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Moreira-Soto A, Carranza MV, Taylor L, Calderón-Arguedas O, Hun L, Troyo A. Exposure of dogs to spotted fever group rickettsiae in urban sites associated with human rickettsioses in Costa Rica. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:748-753. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Revised: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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102
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Noda AA, Rodríguez I, Miranda J, Mattar S, Cabezas-Cruz A. First report of spotted fever group Rickettsia in Cuba. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:1057-1058. [PMID: 27378408 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Angel A Noda
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical "Pedro Kourí", Habana, Cuba.
| | | | - Jorge Miranda
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Montería, Colombia
| | - Salim Mattar
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Montería, Colombia
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, Pasteur Institute of Lille, Lille Cedex, France
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103
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Bermúdez SE, Castro AM, Trejos D, García GG, Gabster A, Miranda RJ, Zaldívar Y, Paternina LE. Distribution of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Hard Ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) from Panamanian Urban and Rural Environments (2007-2013). ECOHEALTH 2016; 13:274-284. [PMID: 27068930 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-016-1118-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne rickettsiosis is an important emerging disease in Panama; to date, there have been 12 confirmed cases, including eight fatalities. To evaluate the distribution of rickettsiae in Panamanian ticks, we collected questing and on-host ticks in urban and rural towns in elevations varying between 0 and 2300 m. A total of 63 sites (13 urban and 50 rural towns) were used to develop models of spatial distributions. We found the following tick species: Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (present in 54 of 63 towns and cities), Amblyomma mixtum (45/63), Dermacentor nitens (40/63), A. ovale (37/63), Rhipicephalus microplus (33/63), A. oblongoguttatum (33/63), Ixodes affinis (3/63), and Ixodes boliviensis (2/63). Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. was present in urban and rural towns, and other species were present only in rural towns. DNA was extracted from 408 R. sanguineus s.l., 387 A. mixtum, 103 A. ovale, and 11 A. oblongoguttatum and later tested for rickettsiae genes using PCR. Rickettsia DNA was detected in ticks from 21 of 63 localities. Rickettsia rickettsii was detected in five A. mixtum (1.29%), and Candidatus "Rickettsia amblyommii" was found in 138 A. mixtum (35%), 14 R. sanguineus (3.4%), and one A. ovale (0.9%). These results suggest that much of rural Panama is suitable for the expansion of tick populations and could favor the appearance of new tick-borne rickettsiosis outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio E Bermúdez
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama.
- Grupo de Estudios con Ectoparásitos, Panama, Panama.
| | - Angélica M Castro
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Diomedes Trejos
- Grupo de Estudios con Ectoparásitos, Panama, Panama
- Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses, Panama, Panama
| | - Gleydis G García
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Amanda Gabster
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Roberto J Miranda
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Yamitzel Zaldívar
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Luis E Paternina
- Grupo de Estudios con Ectoparásitos, Panama, Panama
- Grupo BIOGEM, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo Centauro, Universidad de Antioquia, Antioquia, Colombia
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia
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104
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Miller MJ, Esser HJ, Loaiza JR, Herre EA, Aguilar C, Quintero D, Alvarez E, Bermingham E. Molecular Ecological Insights into Neotropical Bird-Tick Interactions. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155989. [PMID: 27203693 PMCID: PMC4874597 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [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: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the tropics, ticks parasitize many classes of vertebrate hosts. However, because many tropical tick species are only identifiable in the adult stage, and these adults usually parasitize mammals, most attention on the ecology of tick-host interactions has focused on mammalian hosts. In contrast, immature Neotropical ticks are often found on wild birds, yet difficulties in identifying immatures hinder studies of birds' role in tropical tick ecology and tick-borne disease transmission. In Panama, we found immature ticks on 227 out of 3,498 individually-sampled birds representing 93 host species (24% of the bird species sampled, and 13% of the Panamanian land bird fauna). Tick parasitism rates did not vary with rainfall or temperature, but did vary significantly with several host ecological traits. Likewise, Neotropical-Nearctic migratory birds were significantly less likely to be infested than resident species. Using a molecular library developed from morphologically-identified adult ticks specifically for this study, we identified eleven tick species parasitizing birds, indicating that a substantial portion of the Panamanian avian species pool is parasitized by a diversity of tick species. Tick species that most commonly parasitized birds had the widest diversity of avian hosts, suggesting that immature tick species are opportunistic bird parasites. Although certain avian ecological traits are positively associated with parasitism, we found no evidence that individual tick species show specificity to particular avian host ecological traits. Finally, our data suggest that the four principal vectors of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in the Neotropics rarely, if ever, parasitize Panamanian birds. However, other tick species that harbor newly-discovered rickettsial parasites of unknown pathogenicity are frequently found on these birds. Given our discovery of broad interaction between Panamanian tick and avian biodiversity, future work on tick ecology and the dynamics of emerging tropical tick-borne pathogens should explicitly consider wild bird as hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Miller
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Helen J. Esser
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jose R. Loaiza
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Centro de Biodiversidad y Descubrimiento de Drogas, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT-AIP), Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Centralamerican Master’s Program in Entomology, University of Panama, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Edward Allen Herre
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Celestino Aguilar
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Centro de Biodiversidad y Descubrimiento de Drogas, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT-AIP), Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Diomedes Quintero
- G. B. Fairchild Invertebrate Museum, University of Panama, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Eric Alvarez
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Centralamerican Master’s Program in Entomology, University of Panama, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Eldredge Bermingham
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, Miami, Florida, United States of America
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105
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Mastropaolo M, Tarragona EL, Silaghi C, Pfister K, Thiel C, Nava S. High prevalence of "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" in Amblyomma ticks from a Spotted Fever Endemic Region in North Argentina. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2016; 46:73-6. [PMID: 27260814 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2016.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 05/08/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Ticks from an endemic Spotted Fever region in Argentina were analysed by PCR for Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae. DNA of "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" was found in 21.3% of Amblyomma hadanii and in 44.0% of A. neumanni. Amblyomma sculptum (formerly A. cajennense) and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi were negative for rickettsial DNA. DNA of Rickettsia rickettsii, the etiological agent of the clinical cases reported within the studied region was not detected in the analysed sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Mastropaolo
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany; Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Evelina L Tarragona
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Santa Fe, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Kurt Pfister
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Claudia Thiel
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Santa Fe, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina
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106
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Hudman DA, Sargentini NJ. Detection of Borrelia, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia spp. in ticks in northeast Missouri. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:915-921. [PMID: 27133163 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick) and Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) in northeast Missouri for the presence of Borrelia, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia bacteria. We collected actively questing ticks from four sites within Adair County, Missouri. A total of 15,162 ticks were collected, of which 13,980 were grouped in 308 pools (lone star ticks, 288 pools; American dog ticks, 20 pools) and tested for presence/absence of bacteria using polymerase chain reaction. Infection rates were calculated as the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Of the 308 pools tested, 229 (74.4%) were infected with bacteria and the overall MLE of the infection rate per 100 ticks was calculated as 2.9% (CI 2.61-3.21). Infection rates varied among life stages, 28.6% (CI 23.89-33.97) in adults, 7.0% (CI 5.10-9.86) in nymphs, and 1.0% (CI 0.75-1.20) in larvae. In the 116 adult lone star pools, infection rates were calculated for Borrelia lonestari (1.4%), Borrelia spp. (2.7%), Ehrlichia chaffeensis (6.1%), Ehrlichia ewingii (3.3%), Rickettsia amblyommii (18.3%), and Rickettsia montanensis (0.4%). Infection rates for the 52 nymphal lone star pools were calculated as B. lonestari (1.03%), Borrelia spp. (0.40%), E. chaffeensis (2.02%), E. ewingii (0.24%), and R. amblyommii (2.70%). In the 20 adult American dog tick pools, infection rates were determined as E. chaffeensis (9.47%), E. ewingii (5.47%), and R. montanensis (8.06%). Eight Borrelia samples were sequenced with five 99-100% identical to B. burgdorferi (s.l.) and three 99% identical to B. lonestari. Eight samples were sequenced for E. chaffeensis (all 99-100% identical) and one sample was sequenced for E. ewingii (99% identical). Seven samples were sequenced for Rickettsia and three were 99% identical to R. montanensis and four were 100% identical to R. amblyommii. This study demonstrates B. lonestari, E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, R. amblyommii, and R. montanensis in northeast Missouri ticks for the first time. Understanding the presence and epidemiology of these causative (E. chaffeensis and E. ewingii) and suspected (B. lonestari and R. amblyommii) agents in Missouri should increase awareness of potential tick-borne disease in the medical community.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Hudman
- A. T. Still University, 800 W. Jefferson St., Kirksville, MO 63501, United States.
