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Tang T, Zhu Y, Zhang YY, Chen JJ, Tian JB, Xu Q, Jiang BG, Wang GL, Golding N, Mehlman ML, Lv CL, Hay SI, Fang LQ, Liu W. The global distribution and the risk prediction of relapsing fever group Borrelia: a data review with modelling analysis. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2024; 5:e442-e451. [PMID: 38467129 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(23)00396-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The recent discovery of emerging relapsing fever group Borrelia (RFGB) species, such as Borrelia miyamotoi, poses a growing threat to public health. However, the global distribution and associated risk burden of these species remain uncertain. We aimed to map the diversity, distribution, and potential infection risk of RFGB. METHODS We searched PubMed, Web of Science, GenBank, CNKI, and eLibrary from Jan 1, 1874, to Dec 31, 2022, for published articles without language restriction to extract distribution data for RFGB detection in vectors, animals, and humans, and clinical information about human patients. Only articles documenting RFGB infection events were included in this study, and data for RFGB detection in vectors, animals, or humans were composed into a dataset. We used three machine learning algorithms (boosted regression trees, random forest, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression) to assess the environmental, ecoclimatic, biological, and socioeconomic factors associated with the occurrence of four major RFGB species: Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia lonestari, Borrelia crocidurae, and Borrelia hermsii; and mapped their worldwide risk level. FINDINGS We retrieved 13 959 unique studies, among which 697 met the selection criteria and were used for data extraction. 29 RFGB species have been recorded worldwide, of which 27 have been identified from 63 tick species, 12 from 61 wild animals, and ten from domestic animals. 16 RFGB species caused human infection, with a cumulative count of 26 583 cases reported from Jan 1, 1874, to Dec 31, 2022. Borrelia recurrentis (17 084 cases) and Borrelia persica (2045 cases) accounted for the highest proportion of human infection. B miyamotoi showed the widest distribution among all RFGB, with a predicted environmentally suitable area of 6·92 million km2, followed by B lonestari (1·69 million km2), B crocidurae (1·67 million km2), and B hermsii (1·48 million km2). The habitat suitability index of vector ticks and climatic factors, such as the annual mean temperature, have the most significant effect among all predictive models for the geographical distribution of the four major RFGB species. INTERPRETATION The predicted high-risk regions are considerably larger than in previous reports. Identification, surveillance, and diagnosis of RFGB infections should be prioritised in high-risk areas, especially within low-income regions. FUNDING National Key Research and Development Program of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Jin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Bo Tian
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Bao-Gui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Guo-Lin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Nick Golding
- Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia; School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia; Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Max L Mehlman
- Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Chen-Long Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Simon I Hay
- Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Li-Qun Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China.
| | - Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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Horowitz RI, Fallon J, Freeman PR. Combining Double-Dose and High-Dose Pulsed Dapsone Combination Therapy for Chronic Lyme Disease/Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome and Co-Infections, Including Bartonella: A Report of 3 Cases and a Literature Review. Microorganisms 2024; 12:909. [PMID: 38792737 PMCID: PMC11124288 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Three patients with relapsing and remitting borreliosis, babesiosis, and bartonellosis, despite extended anti-infective therapy, were prescribed double-dose dapsone combination therapy (DDDCT) for 8 weeks, followed by one or several two-week courses of pulsed high-dose dapsone combination therapy (HDDCT). We discuss these patients' cases to illustrate three important variables required for long-term remission. First, diagnosing and treating active co-infections, including Babesia and Bartonella were important. Babesia required rotations of multiple anti-malarial drug combinations and herbal therapies, and Bartonella required one or several 6-day HDDCT pulses to achieve clinical remission. Second, all prior oral, intramuscular (IM), and/or intravenous (IV) antibiotics used for chronic Lyme disease (CLD)/post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS), irrespective of the length of administration, were inferior in efficacy to short-term pulsed biofilm/persister drug combination therapy i.e., dapsone, rifampin, methylene blue, and pyrazinamide, which improved resistant fatigue, pain, headaches, insomnia, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Lastly, addressing multiple factors on the 16-point multiple systemic infectious disease syndrome (MSIDS) model was important in achieving remission. In conclusion, DDDCT with one or several 6-7-day pulses of HDDCT, while addressing abnormalities on the 16-point MSIDS map, could represent a novel effective clinical and anti-infective strategy in CLD/PTLDS and associated co-infections including Bartonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard I. Horowitz
- New York State Department of Health Tick-Borne Working Group, Albany, NY 12224, USA
- Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center, Hyde Park, NY 12538, USA; (J.F.); (P.R.F.)
| | - John Fallon
- Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center, Hyde Park, NY 12538, USA; (J.F.); (P.R.F.)
| | - Phyllis R. Freeman
- Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center, Hyde Park, NY 12538, USA; (J.F.); (P.R.F.)
