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Sándor AD, Corduneanu A, Orlova M, Hornok S, Cabezas-Cruz A, Foucault-Simonin A, Kulisz J, Zając Z, Borzan M. Diversity of bartonellae in mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae and Spinturnicidae) of boreal forest bats: Association of host specificity of mites and habitat selection of hosts with vector potential. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39175110 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Research into various bacterial pathogens that can be transmitted between different animals and may have zoonotic potential has led to the discovery of different strains of Bartonella sp. in bats and their associated ectoparasites. Despite their enormous species diversity, only a few studies have focussed on the detection of bacterial pathogens in insectivorous bats of boreal forests and their associated Macronyssidae and Spinturnicidae mites. We collected and molecularly analysed mite samples from forest-dwelling bat species distributed all along the boreal belt of the Palearctic, from Central Europe to Far East. Ectoparasitic mites were pooled for DNA extraction and DNA amplification polymerase chain reaction (PCRs) were conducted to detect the presence of various bacterial (Anaplasmataceae, Bartonella sp., Rickettsia sp., Mycoplasma sp.) and protozoal (Hepatozoon sp.) pathogens. Bartonella sp. DNA was detected in four different mite species (Macronyssidae: Steatonyssus periblepharus and Spinturnicidae: Spinturnix acuminata, Sp. myoti and Sp. mystacinus), with different prevalences of the targeted gene (gltA, 16-23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer and ftsZ). Larger pools (>5 samples pooled) were more likely to harbour Bartonella sp. DNA, than smaller ones. In addition, cave-dwelling bat hosts and host generalist mite species are more associated with Bartonella spp. presence. Spinturnicidae mites may transmit several distinct Bartonella strains, which cluster phylogenetically close to Bartonella species known to cause diseases in humans and livestock. Mites with ubiquitous presence may facilitate the long-term maintenance (and even local recurrence) of Bartonella-infestations inside local bat populations, thus acting as continuous reservoirs for Bartonella spp in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila D Sándor
- HUN-REN-UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-sucking Parasites and Vector-borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Alexandra Corduneanu
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Animal Breeding and Animal Production, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Maria Orlova
- Department of Mobilization Training of Health Care and Disaster Medicine, Tyumen State Medical University, Tyumen, Russia
- Department of Research and Production Laboratory of Engineering Surveys and Environmental Technologies, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
- Laboratory of Transmissible Viral Infections and Tick-Borne Encephalitis, Federal Scientific Research Institute of Viral Infections 'Virome', Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Sándor Hornok
- HUN-REN-UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-sucking Parasites and Vector-borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Angélique Foucault-Simonin
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Joanna Kulisz
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Zając
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Mihai Borzan
- Department of Animal Breeding and Animal Production, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Mendoza-Roldan JA, Perles L, Filippi E, Szafranski N, Montinaro G, Carbonara M, Scalera R, de Abreu Teles PP, Walochnik J, Otranto D. Parasites and microorganisms associated with the snakes collected for the "festa Dei serpari" in Cocullo, Italy. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011973. [PMID: 38381797 PMCID: PMC10911609 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
While in much of the Western world snakes are feared, in the small, rural, mountainous town of Cocullo, in the middle of central Italy, snakes are annually collected and celebrated in a sacro-profane ritual. Every 1st of May, Serpari (snake catchers) capture and showcase dozens of non-venomous snakes to celebrate the ritual of San Domenico. In order to detect potential zoonotic pathogens within this unique epidemiological context, parasites and microorganisms of snakes harvested for the "festa dei serpari" ritual were investigated. Snakes (n = 112) were examined and ectoparasites collected, as well as blood and feces sampled. Ectoparasites were identified morpho-molecularly, and coprological examination conducted through direct smear and flotation. Molecular screenings were performed to identify parasites and microorganisms in collected samples (i.e., Mesostigmata mites, Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, Babesia/Theileria spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., Leishmania spp. and helminths). Overall, 28.5% (32/112) of snakes were molecularly positive for at least one parasite and/or microorganism. Endosymbiont Wolbachia bacteria were identified from Macronyssidae mites and zoonotic vector-borne pathogens (e.g., Rickettsia, Leishmania), as well as orally transmitted pathogens (i.e., Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas), were detected from blood and feces. Thus, given the central role of the snakes in the tradition of Cocullo, surveys of their parasitic fauna and associated zoonotic pathogens may aid to generate conservation policies to benefit the human-snake interactions, whilst preserving the cultural patrimony of this event.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Livia Perles
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Ernesto Filippi
- Biologist consultant for the Cocullo municipality, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicole Szafranski
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Julia Walochnik
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