| | - N J Sargentini
- A. T. Still University, 800 W. Jefferson St., Kirksville, MO 63501, United States
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107
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Delisle J, Mendell NL, Stull-Lane A, Bloch KC, Bouyer DH, Moncayo AC. Human Infections by Multiple Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Tennessee. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 94:1212-7. [PMID: 27022147 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most common tick-borne disease in Tennessee. However, Rickettsia rickettsii has rarely been isolated from endemic ticks, suggesting rickettsioses may be caused by other species. A total of 56 human serum samples that were serologically positive for exposure to Rickettsia were obtained from commercial laboratories in 2010 and 2011. In addition, 20 paired sera from patients with encephalitis and positive Rickettsia serology were obtained from the Tennessee Unexplained Encephalitis Surveillance (TUES) study. Using an immunofluorescence assay, reactivity of the sera to R. rickettsii, Rickettsia montanensis, Rickettsia parkeri, and Rickettsia amblyommii was tested, and a comparison of endpoint titers was used to determine the probable antigen that stimulated the antibody response. Cross-absorption was conducted for 94.8% (N = 91) of the samples due to serologic cross-reactivity. Of the commercial laboratory samples, 55.4% (N = 31) had specific reactivity to R. amblyommii and 44.6% (N = 25) were indeterminate. Of the paired TUES samples, 20% (N = 4) had specific reactivity to R. amblyommii, 5% (N = 1) to R. montanensis, and 5% (N = 1) to R. parkeri Patients with specific reactivity to R. amblyommii experienced fever (75%), headache (68%) and myalgia (58%). Rash (36%) and thrombocytopenia (40%) were less common. To our knowledge, this is the first time R. amblyommii has been reported as a possible causative agent of rickettsioses in Tennessee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie Delisle
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Nicole L Mendell
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Annica Stull-Lane
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Karen C Bloch
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Donald H Bouyer
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Abelardo C Moncayo
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
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108
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Wallace JW, Nicholson WL, Perniciaro JL, Vaughn MF, Funkhouser S, Juliano JJ, Lee S, Kakumanu ML, Ponnusamy L, Apperson CS, Meshnick SR. Incident Tick-Borne Infections in a Cohort of North Carolina Outdoor Workers. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:302-8. [PMID: 27008102 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases cause substantial morbidity throughout the United States, and North Carolina has a high incidence of spotted fever rickettsioses and ehrlichiosis, with sporadic cases of Lyme disease. The occupational risk of tick-borne infections among outdoor workers is high, particularly those working on publicly managed lands. This study identified incident tick-borne infections and examined seroconversion risk factors among a cohort of North Carolina outdoor workers. Workers from the North Carolina State Divisions of Forestry, Parks and Recreation, and Wildlife (n = 159) were followed for 2 years in a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of long-lasting permethrin-impregnated clothing. Antibody titers against Rickettsia parkeri, Rickettsia rickettsii, "Rickettsia amblyommii," and Ehrlichia chaffeensis were measured at baseline (n = 130), after 1 year (n = 82), and after 2 years (n = 73). Titers against Borrelia burgdorferi were measured at baseline and after 2 years (n = 90). Baseline seroprevalence, defined as indirect immunofluorescence antibody titers of 1/128 or greater, was R. parkeri (24%), R. rickettsii (19%), "R. amblyommii" (12%), and E. chaffeensis (4%). Incident infection was defined as a fourfold increase in titer over a 1-year period. There were 40 total seroconversions to at least one pathogen, including R. parkeri (n = 19), "R. amblyommii" (n = 14), R. rickettsii (n = 9), and E. chaffeensis (n = 8). There were no subjects whose sera were reactive to B. burgdorferi C6 antigen. Thirty-eight of the 40 incident infections were subclinical. The overall risk of infection by any pathogen during the study period was 0.26, and the risk among the NC Division of Forest Resources workers was 1.73 times that of workers in other divisions (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02, 2.92). The risk of infection was lower in subjects wearing permethrin-impregnated clothing, but not significantly (risk ratio = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.47, 1.39). In summary, outdoor workers in North Carolina are at high risk of incident tick-borne infections, most of which appear to be asymptomatic.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Wallace
- 1 Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health , Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - William L Nicholson
- 2 Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jamie L Perniciaro
- 2 Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Meagan F Vaughn
- 1 Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health , Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Sheana Funkhouser
- 1 Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health , Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jonathan J Juliano
- 3 Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine , Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Sangmi Lee
- 4 Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Madhavi L Kakumanu
- 4 Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Loganathan Ponnusamy
- 4 Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Charles S Apperson
- 4 Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Steven R Meshnick
- 1 Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health , Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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109
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Gleim ER, Garrison LE, Vello MS, Savage MY, Lopez G, Berghaus RD, Yabsley MJ. Factors associated with tick bites and pathogen prevalence in ticks parasitizing humans in Georgia, USA. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:125. [PMID: 26935205 PMCID: PMC4776404 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1408-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The incidence and emergence of tick-borne diseases has increased dramatically in the United States during the past 30 years, yet few large-scale epidemiological studies have been performed on individuals bitten by ticks. Epidemiological information, including disease development, may provide valuable information regarding effectiveness of tick bite prevention education, pathogen transmission, human-disease dynamics, and potential implications for under reporting of tick-borne diseases. Methods Ticks found attached to Georgia residents were submitted for identification and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Francisella tularensis, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Borrelia, and Rickettsia spp. Tick bite victims were interviewed three weeks after the tick bite to identify various epidemiologic factors associated with infestation and if signs suggestive of a tick-borne disease had developed. Fisher’s exact test of independence was used to evaluate associations between various factors evaluated in the study. A multivariable logistic regression model was used for the prediction of non-specific illness post-tick bite. Results From April 2005-December 2006, 444 participants submitted 597 ticks (426 Amblyomma americanum, 142 Dermacentor variabilis, 19 A. maculatum, 7 Ixodes scapularis, 3 Amblyomma sp.) which originated from 95 counties. Only 25 (34 %) of 74 interviewed individuals purposely took tick bite prevention measures. Ticks that were PCR positive for bacterial organisms were attached to 136 participants. Of the 77 participants who developed non-specific illness, 50 did not have PCR positive ticks, whereas 27 did have PCR positive tick (s). Of those 27 individuals, 12 fit the criteria for a possible tick-borne illness (i.e., tick attached >6 h [if known], ≥4 day incubation period, and the individual exhibited clinical symptoms typical of a tick-borne illness without exhibiting cough, sore throat, or sinus congestion). Ticks from these individuals were positive for R. amblyommii (n = 8), E. ewingii (n = 1), R. montana (n = 1), R. rhiphicephali (n = 1), and Rickettsia sp. TR-39 (n = 1). Conclusions Although illnesses reported in this study cannot definitively be connected with tick bites, it does provide insight into development, diagnosis, and treatment of possible tick-borne diseases post-tick bite. The study also provided data on pathogen prevalence, and epidemiologic factors associated with tick bites, as well as tick presence by county in Georgia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Gleim
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Wildlife Health Bldg, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. .,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA. .,Current Address: Oxford College of Emory University, 150 Few Cr, Oxford, GA, 30054, USA.
| | - Laurel E Garrison
- Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, 2 Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA. .,Current address: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, MS C-25, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA.
| | - Marianne S Vello
- Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, 2 Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
| | - Mason Y Savage
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Wildlife Health Bldg, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. .,Current address: College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1052 William Moore Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA.
| | - Gaylord Lopez
- Georgia Poison Center, 80 Jesse Hill Junior Dr. SE, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
| | - Roy D Berghaus
- Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, 501 D.W. Brooks Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30602, USA.
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Dr., Wildlife Health Bldg, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. .,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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St John HK, Adams ML, Masuoka PM, Flyer-Adams JG, Jiang J, Rozmajzl PJ, Stromdahl EY, Richards AL. Prevalence, Distribution, and Development of an Ecological Niche Model of Dermacentor variabilis Ticks Positive for Rickettsia montanensis. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:253-63. [PMID: 26900673 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia montanensis has long been considered a nonpathogenic member of the spotted fever group rickettsiae. However, the infection potential of R. montanensis is being revisited in light of its recent association with a case of human infection in the United States and the possibility that additional cases may have been misdiagnosed as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. To this end, DNA was extracted from American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) removed from Department of Defense (DoD) personnel and their dependents at DoD medical treatment facilities (MTFs) during 2002-2012 (n = 4792). These 4792 samples were analyzed for the presence of R. montanensis (n = 36; 2.84%) and all vector DNA was confirmed to be of D. variabilis origin using a novel Dermacentor genus-specific quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction procedure, Derm, and a novel Dermacentor species multilocus sequence typing assay. To assess the risk of R. montanensis infection, the positive and negative samples were geographically mapped utilizing MTF site locations. Tick localities were imported into a geographical information systems (GIS) program, ArcGIS, for mapping and analysis. The ecological niche modeling (ENM) program, Maxent, was used to estimate the probability of tick presence in eastern United States using locations of both R. montanensis-positive and -negative ticks, climate, and elevation data. The ENM for R. montanensis-positive D. variabilis estimated high probabilities of the positive ticks occurring in two main areas, including the northern Midwest and mid-Atlantic portions of the northeastern regions of United States, whereas the R. montanensis-negative D. variabilis tick model showed a wider estimated range. The results suggest that R. montanensis-positive and -negative D. variabilis have different ranges where humans may be at risk and are influenced by similar and different factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi K St John
- 1 Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center , Silver Spring, Maryland
- 2 Henry M. Jackson Foundation , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Melissa L Adams
- 1 Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center , Silver Spring, Maryland
- 2 Henry M. Jackson Foundation , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Penny M Masuoka
- 2 Henry M. Jackson Foundation , Bethesda, Maryland
- 3 Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Johanna G Flyer-Adams
- 1 Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center , Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Ju Jiang
- 1 Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center , Silver Spring, Maryland
- 2 Henry M. Jackson Foundation , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Patrick J Rozmajzl
- 1 Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center , Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Ellen Y Stromdahl
- 4 Laboratory Sciences, Army Public Health Center , Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
| | - Allen L Richards
- 1 Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center , Silver Spring, Maryland
- 3 Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda, Maryland
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111
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Ticks and rickettsiae from wildlife in Belize, Central America. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:62. [PMID: 26831147 PMCID: PMC4736261 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1348-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The agents of spotted fevers in Latin America are Rickettsia rickettsii, R. parkeri, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest, and R. massiliae. In Continental Central America, R. rickettsii remains the only known pathogenic tick-borne rickettsia. In the present study, ticks were collected from wild mammals in natural areas of Belize. Besides providing new data of ticks from Belize, we investigated rickettsial infection in some of these ticks. Our results provide ticks harboring rickettsial agents for the first time in Central America. METHODS Between 2010 and 2015, wild mammals were lived-trapped in the tropical broadleaf moist forests of central and southern Belize. Ticks were collected from the animals and identified to species by morphological and molecular analysis (DNA sequence of the tick mitochondrial 16S RNA gene). Some of the ticks were tested for rickettsial infection by molecular methods (DNA sequences of the rickettsial gltA and ompA genes). RESULTS A total of 84 ticks were collected from 8 individual hosts, as follows: Amblyomma pacae from 3 Cuniculus paca; Amblyomma ovale and Amblyomma coelebs from a Nasua narica; A. ovale from an Eira Barbara; A. ovale, Amblyomma cf. oblongoguttatum, and Ixodes affinis from a Puma concolor; and A. ovale, A. coelebs, A. cf. oblongoguttatum, and I. affinis from two Panthera onca. Three rickettsial agents were detected: Rickettsia amblyommii in A. pacae, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest in A. ovale, and Rickettsia sp. endosymbiont in Ixodes affinis. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides unprecedented records of ticks harboring rickettsial agents in the New World. An emerging rickettsial pathogen of South America, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest, is reported for the first time in Central America. Besides expanding the distribution of 3 rickettsial agents in Central America, our results highlight the possible occurrence of Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest-caused spotted fever human cases in Belize, since its possible vector, A. ovale, is recognized as one of the most important human-biting ticks in the Neotropical region.