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Clare G, Kempen JH, Pavésio C. Infectious eye disease in the 21st century-an overview. Eye (Lond) 2024:10.1038/s41433-024-02966-w. [PMID: 38355671 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-024-02966-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases affecting the eye often cause unilateral or asymmetric visual loss in children and people of working age. This group of conditions includes viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic diseases, both common and rare presentations which, in aggregate, may account for a significant portion of the global visual burden. Diagnosis is frequently challenging even in specialist centres, and many disease presentations are highly regional. In an age of globalisation, an understanding of the various modes of transmission and the geographic distribution of infections can be instructive to clinicians. The impact of eye infections on global disability is currently not sufficiently captured in global prevalence studies on visual impairment and blindness, which focus on bilateral disease in the over-50s. Moreover, in many cases it is hard to differentiate between infectious and immune-mediated diseases. Since infectious eye diseases can be preventable and frequently affect younger people, we argue that in future prevalence studies they should be considered as a separate category, including estimates of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) as a measure of overall disease burden. Numbers of ocular infections are uniquely affected by outbreaks as well as endemic transmission, and their control frequently relies on collaborative partnerships that go well beyond the remit of ophthalmology, encompassing domains as various as vaccination, antibiotic development, individual healthcare, vector control, mass drug administration, food supplementation, environmental and food hygiene, epidemiological mapping, and many more. Moreover, the anticipated impacts of global warming, conflict, food poverty, urbanisation and environmental degradation are likely to magnify their importance. While remote telemedicine can be a useful aide in the diagnosis of these conditions in resource-poor areas, enhanced global reporting networks and artificial intelligence systems may ultimately be required for disease surveillance and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John H Kempen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary; and Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Sight for Souls, Bellevue, WA, USA
- MCM Eye Unit; MyungSung Christian Medical Center (MCM) Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and MyungSung Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Addis Ababa University School of Medicine, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Santodomingo A, Thomas R, Thompson M, Robbiano S, Espinoza P, Muñoz-Leal S. Experimental transmission of a novel relapsing fever group Borrelia harbored by Ornithodoros octodontus (Ixodida: Argasidae) in Chile. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2024; 92:241-252. [PMID: 38321309 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-023-00881-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Tick-borne relapsing fever spirochetes of genus Borrelia thrive in enzootic cycles involving Ornithodoros spp. (Argasidae) mainly, and rodents. The isolation of these spirochetes usually involves a murine model in which ticks are fed and the spirochetes detected in blood several days later. Such an experiment also demonstrates that a given species of tick is competent in the transmission of the bacteria. Here, soft ticks Ornithodoros octodontus were collected in Northern Chile with the objective to experimentally determine its capacity to transmit a Borrelia sp. detected in a previous study. Two Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) were used to feed nymphs and adults of O. octodontus and the spirochetes in blood were inspected by dark-field microscopy and nested PCR. Although spirochetes were not seen in blood, DNA was detected in only one animal 11 days after the ticks were fed. Genetic sequences of Borrelia flaB, clpX, pepX, recG, rplB, and uvrA genes retrieved from DNA extraction of positive blood were employed to construct two phylogenetic analyses. On the one hand, the flaB tree showed the Borrelia sp. transmitted by O. octodontus clustering with Borrelia sp. Alcohuaz, which was previously detected in that same tick species. On the other hand, concatenated clpX-pepX-recG-rplB-uvrA demonstrated that the characterized spirochete branches together with "Candidatus Borrelia caatinga", a recently discovered species from Brazil. Based on the genetic profile presented in this study, the name "Candidatus Borrelia octodonta" is proposed for the species transmitted by O. octodontus. The fact that spirochetes were not observed in blood of guinea pigs, may reflect the occurrence of low spirochetemia, which could be explained because the susceptibility of infection varies depending on the rodent species that is used in experimental models. Although the vertebrate reservoir of "Ca. Borrelia octodonta" is still unknown, Octodon degus, a rodent species that is commonly parasitized by O. octodontus, should be a future target to elucidate this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Santodomingo
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Richard Thomas
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Michele Thompson
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Sofía Robbiano
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Pablo Espinoza
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- ONG Dosel, San Fabián, Chile
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
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5
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Nepveu-Traversy ME, Fausther-Bovendo H, Babuadze G(G. Human Tick-Borne Diseases and Advances in Anti-Tick Vaccine Approaches: A Comprehensive Review. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:141. [PMID: 38400125 PMCID: PMC10891567 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12020141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This comprehensive review explores the field of anti-tick vaccines, addressing their significance in combating tick-borne diseases of public health concern. The main objectives are to provide a brief epidemiology of diseases affecting humans and a thorough understanding of tick biology, traditional tick control methods, the development and mechanisms of anti-tick vaccines, their efficacy in field applications, associated challenges, and future prospects. Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a significant and escalating threat to global health and the livestock industries due to the widespread distribution of ticks and the multitude of pathogens they transmit. Traditional tick control methods, such as acaricides and repellents, have limitations, including environmental concerns and the emergence of tick resistance. Anti-tick vaccines offer a promising alternative by targeting specific tick proteins crucial for feeding and pathogen transmission. Developing vaccines with antigens based on these essential proteins is likely to disrupt these processes. Indeed, anti-tick vaccines have shown efficacy in laboratory and field trials successfully implemented in livestock, reducing the prevalence of TBDs. However, some challenges still remain, including vaccine efficacy on different hosts, polymorphisms in ticks of the same species, and the economic considerations of adopting large-scale vaccine strategies. Emerging technologies and approaches hold promise for improving anti-tick vaccine development and expanding their impact on public health and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hugues Fausther-Bovendo