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3
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Kaminskienė E, Radzijevskaja J, Griciuvienė L, Stanko M, Snegiriovaitė J, Mardosaitė-Busaitienė D, Paulauskas A. Molecular Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Laelapidae Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2185. [PMID: 37443981 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The family Laelapidae (Dermanyssoidea) is morphologically and ecologically the most diverse group of Mesostigmata mites. Although molecular genetic data are widely used in taxonomic identification and phylogenetic analysis, most classifications in Mesostigmata mites are based solely on morphological characteristics. In the present study, eight species of mites from the Laelapidae (Dermanyssoidea) family collected from different species of small rodents in Lithuania, Norway, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic were molecularly characterized using the nuclear (28S ribosomal RNA) and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene) markers. Obtained molecular data from 113 specimens of mites were used to discriminate between species and investigate the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity among Laelapidae mites from six genera. This study provides new molecular data on Laelaps agilis, Laelaps hilaris, Laelaps jettmari, Haemogamasus nidi, Eulaelaps stabularis, Hyperlaelaps microti, Myonyssus gigas, and Hirstionyssus sp. mites collected from different rodent hosts and geographical regions in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Kaminskienė
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Donelaičio Str. 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Jana Radzijevskaja
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Donelaičio Str. 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Loreta Griciuvienė
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Donelaičio Str. 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Michal Stanko
- Department of Vector-Borne Diseases, Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Justina Snegiriovaitė
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Donelaičio Str. 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | | | - Algimantas Paulauskas
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Donelaičio Str. 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
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Szentivanyi T, McKee C, Jones G, Foster JT. Trends in Bacterial Pathogens of Bats: Global Distribution and Knowledge Gaps. Transbound Emerg Dis 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/9285855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Bats have received considerable recent attention for infectious disease research because of their potential to host and transmit viruses, including Ebola, Hendra, Nipah, and multiple coronaviruses. These pathogens are occasionally transmitted from bats to wildlife, livestock, and to humans, directly or through other bridging (intermediate) hosts. Due to their public health relevance, zoonotic viruses are a primary focus of research attention. In contrast, other emerging pathogens of bats, such as bacteria, are vastly understudied despite their ubiquity and diversity. Here, we describe the currently known host ranges and geographic distributional patterns of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats, using published presence-absence data of pathogen occurrence. We identify apparent gaps in our understanding of the distribution of these pathogens on a global scale. The most frequently detected bacterial genera in bats are Bartonella, Leptospira, and Mycoplasma. However, a wide variety of other potentially zoonotic bacterial genera are also occasionally found in bats, such as Anaplasma, Brucella, Borrelia, Coxiella, Ehrlichia, Francisella, Neorickettsia, and Rickettsia. The bat families Phyllostomidae, Vespertilionidae, and Pteropodidae are most frequently reported as hosts of bacterial pathogens; however, the presence of at least one bacterial genus was confirmed in all 15 bat families tested. On a spatial scale, molecular diagnostics of samples from 58 countries and four overseas departments and island states (French Guiana, Mayotte, New Caledonia, and Réunion Island) reported testing for at least one bacterial pathogen in bats. We also identified geographical areas that have been mostly neglected during bacterial pathogen research in bats, such as the Afrotropical region and Southern Asia. Current knowledge on the distribution of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats is strongly biased by research effort towards certain taxonomic groups and geographic regions. Identifying these biases can guide future surveillance efforts, contributing to a better understanding of the ecoepidemiology of zoonotic pathogens in bats.
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Kaminskienė E, Paulauskas A, Balčiauskas L, Radzijevskaja J. Bartonella spp. detection in laelapid (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) mites collected from small rodents in Lithuania. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2022; 47:195-201. [PMID: 36314674 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-47.2.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The genus Bartonella contains facultative Gram-negative intracellular bacteria from the family Bartonellaceae that can cause diseases in humans and animals. Various Bartonella species have been detected in rodents' ectoparasites, such as fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. However, the role of laelapid mites (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) as carriers of Bartonella spp. needs to be confirmed. We aimed to investigate the presence of Bartonella spp. in laelapid mites collected from small rodents in Lithuania using real-time PCR targeting the transfer-messenger RNA/tmRNA (ssrA) gene and to characterize Bartonella strains using nested PCR and sequence analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer region (ITS). A total of 271 laelapid mites of five species (Laelaps agilis, Haemogamasus nidi, Eulaelaps stabularis, Myonyssus gigas, and Hyperlaelaps microti) were collected from five rodent species (Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus agrarius, Clethrionomys glareolus, Micromys minutus, and Microtus oeconomus) during 2015-2016. Bartonella DNA was detected in three mite species L. agilis, M. gigas, and Hg. nidi with an overall prevalence of 11.4%. Sequence analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA ITS region revealed the presence of Bartonella taylorii in L. agilis, Hg. nidi, and M. gigas, and Bartonella grahamii in L. agilis. Our results suggest that laelapid mites are involved in the maintenance of rodent-associated Bartonella spp. in nature. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the presence of Bartonella spp. DNA in laelapid mites from small rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Kaminskienė
- Vytautas Magnus University, Donelaičio str. 58, LT- 44248, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | | | - Linas Balčiauskas
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos str. 2, LT-08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jana Radzijevskaja
- Vytautas Magnus University, Donelaičio str. 58, LT- 44248, Kaunas, Lithuania,
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Alcantara DMC, Ikeda P, Souza CS, de Mello VVC, Torres JM, Lourenço EC, Bassini-Silva R, Herrera HM, Machado RZ, Barros-Battesti DM, Graciolli G, André MR. Multilayer Networks Assisting to Untangle Direct and Indirect Pathogen Transmission in Bats. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02108-3. [PMID: 36166070 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02108-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The importance of species that connect the different types of interactions is becoming increasingly recognized, and this role may be related to specific attributes of these species. Multilayer networks have two or more layers, which represent different types of interactions, for example, between different parasites and hosts that are nonetheless connected. The understanding of the ecological relationship between bats, ectoparasites, and vector-borne bacteria could shed some light on the complex transmission cycles of these pathogens. In this study, we investigated a multilayer network in Brazil formed by interactions between bat-bacteria, bat-ectoparasite, and ectoparasite-bacteria, and asked how these interactions overlap considering different groups and transmission modes. The multilayer network was composed of 31 nodes (12 bat species, 14 ectoparasite species, and five bacteria genera) and 334 links, distributed over three layers. The multilayer network has low modularity and shows a core-periphery organization, that is, composed of a few generalist species with many interactions and many specialist species participating in few interactions in the multilayer network. The three layers were needed to accurately describe the multilayer structure, while aggregation leads to loss of information. Our findings also demonstrated that the multilayer network is influenced by a specific set of species that can easily be connected to the behavior, life cycle, and type of existing interactions of these species. Four bat species (Artibeus lituratus, A. planirostris, Phyllostomus discolor, and Platyrrhinus lineatus), one ectoparasite species (Steatonyssus) and three bacteria genera (Ehrlichia, hemotropic Mycoplasma and Neorickettsia) are the most important species for the multilayer network structure. Finally, our study brings an ecological perspective under a multilayer network approach on the interactions between bats, ectoparasites, and pathogens. By using a multilayer approach (different types of interactions), it was possible to better understand these different ecological interactions and how they affect each other, advancing our knowledge on the role of bats and ectoparasites as potential pathogen vectors and reservoirs, as well as the modes of transmission of these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Priscila Ikeda
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Camila Silveira Souza
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica Aplicada, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil
| | - Victória Valente Califre de Mello
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Jaire Marinho Torres
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Elizabete Captivo Lourenço
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Heitor Miraglia Herrera
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Graciolli
- Setor de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Campus de Jaboticabal, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, CEP: 14884-900, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
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Herrera-Mares A, Guzmán-Cornejo C, Ulloa-García A, Córdoba-Aguilar A, Silva-de la Fuente MC, Suzán G. Mites, rodents, and pathogens: A global review for a multi-species interaction in disease ecology. Acta Trop 2022; 232:106509. [PMID: 35569525 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
More than ever, there is a need to understand how pathogens, vectors and hosts occur temporally and spatially to predict the occurrence of zoonotic outbreaks. Related to this, mites of the Mesostigmata and Trombidiformes orders have the potential to transmit several diseases, yet their information of occurrence, distribution and zoonotic accompanying agents have not been systematically organized. We conducted a systematic review using a combination of words through the Sysrev platform, as well as literature searches in specialised databases to identify global patterns of infections, trends in mite-rodent-pathogen research and existing knowledge gaps. The inclusion criterion was the detection of pathogens in mites, either by molecular or serological techniques or by direct observation under the microscope, which rendered 125 papers. Most works have been carried out in Asia, mainly around the transmission of Orientia tsutsugamushi. Interestingly, co-infections, i.e., the presence of more than one pathogen in an individual, are common in other Acari groups such as ticks. Moreover, this is not the case for Trombidiformes and Mesostigmata as only 4.7 percent of the articles reviewed detected more than one pathogen in these mites. It is important to include a multi-host, multi-vector and multi-pathogen approaches to understand complex systems in disease ecology. A synergy between mite taxonomists, physicians and veterinarians, decision-makers, governmental organisations, and society is needed to address the emergence of mite-borne new or neglected diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Herrera-Mares
