51
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Duncan KT, Grant A, Johnson B, Sundstrom KD, Saleh MN, Little SE. Identification of Rickettsia spp. and Babesia conradae in Dermacentor spp. Collected from Dogs and Cats Across the United States. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:911-920. [PMID: 34958266 PMCID: PMC8742288 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In the United States, Dermacentor variabilis and Dermacentor andersoni are considered key vectors for Rickettsia rickettsii, the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Through regional surveillance, a wide diversity of Rickettsia spp. have been documented in D. variabilis, and Dermacentor spp. has been suggested as potential vectors for various other pathogens, including Babesia spp. and Ehrlichia canis. To better define the prevalence and diversity of pathogens in Dermacentor spp. across the United States, 848 ticks collected from dogs and cats in 44/50 states in 2018–2019 were tested by PCR for Rickettsia spp.-specific 17 kDa and ompA gene fragments; a subset of Dermacentor spp. was also tested with PCR, targeting fragments of the 18S and large subunit region rRNA genes of Babesia spp. and 16S rRNA genes of E. canis. Rickettsia spp. was identified in 12.5% (106/848) of ticks. Species detected include Rickettsia montanensis (n = 64 ticks), Rickettsia bellii (n = 15 ticks), Rickettsia rhipicephali (n = 13 ticks), Rickettsia peacockii (n = 8 ticks), Rickettsia amblyommatis (n = 3 ticks), Rickettsia cooleyi (n = 1 tick), and unclassified Rickettsia spp. (n = 2 ticks). Ticks with R. montanensis and R. bellii were submitted from every U.S. region; R. rhipicephali was predominantly detected in ticks from the southern half of the United States, and all R. peacockii-positive ticks were D. andersoni that originated from the Rocky Mountain states. Ehrlichia canis was not detected in any Dermacentor spp., and Babesia conradae was detected in two Dermacentor albipictus. Because most ticks had fed on dogs or cats before submission, these findings do not implicate a given Dermacentor sp. as a primary vector of these agents, but in regard to Rickettsia spp., the data do support other published work showing D. variabilis harbors a diversity of Rickettsia species with unknown implications for animal and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn T Duncan
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Amber Grant
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Britny Johnson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.,Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kellee D Sundstrom
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Meriam N Saleh
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Susan E Little
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
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52
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Wechtaisong W, Bonnet SI, Chomel BB, Lien YY, Chuang ST, Tsai YL. Investigation of Transovarial Transmission of Bartonella henselae in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato Ticks Using Artificial Feeding. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9122501. [PMID: 34946103 PMCID: PMC8705908 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella henselae is a slow-growing, Gram-negative bacterium that causes cat scratch disease in humans. A transstadial transmission of the bacteria from larvae to nymphs of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) ticks, suspected to be a potential vector of the bacteria, has been previously demonstrated. The present study aims to investigate transovarial transmission of B. henselae from R. sanguineus s.l. adults to their instars. Adult ticks (25 males and 25 females) were fed through an artificial feeding system on B. henselae-infected goat blood for 14 days, and 300 larvae derived from the experimentally B. henselae-infected females were fed on noninfected goat blood for 7 days. Nested PCR and culture were used to detect and isolate B. henselae in ticks and blood samples. Bartonella henselae DNA was detected in midguts, salivary glands, and carcasses of the semi-engorged adults and pooled tick feces (during feeding and post-feeding periods). After the oviposition period, B. henselae DNA was detected in salivary glands of females (33.3%), but not in pooled eggs or larvae derived from the infected females. However, B. henselae DNA was detected by nested PCR from the blood sample during larval feeding, while no viable B. henselae was isolated by culture. According to our findings, following infected blood meal, B. henselae could remain in the tick midguts, move to other tissues including salivary glands, and then be shed through tick feces with limited persistency. The presence of bacterial DNA in the blood during larval feeding shows the possibility of transovarial transmission of B. henselae in R. sanguineus s.l. ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wittawat Wechtaisong
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan; (W.W.); (Y.-Y.L.)
| | - Sarah I. Bonnet
- Animal Health Department, INRAE, 37380 Nouzilly, France;
- Functional Genetics of Infectious Diseases Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 2000, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Bruno B. Chomel
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Yi-Yang Lien
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan; (W.W.); (Y.-Y.L.)
| | - Shih-Te Chuang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan;
| | - Yi-Lun Tsai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan; (W.W.); (Y.-Y.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-8-774-0226
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53
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Drážovská M, Prokeš M, Vojtek B, Mojžišová J, Ondrejková A, Korytár Ľ. First serological record of Coxiella burnetii infection in the equine population of Slovakia. Biologia (Bratisl) 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-021-00898-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
AbstractCoxiella burnetii is a worldwide zoonotic pathogen causing Q fever in various animal species and humans. In Slovakia, cases of C. burnetii infection in both animals and humans are confirmed every year. The role of horses in the epidemiology of this neglected disease is still unclear. In our study, we focused on a serosurvey of C. burnetii in the equine population in Slovakia by the ELISA method. Subsequently, a nested PCR was performed to detect the 16S rRNA fragment of the genus Coxiella. Among 184 horse sera, the presence of specific antibodies to C. burnetii was detected in four samples, representing a 2.17% seropositivity. All the positive horses were mares; two originated from Central Slovakia and two from Eastern Slovakia. Although the number of positive samples was too small for a determination of statistical significance, our results provide the first confirmation of antibodies to C. burnetii in horses from Slovakia. Although no positive PCR result was obtained, these serological findings may help to clarify the circulation of the pathogen in the environment.
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54
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Jiao J, Zhang J, He P, OuYang X, Yu Y, Wen B, Sun Y, Yuan Q, Xiong X. Identification of Tick-Borne Pathogens and Genotyping of Coxiella burnetii in Rhipicephalus microplus in Yunnan Province, China. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:736484. [PMID: 34621258 PMCID: PMC8491607 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.736484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhipicephalus microplus, a vector that can transmit many pathogens to humans and domestic animals, is widely distributed in Yunnan province, China. However, few reports on the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in Rh. microplus in Yunnan are available. The aim of this study was to detect TBPs in Rh. microplus in Yunnan and to analyze the phylogenetic characterization of TBPs detected in these ticks. The adult Rh. microplus (n = 516) feeding on cattle were collected. The pooled DNA samples of these ticks were evaluated using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and then TBPs in individual ticks were identified using genus- or group-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with DNA sequencing assay. As a result, Candidatus Rickettsia jingxinensis (24.61%, 127/516), Anaplasma marginale (13.18%, 68/516), Coxiella burnetii (3.10%, 16/516), and Coxiella-like endosymbiont (CLE) (8.33%, 43/516) were detected. The dual coinfection with Ca. R. jingxinensis and A. marginale and the triple coinfection with Ca. R. jingxinensis, A. marginale, and CLE were most frequent and detected in 3.68% (19/516) and 3.10% (16/516) of these ticks, respectively. The results provide insight into the diversity of TBPs and their coinfections in Rh. microplus in Yunnan province of China, reporting for the first time that C. burnetii had been found in Rh. microplus in China. Multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis with 6 loci (MLVA-6) discriminated the C. burnetii detected in Rh. microplus in Yunnan into MLVA genotype 1, which is closely related to previously described genotypes found primarily in tick and human samples from different regions of the globe, indicating a potential public health threat posed by C. burnetii in Rh. microplus in Yunnan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jianing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Peisheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xuan OuYang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghui Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Bohai Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Qinghong Yuan
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Focal Disease Control and Prevention, Yunnan Institute of Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Xiaolu Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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55
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Drew GC, Stevens EJ, King KC. Microbial evolution and transitions along the parasite-mutualist continuum. Nat Rev Microbiol 2021; 19:623-638. [PMID: 33875863 PMCID: PMC8054256 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-021-00550-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Virtually all plants and animals, including humans, are home to symbiotic microorganisms. Symbiotic interactions can be neutral, harmful or have beneficial effects on the host organism. However, growing evidence suggests that microbial symbionts can evolve rapidly, resulting in drastic transitions along the parasite-mutualist continuum. In this Review, we integrate theoretical and empirical findings to discuss the mechanisms underpinning these evolutionary shifts, as well as the ecological drivers and why some host-microorganism interactions may be stuck at the end of the continuum. In addition to having biomedical consequences, understanding the dynamic life of microorganisms reveals how symbioses can shape an organism's biology and the entire community, particularly in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kayla C King
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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56
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Drew GC, Budge GE, Frost CL, Neumann P, Siozios S, Yañez O, Hurst GDD. Transitions in symbiosis: evidence for environmental acquisition and social transmission within a clade of heritable symbionts. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:2956-2968. [PMID: 33941888 PMCID: PMC8443716 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-00977-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
A dynamic continuum exists from free-living environmental microbes to strict host-associated symbionts that are vertically inherited. However, knowledge of the forces that drive transitions in symbiotic lifestyle and transmission mode is lacking. Arsenophonus is a diverse clade of bacterial symbionts, comprising reproductive parasites to coevolving obligate mutualists, in which the predominant mode of transmission is vertical. We describe a symbiosis between a member of the genus Arsenophonus and the Western honey bee. The symbiont shares common genomic and predicted metabolic properties with the male-killing symbiont Arsenophonus nasoniae, however we present multiple lines of evidence that the bee Arsenophonus deviates from a heritable model of transmission. Field sampling uncovered spatial and seasonal dynamics in symbiont prevalence, and rapid infection loss events were observed in field colonies and laboratory individuals. Fluorescent in situ hybridisation showed Arsenophonus localised in the gut, and detection was rare in screens of early honey bee life stages. We directly show horizontal transmission of Arsenophonus between bees under varying social conditions. We conclude that honey bees acquire Arsenophonus through a combination of environmental exposure and social contacts. These findings uncover a key link in the Arsenophonus clades trajectory from free-living ancestral life to obligate mutualism, and provide a foundation for studying transitions in symbiotic lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia C Drew
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Giles E Budge
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Crystal L Frost
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefanos Siozios
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gregory D D Hurst
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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57
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Price DRG, Bartley K, Blake DP, Karp-Tatham E, Nunn F, Burgess STG, Nisbet AJ. A Rickettsiella Endosymbiont Is a Potential Source of Essential B-Vitamins for the Poultry Red Mite, Dermanyssus gallinae. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:695346. [PMID: 34539600 PMCID: PMC8446615 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.695346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Many obligate blood-sucking arthropods rely on symbiotic bacteria to provision essential B vitamins that are either missing or at sub-optimal levels in their nutritionally challenging blood diet. The poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae, an obligate blood-feeding ectoparasite, is a serious threat to the hen egg industry. Poultry red mite infestation has a major impact on hen health and welfare and causes a significant reduction in both egg quality and production. Thus far, the identity and biological role of nutrient provisioning bacterial mutualists from D. gallinae are little understood. Here, we demonstrate that an obligate intracellular bacterium of the Rickettsiella genus is detected in D. gallinae mites collected from 63 sites (from 15 countries) across Europe. In addition, we report the genome sequence of Rickettsiella from D. gallinae (Rickettsiella - D. gallinae endosymbiont; Rickettsiella DGE). Rickettsiella DGE has a circular 1.89Mbp genome that encodes 1,973 proteins. Phylogenetic analysis confirms the placement of Rickettsiella DGE within the Rickettsiella genus, related to a facultative endosymbiont from the pea aphid and Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs) from blood feeding ticks. Analysis of the Rickettsiella DGE genome reveals that many protein-coding sequences are either pseudogenized or lost, but Rickettsiella DGE has retained several B vitamin biosynthesis pathways, suggesting the importance of these pathways in evolution of a nutritional symbiosis with D. gallinae. In silico metabolic pathway reconstruction revealed that Rickettsiella DGE is unable to synthesize protein amino acids and, therefore, amino acids are potentially provisioned by the host. In contrast, Rickettsiella DGE retains biosynthetic pathways for B vitamins: thiamine (vitamin B1) via the salvage pathway; riboflavin (vitamin B2) and pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and the cofactors: flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and coenzyme A (CoA) that likely provision these nutrients to the host.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Damer P Blake
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eleanor Karp-Tatham
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
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58
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Guzman RM, Howard ZP, Liu Z, Oliveira RD, Massa AT, Omsland A, White SN, Goodman AG. Natural genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster reveals genes associated with Coxiella burnetii infection. Genetics 2021; 217:6117219. [PMID: 33789347 PMCID: PMC8045698 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The gram-negative bacterium Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Query (Q) fever in humans and coxiellosis in livestock. Host genetics are associated with C. burnetii pathogenesis both in humans and animals; however, it remains unknown if specific genes are associated with severity of infection. We employed the Drosophila Genetics Reference Panel to perform a genome-wide association study to identify host genetic variants that affect host survival to C. burnetii infection. The genome-wide association study identified 64 unique variants (P < 10−5) associated with 25 candidate genes. We examined the role each candidate gene contributes to host survival during C. burnetii infection using flies carrying a null mutation or RNAi knockdown of each candidate. We validated 15 of the 25 candidate genes using at least one method. This is the first report establishing involvement of many of these genes or their homologs with C. burnetii susceptibility in any system. Among the validated genes, FER and tara play roles in the JAK/STAT, JNK, and decapentaplegic/TGF-β signaling pathways which are components of known innate immune responses to C. burnetii infection. CG42673 and DIP-ε play roles in bacterial infection and synaptic signaling but have no previous association with C. burnetii pathogenesis. Furthermore, since the mammalian ortholog of CG13404 (PLGRKT) is an important regulator of macrophage function, CG13404 could play a role in host susceptibility to C. burnetii through hemocyte regulation. These insights provide a foundation for further investigation regarding the genetics of C. burnetii susceptibility across a wide variety of hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa M Guzman