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 75550, USA;
| | - George (Giorgi) Babuadze
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 75550, USA;
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Levine ZC, Sene A, Mkandawire W, Deme AB, Ndiaye T, Sy M, Gaye A, Diedhiou Y, Mbaye AM, Ndiaye IM, Gomis J, Ndiop M, Sene D, Faye Paye M, MacInnis BL, Schaffner SF, Park DJ, Badiane AS, Colubri A, Ndiaye M, Sy N, Sabeti PC, Ndiaye D, Siddle KJ. Investigating the etiologies of non-malarial febrile illness in Senegal using metagenomic sequencing. Nat Commun 2024; 15:747. [PMID: 38272885 PMCID: PMC10810818 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44800-7] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The worldwide decline in malaria incidence is revealing the extensive burden of non-malarial febrile illness (NMFI), which remains poorly understood and difficult to diagnose. To characterize NMFI in Senegal, we collected venous blood and clinical metadata in a cross-sectional study of febrile patients and healthy controls in a low malaria burden area. Using 16S and untargeted sequencing, we detected viral, bacterial, or eukaryotic pathogens in 23% (38/163) of NMFI cases. Bacteria were the most common, with relapsing fever Borrelia and spotted fever Rickettsia found in 15.5% and 3.8% of cases, respectively. Four viral pathogens were found in a total of 7 febrile cases (3.5%). Sequencing also detected undiagnosed Plasmodium, including one putative P. ovale infection. We developed a logistic regression model that can distinguish Borrelia from NMFIs with similar presentation based on symptoms and vital signs (F1 score: 0.823). These results highlight the challenge and importance of improved diagnostics, especially for Borrelia, to support diagnosis and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoë C Levine
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate Program in Biological and Biomedical Science, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aita Sene
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Winnie Mkandawire
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Awa B Deme
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Tolla Ndiaye
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Mouhamad Sy
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Amy Gaye
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Younouss Diedhiou
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Amadou M Mbaye
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ibrahima M Ndiaye
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Jules Gomis
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Médoune Ndiop
- Programme National de lutte contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Santé, Dakar Fann, Senegal
| | - Doudou Sene
- Programme National de lutte contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Santé, Dakar Fann, Senegal
| | | | - Bronwyn L MacInnis
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen F Schaffner
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Daniel J Park
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aida S Badiane
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Andres Colubri
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Mouhamadou Ndiaye
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ngayo Sy
- Service de Lutte Anti Parasitaire, Thies, Senegal
| | - Pardis C Sabeti
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
| | - Daouda Ndiaye
- Department of Parasitology, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Dakar, Senegal.
- Centre International de Recherche et de Formation en Génomique Appliquée et de la Surveillance Sanitaire, Dakar, Senegal.
| | - Katherine J Siddle
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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Kim MM, Shea G, Šlapeta J. Detection of tick-borne bacterial DNA (Rickettsia sp.) in reptile ticks Amblyomma moreliae from New South Wales, Australia. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:89. [PMID: 38194190 PMCID: PMC10776464 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08108-7] [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: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Ticks are major arthropod vectors of disease, transmitting tick-borne pathogens during blood meal episodes. Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia spp. are two tick-borne pathogens of zoonotic concern previously identified in DNA isolates from the tick genera Amblyomma and Bothriocroton associated with reptilian hosts in Australia. Some reports suggest that these reptile ticks bite and attach to humans via accidental parasitism and transmit disease, with the tick Bothriocroton hydrosauri known to transmit Rickettsia honei or Flinders Island Spotted Fever Rickettsia to humans. This descriptive study aims to identify the ticks collected from wild reptiles submitted to veterinary clinics and captured by snake rescuers from New South Wales (NSW), Australia, and detect the presence of tick-borne bacterial DNA using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to detect Rickettsia spp. and Bartonella spp. and conventional nested-PCR to detect Borrelia spp. Morphological identification revealed ticks removed from one eastern blue-tongued lizard (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) from North-Eastern NSW (Lismore), one eastern blue-tongued lizard from the Greater Sydney area (Canley Heights), one diamond python (Morelia spilota spilota) from the Greater Sydney area (Woronora Heights) and one red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) from the Greater Sydney Area (Cronulla) in New South Wales were Amblyomma moreliae. No ticks were positive for Bartonella spp. and Borrelia spp. DNA using real-time PCR targeting ssrA gene and nested PCR targeting Borrelia-specific 16S rRNA gene, respectively. Real-time PCR targeting gltA, ompA, ompB and 17kDa gene of Rickettsia spp. revealed 14 out of 16 ticks were positive. The undescribed Rickettsia sp. DNA was identical to that previously recovered from reptile ticks in Australia and closely related to Rickettsia tamurae and Rickettsia monacensis, both of which are aetiologic pathogens of the Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis (SFGR). These results accentuate the ongoing need for increased study efforts to understand zoonotic potential of bacteria from reptile ticks and the tick-reptile-human relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Misong Kim
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Glenn Shea
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
- Australian Museum Research Institute, The Australian Museum, Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Jan Šlapeta
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.