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Maegli A, Loy JD, Cortinas R. Note on Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and “Borrelia lonestari” infection in lone star ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), Nebraska, USA. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:154-158. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Rickettsial infection in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) of wild animals in midwestern Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:415-23. [PMID: 26775021 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Ticks collected in the last two decades from free-living and captive wild animals from 28 municipalities of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso were identified and tested using molecular methods for the presence of rickettsial agents. A total of 4467 ticks (229 larvae, 1676 nymphs, 1565 males, 997 females) representing 27 ixodid species were collected from 235 species of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals from three different ecoregions (Pantanal, Cerrado, and Amazonia). The species Amblyomma parkeri, Amblyomma romitii, Amblyomma varium and Ixodes luciae are reported for the first time in the state of Mato Grosso. Amongst 538 ticks tested by molecular methods for rickettsial infection, we detected 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii' infecting Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto and Amblyomma coelebs, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest infecting Amblyomma ovale, Rickettsia sp. strain NOD infecting Amblyomma nodosum, and 'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae' infecting Amblyomma sculptum. Our results represent an impressive expansion of knowledge on tick fauna and rickettsiae and are essential for understanding the ecology of ticks and tick-borne diseases in the Neotropical region, particularly in midwestern Brazil.
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114
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Nunes EDC, Vizzoni VF, Navarro DL, Iani FCDM, Durães LS, Daemon E, Soares CAG, Gazeta GS. Rickettsia amblyommii infecting Amblyomma sculptum in endemic spotted fever area from southeastern Brazil. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015; 110:1058-61. [PMID: 26676317 PMCID: PMC4708027 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760150266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Rickettsia bacteria include the aetiological agents for the
human spotted fever (SF) disease. In the present study, a SF groupRickettsia
amblyommii related bacterium was detected in a field collected
Amblyomma sculptum (Amblyomma cajennense species
complex) tick from a Brazilian SF endemic site in southeastern Brazil, in the
municipality of Juiz de Fora, state of Minas Gerais. Genetic analysis based on genes
ompA,ompB and htrA showed that
the detected strain, named R. amblyommii str. JF, is related to the
speciesR. amblyommii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emília de Carvalho Nunes
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Vinicius Figueiredo Vizzoni
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Daniel Leal Navarro
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Liliane Silva Durães
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Erik Daemon
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Carlos Augusto Gomes Soares
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Gilberto Salles Gazeta
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Dahlgren FS, Paddock CD, Springer YP, Eisen RJ, Behravesh CB. Expanding Range of Amblyomma americanum and Simultaneous Changes in the Epidemiology of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis in the United States. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015; 94:35-42. [PMID: 26503270 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia species are etiologic agents of a wide range of human infections from asymptomatic or mild infections to severe, life-threatening disease. In the United States, recent passive surveillance for SFG rickettsiosis shows an increased incidence and decreased severity of reported cases. The reasons for this are not well understood; however, we hypothesize that less pathogenic rickettsiae are causing more human infections, while the incidence of disease caused by more pathogenic rickettsiae, particularly Rickettsia rickettsii, is relatively stable. During the same period, the range of Amblyomma americanum has expanded. Amblyomma americanum is frequently infected with "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii", a SFG Rickettsia of unknown pathogenicity. We tested our hypothesis by modeling incidence rates from 1993 to 2013, hospitalization rates from 1981 to 2013, and case fatality rates from 1981 to 2013 regressed against the presence of A. americanum, the decade of onset of symptoms, and the county of residence. Our results support the hypothesis, and we show that the expanding range of A. americanum is associated with changes in epidemiology reported through passive surveillance. We believe epidemiological and acarological data collected on individual cases from enhanced surveillance may further elucidate the reasons for the changing epidemiology of SFG rickettsiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Scott Dahlgren
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Christopher D Paddock
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Yuri P Springer
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Rebecca J Eisen
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Casey Barton Behravesh
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Blanton LS, Mendell NL, Walker DH, Bouyer DH. "Rickettsia amblyommii" induces cross protection against lethal Rocky Mountain spotted fever in a guinea pig model. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2015; 14:557-62. [PMID: 25072985 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2014.1575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a severe illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii for which there is no available vaccine. We hypothesize that exposure to the highly prevalent, relatively nonpathogenic "Rickettsia amblyommii" protects against R. rickettsii challenge. To test this hypothesis, guinea pigs were inoculated with "R. amblyommii." After inoculation, the animals showed no signs of illness. When later challenged with lethal doses of R. rickettsii, those previously exposed to "R. amblyommii" remained well, whereas unimmunized controls developed severe illness and died. We conclude that "R. amblyommii" induces an immune response that protects from illness and death in the guinea pig model of RMSF. These results provide a basis for exploring the use of low-virulence rickettsiae as a platform to develop live attenuated vaccine candidates to prevent severe rickettsioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas S Blanton
- 1 Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
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Ramos DGDS, Melo AL, Martins TF, Alves ADS, Pacheco TDA, Pinto LB, Pinho JB, Labruna MB, Dutra V, Aguiar DM, Pacheco RC. Rickettsial infection in ticks from wild birds from Cerrado and the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso, midwestern Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:836-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Revised: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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118
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Drexler NA, Dahlgren FS, Heitman KN, Massung RF, Paddock CD, Behravesh CB. National Surveillance of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses in the United States, 2008-2012. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015; 94:26-34. [PMID: 26324732 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsioses are notifiable conditions in the United States caused by the highly pathogenic Rickettsia rickettsii and less pathogenic rickettsial species such as Rickettsia parkeri and Rickettsia sp. 364D. Surveillance data from 2008 to 2012 for SFG rickettsioses are summarized. Incidence increased from 1.7 cases per million person-years (PY) in 2000 to 14.3 cases per million PY in 2012. During 2008-2012, cases of SFG rickettsiosis were more frequently reported among males, persons of white race, and non-Hispanic ethnicity. Overall, case fatality rate (CFR) was low (0.4%), however, risk of death was significantly higher for American Indian/Alaska Natives (relative risk [RR] = 5.4) and Asian/Pacific Islanders (RR = 5.7) compared with persons of white race. Children aged < 10 years continue to experience the highest CFR (1.6%). Higher incidence of SFG rickettsioses and decreased CFR likely result from increased reporting of tick-borne disease including those caused by less pathogenic species. Recently, fewer cases have been confirmed using species-specific laboratory methods (such as cell culture and DNA detection using polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assays), causing a clouded epidemiological picture. Use of PCR and improved documentation of clinical signs, such as eschars, will better differentiate risk factors, incidence, and clinical outcomes of specific rickettsioses in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi A Drexler
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - F Scott Dahlgren
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kristen Nichols Heitman
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Robert F Massung
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christopher D Paddock
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Casey Barton Behravesh
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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D AMC, S GGG, Dzul-Rosado K, Aguilar A, Castillo J, Gabster A, Trejos D, Zavala-Castro J, Bermúdez C SE. Questing Amblyomma mixtum and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi (Acari: Ixodidae) Infected with Candidatus "Rickettsia amblyommii" from the Natural Environment in Panama Canal Basin, Panama. Trop Med Health 2015; 43:217-22. [PMID: 26865823 PMCID: PMC4689609 DOI: 10.2149/tmh.2015-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This work emphasizes the detection of Candidatus “Rickettsia amblyommii” in questing Haemaphysalis juxtakochi and Amblyomma mixtum. From February 2009 to December 2012, questing ticks were collected from the vegetation and leaf-litter of four protected forests and two grassy areas around the Panama Canal basin. DNA was extracted from Amblyomma mixtum, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma oblongoguttatum, Amblyomma pecarium, Amblyomma tapirellum, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, and unidentified immature Amblyomma. Specific primers of citrate synthase gene gltA were used to detect and identify the rickettsiae. Amplicons with the expected band size were purified and sequenced. DNA of C. “R. amblyommii” was found in A. mixtum, H. juxtakochi and Amblyomma immatures. To our knowledge, these finding represent the first report of C. “R. amblyommii” in free-living ticks in the wilderness of Central America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica M Castro D
- Departamento en Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
| | - Gleidys G García S
- Departamento en Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
| | - Karla Dzul-Rosado
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi" de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán en Mérida , México
| | | | - Juan Castillo
- Departamento en Investigación en Genómica y Proteómica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
| | - Amanda Gabster
- Departamento en Investigación en Genómica y Proteómica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
| | - Diomedes Trejos
- Laboratorio de Análisis Biomolecular, Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses , Panamá
| | - Jorge Zavala-Castro
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi" de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán en Mérida , México
| | - Sergio E Bermúdez C
- Departamento en Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
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120
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Immunoproteomic profiling of Rickettsia parkeri and Rickettsia amblyommii. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:829-35. [PMID: 26234571 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Revised: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Rickettsia parkeri is an Amblyomma-associated, spotted fever group Rickettsia species that causes an eschar-associated, febrile illness in multiple countries throughout the Western Hemisphere. Many other rickettsial species of known or uncertain pathogenicity have been detected in Amblyomma spp. ticks in the Americas, including Rickettsia amblyommii, "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae" and Rickettsia rickettsii. In this study, we utilized an immunoproteomic approach to compare antigenic profiles of low-passage isolates of R. parkeri and R. amblyommii with serum specimens from patients with PCR- and culture-confirmed infections with R. parkeri. Five immunoreactive proteins of R. amblyommii and nine immunoreactive proteins of R. parkeri were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Four of these, including the outer membrane protein (Omp) A, OmpB, translation initiation factor IF-2, and cell division protein FtsZ, were antigens common to both rickettsiae. Serum specimens from patients with R. parkeri rickettsiosis reacted specifically with cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase, DNA-directed RNA polymerase subunit alpha, putative sigma (54) modulation protein, chaperonin GroEL, and elongation factor Tu of R. parkeri which have been reported as virulence factors in other bacterial species. Unique antigens identified in this study may be useful for further development of the better serological assays for diagnosing infection caused by R. parkeri.