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Zachary P Howard
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Ziying Liu
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Ryan D Oliveira
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Alisha T Massa
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Anders Omsland
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Stephen N White
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.,USDA-ARS Animal Disease Research, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.,Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Alan G Goodman
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.,Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
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59
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Luzzi MDC, Carvalho LALD, Pinheiro DG, Lima-Duarte L, Camargo JV, Kishi LT, Fernandes CC, Machado RZ, Soares JF, André MR, Barros-Battesti DM. Analysis on the prokaryotic microbiome in females and embryonic cell cultures of Rhipicephalus sanguineus tropical and temperate lineages from two specific localities in Brazil. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 30:e005721. [PMID: 34378769 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612021066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Two lineages of Rhipicephalus sanguineus are known in Brazil: the temperate or southern and the tropical or northern populations. The distribution patterns of both lineages of R. sanguineus have epidemiological implications that can affect vectorial competence concerning Ehrlichia canis, the agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis. Intending to identify the microbiomes of both lineages and compare microorganisms in R. sanguineus, we used the 16S rRNA (V4-V5 region) gene-based metataxonomic approach, through NGS sequencing on the MiSeq Illumina platform. We selected specimens of females from the environment and samples of primary embryonic cell cultures, from both lineages, and this was the first study to investigate the prokaryotic microbiome in tick cell cultures. The results showed that many bacterial taxa detected in the samples were typical members of the host environment. A significant diversity of microorganisms in R. sanguineus females and in embryonic cell cultures from both lineages was found, with emphasis on the presence of Coxiella in all samples, albeit in different proportions. The Coxiella species present in the two lineages of ticks may be different and may have co-evolved with them, thus driving different patterns of interactions between ticks and the pathogens that they can harbor or transmit to vertebrate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara de Cassia Luzzi
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Lucas Amoroso Lopes de Carvalho
- Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Daniel Guariz Pinheiro
- Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Leidiane Lima-Duarte
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, SP, Brasil
| | - Jaqueline Valéria Camargo
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Luciano Takeshi Kishi
- Laboratório Multiusuário Centralizado para Sequenciamento de DNA em Larga Escala e Análise de Expressão Gênica - LMSeq, Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Camila Cesário Fernandes
- Laboratório Multiusuário Centralizado para Sequenciamento de DNA em Larga Escala e Análise de Expressão Gênica - LMSeq, Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - João Fábio Soares
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.,Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, SP, Brasil
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60
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Lejal E, Chiquet J, Aubert J, Robin S, Estrada-Peña A, Rue O, Midoux C, Mariadassou M, Bailly X, Cougoul A, Gasqui P, Cosson JF, Chalvet-Monfray K, Vayssier-Taussat M, Pollet T. Temporal patterns in Ixodes ricinus microbial communities: an insight into tick-borne microbe interactions. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:153. [PMID: 34217365 PMCID: PMC8254910 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01051-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks transmit pathogens of medical and veterinary importance and are an increasing threat to human and animal health. Assessing disease risk and developing new control strategies requires identifying members of the tick-borne microbiota as well as their temporal dynamics and interactions. METHODS Using high-throughput sequencing, we studied the Ixodes ricinus microbiota and its temporal dynamics. 371 nymphs were monthly collected during three consecutive years in a peri-urban forest. After a Poisson lognormal model was adjusted to our data set, a principal component analysis, sparse network reconstruction, and differential analysis allowed us to assess seasonal and monthly variability of I. ricinus microbiota and interactions within this community. RESULTS Around 75% of the detected sequences belonged to five genera known to be maternally inherited bacteria in arthropods and to potentially circulate in ticks: Candidatus Midichloria, Rickettsia, Spiroplasma, Arsenophonus and Wolbachia. The structure of the I. ricinus microbiota varied over time with interannual recurrence and seemed to be mainly driven by OTUs commonly found in the environment. Total network analysis revealed a majority of positive partial correlations. We identified strong relationships between OTUs belonging to Wolbachia and Arsenophonus, evidence for the presence of the parasitoid wasp Ixodiphagus hookeri in ticks. Other associations were observed between the tick symbiont Candidatus Midichloria and pathogens belonging to Rickettsia. Finally, more specific network analyses were performed on TBP-infected samples and suggested that the presence of pathogens belonging to the genera Borrelia, Anaplasma and Rickettsia may disrupt microbial interactions in I. ricinus. CONCLUSIONS We identified the I. ricinus microbiota and documented marked shifts in tick microbiota dynamics over time. Statistically, we showed strong relationships between the presence of specific pathogens and the structure of the I. ricinus microbiota. We detected close links between some tick symbionts and the potential presence of either pathogenic Rickettsia or a parasitoid in ticks. These new findings pave the way for the development of new strategies for the control of ticks and tick-borne diseases. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Lejal
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - J Chiquet
- Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR MIA-Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - J Aubert
- Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR MIA-Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - S Robin
- Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR MIA-Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - A Estrada-Peña
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - O Rue
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- INRAE, BioinfOmics, MIGALE Bioinformatics Facility, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - C Midoux
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- INRAE, BioinfOmics, MIGALE Bioinformatics Facility, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- INRAE, PROSE, Université Paris-Saclay, Antony, France
| | - M Mariadassou
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- INRAE, BioinfOmics, MIGALE Bioinformatics Facility, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - X Bailly
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 63122, Saint Genes Champanelle, France
- Université de Lyon, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 69280, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - A Cougoul
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 63122, Saint Genes Champanelle, France
- Université de Lyon, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 69280, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - P Gasqui
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 63122, Saint Genes Champanelle, France
- Université de Lyon, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 69280, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - J F Cosson
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - K Chalvet-Monfray
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 63122, Saint Genes Champanelle, France
- Université de Lyon, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 69280, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | | | - T Pollet
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Campus de Baillarguet, Montpellier, France.
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SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF COXIELLA BURNETII INFECTION IN THE WHITE RHINOCEROS ( CERATOTHERIUM SIMUM) IN SOUTH AFRICA. J Zoo Wildl Med 2021; 52:573-579. [PMID: 34130400 DOI: 10.1638/2020-0154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Coxiellosis, or Query (Q) fever, a disease caused by the intracellular bacteria Coxiella burnetii, was recently described in a managed breeding herd of white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) in the southeastern United States. Clinical disease often results in abortion and could represent a conservation challenge for this species. In addition to the reproductive and herd management consequences, coxiellosis is also a zoonotic disease. Infection or clinical disease in any free-ranging rhinoceros species in a national park setting has not been previously described. In this study, evidence of prior infection was measured by immunofluorescent antibody titers in 89 serum samples collected from white rhinoceros within private reserves and a national park in South Africa. Total seropositivity was 48/89 (53.9% [95% CI, 43.6-63.9%]). Animals on private reserves had a seropositivity of 21/51 (41.1% [95% CI, 27.1-55.2%]), and national park rhinoceros had a higher rate of seropositivity at 71.0% [95% CI, 55.9-86.2%] (27/38; P= 0.004). Adults had a higher seropositivity compared with subadults (P= 0.03). There was no difference in seropositivity between sexes (P > 0.05). Results demonstrate that South African white rhinoceros populations are exposed to Coxiella, which could result in underrecognized reproductive consequences. Further studies should investigate potential implications for public health and conservation management of this species.
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Kobayashi T, Chatanga E, Qiu Y, Simuunza M, Kajihara M, Hang’ombe BM, Eto Y, Saasa N, Mori-Kajihara A, Simulundu E, Takada A, Sawa H, Katakura K, Nonaka N, Nakao R. Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Coxiella-Like Endosymbionts in Ticks Collected from Animals and Vegetation in Zambia. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10060779. [PMID: 34205691 PMCID: PMC8234379 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are obligate ectoparasites as they require to feed on their host blood during some or all stages of their life cycle. In addition to the pathogens that ticks harbor and transmit to vertebrate hosts, they also harbor other seemingly nonpathogenic microorganisms including nutritional mutualistic symbionts. Tick nutritional mutualistic symbionts play important roles in the physiology of the host ticks as they are involved in tick reproduction and growth through the supply of B vitamins as well as in pathogen maintenance and propagation. Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs) are the most widespread endosymbionts exclusively reported in ticks. Although CLEs have been investigated in ticks in other parts of the world, there is no report of their investigation in ticks in Zambia. To investigate the occurrence of CLEs, their maintenance, and association with host ticks in Zambia, 175 ticks belonging to six genera, namely Amblyomma, Argas, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Ornithodoros, and Rhipicephalus, were screened for CLEs, followed by characterization of CLEs by multi-locus sequence typing of the five Coxiella housekeeping genes (dnaK, groEL, rpoB, 16S rRNA, and 23S rRNA). The results showed that 45.7% (n = 80) were positive for CLEs. The comparison of the tick 16S rDNA phylogenetic tree with that of the CLEs concatenated sequences showed that there was a strong correlation between the topology of the trees. The results suggest that most of the CLEs have evolved within tick species, supporting the vertical transmission phenomenon. However, the negative results for CLE in some ticks warrants further investigations of other endosymbionts that the ticks in Zambia may also harbor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiya Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (T.K.); (E.C.); (K.K.); (N.N.)
| | - Elisha Chatanga
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (T.K.); (E.C.); (K.K.); (N.N.)
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lilongwe P.O. Box 219, Malawi
| | - Yongjin Qiu
- Division of International Research Promotion, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan;
| | - Martin Simuunza
- Department of Diseases Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia; (M.S.); (N.S.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (H.S.)
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia;
| | - Masahiro Kajihara
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (M.K.); (Y.E.); (A.M.-K.)
| | - Bernard Mudenda Hang’ombe
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia;
- Department of ParaClinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia
| | - Yoshiki Eto
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (M.K.); (Y.E.); (A.M.-K.)
| | - Ngonda Saasa
- Department of Diseases Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia; (M.S.); (N.S.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (H.S.)
| | - Akina Mori-Kajihara
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (M.K.); (Y.E.); (A.M.-K.)
| | - Edgar Simulundu
- Department of Diseases Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia; (M.S.); (N.S.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (H.S.)
- Macha Research Trust, Choma P.O. Box 630166, Zambia
| | - Ayato Takada
- Department of Diseases Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia; (M.S.); (N.S.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (H.S.)
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (M.K.); (Y.E.); (A.M.-K.)
| | - Hirofumi Sawa
- Department of Diseases Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia; (M.S.); (N.S.); (E.S.); (A.T.); (H.S.)
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Ken Katakura
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (T.K.); (E.C.); (K.K.); (N.N.)
| | - Nariaki Nonaka
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (T.K.); (E.C.); (K.K.); (N.N.)
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (T.K.); (E.C.); (K.K.); (N.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-11-706-5196
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Mathews KO, Toribio JA, Norris JM, Phalen D, Wood N, Graves SR, Sheehy PA, Bosward KL. Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence and Q fever in Australian wildlife rehabilitators. One Health 2021; 12:100197. [PMID: 33319024 PMCID: PMC7725937 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii is the causative bacterium of the zoonotic disease Q fever, which is recognised as a public health concern globally. Macropods have been suggested as a potential source of C. burnetii infection for humans. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of C. burnetii exposure in a cohort of Australian wildlife rehabilitators (AWRs) and assess Q fever disease and vaccination status within this population. Blood samples were collected from adult participants attending the Australian Wildlife Rehabilitation Conference in Sydney in July 2018. Participants completed a questionnaire at the time of blood collection. Antibody titres (IgG, IgA and IgM) against phase I and phase II C. burnetii antigens as determined by immunofluorescence assay, revealed that of the unvaccinated participants, 6.1% (9/147) had evidence of exposure to C. burnetii. Of the total participants, 8.1% (13/160) had received Q fever vaccination, four of whom remained seropositive at the time of blood collection. Participants reporting occupational contact with ruminants, were eight times more likely to have been vaccinated against Q fever, than those reporting no occupational animal contact (OR 8.1; 95% CI 1.85-45.08). Three AWRs (2%) reported having had medically diagnosed Q fever, two of whom remained seropositive at the time of blood collection. Despite the lack of association between macropod contacts and C. burnetii seropositivity in this cohort, these findings suggest that AWRs are approximately twice as likely to be exposed to C. burnetii, compared with the general Australian population. This provides support for the recommendation of Q fever vaccination for this potentially 'at-risk' population. The role of macropods in human Q fever disease remains unclear, and further research into C. burnetii infection in macropods including: infection rate and transmission cycles between vectors, macropods as reservoirs, other animals and humans is required.