- The University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.
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8
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Khan M, Almutairi MM, Alouffi A, Tanaka T, Chang SC, Chen CC, Ali A. Molecular evidence of Borrelia theileri and closely related Borrelia spp. in hard ticks infesting domestic animals. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1297928. [PMID: 38089703 PMCID: PMC10715414 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1297928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks pose significant threats to hosts by transmitting Borrelia spp., which are grouped into Lyme borreliae, relapsing fever borreliae (RF), and reptiles- and monotremes-associated borreliae. The RF borreliae encompass a group of Borrelia species predominantly transmitted by soft ticks, but some of its members can also be transmitted by hard ticks. Information on the detection and genetic characterization of tick-borne RF borreliae, including Borrelia theileri, is notably rare in Asia, particularly in Pakistan. Herein, we employed molecular techniques to detect borreliae in hard ticks collected from domestic animals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Ticks were subjected to morphological analysis, followed by DNA extraction and PCR amplification of partial fragments of borrelial 16S rRNA and flaB genes. A total of 729 ticks were collected from 264 hosts, with Haemaphysalis cornupunctata (12.9%; 94/729) being the most prevalent, followed by Hyalomma anatolicum (11.7%; 85/729), Rhipicephalus microplus (10.0%; 73/729), Haemaphysalis kashmirensis (9.1%; 66/729), Haemaphysalis bispinosa (8.5%; 62/729), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (8%; 58/729), Haemaphysalis montgomeryi (6.2%; 45/729), Rhipicephalus turanicus (5.5%; 40/729), Hyalomma dromedarii and Ixodes kashmirensis (4.4%; 32/729 each), Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (4.1%; 30/729), Haemaphysalis sulcata and Hyalomma scupense (3.8%; 28/729 each), Haemaphysalis danieli (2.9%; 21/729), Hyalomma kumari (2.6%; 19/729), and Hyalomma isaaci (2.2%; 16/729). Based on 16S rRNA detection of Borrelia spp., only R. turanicus yielded positive results, resulting in an overall infection rate of 0.3% (2/160), while using flaB-based detection, four tick species including R. microplus, R. turanicus, Ha. sulcata, and Ha. cornupunctata showed positive results, yielding an overall infection rate of 6.9% (11/160). The amplified DNA fragments of borrelial 16S rRNA and flaB in R. turanicus from goats shared maximum identities of 100 and 99.40% with Borrelia theileri, respectively. Amplified borrelial flaB fragments in R. microplus from cows and sheep displayed 100% identity with B. theileri, while flaB fragments in Ha. cornupunctata and Ha. sulcata from goats revealed identities of 99.32 and 99.75% with undetermined RF Borrelia spp., respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed clustering of B. theileri from R. microplus and R. turanicus with the same species, while Borrelia spp. from Ha. cornupunctata and Ha. sulcata with undetermined RF Borrelia spp. Notably, this research marks the first documentation of B. theileri in R. turanicus and the identification of RF Borrelia spp. in Ha. cornupunctata and Ha. sulcata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehran Khan
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Mashal M. Almutairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz Alouffi
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Shun-Chung Chang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chin Chen
- Department of Pathology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
- Department of Cosmetic Science, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Translational Medicine, Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
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9
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Diarra AZ, Kelly P, Davoust B, Parola P. Tick-Borne Diseases of Humans and Animals in West Africa. Pathogens 2023; 12:1276. [PMID: 38003741 PMCID: PMC10675719 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12111276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are a significant group of arthropod vectors that transmit a large variety of pathogens responsible for human and animal diseases worldwide. Ticks are the second biggest transmitters of vector-borne diseases, behind mosquitoes. However, in West Africa, there is often only limited knowledge of tick-borne diseases. With the scarcity of appropriate diagnostic services, the prevalence of tick-borne diseases is generally underestimated in humans. In this review, we provide an update on tick-borne pathogens reported in people, animals and ticks in West Africa by microscopic, immunological and molecular methods. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar. The selection criteria included all studies conducted in West Africa reporting the presence of Rickettsia, Borrelia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Bartonella, Coxiella burnetii, Theileria, Babesia, Hepatozoon and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever viruses in humans, animals or ticks. Our intention is to raise awareness of tick-borne diseases amongst human and animal health workers in West Africa, and also physicians working with tourists who have travelled to the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adama Zan Diarra
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.Z.D.); (B.D.)
