new safe, effective, and odorless repellants. The continuation of a proven, highly productive military infectious disease research program is essential for providing solutions to these daunting tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daryl J Kelly
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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32
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Massung RF, Davis LE, Slater K, McKechnie DB, Puerzer M. Epidemic typhus meningitis in the southwestern United States. Clin Infect Dis 2001; 32:979-82. [PMID: 11247722 DOI: 10.1086/319351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2000] [Revised: 07/24/2000] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A patient residing in New Mexico had murine typhus diagnosed. A novel molecular assay was performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Rickettsia prowazekii, the agent of epidemic typhus, was found, rather than R. typhi. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of epidemic typhus confirmed by means of polymerase chain reaction--based testing of cerebrospinal fluid, and it introduces a novel assay for the molecular diagnosis of both epidemic and murine typhus.
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Affiliation(s)
- R F Massung
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Atlanta, GA, 30333 USA.
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33
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McQuiston JH, Childs JE, Chamberland ME, Tabor E. Transmission of tick-borne agents of disease by blood transfusion: a review of known and potential risks in the United States. Transfusion 2000; 40:274-84. [PMID: 10738026 DOI: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.2000.40030274.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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34
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Affiliation(s)
- S R Graves
- The Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, The Geelong Hospital, Victoria
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35
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La Scola B, Raoult D. Laboratory diagnosis of rickettsioses: current approaches to diagnosis of old and new rickettsial diseases. J Clin Microbiol 1997; 35:2715-27. [PMID: 9350721 PMCID: PMC230049 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.35.11.2715-2727.1997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 306] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- B La Scola
- Unité des Rickettsies, UPRESA 6020, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerrannée, Marseille, France
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Tseng SY, Macool D, Elliott V, Tice G, Jackson R, Barbour M, Amorese D. An homogeneous fluorescence polymerase chain reaction assay to identify Salmonella. Anal Biochem 1997; 245:207-12. [PMID: 9056213 DOI: 10.1006/abio.1996.9970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
We have developed a semiquantitative homogeneous fluorescence assay that combines polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with direct fluorescence detection (HF-PCR). The assay eliminates the need to perform gel electrophoresis on test samples. Using a set of Salmonella-specific primers, this system was used to verify suspect colonies from culture plates as Salmonella. The fluorescence signal is generated by a nucleic acid dye, YO-PRO-1, that is included in the amplification reaction. This homogeneous PCR assay was used to test 84 Salmonella strains picked from selective culture plates. All data indicated positive results when compared with 17 non-Salmonella strains (in general, Citrobacter, Hafnia, Proteus, and Escherichia). The HF-PCR assay is a sensitive, simple, accurate, and reproducible method that correlates well with size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography and gel electrophoresis techniques as a means to monitor PCR-mediated DNA amplification. This assay can confirm suspect colonies within 2.5 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Y Tseng
- Qualicon, Wilmington, Delaware 19880-0357, USA
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37
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Affiliation(s)
- J D Baxter
- Department of Medicine, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden 08103, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Kostman
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa. 19140, USA
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Faizal M, Jimenez G, Burgos C, Del Portillo P, Romero RE, Patarroyo ME. Diagnosis of cutaneous tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction using a species-specific gene. Int J Dermatol 1996; 35:185-8. [PMID: 8655234 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1996.tb01636.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB), especially cutaneous TBC, by conventional microbiologic methods is still a very laborious process and the results are usually inconclusive. Our purpose was to identify M. tuberculosis bacilli in uncultured clinical samples from skin lesions by means of the rapid, specific, and sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR). METHODS The PCR, using a set of species-specific primers, was performed on biopsies and fluid secretions from lesions. RESULTS A positive amplification reaction was observed in three of the four samples studied. For one of the samples, the result was confirmed by a positive culture in Löwenstein-Jensen medium and for the other two, by molecular hybridization and the clinical course of the patients after treatment. Samples obtained from a patient with panniculitis of Christian-Weber and a normal skin biopsy were included as negative controls. CONCLUSIONS We propose the PCR method as a tool for the diagnosis of cutaneous TBC. The presence of the M. tuberculosis in an erythema induratum of Bazin suggests a revision of the concept of this disease as a tuberculide reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Faizal
- Dermatology Department, Hospital San Juan de Dios, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Santafé de Bogotá, D.C. Columbia