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121
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Rivas JJ, Moreira-Soto A, Alvarado G, Taylor L, Calderón-Arguedas O, Hun L, Corrales-Aguilar E, Morales JA, Troyo A. Pathogenic potential of a Costa Rican strain of 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii' in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) and protective immunity against Rickettsia rickettsii. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015. [PMID: 26210090 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii' is a spotted fever group rickettsia that is not considered pathogenic, although there is serologic evidence of possible infection in animals and humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathogenic potential of a Costa Rican strain of 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' in guinea pigs and determine its capacity to generate protective immunity against a subsequent infection with a local strain of Rickettsia rickettsii isolated from a human case. Six guinea pigs were inoculated with 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' strain 9-CC-3-1 and two controls with cell culture medium. Health status was evaluated, and necropsies were executed at days 2, 4, and 13. Blood and tissues were processed by PCR to detect the gltA gene, and end titers of anti-'Candidatus R. amblyommii' IgG were determined by indirect immunofluorescence. To evaluate protective immunity, another 5 guinea pigs were infected with 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' (IGPs). After 4 weeks, these 5 IGPs and 3 controls (CGPs) were inoculated with pathogenic R. rickettsii. Clinical signs and titers of anti-Rickettsia IgG were determined. IgG titers reached 1:512 at day 13 post-infection with 'Candidatus R. amblyommii'. On day 2 after inoculation, two guinea pigs had enlarged testicles and 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' DNA was detected in testicles. Histopathology confirmed piogranulomatous orchitis with perivascular inflammatory infiltrate in the epididymis. In the protective immunity assay, anti-Rickettsia IgG end titers after R. rickettsii infection were lower in IGPs than in CGPs. IGPs exhibited only transient fever, while CGP showed signs of severe disease and mortality. R. rickettsii was detected in testicles and blood of CGPs. Results show that the strain 9-CC-3-1 of 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' was able to generate pathology and an antibody response in guinea pigs. Moreover, its capacity to generate protective immunity against R. rickettsii may modulate the epidemiology and severity of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in areas where both species circulate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Rivas
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Andrés Moreira-Soto
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Virología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Gilberth Alvarado
- Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Lizeth Taylor
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Virología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Olger Calderón-Arguedas
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Entomología Médica, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Laya Hun
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Virología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Eugenia Corrales-Aguilar
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Virología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Juan Alberto Morales
- Servicio de Patología, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Adriana Troyo
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Entomología Médica, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
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McIntosh D, Bezerra RA, Luz HR, Faccini JLH, Gaiotto FA, Giné GAF, Albuquerque GR. Detection of Rickettsia bellii and Rickettsia amblyommii in Amblyomma longirostre (Acari: Ixodidae) from Bahia state, Northeast Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2015; 46:879-83. [PMID: 26413074 PMCID: PMC4568851 DOI: 10.1590/s1517-838246320140623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies investigating rickettsial infections in ticks parasitizing wild animals in
the Northeast region of Brazil have been confined to the detection of
Rickettsia amblyommii in immature stages of Amblyomma
longirostre collected from birds in the state of Bahia, and in immatures
and females of Amblyomma auriculariumcollected from the striped
hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus semistriatus) and armadillos
(Euphractus sexcinctus) in the state of Pernambuco. The current
study extends the distribution of R. amblyommii (strain Aranha),
which was detected in A. longirostre collected from the thin-spined
porcupine Chaetomys subspinosus and the hairy dwarf porcupine
Coendou insidiosus. In addition, we report the first detection of
Rickettsia bellii in adults of A. longirostre
collected from C. insidiosus in the state of Bahia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas McIntosh
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Alves Bezerra
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
| | - Hermes Ribeiro Luz
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - João Luiz Horacio Faccini
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Amato Gaiotto
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
| | | | - George Rego Albuquerque
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
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Rynkiewicz EC, Hemmerich C, Rusch DB, Fuqua C, Clay K. Concordance of bacterial communities of two tick species and blood of their shared rodent host. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:2566-79. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Revised: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn C. Rynkiewicz
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology & Centre for Immunity; Infection and Evolution; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh EH9 3JT UK
- Department of Biology; Indiana University; 1001 E 3rd St Bloomington IN 47405 USA
| | - Chris Hemmerich
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics; Indiana University; 1001 E 3rd St Bloomington IN 47405 USA
| | - Douglas B. Rusch
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics; Indiana University; 1001 E 3rd St Bloomington IN 47405 USA
| | - Clay Fuqua
- Department of Biology; Indiana University; 1001 E 3rd St Bloomington IN 47405 USA
| | - Keith Clay
- Department of Biology; Indiana University; 1001 E 3rd St Bloomington IN 47405 USA
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Eremeeva ME, Dasch GA. Challenges posed by tick-borne rickettsiae: eco-epidemiology and public health implications. Front Public Health 2015; 3:55. [PMID: 25954738 PMCID: PMC4404743 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2015.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsiae are obligately intracellular bacteria that are transmitted to vertebrates by a variety of arthropod vectors, primarily by fleas and ticks. Once transmitted or experimentally inoculated into susceptible mammals, some rickettsiae may cause febrile illness of different morbidity and mortality, and which can manifest with different types of exhanthems in humans. However, most rickettsiae circulate in diverse sylvatic or peridomestic reservoirs without having obvious impacts on their vertebrate hosts or affecting humans. We have analyzed the key features of tick-borne maintenance of rickettsiae, which may provide a deeper basis for understanding those complex invertebrate interactions and strategies that have permitted survival and circulation of divergent rickettsiae in nature. Rickettsiae are found in association with a wide range of hard and soft ticks, which feed on very different species of large and small animals. Maintenance of rickettsiae in these vector systems is driven by both vertical and horizontal transmission strategies, but some species of Rickettsia are also known to cause detrimental effects on their arthropod vectors. Contrary to common belief, the role of vertebrate animal hosts in maintenance of rickettsiae is very incompletely understood. Some clearly play only the essential role of providing a blood meal to the tick while other hosts may supply crucial supplemental functions for effective agent transmission by the vectors. This review summarizes the importance of some recent findings with known and new vectors that afford an improved understanding of the eco-epidemiology of rickettsiae; the public health implications of that information for rickettsial diseases are also described. Special attention is paid to the co-circulation of different species and genotypes of rickettsiae within the same endemic areas and how these observations may influence, correctly or incorrectly, trends, and conclusions drawn from the surveillance of rickettsial diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina E Eremeeva
- Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University , Statesboro, GA , USA
| | - Gregory A Dasch
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, GA , USA
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Medlin JS, Cohen JI, Beck DL. Vector potential and population dynamics for Amblyomma inornatum. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:463-72. [PMID: 25881916 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Revised: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We studied the natural life cycle of Amblyomma inornatum and its vector potential in South Texas. This tick is distributed throughout South Texas and most of Central America. A. inornatum represented 1.91% of the ticks collected by carbon dioxide traps during a study of free-living ticks in the Tamaulipan Biotic Province in South Texas. The life cycle of A. inornatum in South Texas showed a clear seasonal pattern consistent with one generation per year. Nymphs emerged in the spring with a peak in February through May. Adults emerged in the summer with a peak in July through September. Detection of A. inornatum larvae was negatively correlated with saturation deficit and positively correlated with rain in the previous few months. Adult activity was positively correlated with temperature and rain in the previous five weeks. Using PCR we detected the presence of species related to Candidatus Borrelia lonestari, Borrelia burgdorferi, Rickettsia species (Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii), Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and another Ehrlichia related to Ehrlichia ewingii. Finally we sequenced the mitochondrial 16S rRNA genes and found that A. inornatum is most closely related to Amblyomma parvum. This is the first report of the life cycle, vector potential and phylogeny of A. inornatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer S Medlin
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX 78043, United States
| | - James I Cohen
- Department of Applied Biology, Kettering University, Flint, MI 48504, United States
| | - David L Beck
- Department of Biology, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN 38506, United States.