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Patrick Kelly
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis;
| | - Bernard Davoust
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.Z.D.); (B.D.)
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, MEPHI, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Parola
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.Z.D.); (B.D.)
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, 13005 Marseille, France
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de la Fuente J, Estrada-Peña A, Rafael M, Almazán C, Bermúdez S, Abdelbaset AE, Kasaija PD, Kabi F, Akande FA, Ajagbe DO, Bamgbose T, Ghosh S, Palavesam A, Hamid PH, Oskam CL, Egan SL, Duarte-Barbosa A, Hekimoğlu O, Szabó MPJ, Labruna MB, Dahal A. Perception of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases Worldwide. Pathogens 2023; 12:1258. [PMID: 37887774 PMCID: PMC10610181 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12101258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In this comprehensive review study, we addressed the challenge posed by ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) with growing incidence affecting human and animal health worldwide. Data and perspectives were collected from different countries and regions worldwide, including America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. The results updated the current situation with ticks and TBD and how it is perceived by society with information bias and gaps. The study reinforces the importance of multidisciplinary and international collaborations to advance in the surveillance, communication and proposed future directions to address these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain;
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
- Research Group in Emerging Zoonoses, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Marta Rafael
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain;
| | - Consuelo Almazán
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonóma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, Mexico;
| | - Sergio Bermúdez
- Medical Entomology Research Department, Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Research, Panama City 0816-02593, Panama;
| | - Abdelbaset E. Abdelbaset
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-18, Nishi-9, Sapporo 060-0818, Hokkaido, Japan;
| | - Paul D. Kasaija
- National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI/NARO), Kampala P.O. Box 5704, Uganda; (P.D.K.); (F.K.)
| | - Fredrick Kabi
- National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI/NARO), Kampala P.O. Box 5704, Uganda; (P.D.K.); (F.K.)
| | - Foluke Adedayo Akande
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta 111101, Ogun State, Nigeria;
| | - Dorcas Oluwakemi Ajagbe
- Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, College of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta 111101, Ogun State, Nigeria;
| | - Timothy Bamgbose
- Department of Biological Sciences, Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Science, Kings University, Ode-Omu City 221102, Osun State, Nigeria;
| | - Srikant Ghosh
- Entomology Laboratory, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly 243122, Uttar Pradesh, India;
- IVRI-Eastern Regional Station, 37, Belgachia Road, Kolkata 700037, West Bengal, India
| | - Azhahianambi Palavesam
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai 600051, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Penny H. Hamid
- Department of Animal Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia;
| | - Charlotte L. Oskam
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; (C.L.O.); (S.L.E.)
- Centre for One Health and Biosecurity, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia;
| | - Siobhon L. Egan
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; (C.L.O.); (S.L.E.)
- Centre for One Health and Biosecurity, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia;
| | - Amanda Duarte-Barbosa
- Centre for One Health and Biosecurity, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia;
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Olcay Hekimoğlu
- Division of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, Ankara 06800, Turkey;
| | - Matias P. J. Szabó
- Laboratório de Ixodologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720/Campus Umuarama-Bloco 2T, Uberlândia 38400-902, Brazil;
| | - Marcelo B. Labruna
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-220, Brazil;
| | - Ananta Dahal
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries, Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan 44200, Nepal;
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11
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Grąźlewska W, Holec-Gąsior L. Antibody Cross-Reactivity in Serodiagnosis of Lyme Disease. Antibodies (Basel) 2023; 12:63. [PMID: 37873860 PMCID: PMC10594444 DOI: 10.3390/antib12040063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease caused by spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. The disease is characterized by a varied course; therefore, the basis for diagnosis is laboratory methods. Currently, a two-tiered serological test is recommended, using an ELISA as a screening test and a Western blot as a confirmatory test. This approach was introduced due to the relatively high number of false-positive results obtained when using an ELISA alone. However, even this approach has not entirely solved the problem of false-positive results caused by cross-reactive antibodies. Many highly immunogenic B. burgdorferi s.l. proteins are recognized nonspecifically by antibodies directed against other pathogens. This also applies to antigens, such as OspC, BmpA, VlsE, and FlaB, i.e., those commonly used in serodiagnostic assays. Cross-reactions can be caused by both bacterial (relapsing fever Borrelia, Treponema pallidum) and viral (Epstein-Baar virus, Cytomegalovirus) infections. Additionally, a rheumatoid factor has also been shown to nonspecifically recognize B. burgdorferi s.l. proteins, resulting in false-positive results. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully interpret the results of serodiagnostic tests so as to avoid overdiagnosis of Lyme disease, which causes unnecessary implementations of strong antibiotic therapies and delays in the correct diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucyna Holec-Gąsior
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland;
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12