- Departamento de Etología, Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades y Una Salud, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico; Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Carmen Guzmán-Cornejo
- Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Laboratorio de Acarología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Armando Ulloa-García
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Campus IV, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Alex Córdoba-Aguilar
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad, Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Gerardo Suzán
- Departamento de Etología, Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades y Una Salud, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
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8
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Ramanantsalama RV, Goodman SM, Dietrich M, Lebarbenchon C. Interaction between Old World fruit bats and humans: From large scale ecosystem services to zoonotic diseases. Acta Trop 2022; 231:106462. [PMID: 35421381 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
The Old World tropical and subtropical frugivorous bat genus Rousettus (Pteropodidae) contains species with broad distributions, as well as those occurring in restricted geographical areas, particularly islands. Herein we review the role of Rousettus as a keystone species from a global "One Health" approach and related to ecosystem functioning, zoonotic disease and public health. Rousettus are efficient at dispersing seeds and pollinating flowers; their role in forest regeneration is related to their ability to fly considerable distances during nightly foraging bouts and their relatively small body size, which allows them to access fruits in forested areas with closed vegetation. Rousettus are also reservoirs for various groups of pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa), which, by definition, are infectious agents causing disease. The study of day roosts of different species of Rousettus and the successful establishment of captive breeding colonies have provided important details related to the infection dynamics of their associated pathogens. Large-scale conversion of forested areas into agricultural landscapes has increased contact between humans and Rousettus, therefore augmenting the chances of infectious agent spillover. Many crucial scientific details are still lacking related to members of this genus, which have direct bearing on the prevention of emerging disease outbreaks, as well as the conservation of these bats. The public should be better informed on the capacity of fruit bats as keystone species for large scale forest regeneration and in spreading pathogens. Precise details on the transmission of zoonotic diseases of public health importance associated with Rousettus should be given high priority.
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Osuna-Mascaró C, Doña J, Johnson KP, de Rojas M. Genome-Resolved Metagenomic Analyses Reveal the Presence of a Putative Bacterial Endosymbiont in an Avian Nasal Mite (Rhinonyssidae; Mesostigmata). Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9081734. [PMID: 34442816 PMCID: PMC8398770 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhinonyssidae (Mesostigmata) is a family of nasal mites only found in birds. All species are hematophagous endoparasites, which may damage the nasal cavities of birds, and also could be potential reservoirs or vectors of other infections. However, the role of members of Rhinonyssidae as disease vectors in wild bird populations remains uninvestigated, with studies of the microbiomes of Rhinonyssidae being almost non-existent. In the nasal mite (Tinaminyssus melloi) from rock doves (Columba livia), a previous study found evidence of a highly abundant putatively endosymbiotic bacteria from Class Alphaproteobacteria. Here, we expanded the sample size of this species (two different hosts- ten nasal mites from two independent samples per host), incorporated contamination controls, and increased sequencing depth in shotgun sequencing and genome-resolved metagenomic analyses. Our goal was to increase the information regarding this mite species and its putative endosymbiont. We obtained a metagenome assembled genome (MAG) that was estimated to be 98.1% complete and containing only 0.9% possible contamination. Moreover, the MAG has characteristics typical of endosymbionts (namely, small genome size an AT bias). Overall, our results support the presence of a potential endosymbiont, which is the first described for avian nasal mites to date, and improve the overall understanding of the microbiota inhabiting these mites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Osuna-Mascaró
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, 1664 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Correspondence: (C.O.-M.); (M.d.R.)
| | - Jorge Doña
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA; (J.D.); (K.P.J.)
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Universitario de Cartuja, Calle Prof. Vicente Callao, 3, 18011 Granada, Spain
| | - Kevin P. Johnson
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA; (J.D.); (K.P.J.)
| | - Manuel de Rojas
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Sevilla, Calle San Fernando, 4, 41004 Sevilla, Spain
- Correspondence: (C.O.-M.); (M.d.R.)