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Lugarini C, Martins TF, Ogrzewalska M, de Vasconcelos NCT, Ellis VA, de Oliveira JB, Pinter A, Labruna MB, Silva JCR. Rickettsial agents in avian ixodid ticks in northeast Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:364-75. [PMID: 25800099 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Birds are important in the maintenance and spread of ticks and tick-borne diseases. In this context we screened birds in the Atlantic forest north of the São Francisco River and Caatinga in northeast Brazil. In the Atlantic forest Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma varium and Amblyomma auricularium were identified. A. longirostre was infected by "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" and A. nodosum by a Rickettsia parkeri-like agent. In Caatinga, Amblyomma parvum and A. auricularium were identified. A. auricularium was infected by "Ca. R. amblyommii" and Rickettsia bellii. "Canditatus Rickettsia andenae" was also identified in A. parvum collected from birds in Caatinga. In addition, Rickettsia sp. genotype AL was identified in A. varium collected on the clothes of the field team in one area of Atlantic forest. Here we provide a series of new host records for several Neotropical Amblyomma species and document rickettsial infections of "Ca. R. amblyomii" and a R. parkeri-like agent in Paraíba State, and R. bellii and "Ca. R. andenae" in Bahia State. For the first time we provide information regarding the infection of A. varium by "Ca. R. amblyommii".
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Affiliation(s)
- Camile Lugarini
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Aves Silvestres, Estação Ecológica de Carijós, Rodovia Maurício Sirotski Sobrinho s/n, SC 402 - km 02, trevo Jurerê, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina 88053-700, Brazil; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiro, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil; Instituto Brasileiro para Medicina da Conservação - Tríade, Rua Silveira Lobo, 32, Caixa Postal 48, Casa Forte, Recife, PE 852061-030, Brazil.
| | - Thiago Fernandes Martins
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP 05508 270, Brazil
| | - Maria Ogrzewalska
- Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21045-900, Brazil
| | - Nathália Costa Teixeira de Vasconcelos
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiro, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Vincenzo A Ellis
- University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 8001 Natural Bridge, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
| | - Jaqueline Bianque de Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiro, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Adriano Pinter
- Superintendência de Controle de Endemias (Sucen), Rua Cardeal Arcovere, 2878, São Paulo 05408-003, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP 05508 270, Brazil
| | - Jean Carlos Ramos Silva
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiro, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil; Instituto Brasileiro para Medicina da Conservação - Tríade, Rua Silveira Lobo, 32, Caixa Postal 48, Casa Forte, Recife, PE 852061-030, Brazil
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High prevalence of "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae" and apparent exclusion of Rickettsia parkeri in adult Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) from Kansas and Oklahoma. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:297-302. [PMID: 25773931 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Amblyomma maculatum (the Gulf Coast tick), an aggressive, human-biting, Nearctic and Neotropical tick, is the principal vector of Rickettsia parkeri in the United States. This pathogenic spotted fever group Rickettsia species has been identified in 8-52% of questing adult Gulf Coast ticks in the southeastern United States. To our knowledge, R. parkeri has not been reported previously from adult specimens of A. maculatum collected in Kansas or Oklahoma. A total of 216 adult A. maculatum ticks were collected from 18 counties in Kansas and Oklahoma during 2011-2014 and evaluated by molecular methods for evidence of infection with R. parkeri. No infections with this agent were identified; however, 47% of 94 ticks collected from Kansas and 73% of 122 ticks from Oklahoma were infected with "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae" a spotted fever group Rickettsia species of undetermined pathogenicity. These preliminary data suggest that "Ca. R. andeanae" is well-adapted to survival in populations of A. maculatum in Kansas and Oklahoma, and that its ubiquity in Gulf Coast ticks in these states may effectively exclude R. parkeri from their shared arthropod host, which could diminish markedly or preclude entirely the occurrence of R. parkeri rickettsiosis in this region of the United States.
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Rickettsia infection in Amblyomma tonelliae, a tick species from the Amblyomma cajennense complex. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:173-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Revised: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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Silveira I, Martins TF, Olegário MM, Peterka C, Guedes E, Ferreira F, Labruna MB. Rickettsial Infection in Animals, Humans and Ticks in Paulicéia, Brazil. Zoonoses Public Health 2015; 62:525-33. [PMID: 25643912 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A previous study in Paulicéia Municipality, south-eastern Brazil, reported 9.7% of the Amblyomma triste ticks to be infected by Rickettsia parkeri, a bacterial pathogen that causes spotted fever in humans. These A. triste ticks were shown to be associated with marsh areas, where the marsh deer Blastocerus dichotomus is a primary host for this tick species. During 2008-2009, blood serum samples were collected from 140 horses, 41 dogs, 5 opossums (Didelphis albiventris) and 26 humans in farms from Pauliceia Municipality. Ticks were collected from these animals, from vegetation and from additional wildlife in these farms. Overall, 25% (35/140) of the horses, 7.3% (3/41) of the dogs, 3.8% (1/26) of the humans and 100% (5/5) of the opossums were seroreactive (titre ≥64) to spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia spp. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated that horses that were allowed to forage in the marsh were 4.8 times more likely to be seroreactive to spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia spp than horses that did not forage in the marsh. In addition, horses that had been living in the farm for more than 8.5 years were 2.8 times more likely to be seroreactive to SFG Rickettsia spp than horses that were living for ≤8.5 years. Ticks collected from domestic animals or from vegetation included Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma dubitatum, Dermacentor nitens and Rhipicephalus microplus. By PCR analyses, only one pool of A. coelebs ticks from the vegetation was shown to be infected by rickettsiae, for which DNA sequencing revealed to be Rickettsia amblyommii. Ticks (not tested by PCR) collected from wildlife encompassed A. cajennense and Amblyomma rotundatum on lizards (Tupinambis sp), and A. cajennense and A. triste on the bird Laterallus viridis. Our results indicate that the marsh area of Paulicéia offers risks of infection by SFG rickettsiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Silveira
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - T F Martins
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - M M Olegário
- Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - C Peterka
- Tropical Medicine Foundation of Tocantins (Funtrop), Araguaína, Brazil
| | - E Guedes
- Parasitology Laboratory, Embrapa Dairy Cattle, Rua Eugênio do Nascimento, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - F Ferreira
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - M B Labruna
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Soares HS, Barbieri ARM, Martins TF, Minervino AHH, de Lima JTR, Marcili A, Gennari SM, Labruna MB. Ticks and rickettsial infection in the wildlife of two regions of the Brazilian Amazon. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2015; 65:125-140. [PMID: 25273064 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-014-9851-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 09/14/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
During 2009-2012, wild animals and their ticks were sampled in two areas within the Amazon biome of Brazil, in the states of Mato Grosso and Pará. Animal tissues, blood, and ticks were molecularly tested for Rickettsia and Coxiella DNA. A total of 182 wild animals were sampled, comprising 28 mammalian, five avian, and three reptilian species. Animal tissues or blood were all negative for Rickettsia or Coxiella DNA. A total of 454 ticks (22 larvae, 226 nymphs, 127 males, 79 females) were collected from 52 (28.6%) animals, and identified into 15 species: Amblyomma cajennense, A. naponense, A. humerale, A. nodosum, A. goeldii, A. oblongoguttatum, A. longirostre, A. calcaratum, A. coelebs, A. pacae, A. geayii, A. rotundatum, A. auricularium, A. ovale, and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi. While no Coxiella DNA was identified in ticks, six Rickettsia species were detected in the ticks. "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" was the most common agent, detected in four tick species, A. cajennense, A. auricularium, A. longirostre, and A. humerale. The second most common agent, R. bellii, was detected in A. humerale and A. naponense. Rickettsia rhipicephali was detected in H. juxtakochi, and R. felis in A. humerale. Two possible new Rickettsia species were detected in A. naponense ticks, namely, a novel spotted fever group agent close-related to R. africae in Pará, and a novel Canadensis group agent in Mato Grosso. Results of the present study expand our knowledge on the tick fauna, and on the yet infantile knowledge of tick-borne rickettsiae in the Amazon biome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herbert S Soares
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
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Lee S, Kakumanu ML, Ponnusamy L, Vaughn M, Funkhouser S, Thornton H, Meshnick SR, Apperson CS. Prevalence of Rickettsiales in ticks removed from the skin of outdoor workers in North Carolina. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:607. [PMID: 25533148 PMCID: PMC4301950 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0607-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tick-transmitted rickettsial diseases, such as ehrlichiosis and spotted fever rickettsiosis, are significant sources of morbidity and mortality in the southern United States. Because of their exposure in tick-infested woodlands, outdoor workers experience an increased risk of infection with tick-borne pathogens. As part of a double blind randomized-controlled field trial of the effectiveness of permethrin-treated clothing in preventing tick bites, we identified tick species removed from the skin of outdoor workers in North Carolina and tested the ticks for Rickettsiales pathogens. Methods Ticks submitted by study participants from April-September 2011 and 2012 were identified to species and life stage, and preliminarily screened for the genus Rickettsia by nested PCR targeting the 17-kDa protein gene. Rickettsia were further identified to species by PCR amplification of 23S-5S intergenic spacer (IGS) fragments combined with reverse line blot hybridization with species-specific probes and through cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of 23S-5S amplicons. Ticks were examined for Ehrlichia and Anaplasma by nested PCR directed at the gltA, antigen-expressing gene containing a variable number of tandem repeats, 16S rRNA, and groESL genes. Results The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) accounted for 95.0 and 92.9% of ticks submitted in 2011 (n = 423) and 2012 (n = 451), respectively. Specimens of American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) and black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) were also identified. In both years of our study, 60.9% of ticks tested positive for 17-kDa. “Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii”, identified in all four tick species, accounted for 90.2% (416/461) of the 23S-5S-positive samples and 52.9% (416/787) of all samples tested. Nucleotide sequence analysis of Rickettsia-specific 23S-5S IGS, ompA and gltA gene fragments indicated that ticks, principally A. americanum, contained novel species of Rickettsia. Other Rickettsiales, including Ehrlichia ewingii, E. chaffeensis, Ehrlichia sp. (Panola Mountain), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, were infrequently identified, principally in A. americanum. Conclusions We conclude that in North Carolina, the most common rickettsial exposure is to R. amblyommii carried by A. americanum. Other Rickettsiales bacteria, including novel species of Rickettsia, were less frequently detected in A. americanum but are relevant to public health nevertheless. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-014-0607-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangmi Lee
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA. .,Present address: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Madhavi L Kakumanu
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA.
| | - Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA.
| | - Meagan Vaughn
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Sheana Funkhouser
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Haley Thornton
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA.
| | - Steven R Meshnick
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Charles S Apperson
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA.