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Shah JS, Burrascano JJ, Ramasamy R. Recombinant protein immunoblots for differential diagnosis of tick-borne relapsing fever and Lyme disease. J Vector Borne Dis 2023; 60:353-364. [PMID: 38174512 DOI: 10.4103/0972-9062.383641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease (LD) is caused by a group of tick-borne bacteria of the genus Borrelia termed Lyme disease Borreliae (LDB). The detection of serum antibodies to specific LDB antigens is widely used to support diagnosis of LD. Recent findings highlight a need for serological tests that can differentiate LD from tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) caused by a separate group of Borrelia species termed relapsing fever Borreliae. This is because LD and TBRF share some clinical symptoms and can occur in overlapping locations. The development of serological tests for TBRF is at an early stage compared with LD. This article reviews the application of line immunoblots (IBs), where recombinant proteins applied as lines on nitrocellulose membrane strips are used to detect antibodies in patient sera, for the diagnosis and differentiation of LD and TBRF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyotsna S Shah
- IGeneX Inc. Milpitas; ID-FISH Technology Inc., California, USA
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13
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Mitchell PG, Natsios C, Haag MB, Qin X, Vaz LE. Relapsing Fever: A Rare Cause of Pediatric Fever of Unknown Origin. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2023; 62:1285-1289. [PMID: 36797991 DOI: 10.1177/00099228231154129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul G Mitchell
- Department of Pediatrics, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Claire Natsios
- Department of Pediatrics, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Meredith B Haag
- Department of Pediatrics, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Xuan Qin
- Clinical Microbiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Louise E Vaz
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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14
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Deng YP, Fu YT, Yao C, Shao R, Zhang XL, Duan DY, Liu GH. Emerging bacterial infectious diseases/pathogens vectored by human lice. Travel Med Infect Dis 2023; 55:102630. [PMID: 37567429 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2023.102630] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Human lice have always been a major public health concern due to their vector capacity for louse-borne infectious diseases, like trench fever, louse-borne relapsing fever, and epidemic fever, which are caused by Bartonella quintana, Borrelia recurrentis, and Rickettsia prowazekii, respectively. Those diseases are currently re-emerging in the regions of poor hygiene, social poverty, or wars with life-threatening consequences. These louse-borne diseases have also caused outbreaks among populations in jails and refugee camps. In addition, antibodies and DNAs to those pathogens have been steadily detected in homeless populations. Importantly, more bacterial pathogens have been detected in human lice, and some have been transmitted by human lice in laboratories. Here, we provide a comprehensive review and update on louse-borne infectious diseases/bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Ping Deng
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yi-Tian Fu
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Parasitology, Xiangya School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chaoqun Yao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
| | - Renfu Shao
- Centre for Bioinnovation, School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
| | - Xue-Ling Zhang
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - De-Yong Duan
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Guo-Hua Liu
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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15
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Levine ZC, Sene A, Mkandawire W, Deme AB, Ndiaye T, Sy M, Gaye A, Diedhiou Y, Mbaye AM, Ndiaye I, Gomis J, Ndiop M, Sene D, Paye MF, MacInnis B, Schaffner SF, Park DJ, Badiane AS, Colubri A, Ndiaye M, Sy N, Sabeti PC, Ndiaye D, Siddle KJ. Improving diagnosis of non-malarial fevers in Senegal: Borrelia and the contribution of tick-borne bacteria. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.08.24.23294564. [PMID: 37662407 PMCID: PMC10473814 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.24.23294564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide decline in malaria incidence is revealing the extensive burden of non-malarial febrile illness (NMFI), which remains poorly understood and difficult to diagnose. To characterize NMFI in Senegal, we collected venous blood and clinical metadata from febrile patients and healthy controls in a low malaria burden area. Using 16S and unbiased sequencing, we detected viral, bacterial, or eukaryotic pathogens in 29% of NMFI cases. Bacteria were the most common, with relapsing fever Borrelia and spotted fever Rickettsia found in 15% and 3.7% of cases, respectively. Four viral pathogens were found in a total of 7 febrile cases (3.5%). Sequencing also detected undiagnosed Plasmodium, including one putative P. ovale infection. We developed a logistic regression model to distinguish Borrelia from NMFIs with similar presentation based on symptoms and vital signs. These results highlight the challenge and importance of improved diagnostics, especially for Borrelia, to support diagnosis and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoë C Levine
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate Program in Biological and Biomedical Science, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Aita Sene
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Winnie Mkandawire
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Awa B Deme
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Tolla Ndiaye
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Mouhamad Sy
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Amy Gaye
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Younouss Diedhiou
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Amadou M Mbaye
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ibrahima Ndiaye
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Jules Gomis
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Médoune Ndiop
- Programme National de Lutte contre le Paludisme (PNLP), Ministère de la Santé, Dakar Fann, Senegal