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Key Words
- Australia, wildlife rehabilitators
- Australian Statistical Geography Standard, ASGS
- Australian Wildlife Rehabilitation Conference, AWRC
- Australian wildlife rehabilitators, AWRs
- Coxiella burnetii
- Indirect immunofluorescence assay, IFA
- Macropods, kangaroos
- Personal protection equipment, PPE
- Q fever
- Q fever disease status, QFDS
- Q fever disease, QFD
- Q fever serostatus, QFSS
- Q fever vaccination status, QFVS
- Q fever vaccination, QFV
- Seroprevalence
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen O. Mathews
- The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, Camden, NSW, Australia
| | - Jenny-Ann Toribio
- The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, Camden, NSW, Australia
| | - Jacqueline M. Norris
- The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, Camden, NSW, Australia
| | - David Phalen
- The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, Camden, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas Wood
- The University of Sydney, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephen R. Graves
- Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, University Hospital Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
| | - Paul A. Sheehy
- The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, Camden, NSW, Australia
| | - Katrina L. Bosward
- The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, Camden, NSW, Australia
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Chisu V, Mura L, Foxi C, Masala G. Coxiellaceae in Ticks from Human, Domestic and Wild Hosts from Sardinia, Italy: High Diversity of Coxiella-like Endosymbionts. Acta Parasitol 2021; 66:654-663. [PMID: 33492605 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-020-00324-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Coxiella burnetii is known for its potential as veterinary and human bacterial pathogen. The bacteria have been described in ticks, but their role in transmission of Q fever in humans is considered low. Coxiella endosymbionts closely related to C. burnetii have been also isolated from an extensive range of tick species and evidence is growing that these endosymbionts could be linked to human bacteremia. The aim of this study was to get new information on the presence of Coxiella species in ticks infesting wild and domestic hosts in Sardinia, Italy. METHODS Here, 138 ticks collected from the study area were analyzed for the presence of C. burnetii and Coxiella-like bacteria by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequencing and philogenetic analyses using a set of primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene. RESULTS DNA of Coxiella species was detected in 69% of the total ticks examined. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the 16S rRNA Coxiella genotypes identified in this study grouped in strongly supported monophyletic clades with identified reference sequences of CLEs detected from Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis and Ornithodoros species and with Coxiella burnetii strains isolated worldwide. CONCLUSION This study reports the molecular detection of a high diversity of Coxiella-like bacteria in Sardinian ticks and confirms also the presence of C. burnetii in tick species previously identified in the island. The role that Coxiella-like endosymbionts play in Sardinian ticks and in their vertebrate hosts needs to be explored further.
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Jiao J, Lu Z, Yu Y, Ou Y, Fu M, Zhao Y, Wu N, Zhao M, Liu Y, Sun Y, Wen B, Zhou D, Yuan Q, Xiong X. Identification of tick-borne pathogens by metagenomic next-generation sequencing in Dermacentor nuttalli and Ixodes persulcatus in Inner Mongolia, China. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:287. [PMID: 34044867 PMCID: PMC8161991 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04740-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hard ticks act as arthropod vectors in the transmission of human and animal pathogens and are widely distributed in northern China. The aim of this study is to screen the important tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) carried by hard ticks in Inner Mongolia using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and to estimate the risk of human infection imposed by tick bites. Methods The adult Dermacentor nuttalli (n = 203) and Ixodes persulcatus (n = 36) ticks feeding on cattle were collected. The pooled DNA samples prepared from these ticks were sequenced as the templates for mNGS to survey the presence of TBPs at the genus level. Individual tick DNA samples were detected by genus--specific or group-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of these TBPs and combined with DNA sequencing assay to confirm the results of mNGS. Results R. raoultii (45.32%, 92/203), Candidatus R. tarasevichiae (5.42%, 11/203), Anaplasma sp. Mongolia (26.60%, 54/203), Coxiella-like endosymbiont (CLE) (53.69%, 109/203), and Babesia venatorum (7.88%, 16/203) were detected in D. nuttalli, while R. raoultii (30.56%, 11/36), Anaplasma sp. Mongolia (27.80%, 10/36), and CLE (27.80%, 10/36) were detected in I. persulcatus. The double- and triple-pathogen/endosymbiont co-infections were detected in 40.39% of D. nuttalli and 13.89% of I. persulcatus, respectively. The dual co-infection with R. raoultii and CLE (14.29%, 29/203) and triple co-infection with R. raoultii, Anaplasma sp. Mongolia, and CLE (13.79%, 28/203) were most frequent in D. nuttalli. Conclusions This study provides insight into the microbial diversity of D. nuttalli and I. persulcatus in Inner Mongolia, China, reporting for the first time that Candidatus R. tarasevichiae had been found in D. nuttalli in China, and for the first time in the world that Anaplasma sp. Mongolia has been detected in I. persulcatus. This study proves that various vertically transmitted pathogens co-inhabit D. nuttalli and I. persulcatus, and indicates that cattle in Inner Mongolia are exposed to several TBPs. Graphic Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04740-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Zhiyu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yonghui Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yangxuan Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Mengjiao Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yuee Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Nier Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Mingliang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Key Laboratory of Zoonoses, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, PR China
| | - Yi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Bohai Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Qinghong Yuan
- Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Focal Disease Control and Prevention, Yunnan, PR China.
| | - Xiaolu Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, PR China.
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Dall'Agnol B, McCulloch JA, Mayer FQ, Souza U, Webster A, Antunes P, Doyle RL, Reck J, Ferreira CAS. Molecular characterization of bacterial communities of two neotropical tick species (Amblyomma aureolatum and Ornithodoros brasiliensis) using rDNA 16S sequencing. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101746. [PMID: 34091278 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101746] [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: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are one of the main vectors of pathogens for humans and animals worldwide. However, they harbor non-pathogenic microorganisms that are important for their survival, facilitating both their nutrition and immunity. We investigated the bacterial communities associated with two neotropical tick species of human and veterinary potential health importance from Brazil: Amblyomma aureolatum and Ornithodoros brasiliensis. In A. aureolatum (adult ticks collected from wild canids from Southern Brazil), the predominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria (98.68%), Tenericutes (0.70%), Bacteroidetes (0.14%), Actinobacteria (0.13%), and Acidobacteria (0.05%). The predominant genera were Francisella (97.01%), Spiroplasma (0.70%), Wolbachia (0.51%), Candidatus Midichloria (0.25%), and Alkanindiges (0.13%). The predominant phyla in O. brasiliensis (adults, fed and unfed nymphs collected at the environment from Southern Brazil) were Proteobacteria (90.27%), Actinobacteria (7.38%), Firmicutes (0.77%), Bacteroidetes (0.44%), and Planctomycetes (0.22%). The predominant bacterial genera were Coxiella (87.71%), Nocardioides (1.73%), Saccharopolyspora (0.54%), Marmoricola (0.42%), and Staphylococcus (0.40%). Considering the genera with potential importance for human and animal health which can be transmitted by ticks, Coxiella sp. was found in all stages of O. brasiliensis, Francisella sp. in all stages of A. aureolatum and in unfed nymphs of O. brasiliensis, and Rickettsia sp. in females of A. aureolatum from Banhado dos Pachecos (BP) in Viamão municipality, Brazil, and in females and unfed nymphs of O. brasiliensis. These results deepen our understanding of the tick-microbiota relationship in Ixodidae and Argasidae, driving new studies with the focus on the manipulation of tick microbiota to prevent outbreaks of tick-borne diseases in South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Dall'Agnol
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil; Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | | | - Fabiana Quoos Mayer
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Ugo Souza
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Anelise Webster
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Paola Antunes
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Rovaina Laureano Doyle
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - José Reck
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil.
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Brenner AE, Muñoz-Leal S, Sachan M, Labruna MB, Raghavan R. Coxiella burnetii and Related Tick Endosymbionts Evolved from Pathogenic Ancestors. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6278299. [PMID: 34009306 PMCID: PMC8290121 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Both symbiotic and pathogenic bacteria in the family Coxiellaceae cause morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. For instance, Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs) improve the reproductive success of ticks—a major disease vector, while Coxiella burnetii causes human Q fever, and uncharacterized coxiellae infect both animals and humans. To better understand the evolution of pathogenesis and symbiosis in this group of intracellular bacteria, we sequenced the genome of a CLE present in the soft tick Ornithodoros amblus (CLEOA) and compared it to the genomes of other bacteria in the order Legionellales. Our analyses confirmed that CLEOA is more closely related to C. burnetii, the human pathogen, than to CLEs in hard ticks, and showed that most clades of CLEs contain both endosymbionts and pathogens, indicating that several CLE lineages have evolved independently from pathogenic Coxiella. We also determined that the last common ancestorof CLEOA and C. burnetii was equipped to infect macrophages and that even though horizontal gene transfer (HGT) contributed significantly to the evolution of C. burnetii, most acquisition events occurred primarily in ancestors predating the CLEOA–C. burnetii divergence. These discoveries clarify the evolution of C. burnetii, which previously was assumed to have emerged when an avirulent tick endosymbiont recently gained virulence factors via HGT. Finally, we identified several metabolic pathways, including heme biosynthesis, that are likely critical to the intracellular growth of the human pathogen but not the tick symbiont, and show that the use of heme analog is a promising approach to controlling C. burnetii infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E Brenner
- Department of Biology and Center for Life in Extreme Environments, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Patología y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile
| | - Madhur Sachan
- Department of Biology and Center for Life in Extreme Environments, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rahul Raghavan
- Department of Biology and Center for Life in Extreme Environments, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA.,Department of Biology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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68
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Correlating Genotyping Data of Coxiella burnetii with Genomic Groups. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10050604. [PMID: 34069306 PMCID: PMC8156542 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10050604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic pathogen that resides in wild and domesticated animals across the globe and causes a febrile illness, Q fever, in humans. Several distinct genetic lineages or genomic groups have been shown to exist, with evidence for different virulence potential of these lineages. Multispacer Sequence Typing (MST) and Multiple-Locus Variable number tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA) are being used to genotype strains. However, it is unclear how these typing schemes correlate with each other or with the classification into different genomic groups. Here, we created extensive databases for published MLVA and MST genotypes of C. burnetii and analysed the associated metadata, revealing associations between animal host and human disease type. We established a new classification scheme that assigns both MST and MLVA genotypes to a genomic group and which revealed additional sub-lineages in two genomic groups. Finally, we report a novel, rapid genomotyping method for assigning an isolate into a genomic group based on the Cox51 spacer sequence. We conclude that by pooling and streamlining existing datasets, associations between genotype and clinical outcome or host source were identified, which in combination with our novel genomotyping method, should enable an estimation of the disease potential of new C. burnetii isolates.
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69
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Körner S, Makert GR, Ulbert S, Pfeffer M, Mertens-Scholz K. The Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Hard Ticks in Europe and Their Role in Q Fever Transmission Revisited-A Systematic Review. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:655715. [PMID: 33981744 PMCID: PMC8109271 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.655715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The zoonosis Q fever is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Besides the main transmission route via inhalation of contaminated aerosols, ticks are discussed as vectors since the first isolation of the pathogen from a Dermacentor andersonii tick. The rare detection of C. burnetii in ticks and the difficult differentiation of C. burnetii from Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs) are questioning the relevance of ticks in the epidemiology of Q fever. In this review, literature databases were systematically searched for recent prevalence studies concerning C. burnetii in ticks in Europe and experimental studies evaluating the vector competence of tick species. A total of 72 prevalence studies were included and evaluated regarding DNA detection methods and collection methods, country, and tested tick species. Specimens of more than 25 different tick species were collected in 23 European countries. Overall, an average prevalence of 4.8% was determined. However, in half of the studies, no Coxiella-DNA was detected. In Southern European countries, a significantly higher prevalence was observed, possibly related to the abundance of different tick species here, namely Hyalomma spp. and Rhipicephalus spp. In comparison, a similar proportion of studies used ticks sampled by flagging and dragging or tick collection from animals, under 30% of the total tick samples derived from the latter. There was no significant difference in the various target genes used for the molecular test. In most of the studies, no distinction was made between C. burnetii and CLEs. The application of specific detection methods and the confirmation of positive results are crucial to determine the role of ticks in Q fever transmission. Only two studies were available, which assessed the vector competence of ticks for C. burnetii in the last 20 years, demonstrating the need for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Körner
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Gustavo R Makert
- Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ulbert
- Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katja Mertens-Scholz
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
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70
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Nooroong P, Trinachartvanit W, Baimai V, Anuracpreeda P, Ahantarig A. Partial DnaK protein expression from Coxiella-like endosymbiont of Rhipicephalus annulatus tick. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249354. [PMID: 33793664 PMCID: PMC8016282 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Q fever is one of the most important zoonotic diseases caused by the obligate intracellular bacteria, Coxiella burnetii. This bacterial infection has been frequently reported in both humans and animals, especially ruminants. Ticks are important ectoparasite and serve as reservoir hosts of Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs). In this study, we have attempted to express chaperone-coding genes from CLEs of Rhipicephalus annulatus ticks collected fromcow path. The partial DnaK coding sequence has been amplified and expressed by Escherichia coli. Amino acid sequences have been analyzed by MS-MS spectrometry and the UniProt database. Despites nucleotide sequences indicating high nucleotide variation and diversity, many nucleotide substitutions are synonymous. In addition, amino acid substitutions compensate for the physicochemical properties of the original amino acids. Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB-AR) was employed to indicate the antigenicity of the partial DnaK protein and predict the epitopes of B-and T-cells. Interestingly, some predicted HLA-A and B alleles of the MHC-I and HLA-DR alleles belonging to MHC-II were similar to T-cell responses to C. burnetii in Q fever patients. Therefore, the partial DnaK protein of CLE from R. annulatus could be considered a vaccine candidate and immunogenic marker with future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pornpiroon Nooroong
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Research Cluster, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Visut Baimai
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Research Cluster, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Panat Anuracpreeda
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Arunee Ahantarig
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Research Cluster, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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71
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Gomard Y, Flores O, Vittecoq M, Blanchon T, Toty C, Duron O, Mavingui P, Tortosa P, McCoy KD. Changes in Bacterial Diversity, Composition and Interactions During the Development of the Seabird Tick Ornithodoros maritimus (Argasidae). MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 81:770-783. [PMID: 33025063 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01611-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Characterising within-host microbial interactions is essential to understand the drivers that shape these interactions and their consequences for host ecology and evolution. Here, we examined the bacterial microbiota hosted by the seabird soft tick Ornithodoros maritimus (Argasidae) in order to uncover bacterial interactions within ticks and how these interactions change over tick development. Bacterial communities were characterised through next-generation sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Bacterial co-occurrence and co-exclusion were determined by analysing networks generated from the metagenomic data obtained at each life stage. Overall, the microbiota of O. maritimus was dominated by four bacterial genera, namely Coxiella, Rickettsia, Brevibacterium and Arsenophonus, representing almost 60% of the reads. Bacterial diversity increased over tick development, and adult male ticks showed higher diversity than did adult female ticks. Bacterial networks showed that co-occurrence was more frequent than co-exclusion and highlighted substantial shifts across tick life stages; interaction networks changed from one stage to the next with a steady increase in the number of interactions through development. Although many bacterial interactions appeared unstable across life stages, some were maintained throughout development and were found in both sexes, such as Coxiella and Arsenophonus. Our data support the existence of a few stable interactions in O. maritimus ticks, on top of which bacterial taxa accumulate from hosts and/or the environment during development. We propose that stable associations delineate core microbial interactions, which are likely to be responsible for key biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Gomard
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France.