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The phenology of ticks and the effects of long-term prescribed burning on tick population dynamics in southwestern Georgia and northwestern Florida. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112174. [PMID: 25375797 PMCID: PMC4223030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Some tick populations have increased dramatically in the past several decades leading to an increase in the incidence and emergence of tick-borne diseases. Management strategies that can effectively reduce tick populations while better understanding regional tick phenology is needed. One promising management strategy is prescribed burning. However, the efficacy of prescribed burning as a mechanism for tick control is unclear because past studies have provided conflicting data, likely due to a failure of some studies to simulate operational management scenarios and/or account for other predictors of tick abundance. Therefore, our study was conducted to increase knowledge of tick population dynamics relative to long-term prescribed fire management. Furthermore, we targeted a region, southwestern Georgia and northwestern Florida (USA), in which little is known regarding tick dynamics so that basic phenology could be determined. Twenty-one plots with varying burn regimes (burned surrounded by burned [BB], burned surrounded by unburned [BUB], unburned surrounded by burned [UBB], and unburned surrounded by unburned [UBUB]) were sampled monthly for two years while simultaneously collecting data on variables that can affect tick abundance (e.g., host abundance, vegetation structure, and micro- and macro-climatic conditions). In total, 47,185 ticks were collected, of which, 99% were Amblyomma americanum, 0.7% were Ixodes scapularis, and fewer numbers of Amblyomma maculatum, Ixodes brunneus, and Dermacentor variabilis. Monthly seasonality trends were similar between 2010 and 2011. Long-term prescribed burning consistently and significantly reduced tick counts (overall and specifically for A. americanum and I. scapularis) regardless of the burn regimes and variables evaluated. Tick species composition varied according to burn regime with A. americanum dominating at UBUB, A. maculatum at BB, I. scapularis at UBB, and a more even composition at BUB. These data indicate that regular prescribed burning is an effective tool for reducing tick populations and ultimately may reduce risk of tick-borne disease.
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L Richards S, G Balanay JA, W Harris J. Effectiveness of permethrin-treated clothing to prevent tick exposure in foresters in the central Appalachian region of the USA. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2014; 25:453-62. [PMID: 25290464 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2014.963033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Outdoor workers are at risk from mosquito and tick bites and the extent to which exposures are linked to vector-borne disease is not understood. This pilot study characterizes for ester exposure to mosquitoes and ticks, and assesses effectiveness of permethrin-treated clothing for prevention of tick bites. Foresters (N = 34) from Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia were placed into treatment (permethrin-treated clothing) or control (untreated clothing) groups. Foresters completed questionnaires about work-related tick/mosquito exposure and 454 ticks were collected/identified from May to June 2013. A time-weighted analysis based on information submitted by foresters about time working outdoors showed that control participants received a lower rate of tick exposure (0.15 tick bites/hour; 13 bites/person) compared to treatment participants (0.27 bites/hour; 21 bites/person). However, more control participants (85 %) received at least one tick bite compared to treatment participants (52 %). Outdoor workers should be aware of available protective measures, such as permethrin-treated clothing, that may mitigate occupational risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Richards
- a Department of Health Education and Promotion, Environmental Health Sciences Program , East Carolina University , Greenville , NC , USA
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Abstract
Cross-sectional imaging techniques have facilitated diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. However, there is still frequently a lack of definition of the cause of neurologic lesions, because tissue sampling from the pathologic site is often difficult and there are few clinical diagnostic tools to assist diagnosis. Biomarkers can assist in understanding the cause, diagnosis, severity, and prognosis for neural injury. Integration of conventional testing and new diagnostic techniques will overcome shortcomings in understanding infectious diseases of the CNS. Diagnostic tests may be limited by poor positive and negative predictive values, which must be recognized when interpreting test results.
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135
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Kim TK, Curran J, Mulenga A. Dual silencing of long and short Amblyomma americanum acidic chitinase forms weakens the tick cement cone stability. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 217:3493-503. [PMID: 25189365 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.107979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study demonstrates that Amblyomma americanum (Aam) constitutively and ubiquitously expresses the long (L) and short (S) putative acidic chitinases (Ach) that are distinguished by a 210 base pair (bp) deletion in AamAch-S. Full-length AamAch-L and AamAch-S cDNA are 1959 and 1718 bp long, containing 1332 and 1104 bp open reading frames that code for 443 and 367 amino acid residues proteins with the former predicted to be extracellular and the latter intracellular. Both AamAch-L and AamAch-S mRNA are expressed in multiple organs as revealed by qualitative RT-PCR analysis. Furthermore, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that AamAch-L mRNA was downregulated in the mid-gut, but was unchanged in the salivary gland and in other organs in response to feeding. Of significant interest, AamAch-L and/or AamAch-S functions are probably associated with formation and/or maintenance of stability of A. americanum tick cement cone. Dual RNA interference silencing of AamAch-L and/or AamAch-S mRNA caused ticks to loosely attach onto host skin as suggested by bleeding around tick mouthparts and ticks detaching off host skin with a light touch. AamAch-L may apparently encode an inactive chitinase as indicated by Pichia pastoris-expressed recombinant AamAch-L failing to hydrolyse chitinase substrates. Unpublished related work in our laboratory, and published work by others that found AamAch-L in tick saliva, suggest that native AamAch-L is a non-specific immunoglobulin binding tick saliva protein in that rAamAch-L non-specifically bound rabbit, bovine and chicken non-immune sera. We discuss findings in this study with reference to advancing knowledge on tick feeding physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae K Kim
- Texas A&M University AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Janet Curran
- Texas A&M University AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Texas A&M University AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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136
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Seroepidemiologic study of human infections with spotted fever group Rickettsiae in North Carolina. J Clin Microbiol 2014; 52:3960-6. [PMID: 25187639 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01733-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing entomologic and epidemiologic evidence suggests that spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) other than Rickettsia rickettsii are responsible for spotted fever rickettsioses in the United States. A retrospective seroepidemiologic study was conducted on stored acute- and convalescent-phase sera that had been submitted for Rocky Mountain spotted fever testing to the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health. We evaluated the serologic reactivity of the paired sera to R. rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, and Rickettsia amblyommii antigens. Of the 106 eligible pairs tested, 21 patients seroconverted to one or more antigens. Cross-reactivity to multiple antigens was observed in 10 patients, and seroconversions to single antigens occurred in 11 patients, including 1 against R. rickettsii, 4 against R. parkeri, and 6 against R. amblyommii. Cross-absorption of cross-reactive sera and/or Western blots identified two presumptive cases of infection with R. parkeri, two presumptive cases of infection with R. rickettsii, and one presumptive case of infection with R. amblyommii. These findings suggest that species of SFGR other than R. rickettsii are associated with illness among North Carolina residents and that serologic testing using R. rickettsii antigen may miss cases of spotted fever rickettsioses caused by other species of SFGR.