| | - Doudou Sene
- Programme National de Lutte contre le Paludisme (PNLP), Ministère de la Santé, Dakar Fann, Senegal
| | | | - Bronwyn MacInnis
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen F Schaffner
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Daniel J Park
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aida S Badiane
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Andres Colubri
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Mouhamadou Ndiaye
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ngayo Sy
- Service de Lutte Anti Parasitaire, Thies, Senegal
| | - Pardis C Sabeti
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Daouda Ndiaye
- Centre International de recherche, de formation en Génomique Appliquée et de Surveillance Sanitaire (CIGASS), Dakar, Senegal
| | - Katherine J Siddle
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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16
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Abera EG, Tukeni KN, Didu GH, Chala TK, Yilma D, Gudina EK. Epistaxis and thrombocytopenia as major presentations of louse borne relapsing fever: Hospital-based study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279721. [PMID: 36584095 PMCID: PMC9803200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) remains a cause of sporadic illness and occasional outbreaks in Ethiopia and other east African countries in overcrowded and unhygienic settings. In this article, we present clinical profiles and treatment outcome of patients treated as confirmed or probable cases of LBRF at Jimma Medical Center (JMC) in southwest Ethiopia. METHODS Patients treated as confirmed or probable cases of LBRF at JMC during a period of May-July 2022 were prospectively followed during their course of hospital stay. All patients were evaluated with blood film for hemoparasites, complete blood count, and liver enzymes on hospital presentation. They were followed with daily clinical evaluation during their hospital stay. RESULT Thirty-six patients were treated as cases of LBRF. All patients except one were from Jimma Main Prison in Jimma Town, Ethiopia. All the patients were male with mean age of 28.7 years (SD = 12.7). The diagnosis of LBRF was confirmed by detection of B. recurrentis in blood film of 14 (38.9%) of the patients; the rest were treated as presumptive case of LBRF. Fever, reported by all patients, and an acute onset epistaxis, 30 (83.3%), were the major reasons for healthcare visits. Twenty-two (61.1%) patients were having thrombocytopenia with a platelet count < 150,000/μL; nine (25%) of which had severe forms (<50,000/μL). All patients were treated with oral doxycycline and discharged with improvement after a mean length of hospital stay of 4.25 days (SD = 0.77), range 2-6 days. Public health emergency was activated within two days of the first cases and helped in delousing all the cases and their contacts. CONCLUSION LBRF remains a public health problem in Ethiopia in settings with poor personal hygiene. Patients with LBRF may present with severe thrombocytopenia and life-threatening bleeding. Early detection and treatment initiation prevents outbreak propagation and improves treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyob Girma Abera
- Department of Public Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia
- Clinical Trial Unit, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia
- * E-mail:
| | | | | | - Temesgen Kabeta Chala
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia
| | - Daniel Yilma
- Clinical Trial Unit, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia
| | - Esayas Kebede Gudina
- Clinical Trial Unit, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia
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17
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Is Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto in South America? First Molecular Evidence of Its Presence in Colombia. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7120428. [PMID: 36548683 PMCID: PMC9788524 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7120428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Borrelia encompasses spirochetal species that are part of three well-defined groups. Two of these groups contain pathogens that affect humans: the group causing Lyme disease (LDG) and the relapsing fever group (RFG). Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., which is distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, and relapsing fevers are caused by Borrelia spp., which are found in temperate and tropical countries and are an emerging but neglected pathogens. In some departments of Colombia, there are records of the presence of Borrelia sp. in humans and bats. However, little is known about the impact and circulation of Borrelia spp. in the country, especially in wildlife, which can act as a reservoir and/or amplifying host. In this context, the objective of our research was to detect and identify the Borrelia species present in wild mammals in the departments of Caldas and Risaralda in Colombia. For morphological detection, blood smears and organ imprints were performed, and molecular identification was carried out through a nested PCR directed on the flagellin B (flaB) gene. A total of 105 mammals belonging to three orders (Chiroptera, Didelphimorphia and Rodentia) were analyzed, of which 15.24% (n = 16) were positive for Borrelia. Molecularly, the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. in lung tissues of Thomasomys aureus and blood of Mus musculus (Rodentia) was detected, with 99.64 and 100% identity, respectively. Borrelia sp. genospecies from a clade branch of a bat-associated LDG sister group were identified in seven individuals of bat species, such as Artibeus lituratus, Carollia brevicauda, Sturnira erythromos, and Glossophaga soricina. Furthermore, two Borrelia genospecies from the RFG in seven individuals of bats (A. lituratus, Artibeus jamaicensis, Platyrrhinus helleri, Mesophylla macconnelli, Rhynchonycteris naso) and rodents (Coendou rufescens, Microryzomys altissimus) were documented. Additionally, the presence of a spirochete was detected by microscopy in the liver of a Sturnira erythromos bat specimen. These results contain the first molecular evidence of the presence of B. burgdorferi s.s. in South America, which merits the need for comprehensive studies involving arthropods and vertebrates (including humans) in other departments of Colombia, as well as neighboring countries, to understand the current status of the circulation of Borrelia spp. in South America.