| | - Olivier Flores
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT (Peuplements Végétaux et Bioagresseurs en Milieu Tropical), CIRAD, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | - Marion Vittecoq
- Tour de Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, Arles, France
| | - Thomas Blanchon
- Tour de Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, Arles, France
| | - Céline Toty
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier CNRS IRD, Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Duron
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier CNRS IRD, Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
- Centre for Research on the Ecology and Evolution of Diseases (CREES), Montpellier, France
| | - Patrick Mavingui
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Karen D McCoy
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier CNRS IRD, Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
- Centre for Research on the Ecology and Evolution of Diseases (CREES), Montpellier, France
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72
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Sahu R, Rawool DB, Dhaka P, Yadav JP, Mishra SP, Kumar M, Vergis J, Malik SS, Barbuddhe SB. Current perspectives on the occurrence of Q fever: highlighting the need for systematic surveillance for a neglected zoonotic disease in Indian subcontinent. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2021; 13:138-158. [PMID: 33314653 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Coxiellosis or Q fever is an important global occupational zoonotic disease caused by one of the most contagious bacterial pathogens - Coxiella burnetii, which ranks one among the 13 global priority zoonoses. The detection of C. burnetii infection is exhibiting an increasing trend in high-risk personnel around the globe. It has increasingly been detected from foods of animal origin (including bulk milk, eggs, and meat) as well as tick vectors in many parts of the world. Coxiellosis is reported to be an important public health threat causing spontaneous abortions in humans and potential reproductive failure, which would result in production losses among livestock. Further, comprehensive coverage of the reports and trends of Q fever in developing countries, where this infection is supposed to be widely prevalent appears scarce. Also, the pathogen remains grossly neglected and underreported. Moreover, policymakers and funding agencies do not view it as a priority problem, especially in the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives. Here, we review the occurrence and epidemiology of the disease in a global context with special emphasis on its status in the Indian subcontinent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhakrishna Sahu
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, ICAR- Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh, 243 122, India
| | - Deepak Bhiwa Rawool
- ICAR- National Research Centre on Meat, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500 092, India
| | - Pankaj Dhaka
- School of Public Health and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Science, GADVASU, Ludhiana, Punjab, 141004, India
| | - Jay Prakash Yadav
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, ICAR- Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh, 243 122, India
| | - Sidharth Prasad Mishra
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700037, India
| | - Manesh Kumar
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, ICAR- Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh, 243 122, India
| | - Jess Vergis
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, ICAR- Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh, 243 122, India
| | - Satyaveer Singh Malik
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, ICAR- Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh, 243 122, India
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73
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Palomar AM, Veiga J, Portillo A, Santibáñez S, Václav R, Santibáñez P, Oteo JA, Valera F. Novel Genotypes of Nidicolous Argas Ticks and Their Associated Microorganisms From Spain. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:637837. [PMID: 33855055 PMCID: PMC8039128 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.637837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The knowledge of the distribution, richness and epidemiological importance of soft ticks of the genus Argas is incomplete. In Spain, five Argas species have been recorded, including three ornitophilic nidicolous ticks, but their associated microorganisms remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate ticks from bird nests and their microorganisms. Ticks were collected extensively from natural cavities and nest-boxes used by European rollers (Coracias garrulus) and little owls (Athene noctua) in Southeastern and Central Spain. Ticks were morphologically and genetically identified and corresponding DNA/RNA tick extracts were analyzed [individually (n = 150) or pooled (n = 43)] using specific PCR assays for bacteria (Anaplasmataceae, Bartonella, Borrelia, Coxiella/Rickettsiella, and Rickettsia spp.), viruses (Flaviviruses, Orthonairoviruses, and Phenuiviruses), and protozoa (Babesia/Theileria spp.). Six Argas genotypes were identified, of which only those of Argas reflexus (n = 8) were identified to the species level. Two other genotypes were closely related to each other and to Argas vulgaris (n = 83) and Argas polonicus (n = 33), respectively. These two species have not been previously reported from Western Europe. Two additional genotypes (n = 4) clustered with Argas persicus, previously reported in Spain. The remaining genotype (n = 22) showed low sequence identity with any Argas species, being most similar to the African Argas africolumbae. The microbiological screening revealed infection with a rickettsial strain belonging to Rickettsia fournieri and Candidatus Rickettsia vini group in 74.7% of ticks, mainly comprising ticks genetically related to A. vulgaris and A. polonicus. Other tick endosymbionts belonging to Coxiella, Francisella and Rickettsiella species were detected in ten, one and one tick pools, respectively. In addition, one Babesia genotype, closely related to avian Babesia species, was found in one tick pool. Lastly, Anaplasmataceae, Bartonella, Borrelia, and viruses were not detected. In conclusion, five novel Argas genotypes and their associated microorganisms with unproven pathogenicity are reported for Spain. The re-use of nests between and within years by different bird species appears to be ideal for the transmission of tick-borne microorganisms in cavity-nesting birds of semiarid areas. Further work should be performed to clarify the taxonomy and the potential role of soft Argas ticks and their microorganisms in the epidemiology of zoonoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain
| | - Jesús Veiga
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas -Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (EEZA-CSIC), Ctra. de Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain
| | - Aránzazu Portillo
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain
| | - Sonia Santibáñez
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain
| | - Radovan Václav
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Paula Santibáñez
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain
| | - José A Oteo
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain
| | - Francisco Valera
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas -Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (EEZA-CSIC), Ctra. de Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain
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74
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Beliavskaia A, Hönig V, Erhart J, Vyhlidalova T, Palus M, Cerny J, Kozlova I, Ruzek D, Palomar AM, Bell-Sakyi L. Spiroplasma Isolated From Third-Generation Laboratory Colony Ixodes persulcatus Ticks. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:659786. [PMID: 33842580 PMCID: PMC8032855 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.659786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Spiroplasma are vertically-transmitted endosymbionts of ticks and other arthropods. Field-collected Ixodes persulcatus have been reported to harbour Spiroplasma, but nothing is known about their persistence during laboratory colonisation of this tick species. We successfully isolated Spiroplasma from internal organs of 6/10 unfed adult ticks, belonging to the third generation of an I. persulcatus laboratory colony, into tick cell culture. We screened a further 51 adult male and female ticks from the same colony for presence of Spiroplasma by genus-specific PCR amplification of fragments of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes; 100% of these ticks were infected and the 16S rRNA sequence showed 99.8% similarity to that of a previously-published Spiroplasma isolated from field-collected I. persulcatus. Our study shows that Spiroplasma endosymbionts persist at high prevalence in colonised I. persulcatus through at least three generations, and confirms the usefulness of tick cell lines for isolation and cultivation of this bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Beliavskaia
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Vaclav Hönig
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jan Erhart
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Tereza Vyhlidalova
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Martin Palus
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jiri Cerny
- Centre for Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Irina Kozlova
- Science Center for Family Health and Human Reproduction Problems, Irkutsk, Russia
| | - Daniel Ruzek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | - Ana M Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño, Spain
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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75
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High-Throughput Microfluidic Real-Time PCR for the Detection of Multiple Microorganisms in Ixodid Cattle Ticks in Northeast Algeria. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10030362. [PMID: 33803682 PMCID: PMC8002991 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ixodid ticks are hematophagous arthropods considered to be prominent ectoparasite vectors that have a negative impact on cattle, either through direct injury or via the transmission of several pathogens. In this study, we investigated the molecular infection rates of numerous tick-borne pathogens in ticks sampled on cattle from the Kabylia region, northeastern Algeria, using a high-throughput microfluidic real-time PCR system. A total of 235 ticks belonging to seven species of the genera Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, and Ixodes were sampled on cattle and then screened for the presence of 36 different species of bacteria and protozoans. The most prevalent tick-borne microorganisms were Rickettsia spp. at 79.1%, followed by Francisella-like endosymbionts (62.9%), Theileria spp. (17.8%), Anaplasma spp. (14.4%), Bartonella spp. (6.8%), Borrelia spp. (6.8%), and Babesia spp. (2.5%). Among the 80.4% of ticks bearing microorganisms, 20%, 36.6%, 21.7%, and 2.1% were positive for one, two, three, and four different microorganisms, respectively. Rickettsia aeschlimannii was detected in Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma detritum, and Rhipicephalus bursa ticks. Rickettsia massiliae was found in Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and Rickettsiamonacensis and Rickettsia helvetica were detected in Ixodesricinus. Anaplasma marginale was found in all identified tick genera, but Anaplasma centrale was detected exclusively in Rhipicephalus spp. ticks. The DNA of Borrelia spp. and Bartonella spp. was identified in several tick species. Theileria orientalis was found in R. bursa, R. sanguineus, H. detritum, H. marginatum, and I. ricinus and Babesia bigemina was found in Rhipicephalus annulatus and R. sanguineus. Our study highlights the importance of tick-borne pathogens in cattle in Algeria.
