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Du CH, Yang JH, Yao MG, Jiang BG, Zhang Y, He ZH, Xiang R, Shao ZT, Luo CF, Pu EN, Huang L, Li YQ, Wang F, Bie SS, Luo Z, Du CB, Zhao J, Li M, Sun Y, Jiang JF. Systematic investigation of the Borrelia miyamotoi spirochetes in ticks, wildlife and domestic animal hosts in Yunnan province, Southwest China. One Health 2024; 18:100735. [PMID: 38711479 PMCID: PMC11070625 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Borrelia miyamotoi is a spirochete species transmitted via hard ticks. Following its discovery in Japan, this pathogen has been detected around the world, and is increasingly confirmed as a human pathogen causing febrile disease, namely relapsing fever. Its presence has been confirmed in the Northeast China. However, there is little information regarding the presence of B. miyamotoi and other hard-tick-borne relapsing fever spirochetes in southern China including Yunnan province, where tick and animal species are abundant and many people both inhabit and visit for recreation. Methods For the present study, we collected samples of ticks, wildlife, and domestic animal hosts from different counties in Yunnan province. Nucleic acids from samples were extracted, and the presence of B. miyamotoi and other relapsing fever spirochetes was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the 16S rRNA specific target gene fragment. The positive samples were then amplified for partial genome of the flaB and glpQ genes. Statistical differences in its distribution were analyzed by SPSS 20 software. Sequence of partial 16S rRNA, flaB and glpQ genome were analyzed and phylogenetic trees were constructed. Results A total of 8260 samples including 2304 ticks, 4120 small mammals and 1836 blood of domestic animal hosts were collected for screening for infection of B. miyamotoi and other relapsing fever spirochetes. Cattle and sheep act as the main hosts and Rhipicephalus microplus, Haemaphysalis nepalensis, H. kolonini and Ixodes ovatus were identified as the important vector host with high prevalence or wide distribution. Only one Mus caroli (mouse) and one Sorex alpinus (shrew) were confirmed positive for relapsing fever spirochetes. Evidence of vertical transmission in ticks was also confirmed. Two known strains of B. miyamotoi and one novel relapsing fever spirochetes, B. theileri-like agent, were confirmed and described with their host adaptation, mutation, and potential risk of spreading and spillover for human beings. Conclusions Our results provide new evidence of relapsing fever spirochetes in vector and animal hosts in Yunnan province based on large sample sizes, and offer guidance on further investigation, surveillance and monitoring of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Hong Du
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Ji-Hu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, PR China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, PR China
| | - Ming-Guo Yao
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Bao-Gui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Zhi-Hai He
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Rong Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Zong-Ti Shao
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Chun-Feng Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - En-Nian Pu
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Lin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Yu-Qiong Li
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Fan Wang
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Shuang-Shuang Bie
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Zhi Luo
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Chao-Bo Du
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Jie Zhao
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Miao Li
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, PR China
| | - Yi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Jia-Fu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, PR China
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Brandt KS, Armstrong BA, Goodrich I, Gilmore RD. Borrelia miyamotoi BipA-like protein, BipM, is a candidate serodiagnostic antigen distinguishing between Lyme disease and relapsing fever Borrelia infections. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102324. [PMID: 38367587 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
A Borrelia miyamotoi gene with partial homology to bipA of relapsing fever spirochetes Borrelia hermsii and Borrelia turicatae was identified by a GenBank basic alignment search analysis. We hypothesized that this gene product may be an immunogenic antigen as described for other relapsing fever Borrelia (RFB) and could serve as a serological marker for B. miyamotoi infections. The B. miyamotoi gene was a truncated version about half the size of the B. hermsii and B. turicatae bipA with a coding sequence of 894 base pairs. The gene product had a calculated molecular size of 32.7 kDa (including the signal peptide). Amino acid alignments with B. hermsii and B. turicatae BipA proteins and with other B. miyamotoi isolates showed conservation at the carboxyl end. We cloned the B. miyamotoi bipA-like gene (herein named bipM) and generated recombinant protein for serological characterization and for antiserum production. Protease protection analysis demonstrated that BipM was surface exposed. Serologic analyses using anti-B. miyamotoi serum samples from tick bite-infected and needle inoculated mice showed 94 % positivity against BipM. The 4 BipM negative serum samples were blotted against another B. miyamotoi antigen, BmaA, and two of them were seropositive resulting in 97 % positivity with both antigens. Serum samples from B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.)-infected mice were non-reactive against rBipM by immunoblot. Serum samples from Lyme disease patients were also serologically negative against BipM except for 1 sample which may have indicated a possible co-infection. A recently published study demonstrated that B. miyamotoi BipM was non-reactive against serum samples from B. hermsii, Borrelia parkeri, and B. turicatae infected animals. These results show that BipM has potential for a B. miyamotoi-infection specific and sensitive serodiagnostic to differentiate between Lyme disease and various RFB infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin S Brandt
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Brittany A Armstrong
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Irina Goodrich
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Robert D Gilmore