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10
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Hornok S, Takács N, Sipos G, Morandini P, Sándor AD, Szekeres S, Grima A, Kontschán J. Urban emergence of Dermanyssus gallinae lineage L1 and Ornithonyssus sylviarum in Hungary: phylogenetic differentiation between the roles of migrating vs transported synanthropic birds. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:147. [PMID: 33685497 PMCID: PMC7938540 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04643-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Among Dermanyssoidea, the chicken red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) and the northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) are considered to be the cause of high economic losses endured by the poultry industry in the Holarctic region, with O. sylviarum predominating in North America and D. gallinae in Europe. Both species have a short life-cycle (thereby allowing a rapid build-up of massive infestations), a wide range of hosts, synanthropic presence and the ability to bite humans. The aim of this study was to analyze dermanyssoid mite specimens, collected in two human dwellings and two racing pigeon premises in different urban areas in Hungary, with molecular–phylogenetic methods. Methods Mite species were identified morphologically. This was followed by DNA extraction and molecular–phylogenetic analyses of selected mites, based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) and 28S rRNA (28S) genes. Results Mites that had invaded a home from a pigeon nest and were linked to human dermatitis were morphologically and molecularly identified as D. gallinae special lineage L1. Specimens collected at all other sampling sites were identified as O. sylviarum, including mites that had invaded a home from a house martin (Delichon urbicum) nest, as well as those which were collected from racing pigeons. House martin- or pigeon-associated O. sylviarum specimens showed the highest sequence identity and closest phylogenetic relationship with conspecific mites reported in GenBank from Israel or Canada, respectively. Conclusions Detailed morphological and molecular–phylogenetic analyses of D. gallinae lineage L1 confirmed its status as a cryptic species within D. gallinae (s.l.). Taking into account the well-documented latitudinal migratory routes of house martins between Hungary and Africa, O. sylviarum associated with this bird species most likely arrived on its host from the eastern Mediterranean region. On the other hand, mites collected from pigeons in Hungary showed cox1 genetic homogeneity with North American O. sylviarum, which can only be explained by a long-distance (west-to-east intercontinental) connection of birds and their mites as part of human activity (e.g. transportation to exhibitions or trading). In summary, this is the first molecularly confirmed and phylogenetically analyzed case of O. sylviarum infestation of birds in Hungary, implicating urban environment and involving distant parts of the country. This is also the first report of D. gallinae lineage L1 in central Europe. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Sándor Hornok
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Nóra Takács
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Sipos
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Pál Morandini
- Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society, 1125, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila D Sándor
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Sándor Szekeres
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Jenő Kontschán
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, ELKH, Budapest, Hungary
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11
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Orlova MV, Smirnov DG, Vekhnik VP, Lukyanenko AM, Zabashta AV. Ectoparasites and Pathogens of Kuhl's Pipistrelle Pipistrellus kuhlii (Kuhl, 1817) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae): Our Own and Published Data Review. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS 2020; 11:348-362. [PMID: 33362937 PMCID: PMC7750033 DOI: 10.1134/s2075111720040104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Here we report the results of our own survey and literary published data on the ectoparasite fauna and pathogens of the alien bat species, the Kuhl's pipistrelle Pipistrellus kuhlii (Kuhl, 1817) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). This bat is a host of 36 species of parasitic mites, ticks and insects (including accidental findings) and 13 species of pathogens (protozoa, bacteria, viruses). The flea Ischnopsyllus variabilis is re-corded on this host for the first time. We have found that outside of the host ancestral range, the core of the bat parasite fauna is significantly different due to the loss of host species-specific ectoparasites. Particularly, in Russia, only 6 species of parasitic arthropods have been recorded for Kuhl's pipistrelle and all of them are host genus-specific. At the same time, the features of ecology and occasional finds of extrinsic parasites allow to suggest that P. kuhlii has wide contacts with animals which are the reservoirs of zoonotic infec-tions, that in combination with the fact of isolation of several pathogens from this species (including two coronaviruses) points to a possible medical importance of Kuhl's pipistrelle.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. V. Orlova
- Tyumen State University, 625003 Tyumen, Russia
- Tomsk National Research State University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
| | | | - V. P. Vekhnik
- Sprygin State Natural Biosphere Reserve, 445362 Zhigulevsk, Russia
| | | | - A. V. Zabashta
- Rostov-on-Don Anti-Plague Scientific Research Institute, 344002 Rostov-on-Don, Russia
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12
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Ikeda P, Marinho Torres J, Perles L, Lourenço EC, Herrera HM, de Oliveira CE, Zacarias Machado R, André MR. Intra- and Inter-Host Assessment of Bartonella Diversity with Focus on Non-Hematophagous Bats and Associated Ectoparasites from Brazil. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1822. [PMID: 33227996 PMCID: PMC7699196 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship among bats, ectoparasites and associated microorganisms is important to investigate how humans can become exposed to zoonotic agents. Even though the diversity of Bartonella spp. in bats and ectoparasites has been previously reported, the occurrence of gltA genotypes within hosts has not been assessed so far. We aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in non-hematophagous bats and associated ectoparasites by assessing cloned gltA Bartonella genotypes in intra- and inter-hosts levels, as well as by using three additional molecular markers. Overall, 13.5% (18/133) bat blood samples, 17.18% bat flies (11/64) and 23.8% (5/21) Macronyssidae mite pools showed to be positive for Bartonella spp. Seventeen positive samples were submitted to gltA-cloning and three clones were sequenced for each sample. We also obtained 11, seven and three sequences for nuoG, rpoB and ftsZ genes, respectively. None were positive for the other target genes. We found at least two genotypes among the three gltA-cloned sequences from each sample, and 13 between all the 51 sequences. Among the nuoG, rpoB and ftsZ sequences we found eight, five and three genotypes, respectively. In the phylogenetic analysis, the sequences were positioned mainly in groups related to Bartonella identified in rodents, bats and bat flies. Herein, we showed the genetic diversity of Bartonella in bat's blood and associated ectoparasites samples at both intra- and inter-host levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Ikeda
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Universidade Estadual “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil; (P.I.); (L.P.); (R.Z.M.)