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76
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Olivieri E, Kariuki E, Floriano AM, Castelli M, Tafesse YM, Magoga G, Kumsa B, Montagna M, Sassera D. Multi-country investigation of the diversity and associated microorganisms isolated from tick species from domestic animals, wildlife and vegetation in selected african countries. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 83:427-448. [PMID: 33646482 PMCID: PMC7940270 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00598-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In many areas of Africa, recent studies highlighted the great impact of ticks on animal and human health throughout the continent. On the other hand, very limited information on the bacterial endosymbionts of the African ticks and their pattern of co-infections with other bacteria are found in literature, notwithstanding their pivotal role in tick survival and vector efficiency. Thus, we investigated the distribution of selected pathogenic and symbiotic bacteria in hard ticks collected from wild, domestic animals and from vegetation in various ecological zones in Africa and their co-occurrence in the same tick host. Overall, 339 hard ticks were morphologically identified as belonging to the genera Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Hyalomma, Haemaphysalis, Ixodes and Rhipicephalus. Molecular screening provided information on pathogens circulation in Africa, detecting spotted fever group rickettsiae, Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia ruminantium, Borrelia garinii, Babesia spp., Theileria spp. and Coxiella burnetii. Furthermore, our work provides insights on the African scenario of tick-symbiont associations, revealing the presence of Coxiella, Francisella and Midichloria across multiple tick populations. Coxiella endosymbionts were the most prevalent microorganisms, and that with the broadest spectrum of hosts, being detected in 16 tick species. Francisella was highly prevalent among the Hyalomma species tested and correlated negatively with the presence of Coxiella, showing a potential competitive interaction. Interestingly, we detected a positive association of Francisella with Rickettsia in specimens of Hy. rufipes, suggesting a synergistic interaction between them. Finally, Midichloria was the most prevalent symbiont in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato from Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Olivieri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Edward Kariuki
- Department of Veterinary Service, Wildlife Service, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Anna Maria Floriano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Michele Castelli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Yohannes Mulatu Tafesse
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giulia Magoga
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Agroambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Bersissa Kumsa
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Addis Ababa University, P.O Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia
| | - Matteo Montagna
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Agroambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy
- BAT Center - Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Napoli 'Federico II', 80138, Portici, Italy
| | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
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Beard D, Stannard HJ, Old JM. Morphological identification of ticks and molecular detection of tick-borne pathogens from bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus). Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:60. [PMID: 33468211 PMCID: PMC7814742 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04565-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks are obligate haematophagous ectoparasites of vertebrate hosts and transmit the widest range of pathogenic organisms of any arthropod vector. Seven tick species are known to feed on bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus), in addition to the highly prevalent Sarcoptes scabiei mite which causes fatal sarcoptic mange in most bare-nosed wombat populations. Little is known about the pathogens carried by most wombat ticks or how they may impact wombats and wombat handlers. METHODS Wombat ticks were sourced from wildlife hospitals and sanctuaries across Australia and identified to species level using taxonomic keys. Genomic DNA was extracted from a subsample, and following the amplification of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 hypervariable region, next-generation sequencing (NGS) on the Illumina MiSeq platform was used to assess the microbial composition. RESULTS A total of 447 tick specimens were collected from 47 bare-nosed wombats between January 2019 and January 2020. Five species of ticks were identified comprising wombat tick Bothriocroton auruginans (n = 420), wallaby tick Haemaphysalis bancrofti (n = 8), bush tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (n = 3), common marsupial tick Ixodes tasmani (n = 12), and Australian paralysis tick Ixodes holocyclus (n = 4). Tick infestations ranged from one to 73 ticks per wombat. The wombat tick was the most prevalent tick species comprising 94% of the total number of samples and was present on 97.9% (46/47) of wombat hosts. NGS results revealed the 16S rRNA gene diversity profile was predominantly Proteobacteria (55.1%) followed by Firmicutes (21.9%) and Actinobacteria (18.4%). A species of Coxiella sharing closest sequence identity to Coxiella burnetii (99.07%), was detected in 72% of B. auruginans and a Rickettsiella endosymbiont dominated the bacterial profile for I. tasmani. CONCLUSIONS A new host record for H. longicornis is the bare-nosed wombat. One adult male and two engorged adult female specimens were found on an adult male wombat from Coolagolite in New South Wales, and more specimens should be collected to confirm this host record. The most prevalent tick found on bare-nosed wombats was B. auruginans, confirming previous records. Analysis of alpha-diversity showed high variability across both sample locations and instars, similar to previous studies. The detection of various Proteobacteria in this study highlights the high bacterial diversity in native Australian ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Beard
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales Australia
| | - Hayley J. Stannard
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW Australia
| | - Julie M. Old
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales Australia
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78
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Nardi T, Olivieri E, Kariuki E, Sassera D, Castelli M. Sequence of a Coxiella Endosymbiont of the Tick Amblyomma nuttalli Suggests a Pattern of Convergent Genome Reduction in the Coxiella Genus. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evaa253. [PMID: 33275132 PMCID: PMC7851586 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks require bacterial symbionts for the provision of necessary compounds that are absent in their hematophagous diet. Such symbionts are frequently vertically transmitted and, most commonly, belong to the Coxiella genus, which also includes the human pathogen Coxiella burnetii. This genus can be divided in four main clades, presenting partial but incomplete cocladogenesis with the tick hosts. Here, we report the genome sequence of a novel Coxiella, endosymbiont of the African tick Amblyomma nuttalli, and the ensuing comparative analyses. Its size (∼1 Mb) is intermediate between symbionts of Rhipicephalus species and other Amblyomma species. Phylogenetic analyses show that the novel sequence is the first genome of the B clade, the only one for which no genomes were previously available. Accordingly, it allows to draw an enhanced scenario of the evolution of the genus, one of parallel genome reduction of different endosymbiont lineages, which are now at different stages of reduction from a more versatile ancestor. Gene content comparison allows to infer that the ancestor could be reminiscent of C. burnetii. Interestingly, the convergent loss of mismatch repair could have been a major driver of such reductive evolution. Predicted metabolic profiles are rather homogenous among Coxiella endosymbionts, in particular vitamin biosynthesis, consistently with a host-supportive role. Concurrently, similarities among Coxiella endosymbionts according to host genus and despite phylogenetic unrelatedness hint at possible host-dependent effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Nardi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Edward Kariuki
- Veterinary and Capture Service Department, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya
| | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Italy
| | - Michele Castelli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Italy
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79
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Buysse M, Duhayon M, Cantet F, Bonazzi M, Duron O. Vector competence of the African argasid tick Ornithodoros moubata for the Q fever agent Coxiella burnetii. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009008. [PMID: 33406079 PMCID: PMC7815103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Q fever is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by the intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii. While transmission is primarily but not exclusively airborne, ticks are usually thought to act as vectors on the basis of early microscopy studies. However, recent observations revealed that endosymbionts of ticks have been commonly misidentified as C. burnetii, calling the importance of tick-borne transmission into question. In this study, we re-evaluated the vector competence of the African soft tick Ornithodoros moubata for an avirulent strain of C. burnetii. To this end, we used an artificial feeding system to initiate infection of ticks, specific molecular tools to monitor further infections, and culture assays in axenic and cell media to check for the viability of C. burnetii excreted by ticks. We observed typical traits associated with vector competence: The exposure to an infected blood meal resulted in viable and persistent infections in ticks, trans-stadial transmissions of infection from nymphs to adults and the ability of adult ticks to transmit infectious C. burnetii. However, in contrast to early studies, we found that infection differed substantially between tick organs. In addition, while adult female ticks were infected, we did not observe C. burnetii in eggs, suggesting that transovarial transmission is not effective. Finally, we detected only a sporadic presence of C. burnetii DNA in tick faeces, but no living bacterium was further isolated in culture assays, suggesting that excretion in faeces is not a common mode of transmission in O. moubata. The intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii is the agent of Q fever, a widespread zoonotic disease. Some early detection reports and microscopy studies identified ticks as vectors of Q fever but more recent studies and molecular analyses revealed that endosymbionts of ticks have been commonly misidentified as C. burnetii: It raises questions of whether ticks play an important role in Q fever transmission. In our study, we therefore experimentally re-evaluate the vector competence of the African soft tick Ornithodoros moubata for C. burnetii. We found that O. moubata can be infected by C. burnetii after the exposure to an infected blood meal. It resulted in viable and persistent infections in ticks, a trans-stadial transmission and the ability of adult ticks to transmit infection when feeding. Infection was however not transmitted transovarially or by faeces as early reported. Overall, we conclude that O. moubata may act as a driver of the transmission and of the spatial dispersal of Q fever among vertebrates where this tick is present in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Buysse
- MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
- CREES (Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé), Montpellier, France
- * E-mail: (MB); (OD)
| | - Maxime Duhayon
- ASTRE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, 34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Franck Cantet
- IRIM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Matteo Bonazzi
- IRIM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Duron
- MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
- CREES (Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé), Montpellier, France
- * E-mail: (MB); (OD)
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80
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Gharban HA, Yousif AA. Serological and Molecular Phylogenetic Detection of Coxiella burnetii in Lactating Cows, Iraq. THE IRAQI JOURNAL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE 2020. [DOI: 10.30539/ijvm.v44i(e0).1020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
This study is carried out to investigate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) infections in cattle using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting IS1111A transposase gene. A total of 130 lactating cows were randomly selected from different areas in Wasit province, Iraq and subjected to blood and milk sampling during the period extended between November 2018 and May 2019. ELISA and PCR tests revealed that 16.15% and 10% of the animals studied were respectively positive. Significant correlations (P<0.05) were detected between the positive results and clinical data. Two positive PCR products were analyzed phylogenetically, named as C. burnetii IQ-No.5 and C. burnetii IQ-No.6; and then recorded in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) under an accession numbers of MN473204.1 and MN473205.1. Comparative identity of the local strains with NCBI-BLAST strains/isolates revealed 97% similarity and 0.1-0.6% of total genetic mutations/changes. NCBI-BLAST Homology Sequence reported high significant identity (P<0.05) between the local, C. burnetii IQ-No.5 and C. burnetii IQ-No.6; strains and C. burnetii 3345937 (CP014354.1) Netherlands isolate at 99.10% and 99.06%, respectively. The current study concluded that the percentage of infected cows with coxiellosis is relatively high, and Coxiella should be listed as abortive pathogen. Therefore, additional studies should be performed including different animals, samples, and regions.
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81
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Bonnet SI, Pollet T. Update on the intricate tango between tick microbiomes and tick-borne pathogens. Parasite Immunol 2020; 43:e12813. [PMID: 33314216 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The recent development of high-throughput NGS technologies, (ie, next-generation sequencing) has highlighted the complexity of tick microbial communities-which include pathogens, symbionts, and commensals-and also their dynamic variability. Symbionts and commensals can confer crucial and diverse benefits to their hosts, playing nutritional roles or affecting fitness, development, nutrition, reproduction, defence against environmental stress and immunity. Nonpathogenic tick bacteria may also play a role in modifying tick-borne pathogen colonization and transmission, as relationships between microorganisms existing together in one environment can be competitive, exclusive, facilitating or absent, with many potential implications for both human and animal health. Consequently, ticks represent a compelling yet challenging system in which to investigate the composition and both the functional and ecological implications of tick bacterial communities, and thus merits greater attention. Ultimately, deciphering the relationships between microorganisms carried by ticks as well as symbiont-tick interactions will garner invaluable information, which may aid in some future arthropod-pest and vector-borne pathogen transmission control strategies. This review outlines recent research on tick microbiome composition and dynamics, highlights elements favouring the reciprocal influence of the tick microbiome and tick-borne agents and finally discusses how ticks and tick-borne diseases might potentially be controlled through tick microbiome manipulation in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Irène Bonnet
- UMR BIPAR 0956, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
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82
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Chiuya T, Masiga DK, Falzon LC, Bastos ADS, Fèvre EM, Villinger J. Tick-borne pathogens, including Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, at livestock markets and slaughterhouses in western Kenya. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:2429-2445. [PMID: 33142046 PMCID: PMC8359211 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Vectors of emerging infectious diseases have expanded their distributional ranges in recent decades due to increased global travel, trade connectivity and climate change. Transboundary range shifts, arising from the continuous movement of humans and livestock across borders, are of particular disease control concern. Several tick-borne diseases are known to circulate between eastern Uganda and the western counties of Kenya, with one fatal case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) reported in 2000 in western Kenya. Recent reports of CCHF in Uganda have highlighted the risk of cross-border disease translocation and the importance of establishing inter-epidemic, early warning systems to detect possible outbreaks. We therefore carried out surveillance of tick-borne zoonotic pathogens at livestock markets and slaughterhouses in three counties of western Kenya that neighbour Uganda. Ticks and other ectoparasites were collected from livestock and identified using morphological keys. The two most frequently sampled tick species were Rhipicephalus decoloratus (35%) and Amblyomma variegatum (30%); Ctenocephalides felis fleas and Haematopinus suis lice were also present. In total, 486 ticks, lice and fleas were screened for pathogen presence using established molecular workflows incorporating high-resolution melting analysis and identified through sequencing of PCR products. We detected CCHF virus in Rh. decoloratus and Rhipicephalus sp. cattle ticks, and 82 of 96 pools of Am. variegatum were positive for Rickettsia africae. Apicomplexan protozoa and bacteria of veterinary importance, such as Theileria parva, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale, were primarily detected in rhipicephaline ticks. Our findings show the presence of several pathogens of public health and veterinary importance in ticks from livestock at livestock markets and slaughterhouses in western Kenya. Confirmation of CCHF virus, a Nairovirus that causes haemorrhagic fever with a high case fatality rate in humans, highlights the risk of under-diagnosed zoonotic diseases and calls for continuous surveillance and the development of preventative measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatenda Chiuya
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya.,Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Daniel K Masiga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Laura C Falzon
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Neston, UK.,International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Armanda D S Bastos
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Eric M Fèvre
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Neston, UK.,International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jandouwe Villinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
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83
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Lefcort H, Tsybulnik DY, Browning RJ, Eagle HP, Eggleston TE, Magori K, Andrade CC. Behavioral characteristics and endosymbionts of two potential tularemia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever tick vectors. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2020; 45:321-332. [PMID: 33207056 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12403] [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: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Due to climate change-induced alterations of temperature and humidity, the distribution of pathogen-carrying organisms such as ticks may shift. Tick survival is often limited by environmental factors such as dryness, but a predicted hotter and wetter world may allow the expansion of tick ranges. Dermacentor andersoni and D. variabilis ticks are morphologically similar, co-occur throughout the Inland Northwest of Washington State, U.S.A., and both can be injected with pathogenic Rickettsia and Francisella bacteria. Differences in behavior and the potential role of endosymbiotic Rickettsia and Francisella in these ticks are poorly studied. We wanted to measure behavioral and ecological differences between the two species and determine which, if any, Rickettsia and Francisella bacteria - pathogenic or endosymbiotic - they carried. Additionally, we wanted to determine if either tick species may be selected for if the climate in eastern Washington becomes wetter or dryer. We found that D. andersoni is more resistant to desiccation, but both species share similar questing behaviors such as climbing and attraction to bright light. Both also avoid the odor of eucalyptus and DEET but not permethrin. Although both tick species are capable of transmitting pathogenic species of Francisella and Rickettsia, which cause tularemia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, respectively, we found primarily non-pathogenic endosymbiotic strains of Francisella and Rickettsia, and only one tick infected with F. tularensis subspecies holarctica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh Lefcort
- Biology Department, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA, 99258
| | | | | | | | | | - Krisztian Magori
- Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, 99004
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84
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Coimbra-Dores MJ, Jaarsma RI, Carmo AO, Maia-Silva M, Fonville M, da Costa DFF, Brandão RML, Azevedo F, Casero M, Oliveira AC, Afonso SMDS, Sprong H, Rosa F, Dias D. Mitochondrial sequences of Rhipicephalus and Coxiella endosymbiont reveal evidence of lineages co-cladogenesis. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5824628. [PMID: 32329790 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhipicephalus ticks are competent vectors of several pathogens, such as Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae (SFGR) and many Babesia species. Within this genus, different R. sanguineus s.l. lineages show an unequal vector competence and resistance regarding some pathogenic strains. Current literature supports that tick endosymbionts may play an essential role in the transmission ability of a vector. Indeed, the microbial community of Rhipicephalus seems to be dominated by Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE). Still, their co-evolutionary associations with the complicated phylogeny of Rhipicephalus lineages and their transmissible pathogens remain unclear. We performed a phylogenetic congruence analysis to address whether divergent R. sanguineus s.l. lineages had a different symbiont composition. For that, we applied a PCR based approach to screen part of the microbial community present in 279 Rhipicephalus ticks from the Iberian Peninsula and Africa. Our analyses detected several qPCR-positive signals for both SFGR and Babesia species, of which we suggest R. sanguineus-tropical lineage as a natural vector of Babesia vogeli and R. sanguineus-temperate lineage of SFGR. The acquisition of 190 CLE sequences allowed to evaluate co-phylogenetic associations between the tick and the symbiont. With this data, we observed a strong but incomplete co-cladogenesis between CLE strains and their Rhipicephalus tick lineages hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Coimbra-Dores
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ryanne Isolde Jaarsma
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Anderson Oliveira Carmo
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana Maia-Silva
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Manoj Fonville
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ricardo Manuel Lemos Brandão
- Wild Animal Ecology, Rehabilitation and Surveillance Center (CERVAS), Serra da Estrela Natural Park, 6290-909 Gouveia, Portugal
| | - Fábia Azevedo
- Wildlife Rehabilitation and Investigation Center (RIAS), Ria Formosa Natural Park, 8700-225 Olhão, Portugal
| | - María Casero
- Wildlife Rehabilitation and Investigation Center (RIAS), Ria Formosa Natural Park, 8700-225 Olhão, Portugal
| | - Ana Cristina Oliveira
- Casa dos Animais Veterinary Clinic, Travessa Quinta da Rosa Linda, Morro Bento, Luanda, Angola
| | | | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Fernanda Rosa
- Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal.,Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Deodália Dias
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
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85
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Cutler SJ, Vayssier-Taussat M, Estrada-Peña A, Potkonjak A, Mihalca AD, Zeller H. Tick-borne diseases and co-infection: Current considerations. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 12:101607. [PMID: 33220628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Over recent years, a multitude of pathogens have been reported to be tick-borne. Given this, it is unsurprising that these might co-exist within the same tick, however our understanding of the interactions of these agents both within the tick and vertebrate host remains poorly defined. Despite the rich diversity of ticks, relatively few regularly feed on humans, 12 belonging to argasid and 20 ixodid species, and literature on co-infection is only available for a few of these species. The interplay of various pathogen combinations upon the vertebrate host and tick vector represents a current knowledge gap. The impact of co-infection in humans further extends into diagnostic challenges arising when multiple pathogens are encountered and we have little current data upon which to make therapeutic recommendations for those with multiple infections. Despite these short-comings, there is now increasing recognition of co-infections and current research efforts are providing valuable insights into dynamics of pathogen interactions whether they facilitate or antagonise each other. Much of this existing data is focussed upon simultaneous infection, however the consequences of sequential infection also need to be addressed. To this end, it is timely to review current understanding and highlight those areas still to address.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally J Cutler
- School of Health, Sport & Bioscience, University of East London, London, E15 4LZ, UK.
| | | | - Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Aleksandar Potkonjak
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Andrei D Mihalca
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Hervé Zeller
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Solna, Sweden
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Mioni MDSR, Costa FB, Ribeiro BLD, Teixeira WSR, Pelicia VC, Labruna MB, Rousset É, Sidi-Boumedine K, Thiéry R, Megid J. Coxiella burnetii in slaughterhouses in Brazil: A public health concern. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241246. [PMID: 33125388 PMCID: PMC7598456 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Q fever is an important zoonosis, yet it is often neglected and can present large outbreaks, as observed in the Netherlands. In the past few years, cases of Q fever have been described in Brazil; however, the epidemiological situation of Q fever in ruminants, the main reservoir of the pathogen, is unknown in this country. Our study aimed to estimate the prevalence of C. burnetii in cattle sent to slaughterhouses using an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). From 1515 cattle serum samples collected from nine slaughterhouses, 23.8% (360/1515) were serologically positive by IFA (cutoff titer>1:64), indicating past or recent exposure to C. burnetii infection. Among the 54 cities sampled during the study, 83.3% (45/54) had at least one seropositive animal. Subsequently, all seropositive samples were submitted to qPCR for C. burnetii DNA, and 12.2% (44/360) of the sera were qPCR positive, which indicates bacteremia and suggests active or recent infection. The results highlight the risk for abattoir workers that results from exposure to contaminated aerosols produced during slaughter procedures. Moreover, the heat maps that were construction from the positive samples demonstrate the widespread distribution of C. burnetii in the State of São Paulo, Brazil and denotes the need for surveillance and preventive measures to reduce the prevalence in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateus de Souza Ribeiro Mioni
- Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francisco Borges Costa
- Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Bruna Letícia Devidé Ribeiro
- Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wanderson Sirley Reis Teixeira
- Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
- Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Cristina Pelicia
- Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Bahia Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Élodie Rousset
- Anses, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Sophia Antipolis laboratory, Animal Q Fever Unit, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Karim Sidi-Boumedine
- Anses, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Sophia Antipolis laboratory, Animal Q Fever Unit, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Richard Thiéry
- Anses, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Sophia Antipolis laboratory, Animal Q Fever Unit, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Jane Megid
- Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Ghafar A, Khan A, Cabezas-Cruz A, Gauci CG, Niaz S, Ayaz S, Mateos-Hernández L, Galon C, Nasreen N, Moutailler S, Gasser RB, Jabbar A. An Assessment of the Molecular Diversity of Ticks and Tick-Borne Microorganisms of Small Ruminants in Pakistan. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8091428. [PMID: 32957540 PMCID: PMC7563897 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated ticks and tick-borne microorganisms of small ruminants from five districts of the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) of Pakistan. Morphological (n = 104) and molecular (n = 54) characterization of the ticks revealed the presence of six ixodid ticks: Rhipicephalus (Rh.) haemaphysaloides, Rh. microplus, Rh. turanicus, Haemaphysalis (Hs.) punctata, Hs. sulcata and Hyalomma anatolicum. Phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequence data for two mitochondrial (16S and cytochrome c oxidase 1) and one nuclear (second internal transcribed spacer) DNA regions provided strong support for the grouping of the six tick species identified in this study. Microfluidic real-time PCR, employing multiple pre-validated nuclear and mitochondrial genetic markers, detected 11 potential pathogens and endosymbionts in 72.2% of the ticks (n = 54) tested. Rickettsia (R.) massiliae was the most common pathogen found (42.6% of ticks) followed by Theileria spp. (33.3%), Anaplasma (A.) ovis and R. slovaca (25.9% each). Anaplasma centrale, A. marginale, Ehrlichia spp., R. aeschlimannii, R. conorii and endosymbionts (Francisella- and Coxiella-like) were detected at much lower rates (1.9–22.2%) in ticks. Ticks from goats (83.9%) carried significantly higher microorganisms than those from sheep (56.5%). This study demonstrates that ticks of small ruminants from the FATA are carrying multiple microorganisms of veterinary and medical health significance and provides the basis for future investigations of ticks and tick-borne diseases of animals and humans in this and neighboring regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Ghafar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Werribee 3030, Victoria, Australia; (A.G.); (A.K.); (C.G.G.); (R.B.G.)
| | - Adil Khan
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Werribee 3030, Victoria, Australia; (A.G.); (A.K.); (C.G.G.); (R.B.G.)
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences, The Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; (S.N.); (S.A.); (N.N.)
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR BIPAR, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (A.C.-C.); (L.M.-H.); (C.G.); (S.M.)
| | - Charles G. Gauci
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Werribee 3030, Victoria, Australia; (A.G.); (A.K.); (C.G.G.); (R.B.G.)
| | - Sadaf Niaz
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences, The Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; (S.N.); (S.A.); (N.N.)
| | - Sultan Ayaz
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences, The Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; (S.N.); (S.A.); (N.N.)
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- UMR BIPAR, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (A.C.-C.); (L.M.-H.); (C.G.); (S.M.)
| | - Clemence Galon
- UMR BIPAR, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (A.C.-C.); (L.M.-H.); (C.G.); (S.M.)
| | - Nasreen Nasreen
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences, The Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; (S.N.); (S.A.); (N.N.)
| | - Sara Moutailler
- UMR BIPAR, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (A.C.-C.); (L.M.-H.); (C.G.); (S.M.)
| | - Robin B. Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Werribee 3030, Victoria, Australia; (A.G.); (A.K.); (C.G.G.); (R.B.G.)
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Werribee 3030, Victoria, Australia; (A.G.); (A.K.); (C.G.G.); (R.B.G.)
- Correspondence:
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Barraza-Guerrero SI, Meza-Herrera CA, García-De la Peña C, González-Álvarez VH, Vaca-Paniagua F, Díaz-Velásquez CE, Sánchez-Tortosa F, Ávila-Rodríguez V, Valenzuela-Núñez LM, Herrera-Salazar JC. General Microbiota of the Soft Tick Ornithodoros turicata Parasitizing the Bolson Tortoise ( Gopherus flavomarginatus) in the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9090275. [PMID: 32899580 PMCID: PMC7565578 DOI: 10.3390/biology9090275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The general bacterial microbiota of the soft tick Ornithodoros turicata found on Bolson tortoises (Gopherus flavomarginatus) were analyzed using next generation sequencing. The main aims of the study were to establish the relative abundance of bacterial taxa in the tick, and to document the presence of potentially pathogenic species for this tortoise, other animals, and humans. The study was carried-out in the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve in the northern-arid part of Mexico. Bolson tortoises (n = 45) were inspected for the presence of soft ticks, from which 11 tortoises (24.4%) had ticks in low loads (1–3 ticks per individual). Tick pools (five adult ticks each) were analyzed through 16S rRNA V3–V4 region amplification in a MiSeq Illumina, using EzBioCloud as a taxonomical reference. The operational taxonomic units (OTUs) revealed 28 phyla, 84 classes, 165 orders, 342 families, 1013 genera, and 1326 species. The high number of taxa registered for O. turicata may be the result of the variety of hosts that this tick parasitizes as they live inside G. flavomarginatus burrows. While the most abundant phyla were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes, the most abundant species were two endosymbionts of ticks (Midichloria-like and Coxiella-like). Two bacteria documented as pathogenic to Gopherus spp. were registered (Mycoplasma spp. and Pasteurella testudinis). The bovine and ovine tick-borne pathogens A. marginale and A. ovis, respectively, were recorded, as well as the zoonotic bacteria A. phagocytophilum,Coxiella burnetii, and Neoehrlichia sp. Tortoises parasitized with O. turicata did not show evident signs of disease, which could indicate a possible ecological role as a reservoir that has yet to be demonstrated. In fact, the defense mechanisms of this tortoise against the microorganisms transmitted by ticks during their feeding process are still unknown. Future studies on soft ticks should expand our knowledge about what components of the microbiota are notable across multiple host–microbe dynamics. Likewise, studies are required to better understand the host competence of this tortoise, considered the largest terrestrial reptile in North America distributed throughout the Chihuahuan Desert since the late Pleistocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio I. Barraza-Guerrero
- Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, 35230 Bermejillo, Durango, Mexico; (S.I.B.-G.); (C.A.M.-H.)
| | - César A. Meza-Herrera
- Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, 35230 Bermejillo, Durango, Mexico; (S.I.B.-G.); (C.A.M.-H.)
| | - Cristina García-De la Peña
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, 35010 Gómez Palacio, Durango, Mexico; (V.Á.-R.); (L.M.V.-N.); (J.C.H.-S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-871-386-7276; Fax: +52-871-715-2077
| | - Vicente H. González-Álvarez
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia No. 2, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, 41940 Cuajinicuilapa, Guerrero, Mexico;
| | - Felipe Vaca-Paniagua
- Laboratorio Nacional en Salud, Diagnóstico Molecular y Efecto Ambiental en Enfermedades Crónico-Degenerativas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, 54090 Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico; (F.V.-P.); (C.E.D.-V.)
- Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, 14080 Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Unidad de Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 54090 Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Clara E. Díaz-Velásquez
- Laboratorio Nacional en Salud, Diagnóstico Molecular y Efecto Ambiental en Enfermedades Crónico-Degenerativas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, 54090 Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico; (F.V.-P.); (C.E.D.-V.)
| | - Francisco Sánchez-Tortosa
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Córdoba.Edificio C-1, Campus Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba, Spain;
| | - Verónica Ávila-Rodríguez
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, 35010 Gómez Palacio, Durango, Mexico; (V.Á.-R.); (L.M.V.-N.); (J.C.H.-S.)
| | - Luis M. Valenzuela-Núñez
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, 35010 Gómez Palacio, Durango, Mexico; (V.Á.-R.); (L.M.V.-N.); (J.C.H.-S.)
| | - Juan C. Herrera-Salazar
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, 35010 Gómez Palacio, Durango, Mexico; (V.Á.-R.); (L.M.V.-N.); (J.C.H.-S.)