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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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. 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Janzén T, Choudhury F, Hammer M, Petersson M, Dinnétz P. Ticks - public health risks in urban green spaces. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1031. [PMID: 38614967 PMCID: PMC11015579 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18540-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urban green spaces are important for human health, but they may expose visitors to tick-borne diseases. This not only presents a potential public health challenge but also undermines the expected public health gains from urban green spaces. The aim of this study is to assess the public health risk of tick-borne diseases in an urban green space used for recreation in Stockholm, Sweden. METHODS We used a mixed method approach identifying both the magnitude of the tick hazard and the extent of the human exposure to tick-borne diseases. At six entry points to an urban green space, we sampled ticks and documented microhabitat conditions from five randomly assigned 2 m × 2 m plots. Surrounding habitat data was analyzed using geographical information system (GIS). Nymphs and adult ticks were tested for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum using TaqMan qPCR. Positive B. burgdorferi (s.l.) ticks were further analyzed by nested PCR amplification and sequence analysis. Population census data and visitor count data were used to estimate the degree of human exposure to tick-borne diseases. To further understand the degree to which visitors get in contact with infected ticks we also conducted interviews with visitors to green spaces. RESULTS High tick densities were commonly found in humid broadleaved forest with low field vegetation. High pathogen prevalence was significantly correlated with increasing proportions of artificial areas. Integrating the tick hazard with human exposure we found that the public health risk of tick-borne diseases was moderate to high at most of the studied entry points. Many of the visitors frequently used urban green spaces. Walking was the most common activity, but visitors also engaged in activities with higher risk for tick encounters. Individual protective measures were connected to specific recreational activities such as picking berries or mushrooms. CONCLUSIONS The number of visitors can be combined with tick inventory data and molecular analyses of pathogen prevalence to make crude estimations of the public health risk of tick-borne diseases in urban green spaces. The risk of encountering infected ticks is omnipresent during recreational activities in urban green spaces, highlighting the need for public health campaigns to reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thérese Janzén
- Department of Natural Science, Environment and Technology, Södertörn University, Hudding, Sweden.
| | - Firoza Choudhury
- Department of Natural Science, Environment and Technology, Södertörn University, Hudding, Sweden
| | - Monica Hammer
- Department of Natural Science, Environment and Technology, Södertörn University, Hudding, Sweden
| | - Mona Petersson
- Department of Natural Science, Environment and Technology, Södertörn University, Hudding, Sweden
| | - Patrik Dinnétz
- Department of Natural Science, Environment and Technology, Södertörn University, Hudding, Sweden
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Zakham F, Korhonen EM, Puonti PT, Castrén RS, Uusitalo R, Smura T, Kant R, Vapalahti O, Sironen T, Kinnunen PM. Molecular detection of pathogens from ticks collected from dogs and cats at veterinary clinics in Finland. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:327. [PMID: 37704990 PMCID: PMC10498522 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05864-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks carry microbes, some of which are pathogenic for humans and animals. To assess this One Health challenge, 342 ticks were collected from pet dogs and cats at 10 veterinary clinics in Finland as part of the European project "Protect Our Future Too". METHODS The tick species were identified, and ticks were screened with quantitative PCR (qPCR) for tick-borne pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Borrelia miyamotoi, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma spp., Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), and Babesia spp. For comparison, a subset of tick DNA (20 qPCR-positive samples) was analysed with 16S next-generation sequencing (NGS). RESULTS Most ticks were Ixodes ricinus (289, 84.5%), followed by Ixodes persulcatus (51, 14.9%). One hybrid tick (I. ricinus/I. persulcatus, 0.3%) and one Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick (0.3%) were identified. We found one or more of the analysed pathogens in 17% (59/342) of the ticks. The most prevalent pathogen was B. burgdorferi s.l. (36, 10.5%), followed by Anaplasma phagocytophilum (12, 3.5%), B. miyamotoi (5, 1.5%), Babesia venatorum (4, 1.2%), and TBEV (1, 0.3%). Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis DNA was amplified from three (0.9%) ticks. Ehrlichia canis was not detected. In the 16S NGS, six samples produced enough reads for the analysis. In these six samples, we confirmed all the positive qPCR findings of Borrelia spp. and Ca. N. mikurensis. CONCLUSIONS The high prevalence of pathogenic microorganisms in the ticks of this study emphasizes the importance of awareness of ticks and tick-borne diseases and prevention. Furthermore, the results show that veterinary surveillance can facilitate early detection of tick-borne pathogens and new tick species and draw attention to possible co-infections that should be considered both in symptomatic humans and animals after tick bites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fathiah Zakham
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Essi M Korhonen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petteri T Puonti
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Robert S Castrén
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ruut Uusitalo
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teemu Smura
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Clinical Microbiology, HUS Diagnostic Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ravi Kant
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Clinical Microbiology, HUS Diagnostic Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Paula M Kinnunen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Companion Animal Business Unit, Nordic Cluster, MSD Animal Health, Espoo, Finland.