| | - Jaire Marinho Torres
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, Programa de Pós Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul 79117-900, Brazil; (J.M.T.); (H.M.H.); (C.E.d.O.)
| | - Lívia Perles
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Universidade Estadual “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil; (P.I.); (L.P.); (R.Z.M.)
| | - Elizabete Captivo Lourenço
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, Brazil;
| | - Heitor Miraglia Herrera
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, Programa de Pós Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul 79117-900, Brazil; (J.M.T.); (H.M.H.); (C.E.d.O.)
| | - Carina Elisei de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, Programa de Pós Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul 79117-900, Brazil; (J.M.T.); (H.M.H.); (C.E.d.O.)
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Universidade Estadual “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil; (P.I.); (L.P.); (R.Z.M.)
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Universidade Estadual “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil; (P.I.); (L.P.); (R.Z.M.)
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13
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Thiévent K, Szentiványi T, Aeby S, Glaizot O, Christe P, Greub G. Presence and diversity of Chlamydiae bacteria in Spinturnix myoti, an ectoparasite of bats. Parasite 2020; 27:54. [PMID: 33135998 PMCID: PMC7605392 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2020052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia spp. and Chlamydia-like organisms are able to infect vertebrates such as mammals, reptiles and birds, but also arthropods and protozoans. Since they have been detected in bats and bat feces, we expected Chlamydiae bacteria to also be present in the mite Spinturnix myoti, an ectoparasite of mouse-eared bats (Myotis spp.). The prevalence of Chlamydiales in 88 S. myoti was 57.95% and significantly depended on bat host species. In addition, the prevalence was significantly different between bat species living in sympatry or in allopatry. While there was uninterpretable sequencing for 16 samples, eight showed best BLAST hit identities lower than 92.5% and thus corresponded to new family-level lineages according to the established taxonomy cut-off. The four remaining sequences exhibited best BLAST hit identities ranging from 94.2 to 97.4% and were taxonomically assigned to three different family-level lineages, with two of them belonging to the Parachlamydiaceae, one to the Simkaniaceae, and one to the Chlamydiaceae. These results highlighted for the first time the presence of Chlamydia-like organisms and the possible zoonotic origin of Chlamydia sp. in S. myoti ectoparasites of bats, and therefore suggest that these ectoparasites may play a role in maintaining and/or transmitting members of the Chlamydiae phylum within Myotis spp. bat populations. Our results further highlight that the wide diversity of bacteria belonging to the Chlamydiae phylum is largely underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Thiévent
- Center for Research on Intracellular Bacteria (CRIB), Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne 1011 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Tamara Szentiványi
- Museum of Zoology 1005 Lausanne Switzerland
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Sébastien Aeby
- Center for Research on Intracellular Bacteria (CRIB), Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne 1011 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Olivier Glaizot
- Museum of Zoology 1005 Lausanne Switzerland
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Gilbert Greub
- Center for Research on Intracellular Bacteria (CRIB), Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne 1011 Lausanne Switzerland
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14
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Kuo CC, Lee PL, Wang HC. Molecular detection of Rickettsia species and host associations of Laelaps mites (Acari: Laelapidae) in Taiwan. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2020; 81:547-559. [PMID: 32647905 PMCID: PMC7346847 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-020-00522-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Various rickettsiae have recently been detected in Laelaps mites (Acari: Laelapidae), which are common ectoparasites of rodents; however, investigations on this topic remain very scarce, particularly in Asia. In the present study, shrews and rodents were trapped from 2006 to 2010 in eight lowland regions of Taiwan (< 500 m in elevation) to collect associated Laelaps mites, from which Rickettsia-a group of emerging pathogens-were detected and identified by assaying the gltA and ompB genes. A total of 853 Laelaps mites of at least four species were collected from a sample of 1004 small mammals that included one shrew and 10 rodent species. Rattus losea was the most common species (44.9% of total hosts) and hosted the highest percentage of mites (76.6% of total mites). Laelaps nuttalli was the most abundant mite species (51.7% of total mites), followed by Laelaps echidninus (24.2%), Laelaps sedlaceki (23.1%), and Laelaps myonyssognathus (0.2%). Notably, Rickettsia species with the highest similarity to spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae were identified from seven of the 72 pools of Laelaps mites. The presence of SFG rickettsiae in hematophagous Laelaps mites, particularly including species that are closely associated with commensal rodents in frequent contact with humans, calls for further investigation on the competence of Laelaps mites in transmitting rickettsiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Chien Kuo
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Lung Lee
- Center for Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsi-Chieh Wang
- Center for Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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15
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Duan DY, Zhou HM, Cheng TY. Comparative analysis of microbial community in the whole body and midgut from fully engorged and unfed female adult Melophagus ovinus. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 34:215-224. [PMID: 31840281 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Melophagus ovinus is a type of ectoparasite infesting sheep. Data regarding the comprehensive bacterial community associated with the whole body and midgut of M. ovinus under different engorged statuses are required. Melophagus ovinus were collected from the city of Jiuquan, China. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the whole body and midgut of fully engorged female adults, or newly hatched and unfed adult female M. ovinus. The 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 hypervariable regions were sequenced using the IonS5™XL platform (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, U.S.A.). The whole body bacterial diversity of the newly hatched, unfed adult females was greater compared with that of the other three samples. Proteobacteria was the dominant bacterial phylum in all of the samples. Of the 42 total bacterial genera present in all of the experimental samples, Arsenophonus, Bartonella and Wolbachia were the dominant genera. The relative abundance of Arsenophonus in midgut was greater than that in the whole body. The relative abundance of Bartonella in fully engorged adults was far greater than those in newly hatched, unfed adults. The relative abundance of Wolbachia was highest in the whole body of newly hatched, unfed adults. Seventeen bacterial species were identified in all experimental samples. Bartonella chomelii, Streptococcus hyointestinalis and Escherichia coli were the first species reported in M. ovinus.