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Molecular Investigation of the Status of Ticks on Infected Cattle for Coxiella burnetii in India. Acta Parasitol 2020; 65:779-782. [PMID: 32141019 DOI: 10.2478/s11686-020-00192-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE In Indian subcontinent, the epidemiological studies on the status of ticks in the transmission of Coxiella burnetii have not been explored comprehensively. The objective of the present study was to investigate the status of ticks for C. burnetii among coxiellosis positive cattle. METHODS The present study was carried out in three locations of the northern states of India. A total of 1648 tick samples were collected from the tick infested cattle (n = 146) that were tested positive for coxiellosis by indirect serum-ELISA assay and/or the trans-PCR assay. The tick samples were screened using the trans-PCR assay targeting species-specific IS1111 transposase gene of C. burnetii. The sequencing of PCR products was planned to differentiate C. burnetii and Coxiella-like bacteria (CLB). RESULTS The collected ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus microplus (n = 1049), Hyalomma anatolicum (n = 416), and Hyalomma spp. (n = 183). On molecular investigation, none of the collected tick samples were found to be positive for the IS1111 gene. CONCLUSION The findings of the present study ruled out the involvement of ticks in circulation of the pathogen within the cattle population that were screened. However, extensive epidemiological studies are needed to conclusively rule out or establish the role of ticks as a competent vector for C. burnetii transmission in cattle and other hosts.
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90
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Cotes-Perdomo AP, Oviedo Á, Castro LR. Molecular detection of pathogens in ticks associated with domestic animals from the Colombian Caribbean region. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2020; 82:137-150. [PMID: 32809186 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-020-00531-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases constitute a problem for livestock and public health. Given the socio-economic and environmental conditions of the Colombian Caribbean, ticks are particularly abundant, in turn exposing domestic animals and people in contact with them to such diseases. This study evaluates the presence of Babesia spp., Anaplasma spp., Coxiella spp. and Borrelia spp. in domestic animal ticks (Amblyomma mixtum, A. dissimile, Dermacentor nitens, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and R. microplus) by conventional PCR. Findings show a prevalence of 12.5% of Babesia, 0% of Borrelia, 39.4% of Anaplasma and 52.9% of Coxiella, whereas 6.2% of a total sample of 104 tick pools presented coinfections between Babesia and Anaplasma. Among the molecularly identified species are Ba. vogeli, Ba. bigemina and A. marginale, in addition to two Coxiella species-one being C. mudrowiae and the other similar to an undescribed endosymbiont of Rhipicephalus sp. It is necessary to evaluate the vector capacity of ticks such as A. mixtum, D. nitens and R. sanguineus in the transmission of A. marginale. Moreover, it is necessary to explore the role that bacteria of the genus Coxiella might have both in the health of humans and animals, and in the metabolism and reproduction of ticks. This is the first report on Babesia vogeli and B. bigemina in ticks from the Colombian Caribbean, representing a risk to animal and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea P Cotes-Perdomo
- Grupo de Investigación Evolución, Sistemática Y Ecología Molecular (GIESEMOL), Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, Colombia.
| | - Ángel Oviedo
- Grupo de Investigación Evolución, Sistemática Y Ecología Molecular (GIESEMOL), Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, Colombia
| | - Lyda R Castro
- Grupo de Investigación Evolución, Sistemática Y Ecología Molecular (GIESEMOL), Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, Colombia
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Ni J, Lin H, Xu X, Ren Q, Aizezi M, Luo J, Luo Y, Ma Z, Chen Z, Tan Y, Guo J, Liu W, Qu Z, Wu Z, Wang J, Li Y, Guan G, Luo J, Yin H, Liu G. Coxiella burnetii is widespread in ticks (Ixodidae) in the Xinjiang areas of China. BMC Vet Res 2020; 16:317. [PMID: 32859190 PMCID: PMC7455992 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02538-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The gram-negative Coxiella burnetii bacterium is the pathogen that causes Q fever. The bacterium is transmitted to animals via ticks, and manure, air, dead infected animals, etc. and can cause infection in domestic animals, wild animals, and humans. Xinjiang, the provincial-level administrative region with the largest land area in China, has many endemic tick species. The infection rate of C. burnetii in ticks in Xinjiang border areas has not been studied in detail. Results For the current study, 1507 ticks were collected from livestock at 22 sampling sites in ten border regions of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region from 2018 to 2019. C. burnetii was detected in 205/348 (58.91%) Dermacentor nuttalli; in 110/146 (75.34%) D. pavlovskyi; in 66/80 (82.50%) D. silvarum; in 15/32 (46.90%) D. niveus; in 28/132 (21.21%) Hyalomma rufipes; in 24/25 (96.00%) H. anatolicum; in 219/312 (70.19%) H. asiaticum; in 252/338 (74.56%) Rhipicephalus sanguineus; and in 54/92 (58.70%) Haemaphysalis punctata. Among these samples, C. burnetii was detected in D. pavlovskyi for the first time. The infection rate of Rhipicephalus was 74.56% (252/338), which was the highest among the four tick genera sampled, whereas the infection rate of H. anatolicum was 96% (24/25), which was the highest among the nine tick species sampled. A sequence analysis indicated that 63 16S rRNA sequences could be found in four newly established genotypes: MT498683.1 (n = 18), MT498684.1 (n = 33), MT498685.1 (n = 6), and MT498686.1 (n = 6). Conclusions This study indicates that MT498684.1 might represent the main C. burnetii genotype in the ticks in Xinjiang because it was detected in eight of the tick species studied. The high infection rate of C. burnetii detected in the ticks found in domestic animals may indicate a high likelihood of Q fever infection in both domestic animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Hanliang Lin
- Animal health supervision institute of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Qiaoyun Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China.
| | - Malike Aizezi
- Animal health supervision institute of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, P. R. China
| | - Jin Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Yi Luo
- Animal health supervision institute of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, P. R. China
| | - Zhan Ma
- Animal health supervision institute of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, P. R. China
| | - Ze Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Yangchun Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Junhui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Wenge Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Zhiqiang Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Zegong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Jinming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Youquan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Guiquan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Jianxun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China.,Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonose, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China
| | - Guangyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China.
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Onyiche TE, Răileanu C, Tauchmann O, Fischer S, Vasić A, Schäfer M, Biu AA, Ogo NI, Thekisoe O, Silaghi C. Prevalence and molecular characterization of ticks and tick-borne pathogens of one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Nigeria. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:428. [PMID: 32838795 PMCID: PMC7445909 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04272-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are hematophagous arthropods responsible for maintenance and transmission of several pathogens of veterinary and medical importance. Current knowledge on species diversity and pathogens transmitted by ticks infesting camels in Nigeria is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to unravel the status of ticks and tick-borne pathogens of camels in Nigeria. Methods Blood samples (n = 176) and adult ticks (n = 593) were collected from one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) of both sexes in three locations (Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states) in north-western Nigeria and screened for the presence of Rickettsia spp., Babesia spp., Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma spp. and Coxiella-like organisms using molecular techniques. All ticks were identified to species level using a combination of morphological and molecular methods. Results Ticks comprised the three genera Hyalomma, Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus. Hyalomma dromedarii was the most frequently detected tick species (n = 465; 78.4%) while Amblyomma variegatum (n = 1; 0.2%) and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (n = 1; 0.2%) were less frequent. Other tick species included H. truncatum (n = 87; 14.7%), H. rufipes (n = 19; 3.2%), H. impeltatum (n = 18; 3.0%) and H. impressum (n = 2; 0.3%). The minimum infection rates of tick-borne pathogens in 231 tick pools included Rickettsia aeschlimannii (n = 51; 8.6%); Babesia species, (n = 4; 0.7%) comprising of B. occultans (n = 2), B. caballi (n = 1) and Babesia sp. (n = 1); Coxiella burnetii (n = 17; 2.9%); and endosymbionts in ticks (n = 62; 10.5%). We detected DNA of “Candidatus Anaplasma camelli” in 40.3% of the blood samples of camels. Other tick-borne pathogens including Anaplasma marginale were not detected. Analysis of risk factors associated with both tick infestation and infection with Anaplasma spp. in the blood indicated that age and body condition scores of the camels were significant (P < 0.05) risk factors while gender was not. Conclusions This study reports low to moderate prevalence rates of selected tick-borne pathogens associated with camels and their ticks in north-western Nigeria. The presence of zoonotic R. aeschlimannii emphasizes the need for a concerted tick control programme in Nigeria.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- ThankGod E Onyiche
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.,Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa.,Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, University of Maiduguri, P. M. B. 1069, Maiduguri, 600230, Nigeria
| | - Cristian Răileanu
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Oliver Tauchmann
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Susanne Fischer
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Ana Vasić
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Mandy Schäfer
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Abdullahi A Biu
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, University of Maiduguri, P. M. B. 1069, Maiduguri, 600230, Nigeria
| | - Ndudim I Ogo
- Parasitology Division, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Oriel Thekisoe
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany. .,Department of Biology, University of Greifswald, Domstrasse 11, 17489, Greifswald, Germany.
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93
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Al-Khafaji AM, Bell-Sakyi L, Fracasso G, Luu L, Heylen D, Matthysen E, Oteo JA, Palomar AM. Isolation of Candidatus Rickettsia vini from Belgian Ixodes arboricola ticks and propagation in tick cell lines. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101511. [PMID: 32993931 PMCID: PMC7545694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Candidatus Rickettsia vini was originally detected in Ixodes arboricola ticks from Spain, and subsequently reported from several other Western Palearctic countries including Belgium. Recently, the bacterium was isolated in mammalian (Vero) cell culture from macerated male I. arboricola from Czech Republic, but there have been no reports of propagation in tick cells. Here we report isolation in a tick cell line of three strains of Ca. R. vini from I. arboricola collected from nests of great tits (Parus major) in Belgium. Internal organs of one male and two engorged female ticks were dissected aseptically, added to cultures of the Rhipicephalus microplus cell line BME/CTVM23 and incubated at 28 °C. Rickettsia-like bacteria were first seen in Giemsa-stained cytocentrifuge smears between 2 and 15 weeks later. Two of the isolates grew rapidly, destroying the tick cells within 2–4 weeks of onward passage in BME/CTVM23 cells, while the third isolate grew much more slowly, only requiring subculture at 4−5-month intervals. PCR amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA and Rickettsia gltA, sca4, ompB, ompA and 17-kDa genes revealed that all three isolates were Ca. R. vini, with 100 % identity to each other and to published Ca. R. vini sequences from other geographical locations. Transmission electron microscopy revealed typical single Rickettsia bacteria in the cytoplasm of BME/CTVM23 cells. The Ca. R. vini strain isolated from the male I. arboricola tick, designated Boshoek1, was tested for ability to grow in a panel of Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes scapularis and R. microplus cell lines and in Vero cells. The Boshoek1 strain grew rapidly, causing severe cytopathic effect, in the R. microplus line BME26, the I. ricinus line IRE11 and Vero cells, more slowly in the I. ricinus line IRE/CTVM19, possibly established a low-level infection in the I. ricinus line IRE/CTVM20, and failed to infect cells of any of four I. scapularis lines over a 12-week observation period. This study confirmed the applicability of the simple tick organ-cell line co-cultivation technique for isolation of tick-borne Rickettsia spp. using BME/CTVM23 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa M Al-Khafaji
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK; College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Qadisiyah Province, Iraq.
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.
| | - Gerardo Fracasso
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Lisa Luu
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.
| | - Dieter Heylen
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, M26 Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA; Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - José A Oteo
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, C/ Piqueras, 98, Logroño, 26006, La Rioja, Spain.
| | - Ana M Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, C/ Piqueras, 98, Logroño, 26006, La Rioja, Spain.