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137
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McQuiston JH, Wiedeman C, Singleton J, Carpenter LR, McElroy K, Mosites E, Chung I, Kato C, Morris K, Moncayo AC, Porter S, Dunn J. Inadequacy of IgM antibody tests for diagnosis of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2014; 91:767-70. [PMID: 25092818 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.14-0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Among 13 suspected Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) cases identified through an enhanced surveillance program in Tennessee, antibodies to Rickettsia rickettsii were detected in 10 (77%) patients using a standard indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) assay. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies were observed for 6 of 13 patients (46%) without a corresponding development of IgG, and for 3 of 10 patients (30%) at least 1 year post-onset. However, recent infection with a spotted fever group rickettsiae could not be confirmed for any patient, based on a lack of rising antibody titers in properly timed acute and convalescent serologic specimens, and negative findings by polymerase chain reaction testing. Case definitions used in national surveillance programs lack specificity and may capture cases that do not represent current rickettsial infections. Use of IgM antibodies should be reconsidered as a basis for diagnosis and public health reporting of RMSF and other spotted fever group rickettsiae in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H McQuiston
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Caleb Wiedeman
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Joseph Singleton
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - L Rand Carpenter
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Kristina McElroy
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Emily Mosites
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Ida Chung
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Cecilia Kato
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Kevin Morris
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Abelardo C Moncayo
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Susan Porter
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - John Dunn
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vectorborne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee
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138
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Williams-Newkirk AJ, Rowe LA, Mixson-Hayden TR, Dasch GA. Characterization of the bacterial communities of life stages of free living lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum). PLoS One 2014; 9:e102130. [PMID: 25054227 PMCID: PMC4108322 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 06/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is an abundant and aggressive biter of humans, domestic animals, and wildlife in the southeastern-central USA and an important vector of several known and suspected zoonotic bacterial pathogens. However, the biological drivers of bacterial community variation in this tick are still poorly defined. Knowing the community context in which tick-borne bacterial pathogens exist and evolve is required to fully understand the ecology and immunobiology of the ticks and to design effective public health and veterinary interventions. We performed a metagenomic survey of the bacterial communities of questing A. americanum and tested 131 individuals (66 nymphs, 24 males, and 41 females) from five sites in three states. Pyrosequencing was performed with barcoded eubacterial primers targeting variable 16S rRNA gene regions 5–3. The bacterial communities were dominated by Rickettsia (likely R. amblyommii) and an obligate Coxiella symbiont, together accounting for 6.7–100% of sequences per tick. DNAs from Midichloria, Borrelia, Wolbachia, Ehrlichia, Pseudomonas, or unidentified Bacillales, Enterobacteriaceae, or Rhizobiales groups were also detected frequently. Wolbachia and Midichloria significantly co-occurred in Georgia (p<0.00001), but not in other states. The significance of the Midichloria-Wolbachia co-occurrence is unknown. Among ticks collected in Georgia, nymphs differed from adults in both the composition (p = 0.002) and structure (p = 0.002) of their bacterial communities. Adults differed only in their community structure (p = 0.002) with males containing more Rickettsia and females containing more Coxiella. Comparisons among adult ticks collected in New York and North Carolina supported the findings from the Georgia collection despite differences in geography, collection date, and sample handling, implying that the differences detected are consistent attributes. The data also suggest that some members of the bacterial community change during the tick life cycle and that some sex-specific attributes may be detectable in nymphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Jo Williams-Newkirk
- Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Graduate Program in Population Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lori A. Rowe
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Tonya R. Mixson-Hayden
- Laboratory Branch, Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Gregory A. Dasch
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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139
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Fitak RR, Kelly DJ, Daniels MK, Jiang J, Richards AL, Fuerst PA. The prevalence of rickettsial and ehrlichial organisms in Amblyomma americanum ticks collected from Ohio and surrounding areas between 2000 and 2010. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:797-800. [PMID: 25108789 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2014] [Revised: 04/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, feeds upon a variety of hosts and is a known vector of several human pathogens. In Ohio, populations of A. americanum have been expanding their range and increasing in abundance and distribution, thereby elevating the public health concerns regarding bites from this species. We used a set of PCR assays to detect the presence of ehrlichial and rickettsial species in A. americanum ticks submitted to the Ohio Department of Health Zoonotic Disease Program over an 11-year period (2000-2010). We did not detect the presence of known pathogens Rickettsia rickettsii or Ehrlichia chaffeensis, but we did identify the presence of two other bacterial species: 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii', and Ehrlichia sp. Panola Mountain. 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' was the most common species identified (30.2%), whereas the ehrlichiae was quite rare (0.6%). With growing evidence implicating both 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii' and Ehrlichia sp. Panola Mountain in mild to moderate human disease, our results support the importance of continued monitoring of A. americanum ticks for the presence of potential pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert R Fitak
- Dept. of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
| | - Daryl J Kelly
- Dept. of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Dept., Navy Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Mary K Daniels
- Zoonotic Disease Program, Ohio Dept. of Health, Reynoldsburg, OH, USA.
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Dept., Navy Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Dept., Navy Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Paul A Fuerst
- Dept. of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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140
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Henning TC, Orr JM, Smith JD, Arias JR, Norris DE. Spotted fever group rickettsiae in multiple hard tick species from Fairfax County, Virginia. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2014; 14:482-5. [PMID: 24978651 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2013.1534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Spotted fever group rickettsiosis (SFGR) is a potentially fatal disease that has displayed increasing incidence in the United States in recent years. The most well-known and severe type of this disease is Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but there are other mild forms that occur. Recently, human infection with Rickettsia parkeri has been reported and linked with the tick Amblyomma maculatum. In 2010, a population of R. parkeri-infected A. maculatum was discovered in Fairfax County, Virginia, leading to increased surveillance of tick species. In this study, we report the presence of R. parkeri in Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, and Dermacentor variabilis in Fairfax County. R. parkeri was discovered in two Rh. sanguineus, one H. leporispalustris, and 17 D. variabilis. These findings suggest that spillover infections of R. parkeri may be occurring in tick species not typically associated with this pathogen; however, vector competence studies need to be conducted to determine if these tick species can serve as potential vectors for human SFGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler C Henning
- 1 The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore, Maryland
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141
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Radulović ŽM, Kim TK, Porter LM, Sze SH, Lewis L, Mulenga A. A 24-48 h fed Amblyomma americanum tick saliva immuno-proteome. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:518. [PMID: 24962723 PMCID: PMC4099483 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple tick saliva proteins, the majority of which are unknown, confer tick resistance in repeatedly infested animals. The objective of this study was to identify the 24-48 h fed Amblyomma americanum tick saliva immuno-proteome. The 24-48 h tick-feeding phase is critical to tick parasitism as it precedes important events in tick biology, blood meal feeding and disease agent transmission. Fed male, 24 and 96 h fed female phage display cDNA expression libraries were biopanned using rabbit antibodies to 24 and 48 h fed A. americanum female tick saliva proteins. Biopanned immuno-cDNA libraries were subjected to next generation sequencing, de novo assembly, and bioinformatic analysis. RESULTS More than 800 transcripts that code for 24-48 h fed A. americanum immuno-proteins are described. Of the 895 immuno-proteins, 52% (464/895) were provisionally identified based on matches in GenBank. Of these, ~19% (86/464) show high level of identity to other tick hypothetical proteins, and the rest include putative proteases (serine, cysteine, leukotriene A-4 hydrolase, carboxypeptidases, and metalloproteases), protease inhibitors (serine and cysteine protease inhibitors, tick carboxypeptidase inhibitor), and transporters and/or ligand binding proteins (histamine binding/lipocalin, fatty acid binding, calreticulin, hemelipoprotein, IgG binding protein, ferritin, insulin-like growth factor binding proteins, and evasin). Others include enzymes (glutathione transferase, cytochrome oxidase, protein disulfide isomerase), ribosomal proteins, and those of miscellaneous functions (histamine release factor, selenoproteins, tetraspanin, defensin, heat shock proteins). CONCLUSIONS Data here demonstrate that A. americanum secretes a complex cocktail of immunogenic tick saliva proteins during the first 24-48 h of feeding. Of significance, previously validated immunogenic tick saliva proteins including AV422 protein, calreticulin, histamine release factor, histamine binding/lipocalins, selenoproteins, and paramyosin were identified in this screen, supporting the specificity of the approach in this study. While descriptive, this study opens opportunities for in-depth tick feeding physiology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Željko M Radulović
- />Department of Entomology, AgriLife Research, Texas A & M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX77843 USA
| | - Tae K Kim
- />Department of Entomology, AgriLife Research, Texas A & M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX77843 USA
| | - Lindsay M Porter
- />Department of Entomology, AgriLife Research, Texas A & M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX77843 USA
| | - Sing-Hoi Sze
- />Department of Computer Sciences and Engineering, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX77843 USA
- />Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX77843 USA
| | - Lauren Lewis
- />Department of Entomology, AgriLife Research, Texas A & M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX77843 USA
| | - Albert Mulenga
- />Department of Entomology, AgriLife Research, Texas A & M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX77843 USA
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142
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Sayler KA, Wamsley HL, Pate M, Barbet AF, Alleman AR. Cultivation of Rickettsia amblyommii in tick cells, prevalence in Florida lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum). Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:270. [PMID: 24927809 PMCID: PMC4077227 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rickettsia amblyommii is a bacterium in the spotted fever group of organisms associated with the lone star tick (LST), Amblyomma americanum. The LST is the most commonly reported tick to parasitize humans in the southeastern US. Within this geographic region, there have been suspected cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) where the causative agent, R. rickettsii, was not identified in the local tick population. In these areas, patients with clinical signs of RMSF had low or no detectable antibodies to R. rickettsii, resulting in an inability to confirm a diagnosis. Methods R. amblyommii was cultivated from host-seeking LSTs trapped in Central Florida and propagated in ISE6 (Ixodes scapularis) and AAE2 (A. americanum) cells. Quantitative PCR targeting the 17-kD gene of Rickettsia spp. identified the genus of the organism in culture. Variable regions of groEL, gtlA and rompA genes were amplified and sequenced to confirm the species. The prevalence of R. amblyommii in LSTs within the geographic region was determined by qPCR followed by conventional PCR and direct sequencing. Results Analyses of amplified sequences from the cultured organism were 100% homologous to R. amblyommii. The overall prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in the local population of LSTs was 57.1% and rompA sequence analysis identified only R. amblyommii in LSTs. Conclusions A Florida strain of R. amblyommii was successfully cultivated in two tick cell lines. Further evaluation of the new strain and comparisons to the other geographic strains is needed. The prevalence of this SFG organism in the tick population warrants further investigation into the organism’s ability to cause clinical disease in mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Sayler
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
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143
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Hermance M, Dos Santos RIM, Heinze D, Hausser N, Bouyer DH, Thangamani S. Detection of Rickettsia amblyommii in ticks collected from Missouri, USA. Emerg Microbes Infect 2014; 3:e34. [PMID: 26038740 PMCID: PMC4051364 DOI: 10.1038/emi.2014.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Revised: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Hermance
- Department of Pathology , University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | | | - Dar Heinze
- Department of Pathology , University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Nicole Hausser
- Department of Pathology , University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA ; Insectary Services Division, Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Donald H Bouyer
- Department of Pathology , University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Saravanan Thangamani
- Department of Pathology , University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA ; Insectary Services Division, Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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144
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Gaines DN, Operario DJ, Stroup S, Stromdahl E, Wright C, Gaff H, Broyhill J, Smith J, Norris DE, Henning T, Lucas A, Houpt E. Ehrlichia and spotted fever group Rickettsiae surveillance in Amblyomma americanum in Virginia through use of a novel six-plex real-time PCR assay. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2014; 14:307-16. [PMID: 24746145 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2013.1509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The population of the lone star tick Amblyomma americanum has expanded in North America over the last several decades. It is known to be an aggressive and nondiscriminatory biter and is by far the most common human-biting tick encountered in Virginia. Few studies of human pathogen prevalence in ticks have been conducted in our state since the mid-twentieth century. We developed a six-plex real-time PCR assay to detect three Ehrlichia species (E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, and Panola Mountain Ehrlichia) and three spotted fever group Rickettsiae (SFGR; R. amblyommii, R. parkeri, and R. rickettsii) and used it to test A. americanum from around the state. Our studies revealed a presence of all three Ehrlichia species (0-24.5%) and a high prevalence (50-80%) of R. amblyommii, a presumptively nonpathogenic SFGR, in all regions surveyed. R. parkeri, previously only detected in Virginia's Amblyomma maculatum ticks, was found in A. americanum in several surveyed areas within two regions having established A. maculatum populations. R. rickettsii was not found in any sample tested. Our study provides the first state-wide screening of A. americanum ticks in recent history and indicates that human exposure to R. amblyommii and to Ehrlichiae may be common. The high prevalence of R. amblyommii, serological cross-reactivity of all SFGR members, and the apparent rarity of R. rickettsii in human biting ticks across the eastern United States suggest that clinical cases of tick-borne disease, including ehrlichiosis, may be commonly misdiagnosed as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and that suspicion of other SFGR as well as Ehrlichia should be increased. These data may be of relevance to other regions where A. americanum is prevalent.