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Affiliation(s)
- D-Y Duan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - H-M Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - T-Y Cheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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16
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Špitalská E, Kraljik J, Miklisová D, Boldišová E, Sparagano OAE, Stanko M. Circulation of Rickettsia species and rickettsial endosymbionts among small mammals and their ectoparasites in Eastern Slovakia. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2047-2057. [PMID: 32382991 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06701-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria belonging to the genus Rickettsia are known as causative agents of vector-borne zoonotic diseases, such as spotted fevers, epidemic typhus and endemic typhus. Different species of ticks, mites and fleas could act as reservoirs and arthropod vectors of different pathogenic Rickettsia species. The aim of this work was to establish active surveillance of Rickettsia spp. in mites, ticks and fleas collected from small mammals (rodents and shrews) in Eastern Slovakia. A total of 964 animal ear biopsies, 871 mites, 667 ticks and 743 fleas were collected from small mammals in the Košice region, Eastern Slovakia. All specimens were identified using specialized taxonomic keys, and were conserved in ethanol until DNA extraction was performed. After DNA extraction, identification of Rickettsia species was performed by PCR-based methods. The total prevalence of rickettsiae from ear biopsies was 4.6% (95% CI, 3.2-5.9), in tested mites 9.3% (95% CI, 7.4-11.2), 17.2% (95% CI, 14.3-20.1) in I. ricinus ticks and 3.5% (95% CI, 2.2-4.8) in fleas. Sequence analysis of the partial gltA gene and Rickettsia helvetica-, Rickettsia slovaca-, Rickettsia raoultii- species specific real-time PCR tests revealed the presence of R. helvetica, R. slovaca, unidentified Rickettsia and rickettsial endosymbionts. These pathogenic and symbiotic species were confirmed in the following ectoparasite species-Laelaps jettmari, Haemogamasus nidi, Laelaps agilis and Eulaelaps stabularis mites, Ixodes ricinus ticks, Ctenophthalmus solutus, C. assimilis and Megabothris turbidus fleas infesting host-Apodemus agrarius, A. flavicollis, Microtus arvalis and Myodes glareolus small mammals. These results confirm the circulation of R. helvetica, R. slovaca, unidentified Rickettsia and rickettsial endosymbionts in mites, ticks and fleas collected on small mammals in the Košice region, Eastern Slovakia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Špitalská
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
| | - Jasna Kraljik
- Institute of Zoology Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Dana Miklisová
- Institute of Parasitology Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Eva Boldišová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Olivier A E Sparagano
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Michal Stanko
- Institute of Zoology Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Institute of Parasitology Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic
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De Rojas M, Doña J, Dimov I. A comprehensive survey of Rhinonyssid mites (Mesostigmata: Rhinonyssidae) in Northwest Russia: New mite-host associations and prevalence data. Biodivers Data J 2020; 8:e49535. [PMID: 32174758 PMCID: PMC7060284 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.8.e49535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rhinonyssid mites are permanent parasites of birds that inhabit their respiratory tract. There are around 600 species described worldwide and almost all species of birds are found to have embedded rhinonyssid mites. Despite their presumed relevance, these mites are largely unstudied due to the difficulty in sampling them and, therefore, the majority of mite-host associations and species-prevalence data are unknown. New information In this study, 179 mite specimens belonging to 27 species and eight genera were identified. Notably, 18 new mite-bird associations were documented for the first time, thus increasing the known host range for these mite species. In addition, mite-host associations found in this study were compared with known associations from these species of birds in the European part of Russia and in Europe. Overall, this study represents the largest survey to date carried out on rhinonyssid mites in Russia and one of the most comprehensive datasets on rhinonyssid host-range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel De Rojas
- University of Seville, Seville, Spain University of Seville Seville Spain
| | - Jorge Doña
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, United States of America Illinois Natural History Survey Champaign United States of America
| | - Ivan Dimov
- State Pediatric Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia State Pediatric Medical University St. Petersburg Russia
