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Chitimia-Dobler L, Schaper S, Mansfeld P, Gonschorrek J, Bröker M, Nava S. Detection of Amblyomma mixtum (Acari: Ixodidae) in Germany on a Human Traveler Returning From Cuba. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 57:962-964. [PMID: 31808809 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The importation of exotic ticks to Germany on infested humans is rarely reported. Here we describe the detection of an Amblyomma mixtum nymph harboring Rickettsia amblyommatis by a tourist returning from a holiday trip to Cuba. Tick infestation may be neglected by tourists. Therefore, careful anamnesis and diagnosis should be carried out when tourists return from tropical and subtropical countries suffering from nonspecific symptoms, such as fever and malaise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Chitimia-Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
- University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
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Hubálek Z, Sedláček P, Estrada-Peña A, Vojtíšek J, Rudolf I. First record of Hyalomma rufipes in the Czech Republic, with a review of relevant cases in other parts of Europe. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101421. [PMID: 32360146 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We found a male Hyalomma rufipes Koch, 1844 tick feeding on a horse grazing near Valtice, south Moravia, Czech Republic on October 24, 2019. The horse was born in Czechland and did not leave the country at least during the last five years. Relevant findings of Hyalomma ticks in other parts of central Europe are reviewed, including also records of pre-imaginal Hyalomma marginatum complex ticks on migrating birds all over Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdenek Hubálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 60365 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Pavel Sedláček
- Protected Landscape Area "Palava", Mikulov, Czech Republic
| | - Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 500-13 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Jakub Vojtíšek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 60365 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ivo Rudolf
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 60365 Brno, Czech Republic
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Masoud HMM, Helmy MS, Darwish DA, Abdel-Monsef MM, Ibrahim MA. Apyrase with anti-platelet aggregation activity from the nymph of the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2020; 80:349-361. [PMID: 31927645 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-020-00471-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Apyrase is one of the essential platelet aggregation inhibitors in hematophagous arthropods due to its ability to hydrolyze ATP and ADP molecules. Here, an apyrase (TNapyrase) with antiplatelet aggregation activity was purified and characterized from the nymphs of the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii through anion exchange and gel filtration columns. The homogeneity of TNapyrase was confirmed by native-PAGE, SDS-PAGE as well as with isoelectric focusing. Purified TNapyrase had a molecular mass of 25 kDa and a monomer structure. TNapyrase hydrolyzed various nucleotides in the order of ATP > PPi > ADP > UDP > 6GP. The Km value was 1.25 mM ATP and its optimum activity reached at pH 8.4. The influence of various ions on TNapyrase activity showed that FeCl2, FeCl3 and ZnCl2 are activators of TNapyrase. EDTA inhibited TNapyrase activity competitively with a single binding site on the molecule and Ki value of 2 mM. Finally, TNapyrase caused 70% inhibition of ADP-stimulated platelets aggregation and is a possible target for antibodies in future tick vaccine studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan M M Masoud
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St. (former El Tahrir St.), Dokki, P.O. 12622, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Mohamed S Helmy
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St. (former El Tahrir St.), Dokki, P.O. 12622, Giza, Egypt
| | - Doaa A Darwish
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St. (former El Tahrir St.), Dokki, P.O. 12622, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mohamed M Abdel-Monsef
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St. (former El Tahrir St.), Dokki, P.O. 12622, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud A Ibrahim
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St. (former El Tahrir St.), Dokki, P.O. 12622, Giza, Egypt
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Okely M, Anan R, Gad-Allah S, Samy AM. Mapping the environmental suitability of etiological agent and tick vectors of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Acta Trop 2020; 203:105319. [PMID: 31874130 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is one of the most important public health threats in many regions across Africa, Europe, and Asia. This study used ecological niche modeling analyses to map the environmental suitability of both CCHF virus (CCHFV), and its tick vectors (Amblyomma variegatum, Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma rufipes, Hyalomma truncatum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi) in the Old World countries. The CCHFV was anticipated to occur with high environmental suitability across southern and central Europe, northwestern Africa, central Asia, and western Mediterranean region. Ecological niche models of tick vectors anticipated diverse patterns based on the tick species in question; D. marginatus and H. marginatum showed high environmental suitability in southern and central Europe, and North Africa. The remaining vector species were anticipated to occur in Africa. All models were statistically robust and performed better than random (P < 0.001). Finally, we tested the niche similarities between CCHFV and diverse tick vectors and could not reject the null hypotheses of niche similarity in all vector-virus combinations (P > 0.05) except the combinations of CCHFV with A. variegatum, R. evertsi evertsi and R. appendiculatus (P < 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Okely
- Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
| | - Rabia Anan
- Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Sohair Gad-Allah
- Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Abdallah M Samy
- Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
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First records of adult Hyalomma marginatum and H. rufipes ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Sweden. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101403. [PMID: 32037097 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
From July 2018 to January 2019 we recorded 41 specimens of adult Hyalomma ticks, which had been found on horses, cattle or humans in 14 Swedish provinces. In 20 cases we received tick specimens, which were identified morphologically as adults of H. marginatum (n = 11) or H. rufipes (n = 9). These are the first documented records in Sweden of adults of H. marginatum and H. rufipes. Molecular tests for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus and piroplasms (Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.) proved negative; 12 out of 20 tested specimens were positive for rickettsiae (R. aeschlimannii was identified in 11 of the ticks). All ticks originated from people or animals that had not been abroad during the previous two months. These data suggest (i) that the adult Hyalomma ticks originated from immature ticks, which had been brought from the south by migratory birds arriving in Sweden during spring or early summer; and that (ii) due to the exceptionally warm summer of 2018 these immature ticks had been able to develop to the adult stage in the summer and/or autumn of the same year. The rapidly changing climate most likely now permits these two Hyalomma species to develop to the adult, reproductive stage in northern Europe. There is consequently a need to revise the risk maps on the potential geographic occurrence of relevant tick species and related tick-borne pathogens in Sweden and in the neighbouring countries.
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Kunze U. Report of the 21st Annual Meeting of the International Scientific Working Group on Tick-Borne Encephalitis (ISW-TBE): TBE − record year 2018. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101287. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Cicculli V, Oscar M, Casabianca F, Villechenaud N, Charrel R, de Lamballerie X, Falchi A. Molecular Detection of Spotted-Fever Group Rickettsiae in Ticks Collected from Domestic and Wild Animals in Corsica, France. Pathogens 2019; 8:pathogens8030138. [PMID: 31487899 PMCID: PMC6789605 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens8030138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
To obtain a better understanding of the current magnitude of tick-borne rickettsioses in Corsica, we used molecular methods to characterize the occurrence of Rickettsia spp. in ixodid ticks collected from domestic and wild animals. The presence of Rickettsia spp. was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting the gltA gene and by sequencing of gltA and ompA partial genes for species identification and phylogenetic analysis. Infection rates were calculated as the maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). In total, 1117 ticks belonging to four genera (Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, Ixodes, and Dermacentor) were collected from cattle, sheep, wild boars, and companion animals during July-August 2017 and July 2018-January 2019. Overall, Rickettsia DNA was detected in 208 of 349 pools of ticks (MLE = 25.6%, 95% CI: 22.6-28.8%). The molecular analysis revealed five different rickettsial species of the spotted-fever group (SFG). We highlighted the exclusive detection of Candidatus Ri. barbariae in R. bursa and of Ri. aeschlimanii in H. marginatum. Rickettsia slovaca was detected in D. marginatus collected from wild boars. This study provides the first evidence of the presence of Ri. monacensis in I. ricinus ticks isolated from a dog in Corsica. In conclusion, our data revealed wide dispersal of SFG Rickettsiae and their arthropod hosts in Corsica, highlighting the need for surveillance of the risk of infection for people living and/or working close to infected or infested animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Cicculli
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Corse-Inserm, 20250 EA7310 Corte, France
| | - Maestrini Oscar
- Laboratoire de Recherches sur le Développement de l'Elevage (Research Laboratory for the Development of Livestock), 20250 UR045 Corte, France
| | - Francois Casabianca
- Laboratoire de Recherches sur le Développement de l'Elevage (Research Laboratory for the Development of Livestock), 20250 UR045 Corte, France
| | - Natacha Villechenaud
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Corse-Inserm, 20250 EA7310 Corte, France
| | - Remi Charrel
- Unité des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix Marseille Université, IRD 190, Inserm 1207, IHU Méditerranée Infection), 13000 Marseille, France
| | - Xavier de Lamballerie
- Unité des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix Marseille Université, IRD 190, Inserm 1207, IHU Méditerranée Infection), 13000 Marseille, France
| | - Alessandra Falchi
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Corse-Inserm, 20250 EA7310 Corte, France.
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