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145
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de Barros Lopes L, Guterres A, Rozental T, Carvalho de Oliveira R, Mares-Guia MA, Fernandes J, Figueredo JF, Anschau I, de Jesus S, V Almeida ABM, Cristina da Silva V, Gomes de Melo Via AV, Bonvicino CR, D'Andrea PS, Barreira JD, Sampaio de Lemos ER. Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia amblyommii, and Laguna Negra hantavirus in an Indian reserve in the Brazilian Amazon. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:191. [PMID: 24742108 PMCID: PMC4018656 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The purpose of this study was to identify the presence of rickettsia and hantavirus in wild rodents and arthropods in response to an outbreak of acute unidentified febrile illness among Indians in the Halataikwa Indian Reserve, northwest of the Mato Grosso state, in the Brazilian Amazon. Where previously surveillance data showed serologic evidence of rickettsia and hantavirus human infection. Methods The arthropods were collected from the healthy Indian population and by flagging vegetation in grassland or woodland along the peridomestic environment of the Indian reserve. Wild rodents were live-trapped in an area bordering the reserve limits, due the impossibility of capturing wild animals in the Indian reserve. The wild rodents were identified based on external and cranial morphology and karyotype. DNA was extracted from spleen or liver samples of rodents and from invertebrate (tick and louse) pools, and the molecular characterization of the rickettsia was through PCR and DNA sequencing of fragments of two rickettsial genes (gltA and ompA). In relation to hantavirus, rodent serum samples were serologically screened by IgG ELISA using the Araraquara-N antigen and total RNA was extracted from lung samples of IgG-positive rodents. The amplification of the complete S segment was performed. Results A total of 153 wild rodents, 121 louse, and 36 tick specimens were collected in 2010. Laguna Negra hantavirus was identified in Calomys callidus rodents and Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia amblyommii were identified in Amblyomma cajennense ticks. Conclusions Zoonotic diseases such as HCPS and spotted fever rickettsiosis are a public health threat and should be considered in outbreaks and acute febrile illnesses among Indian populations. The presence of the genome of rickettsias and hantavirus in animals in this Indian reserve reinforces the need to include these infectious agents in outbreak investigations of febrile cases in Indian populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandro Guterres
- Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21045-900, Brazil.
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146
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Mukherjee N, Beati L, Sellers M, Burton L, Adamson S, Robbins RG, Moore F, Karim S. Importation of exotic ticks and tick-borne spotted fever group rickettsiae into the United States by migrating songbirds. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:127-34. [PMID: 24252263 PMCID: PMC3946858 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2013.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Revised: 09/19/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Birds are capable of carrying ticks and, consequently, tick-transmitted microorganisms over long distances and across geographical barriers such as oceans and deserts. Ticks are hosts for several species of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR), which can be transmitted to vertebrates during blood meals. In this study, the prevalence of this group of rickettsiae was examined in ticks infesting migratory songbirds by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). During the 2009 and 2010 spring migration season, 2064 northward-migrating passerine songbirds were examined for ticks at Johnson Bayou, Louisiana. A total of 91 ticks was removed from 35 individual songbirds for tick species identification and spotted fever group rickettsia detection. Ticks were identified as Haemaphysalis juxtakochi (n=38, 42%), Amblyomma longirostre (n=22, 24%), Amblyomma nodosum (n=17, 19%), Amblyomma calcaratum (n=11, 12%), Amblyomma maculatum (n=2, 2%), and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (n=1, 1%) by comparing their 12S rDNA gene sequence to homologous sequences in GenBank. Most of the identified ticks were exotic species originating outside of the United States. The phylogenetic analysis of the 71 ompA gene sequences of the rickettsial strains detected in the ticks revealed the occurrence of 6 distinct rickettsial genotypes. Two genotypes (corresponding to a total of 28 samples) were included in the Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii clade (less than 1% divergence), 2 of them (corresponding to a total of 14 samples) clustered with Rickettsia sp. "Argentina" with less than 0.2% sequence divergence, and 2 of them (corresponding to a total of 27 samples), although closely related to the R. parkeri-R. africae lineage (2.50-3.41% divergence), exhibited sufficient genetic divergence from its members to possibly constitute a new rickettsial genotype. Overall, there does not seem to be a specific relationship between exotic tick species, the rickettsiae they harbor, or the reservoir competence of the corresponding bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabanita Mukherjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Lorenza Beati
- Institute of Coastal Plain Sciences, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA
| | - Michael Sellers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Laquita Burton
- Institute of Coastal Plain Sciences, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA
| | - Steven Adamson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Richard G Robbins
- Armed Forces Pest Management Board, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment, Building 172, U.S. Army Garrison Forest Glen, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Frank Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Shahid Karim
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA.
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Blanton LS, Walker DH, Bouyer DH. Rickettsiae and Ehrlichiae Within a City Park: Is the Urban Dweller at Risk? Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2014; 14:168-70. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2013.1473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas S. Blanton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - David H. Walker
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Donald H. Bouyer
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
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148
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Rynkiewicz EC, Clay K. Tick community composition in Midwestern US habitats in relation to sampling method and environmental conditions. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2014; 64:109-19. [PMID: 24705853 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-014-9798-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2014] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The ranges of many tick species are changing due to climate change and human alteration of the landscape. Understanding tick responses to environmental conditions and how sampling method influences measurement of tick communities will improve our assessment of human disease risk. We compared tick sampling by three collection methods (dragging, CO2 trapping and rodent surveys) in adjacent forested and grassland habitats in the lower Midwest, USA, and analyzed the relationship between tick abundance and microclimate conditions. The study areas were within the overlapping ranges of three tick species, which may provide conditions for pathogen exchange and spread into new vectors. Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) was found using all methods, Amblyomma americanum (lonestar tick) was found by dragging and CO2 trapping and Ixodes scapularis (blacklegged deer tick) was found only on rodents. Proportion of each species differed significantly among sampling methods. More ticks were found in forests compared to open habitats. Further, more ticks were collected by dragging and from rodents in hotter, drier conditions. Our results demonstrate that multiple sampling methodologies better measure the tick community and that microclimate conditions strongly influence the abundance and activity of individual tick species.
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Barrett A, Little SE, Shaw E. “Rickettsia amblyommii” andR. montanensisInfection in Dogs Following Natural Exposure to Ticks. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2014; 14:20-5. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2013.1325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Barrett
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | - Susan E. Little
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | - Edward Shaw
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Arts and Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
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150
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BUDACHETRI KHEMRAJ, BROWNING REBECCAE, ADAMSON STEVENW, DOWD SCOTE, CHAO CHIENCHUNG, CHING WEIMEI, KARIM SHAHID. An insight into the microbiome of the Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2014; 51:119-29. [PMID: 24605461 PMCID: PMC3956751 DOI: 10.1603/me12223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to survey the bacterial diversity of Amblyomma maculatum Koch, 1844, and characterize its infection with Rickettsia parkeri. Pyrosequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA was used to determine the total bacterial population in A. maculatum. Pyrosequencing analysis identified Rickettsia in A. maculatum midguts, salivary glands, and saliva, which indicates successful trafficking in the arthropod vector. The identity of Rickettsia spp. was determined based on sequencing the rickettsial outer membrane protein A (rompA) gene. The sequence homology search revealed the presence of R. parkeri, Rickettsia amblyommii, and Rickettsia endosymbiont ofA. maculatum in midgut tissues, whereas the only rickettsia detected in salivary glands was R. parkeri, suggesting it is unique in its ability to migrate from midgut to salivary glands, and colonize this tissue before dissemination to the host. Owing to its importance as an emerging infectious disease, the R. parkeri pathogen burden was quantified by a rompB-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay and the diagnostic effectiveness of using R. parkeri polyclonal antibodies in tick tissues was tested. Together, these data indicate that field-collected A. maculatum had a R. parkeri infection rate of 12-32%. This study provides an insight into the A. maculatum microbiome and confirms the presence of R. parkeri, which will serve as the basis for future tick and microbiome interaction studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- KHEMRAJ BUDACHETRI
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr. #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406
| | - REBECCA E. BROWNING
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr. #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406
| | - STEVEN W. ADAMSON
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr. #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406
| | | | - CHIEN-CHUNG CHAO
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20892
| | - WEI-MEI CHING
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20892
| | - SHAHID KARIM
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr. #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406
- Corresponding author,
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