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Schwartz T, Hoornstra D, Øie E, Hovius J, Quarsten H. Case report: First case of Borrelia miyamotoi meningitis in an immunocompromised patient in Norway. IDCases 2023; 33:e01867. [PMID: 37577049 PMCID: PMC10412827 DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2023.e01867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tick-borne disease caused by B. miyamotoi (BMD) usually manifest as a febrile illness in humans. Complications include relapsing fever and in rare occasions involvement of the central nervous system. Only a few cases of meningoencephalitis have been described, mostly in immunosuppressed patients. Case presentation A 70-year-old female receiving immunosuppressive rituximab therapy presented with frontal headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and chills. Clinical laboratory blood analyses were normal. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was translucent and analysis showed increased leucocyte count (187 106/L) and elevated level of protein (1056 mg/L). Empiric antibiotic treatment was initiated. The patient showed an early symptomatic relief and 24 h after admission she was discharged from the hospital and antibiotic treatment was discontinued. Two weeks after hospitalisation the B. miyamotoi specific PCR turned out positive in both CSF and serum. At the time, the patient was recovered with mild residual headache. She was treated with high dose doxycycline and her subtle symptoms disappeared. Conclusions To our knowledge, we present the first patient with BMD-associated meningitis in Norway, one of eight cases reported worldwide. The patient had mild symptoms and received an early diagnosis. A more severe progression or relapse of disease may have been prevented by antibiotic treatment. BMD should be considered as causes of aseptic meningitis, especially in immunosuppressed patients living in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Schwartz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Oslo New University College, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dieuwertje Hoornstra
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Erik Øie
- Department of Internal Medicine, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Joppe Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hanne Quarsten
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand, Norway
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Igolkina Y, Yakimenko V, Tikunov A, Epikhina T, Tancev A, Tikunova N, Rar V. Novel Genetic Lineages of Rickettsia helvetica Associated with Ixodes apronophorus and Ixodes trianguliceps Ticks. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1215. [PMID: 37317189 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ixodes apronophorus is an insufficiently studied nidicolous tick species. For the first time, the prevalence and genetic diversity of Rickettsia spp. in Ixodes apronophorus, Ixodes persulcatus, and Ixodes trianguliceps ticks from their sympatric habitats in Western Siberia were investigated. Rickettsia helvetica was first identified in I. apronophorus with a prevalence exceeding 60%. "Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae" dominated in I. persulcatus, whereas I. trianguliceps were infected with "Candidatus Rickettsia uralica", R. helvetica, and "Ca. R. tarasevichiae". For larvae collected from small mammals, a strong association was observed between tick species and rickettsiae species/sequence variants, indicating that co-feeding transmission in studied habitats is absent or its impact is insignificant. Phylogenetic analysis of all available R. helvetica sequences demonstrated the presence of four distinct genetic lineages. Most sequences from I. apronophorus belong to the unique lineage III, and single sequences cluster into the lineage I alongside sequences from European I. ricinus and Siberian I. persulcatus. Rickettsia helvetica sequences from I. trianguliceps, along with sequences from I. persulcatus from northwestern Russia, form lineage II. Other known R. helvetica sequences from I. persulcatus from the Far East group into the lineage IV. The obtained results demonstrated the high genetic variability of R. helvetica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yana Igolkina
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Lavrentiev Avenue 8, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Valeriy Yakimenko
- Omsk Research Institute of Natural Foci Infections, Mira Avenue 7, 644080 Omsk, Russia
| | - Artem Tikunov
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Lavrentiev Avenue 8, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Tamara Epikhina
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Lavrentiev Avenue 8, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Aleksey Tancev
- Omsk Research Institute of Natural Foci Infections, Mira Avenue 7, 644080 Omsk, Russia
| | - Nina Tikunova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Lavrentiev Avenue 8, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Vera Rar
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Lavrentiev Avenue 8, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
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Quarsten H, Henningsson A, Krogfelt K, Strube C, Wennerås C, Mavin S. Tick-borne diseases under the radar in the North Sea Region. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102185. [PMID: 37116420 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The impact of tick-borne diseases caused by pathogens such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Borrelia miyamotoi, Rickettsia helvetica and Babesia species on public health is largely unknown. Data on the prevalence of these pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks from seven countries within the North Sea Region in Europe as well as the types and availability of diagnostic tests and the main clinical features of their corresponding diseases is reported and discussed. Raised awareness is needed to discover cases of these under-recognized types of tick-borne disease, which should provide valuable insights into these diseases and their clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne Quarsten
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand 4615, Norway.