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18
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Puri BK, Monro JA. Detection of 41-kDa bacterial flagellin protein by the lymphocyte transformation test-memory lymphocyte immunostimulation assay. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 11:72-77. [PMID: 36187894 PMCID: PMC9520187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Diagnosis of human infection by various species of the bacterial genus Borrelia is mainly reliant on serological testing, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or culture but such serological tests have been reported to have heterogeneous sensitivities, while Borrelia PCR and culture have been reported as being of modest diagnostic value. It has been suggested that the adjunctive use of the lymphocyte transformation test-memory lymphocyte immunostimulation assay (LTT-MELISA) may be helpful in this regard; however, the clinical usefulness of this assay has been questioned. The Borrelia immunodominant 41-kDa flagellin protein almost always gives rise to a marked human antibody response following infection. It was therefore decided to determine whether the LTT-MELISA detects the human antibody response to this antigen. METHODS Blood samples from consecutive patients with possible borreliosis attending a clinic were independently tested by both Western blots and LTT-MELISA. RESULTS After omitting cases with indeterminate Western blot results and equivocal LTT-MELISA results, multiple linear regression modelling demonstrated that the 41-kDa flagellin immunoglobulin (Ig) M level was predictable from two LTT-MELISA variables (F 2,51 = 5.981, P = 0.005). Similarly, the corresponding 41-kDa IgG model also contained two LTT-MELISA variables (F 2,57 = 3.700, P = 0.031). CONCLUSION It is concluded that the LTT-MELISA appears to be able to detect the response to this antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean A Monro
- Breakspear Medical GroupHemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK
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Detection of African Swine Fever Virus in Ornithodoros Tick Species Associated with Indigenous and Extralimital Warthog Populations in South Africa. Viruses 2022; 14:v14081617. [PMID: 35893686 PMCID: PMC9331695 DOI: 10.3390/v14081617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the possibility that sylvatic circulation of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in warthogs and Ornithodoros ticks had extended beyond the historically affected northern part of South Africa that was declared a controlled area in 1935 to prevent the spread of infection to the rest of the country. We recently reported finding antibody to the virus in extralimital warthogs in the south of the country, and now describe the detection of infected ticks outside the controlled area. A total of 5078 ticks was collected at 45 locations in 7/9 provinces during 2019-2021 and assayed as 711 pools for virus content by qPCR, while 221 pools were also analysed for tick phylogenetics. Viral nucleic acid was detected in 50 tick pools representing all four members of the Ornithodoros (Ornithodoros) moubata complex known to occur in South Africa: O. (O.) waterbergensis and O. (O.) phacochoerus species yielded ASFV genotypes XX, XXI, XXII at 4 locations and O. (O.) moubata yielded ASFV genotype I at two locations inside the controlled area. Outside the controlled area, O. (O.) moubata and O. (O.) compactus ticks yielded ASFV genotype I at 7 locations, while genotype III ASFV was identified in O. (O.) compactus ticks at a single location. Two of the three species of the O. (O.) savignyi complex ticks known to be present in the country, O. (O.) kalahariensis and O. (O.) noorsveldensis, were collected at single locations and found negative for virus. The only member of the Pavlovskyella subgenus of Ornithodoros ticks known to occur in South Africa, O. (P.) zumpti, was collected from warthog burrows for the first time, in Addo National Park in the Eastern Cape Province where ASFV had never been recorded, and it tested negative for the viral nucleic acid. While it is confirmed that there is sylvatic circulation of ASFV outside the controlled area in South Africa, there is a need for more extensive surveillance and for vector competence studies with various species of Ornithodoros ticks.
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Atypical Borrelia garinii infection in an immunocompromised patient mimicking high grade lymphoma. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 121:102-104. [PMID: 35525526 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.04.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
We report an atypical Borrelia garinii infection in an immunocompromised patient. It was first suspected as a transformation of follicular lymphoma into high-grade lymphoma. Spirochetes were directly observed on a peripheral blood smear and the diagnosis was confirmed using molecular methods. The clinical presentation and the diagnosis are unique and contrast with the cases described in the literature in immunocompromised patients.
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