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Dumler JS, Walker DH. Diagnostic Tests for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Other Rickettsial Diseases. Dermatol Clin 1994. [DOI: 10.1016/s0733-8635(18)30199-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Yan Y, Uchiyama T, Uchida T. Differentiation of Rickettsia japonica by restriction endonuclease fragment length polymorphism using products of polymerase chain reaction amplification with Rickettsia rickettsii 190-kilodalton surface antigen gene primers. Microbiol Immunol 1993; 37:441-5. [PMID: 7901739 DOI: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1993.tb03234.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Restriction fragment length polymorphism of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification products differentiated Rickettsia japonica, a causative agent of Oriental spotted fever, from other spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. Primer pair Rr190. 70p and Rr190. 602n of R. rickettsii 190-kDa antigen gene sequence primed genomic DNAs obtained from R. japonica, type strain YH and strains NT, NK, YKI, and TKN. The products were cleaved by PstI but not by AfaI restriction endonuclease. The PstI digestion pattern of PCR-products amplified from all strains of R. japonica was identical and easily differentiated from that of other SFG rickettsiae. The present study demonstrated a genotypic difference between R. japonica and other pathogenic SFG rickettsiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Yan
- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan
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44
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Affiliation(s)
- T Uchida
- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan
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45
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Boyd
- Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock
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Murai K, Tachibana N, Okayama A, Shishime E, Tsuda K, Oshikawa T. Sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction assay for Rickettsia tsutsugamushi in patients' blood samples. Microbiol Immunol 1992; 36:1145-53. [PMID: 1491618 DOI: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1992.tb02118.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
We developed a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to detect Rickettsia tsutsugamushi (R. tsutsugamushi) DNA and determined its sensitivity. Primers were selected from the DNA sequence of the 58-kDa group-specific antigen gene of the Karp strain. The target sequence of rickettsial DNA was detectable as the band corresponding to 88 bp in 1.0 microgram of the DNA extracted from BS-C-1 cells infected with R. tsutsugamushi. Rickettsia-specific bands were observed not only for the homologous Karp strain, but also for four heterologous strains: two other reference strains (Gilliam and Kato) and two prototype strains prevalent in Miyazaki district (Irie and Hirano). The minimum copy number detectable by this method was estimated to be five rickettsiae. All of nine peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples from patients with tsutsugamushi disease who were seen 2-11 days after disease onset tested positive for rickettsial DNA. The PCR assay method presented here could be a specific diagnostic tool for tsutsugamushi disease, especially in its early acute stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Murai
- Second Department of Medicine, Miyazaki Medical School, Japan
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47
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Gage KL, Gilmore RD, Karstens RH, Schwan TG. Detection of Rickettsia rickettsii in saliva, hemolymph and triturated tissues of infected Dermacentor andersoni ticks by polymerase chain reaction. Mol Cell Probes 1992; 6:333-41. [PMID: 1528203 DOI: 10.1016/0890-8508(92)90010-u] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The technique of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is potentially superior to existing methods for detecting rickettsial infections in ticks. For this reason, we developed assays for identifying rickettsial infections in ticks by PCR. Our assays amplified a 500 bp fragment from the gene encoding the rOmp B protein of Rickettsia rickettsii. The selected primers amplified fragments of the predicted size from all spotted fever group rickettsiae (R. rickettsii, R. parkeri, R. conorii, R. sibirica) tested. No amplified products were detected when typhus group rickettsiae (R. canada, R. prowazekii, R. typhi) were assayed. Using techniques described in this study, we reliably amplified the predicted product from hemolymph, saliva and ground leg tissue samples from live, partially fed, infected ticks. Samples derived from infected ticks preserved in 70% ethanol also were suitable for amplification by PCR. Similar assays performed with infected ticks preserved in 5% buffered formalin seldom gave positive results.
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Affiliation(s)
- K L Gage
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, Montana
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Schattner A, Leitner M, Keysary A, Geltner D. Case report: fatal seronegative rickettsial infection diagnosed by the polymerase chain reaction. Am J Med Sci 1992; 303:392-4. [PMID: 1605168 DOI: 10.1097/00000441-199206000-00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
A previously healthy man presented with a five day history of high fever and headache, later followed by rash and the appearance of jaundice. On the second hospital day, he suddenly developed seizures, lapsed into a coma, and died. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification revealed a 434 base pairs DNA fragment common to the genome of typhus and spotted fever group rickettsiae in the patient's blood (estimated at about 1 x 10(2) organisms/ml), and to a lesser degree in the cerebrospinal fluid. However, serological tests for rickettsiae remained negative. PCR techniques may confirm the diagnosis at an early stage, even though the rickettsemia may be minimal and the patient seronegative.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Schattner
- Department of Medicine A, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel
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Tseng RY, Ho AK, Li CK, Tam JS, Mo SF, Leung B, Oppenheimer SJ. Spotted fever in Hong Kong. ANNALS OF TROPICAL PAEDIATRICS 1992; 12:255-7. [PMID: 1280039 DOI: 10.1080/02724936.1992.11747581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A previously healthy 7-year-old Hong Kong-born Caucasian child developed sudden onset fever, followed by a generalized rash and systemic symptoms of rigor and prostration, mucous membrane involvement (conjunctivitis) and arthralgia. He lives in a rural area of Hong Kong and has been in contact with various domestic animals--rodents, dogs and cows. Chloramphenicol 50 mg/kg/day was given on day 4 with rapid response. Subsequent Weil-Felix test and specific serology suggested the diagnosis of rickettsial infection of the spotted fever group. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed case of spotted fever reported in Hong Kong.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Y Tseng
- Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong
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Affiliation(s)
- T J White
- Roche Molecular Systems, Alameda, California 94501
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