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94
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Segura JA, Isaza JP, Botero LE, Alzate JF, Gutiérrez LA. Assessment of bacterial diversity of Rhipicephalus microplus ticks from two livestock agroecosystems in Antioquia, Colombia. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234005. [PMID: 32609768 PMCID: PMC7329104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhipicephalus microplus is recognized as a tick species highly prevalent in cattle, with a wide pantropical distribution that seems to continue spreading geographically. However, its role as a biological vector has been scarcely studied in the livestock context. In this study, a 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing analysis was used to determine bacterial diversity in salivary glands and gut of R. microplus from two contrasting livestock agroecosystems in Antioquia, Colombia. Both the culture-independent approach (CI) and the culture-dependent (CD) approach were complementarily adopted in this study. A total of 341 unique OTUs were assigned, the richness showed to be higher in the Northern than in the Middle Magdalena region, and a high diversity was found at the phylum and genus levels in the samples obtained. With the CI approach, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria were the most common phylum of bacteria regardless of the organ, or geographic origin of the specimens analyzed. While the relative abundance of bacteria at a phylum level with the CD approach varied between analyzed samples, the data obtained suggest that a high diversity of species of bacteria occurs in R. microplus from both livestock agroecosystems. Bacterial genera such as Anaplasma, Coxiella, and Ehrlichia, recognized for their implications in tick-borne diseases, were also detected, together with endosymbionts such as Lysinibacillus, previously reported as a potential tool for biological control. This information is useful to deepen the knowledge about microbial diversity regarding the relations between endosymbionts and pathogens and could facilitate the future development of epidemiological surveillance in livestock systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A. Segura
- Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Juan P. Isaza
- Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Luz E. Botero
- Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Juan F. Alzate
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica - CNSG, Sede de Investigación Universitaria - SIU, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Lina A. Gutiérrez
- Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
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95
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Shin SU, Park YJ, Ryu JH, Jang DH, Hwang S, Cho HC, Park J, Han JI, Choi KS. Identification of Zoonotic Tick-Borne Pathogens from Korean Water Deer ( Hydropotes inermis argyropus). Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:745-754. [PMID: 32598238 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2609] [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] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus) are widespread in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Mostly, Korean water deer are essential hosts for maintaining ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs). Here, we investigated the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) among rescued Korean water deer. Anaplasma phagocytophilum (21.4%, 6/28), Anaplasma capra (14.3%, 4/28), Babesia capreoli (3.6%, 1/28), and Coxiella burnetii (3.6%, 1/28) were detected, but Borrelia burgdorferi, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Theileria infections were not found. A. phagocytophilum was the most commonly detected pathogen, and co-infection with A. capra and B. capreoli was also noted in one Korean water deer. To our knowledge, this is the first article of B. capreoli infection in Korean water deer in the ROK. The infecting isolate of A. phagocytophilum was genetically characterized by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and ankyrin-related protein (ankA) gene. Although the 16S rRNA gene alone may not be informative enough to delineate distinct host species, ankA-based phylogeny revealed a high identity of Korean water deer sequences with those of the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis. A. capra was detected by using citrate synthase gene (gltA), heat-shock protein (groEL), and major surface protein 4 (msp4) genes. Phylogenetic tree based on these gene markers revealed that there were at least two distinct variants within A. capra circulating in the ROK. One variant originated from different hosts including humans, ticks, goats, and sheep, whereas the other variant was reported recently in Korean water deer in the ROK. Consequently, these sequences were identified to belong to a zoonotic species. Sequencing analysis of the 18S rRNA gene revealed that our isolate belonged to B. capreoli and was distinct from Babesia divergens and Babesia venatorum. Moreover, our isolate showed 92.2% homology with B. capreoli sequences, indicating that these differences may be attributed to the different tick species that transmit B. capreoli or to different host species. Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of C. burnetii based on 16S rRNA and IS1111 genes revealed that our isolate was grouped with several strains of C. burnetii and was genetically distant from Coxiella-like bacteria isolates. The present results highlight that Korean water deer act as potential reservoir hosts for zoonotic TBPs, and thus play an important role in the transmission of TBDs in humans, animals, and livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Uk Shin
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Jin Park
- Department of Horse/Companion and Wild Animals, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hyoung Ryu
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Hun Jang
- Department of Horse/Companion and Wild Animals, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunwoo Hwang
- Department of Horse/Companion and Wild Animals, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Chul Cho
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Park
- Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Ik Han
- Laboratory of Wild Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Seong Choi
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea.,Department of Horse/Companion and Wild Animals, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
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96
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Rahal M, Medkour H, Diarra AZ, Bitam I, Parola P, Mediannikov O. Molecular identification and evaluation of Coxiella-like endosymbionts genetic diversity carried by cattle ticks in Algeria. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101493. [PMID: 32723650 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Coxiella-like bacteria are a large group of yet-to-isolate and characterize bacteria phylogenetically close to the agent of Q fever, Coxiella burnetii, and often associated with ixodid ticks worldwide. This study was designed to assess the presence of Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE) in ticks and to describe their genetic diversity in different tick species infesting cattle in Algeria. A total of 765 ticks were collected from three locations. The screening of 20 % of sampled ticks (147/765) exhibited the presence of Coxiella-like in 51.7 % (76/147). The sequencing of partial 16S rRNA and the GroEl genes showed an identity higher than 98 % with different Coxiella-like endosymbionts. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene showed the positions of identified Coxiella bacteria. Eleven of the 13 sequences from Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor and Hyalomma ticks were grouped in a distinct clade, the other two each represent an independent clade. This study reported that CLE are prevalent in cattle ticks. Most of the identified Coxiella-like bacteria, from different species of ticks found on cattle, were identical. This may mean that, unlike the currently accepted paradigm, Coxiella-like bacteria are not only tick host-associated, but rather can be transmitted from one tick species to another via the vertebrate host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Rahal
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France; Department of Biology, University Yahya Fares of Medea, Algeria; National Veterinary High School, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Hacene Medkour
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, MEPHI, Marseille, France; PADESCA Laboratory, Veterinary Science Institute, University Constantine 1, 25100, El Khroub, Algeria
| | - Adama Zan Diarra
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
| | - Idir Bitam
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France; Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Environnement, Faculté des Sciences Biologique, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene, Alger, Algeria
| | - Philippe Parola
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
| | - Oleg Mediannikov
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, MEPHI, Marseille, France.
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97
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Cabrera Orrego R, Ríos-Osorio LA, Keynan Y, Rueda ZV, Gutiérrez LA. Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in livestock farmers and cattle from Magdalena Medio in Antioquia, Colombia. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234360. [PMID: 32520958 PMCID: PMC7286501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii causes Q fever in humans and coxiellosis in animals. In humans, it causes acute febrile illnesses like influenza, pneumonia, hepatitis, and chronic illnesses such as endocarditis, vascular infection, and post-infectious fatigue syndrome. It is widely distributed worldwide, and its main reservoirs are sheep, goats, and cattle. This study aimed to determine the frequency of C. burnetii infection using molecular detection and to identify the associated factors in livestock farmers and cattle from the Magdalena Medio region of Antioquia, Colombia. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), molecular detection was performed for the IS1111 insertion sequence of C. burnetii using genomic DNA collected from the peripheral blood of 143 livestock farmers and 192 cattle from 24 farms located in Puerto Berrío, Puerto Nare, and Puerto Triunfo. To confirm the results, bidirectional amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA was performed in four of the positive samples. Additionally, factors associated with C. burnetii were identified using a Poisson regression with cluster effect adjustment. Real-time PCR showed positive results in 25.9% and 19.5% of livestock farmer samples and cattle samples, respectively. For livestock farmers, factors associated with C. burnetii were the area where the farm was located [Puerto Berrío, adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR): 2.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-4.11], presence of hens (aPR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21-1.79), horses (aPR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.54-1.67), and ticks (aPR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.03-5.42) in the residence, and consumption of raw milk (aPR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.26-1.72). For cattle, the factors associated with Coxiella genus were municipality (Puerto Nare; aPR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.37-0.41) and time of residence on the farm (≥49 months; aPR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.03-5.20). By analyzing sequences of the 16S rRNA molecular marker, C. burnetii infection was confirmed in livestock farmers. However, in cattle, only the presence of Coxiella-type bacteria was identified. Further research is necessary to determine the potential role that these types of bacteria have as etiological agents for disease in livestock farmers and cattle from the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Cabrera Orrego
- Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Leonardo Alberto Ríos-Osorio
- Escuela de Microbiología, Grupo de Investigación en Microbiología Veterinaria, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Yoav Keynan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases and Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Zulma Vanessa Rueda
- Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Grupo de Investigación en Salud Pública, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Lina Andrea Gutiérrez
- Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
- * E-mail:
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98
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Ben-Yosef M, Rot A, Mahagna M, Kapri E, Behar A, Gottlieb Y. Coxiella-Like Endosymbiont of Rhipicephalus sanguineus Is Required for Physiological Processes During Ontogeny. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:493. [PMID: 32390951 PMCID: PMC7188774 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Obligatory hematophagous arthropods such as lice, bugs, flies, and ticks harbor bacterial endosymbionts that are expected to complement missing essential nutrients in their diet. Genomic and some experimental evidence support this expectation. Hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are associated with several lineages of bacterial symbionts, and very few were experimentally shown to be essential to some aspects of tick's fitness. In order to pinpoint the nature of interactions between hard ticks and their symbionts, we tested the effect of massive elimination of Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE) by antibiotics on the development and fitness of the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). Administration of ofloxacin to engorged (blood fed) nymphs resulted in significant and acute reduction of their CLE loads - an effect that also persisted in subsequent life stages (aposymbiotic ticks). As a result, the post-feeding development of aposymbiotic female (but not male) nymphs was delayed. Additionally, aposymbiotic adult females needed a significantly prolonged feeding period in order to replete (detach from host), and had reduced engorgement weight and a lower capacity to produce eggs. Consequently, their fecundity and fertility were significantly reduced. Eggs produced by aposymbiotic females were free of CLE, and the resulting aposymbiotic larvae were unable to feed successfully. Our findings demonstrate that the observed fitness effects are due to CLE reduction and not due to antibiotic administration. Additionally, we suggest that the contribution of CLE is not mandatory for oocyte development and embryogenesis, but is required during feeding in females, when blood meal processing and tissue buildup are taking place. Presumably, under these extreme physiological demands, CLE contribute to R. sanguineus through supplementing essential micro- and macronutrients. Further nutrient complementary studies are required to support this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ben-Yosef
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Asael Rot
- Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Mustafa Mahagna
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Einat Kapri
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Adi Behar
- Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Yuval Gottlieb
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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99
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Flanders AJ, Speer B, Reavill DR, Roberts JF, Childress AL, Atlas A, Wellehan JFX. Development and validation of 2 probe-hybridization quantitative PCR assays for rapid detection of a pathogenic Coxiella species in captive psittacines. J Vet Diagn Invest 2020; 32:423-428. [PMID: 32188352 DOI: 10.1177/1040638720912221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian coxiellosis is an emerging cause of morbidity and mortality among captive psittacines, and the utility of a rapid detection test using easily obtained samples is paramount in a clinical setting. New sequences were obtained from 3 genes: groEL, dnaK, and rpoB. We developed probe-hybridization quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays using groEL and dnaK genes. Samples, including splenic aspirates, liver aspirates, whole blood, and choanal, conjunctival, and cloacal swabs, were collected from 4 psittacine species including 3 blue-and-gold macaws (Ara ararauna), 2 scarlet-chested parrots (Neophema splendida), 1 Timneh African grey parrot (Psittacus timneh), and 1 yellow-naped Amazon parrot (Amazona auropalliata). Retrospective review of postmortem findings from 3 of these psittacines included splenomegaly, hepatitis, and/or transmission electron microscopy confirmation consistent with previous reports of avian coxiellosis. There was 100% agreement between these assays and consensus PCR with sequencing. A Wilcoxon rank-sum test found a strong correlation between groEL and dnaK cycle threshold values (p < 0.001), validating these assays for detection of this avian Coxiella sp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Flanders
- University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL (Flanders, Roberts, Childress, Wellehan).,The Medical Center for Birds, Oakley, CA (Speer).,Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service, Carmichael, CA (Reavill).,College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL (Roberts).,Riverview Animal Clinic, Birmingham, AL (Atlas)
| | - Brian Speer
- University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL (Flanders, Roberts, Childress, Wellehan).,The Medical Center for Birds, Oakley, CA (Speer).,Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service, Carmichael, CA (Reavill).,College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL (Roberts).,Riverview Animal Clinic, Birmingham, AL (Atlas)
| | - Drury R Reavill
- University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL (Flanders, Roberts, Childress, Wellehan).,The Medical Center for Birds, Oakley, CA (Speer).,Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service, Carmichael, CA (Reavill).,College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL (Roberts).,Riverview Animal Clinic, Birmingham, AL (Atlas)
| | - John F Roberts
- University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL (Flanders, Roberts, Childress, Wellehan).,The Medical Center for Birds, Oakley, CA (Speer).,Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service, Carmichael, CA (Reavill).,College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL (Roberts).,Riverview Animal Clinic, Birmingham, AL (Atlas)
| | - April L Childress
- University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL (Flanders, Roberts, Childress, Wellehan).,The Medical Center for Birds, Oakley, CA (Speer).,Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service, Carmichael, CA (Reavill).,College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL (Roberts).,Riverview Animal Clinic, Birmingham, AL (Atlas)
| | - Alvin Atlas
- University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL (Flanders, Roberts, Childress, Wellehan).,The Medical Center for Birds, Oakley, CA (Speer).,Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service, Carmichael, CA (Reavill).,College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL (Roberts).,Riverview Animal Clinic, Birmingham, AL (Atlas)
| | - James F X Wellehan
- University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL (Flanders, Roberts, Childress, Wellehan).,The Medical Center for Birds, Oakley, CA (Speer).,Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service, Carmichael, CA (Reavill).,College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL (Roberts).,Riverview Animal Clinic, Birmingham, AL (Atlas)
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Swei A, Couper LI, Coffey LL, Kapan D, Bennett S. Patterns, Drivers, and Challenges of Vector-Borne Disease Emergence. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:159-170. [PMID: 31800374 PMCID: PMC7640753 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases are emerging at an increasing rate and comprise a disproportionate share of all emerging infectious diseases. Yet, the key ecological and evolutionary dimensions of vector-borne disease that facilitate their emergence have not been thoroughly explored. This study reviews and synthesizes the existing literature to explore global patterns of emerging vector-borne zoonotic diseases (VBZDs) under changing global conditions. We find that the vast majority of emerging VBZDs are transmitted by ticks (Ixodidae) and mosquitoes (Culicidae) and the pathogens transmitted are dominated by Rickettsiaceae bacteria and RNA viruses (Flaviviridae, Bunyaviridae, and Togaviridae). The most common potential driver of these emerging zoonoses is land use change, but for many diseases, the driver is unknown, revealing a critical research gap. While most reported VBZDs are emerging in the northern latitudes, after correcting for sampling bias, Africa is clearly a region with the greatest share of emerging VBZD. We highlight critical gaps in our understanding of VBZD emergence and emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary research and consideration of deeper evolutionary processes to improve our capacity for anticipating where and how such diseases have and will continue to emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Swei
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California
| | - Lisa I. Couper
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
| | - Lark L. Coffey
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Durrell Kapan
- Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California
| | - Shannon Bennett
- Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California
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