| | - Anna Henningsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology in Jönköping, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönköping 55185, Sweden; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping 58183, Sweden
| | - Karen Krogfelt
- Department of Science and Environment, University of Roskilde, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover 30559, Germany
| | - Christine Wennerås
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg 413 46, Sweden
| | - Sally Mavin
- Scottish Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Infections Reference Laboratory, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness IV2 3BW, United Kingdom
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Burde J, Bloch EM, Kelly JR, Krause PJ. Human Borrelia miyamotoi Infection in North America. Pathogens 2023; 12:553. [PMID: 37111439 PMCID: PMC10145171 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging pathogen that causes a febrile illness and is transmitted by the same hard-bodied (ixodid) ticks that transmit several other pathogens, including Borrelia species that cause Lyme disease. B. miyamotoi was discovered in 1994 in Ixodes persulcatus ticks in Japan. It was first reported in humans in 2011 in Russia. It has subsequently been reported in North America, Europe, and Asia. B. miyamotoi infection is widespread in Ixodes ticks in the northeastern, northern Midwestern, and far western United States and in Canada. In endemic areas, human B. miyamotoi seroprevalence averages from 1 to 3% of the population, compared with 15 to 20% for B. burgdorferi. The most common clinical manifestations of B. miyamotoi infection are fever, fatigue, headache, chills, myalgia, arthralgia, and nausea. Complications include relapsing fever and rarely, meningoencephalitis. Because clinical manifestations are nonspecific, diagnosis requires laboratory confirmation by PCR or blood smear examination. Antibiotics are effective in clearing infection and are the same as those used for Lyme disease, including doxycycline, tetracycline, erythromycin, penicillin, and ceftriaxone. Preventive measures include avoiding areas where B. miyamotoi-infected ticks are found, landscape management, and personal protective strategies such as protective clothing, use of acaricides, and tick checks with rapid removal of embedded ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jed Burde
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Evan M. Bloch
- Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21217, USA
| | - Jill R. Kelly
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Peter J. Krause
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in the Northern Hemisphere and is the causative agent of Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD). Borrelia miyamotoi is vectored by the same hard-bodied ticks as Lyme disease Borrelia, yet phylogenetically groups with relapsing fever Borrelia, and thus, has been uniquely labeled a hard tick-borne relapsing fever Borrelia. Burgeoning research has uncovered new aspects of B. miyamotoi in human patients, nature, and the lab. Of particular interest are novel findings on disease pathology, prevalence, diagnostic methods, ecological maintenance, transmission, and genetic characteristics. Herein, we review recent literature on B. miyamotoi, discuss how findings adapt to current Borrelia doctrines, and briefly consider what remains unknown about B. miyamotoi.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Catherine A. Brissette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
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Azagi T, Hoeve-bakker BJA, Jonker M, Roelfsema JH, Sprong H, Kerkhof K. Technical Evaluation of qPCR Multiplex Assays for the Detection of Ixodes ricinus-Borne Pathogens. Microorganisms 2022; 10:2222. [DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The extent to which infections with Ixodes ricinus-borne pathogens (TBPs), other than Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), cause disease in humans remains unclear. One of the reasons is that adequate diagnostic modalities are lacking in routine or research settings. Methods: We evaluated the analytical specificity, sensitivity and robustness of qPCR assays for the detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Spiroplasma ixodetis, several Babesia species and Spotted Fever Rickettsia species as well as Bartonella species in human samples. Results: The qPCRs were found to perform well, given the difficulties of dealing with microorganisms for which confirmed patient materials are scarce or non-existent, a hurdle that was partially overcome by using synthetic controls. Spiking blood samples with the tested microorganisms showed that the detection of the TBPs was not inhibited by the presence of blood. The acceptable sensitivity when multiplexing the different pathogens, the good inter-assay variability and the absence of cross-reactivity make them potentially suitable as human diagnostics. Conclusions: The qPCRs evaluated in this study are technically suitable for the laboratory diagnostic assessment of clinical samples for infection with tick-borne pathogens. However, clinical validation and independent confirmation are still needed, pending the availability of sufficient human samples for testing in different laboratories.
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