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Li H, Li T, Qu J. Stochastic processes govern bacterial communities from the blood of pikas and from their arthropod vectors. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2019; 94:4990947. [PMID: 29722798 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne microbes influence pathogen transmission and blood microbiomes, thereby affecting the emergence of infectious diseases. Thus, understanding the relationship between host and vector microbiomes is of importance. In this study, we investigated the bacterial community composition, diversity and assembly of the flea (Rhadinopsylla dahurica vicina), torsalo (Hypoderma curzonial), and the blood and gut of their shared pika host, Ochotona curzoniae. Bartonella, Sphingomonas and Bradyrhizobium were enriched in blood, while Wolbachia and Fusobacterium were more abundant in fleas and torsaloes. Most of potential pathogenic microbes (belonging to Fusobacterium, Rickettsia, Kingella, Porphyromonas, Bartonella and Mycoplasma) were present in the blood of pikas and their vectors. Blood communities were more similar to those from fleas than other sample types and were independent of host factors or geographical sites. Notably, blood microbes originate mainly from fleas rather than gut or torsaloes. Interestingly, the community assembly of blood, fleas or torsaloes was primarily governed by stochastic processes, while the gut microbiome was determined by deterministic processes. Ecological drift plays a dominant role in the assembly of blood and flea microbiomes. These results reflect the difficulty for predicting and regulating the microbial ecology of fleas for the prevention of potential microbiome-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Li
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tongtong Li
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Jiapeng Qu
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China.,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology in Cold Region, Qinghai 810008, China
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Szubert-Kruszyńska A, Stańczak J, Cieniuch S, Podsiadły E, Postawa T, Michalik J. Bartonella and Rickettsia Infections in Haematophagous Spinturnix myoti Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) and their Bat Host, Myotis myotis (Yangochiroptera: Vespertilionidae), from Poland. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2019; 77:759-768. [PMID: 30151669 PMCID: PMC6469609 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-018-1246-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Hematophagous Spinturnix myoti mites and their host, the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis), were tested for the presence of Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. In total, Bartonella spp. DNA was amplified in 28% of 134 mite pools and in 25% of 59 bats tested by PCR targeting a fragment of citrate synthase gltA gen. Adult mites were at least threefold more frequently infected compared to immature stages. The overall infection prevalence among mite pools from cave-dwelling bats was higher than for those collected from attic shelters. Three distinct genotypes were detected. The most prevalent genotype in mites and bats matched closely with Candidatus Bartonella hemsundetiensis identified in bats from Finland and was relatively distant from bat-borne Bartonella strains described in the UK and France. Importantly, most sequences were close to those reported in forest workers from Poland. The presence of identical genotype among S. myoti samples and M. myotis bats suggests that bartonellae can be shared between mites and their bat hosts. In this case, wing mites could serve as vectors, whereas their hosts as reservoirs. One blood sample was positive by PCR for the msp2 gene of A. phagocytophilum. Two mite pools yielded Rickettsia spp. DNA. Both sequences were distinct from any known species but can be classified as spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. Our findings expanded our knowledge on the role of spinturnicid mites in the ecology and epidemiology of bacterial infections associated with vespertilionid bats, especially regarding the genus Bartonella.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joanna Stańczak
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Stella Cieniuch
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Edyta Podsiadły
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics and Clinical Immunology of Developmental Age, Public Pediatric Teaching Hospital, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Tomasz Postawa
- Institute of Systematic and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jerzy Michalik
- Department of Animal Morphology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
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Orlova MV, Orlov OL. FIRST RECORD OF THE PARASITIC GAMASID MITE SPINTURNIX EMARGINATUS (KOLENATI, 1856) IN CRIMEA. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.21684/0132-8077-2018-26-2-237-242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Succession of Mite Assemblages (Acari, Mesostigmata) during Decomposition of Tree Leaves in Forest Stands Growing on Reclaimed Post-Mining Spoil Heap and Adjacent Forest Habitats. FORESTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/f9110718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mites significantly contribute, prevalently by vertical movement, to mixing of the organic layer with the mineral soil, thus they may be important in renewing soils. Our aim was to analyze the changes in abundance and species richness of mesostigmatid assemblages on decomposing leaves of Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., Betula pendula Roth, Pinus sylvestris L. and Quercus robur L. in pine and birch stands growing on a reclaimed spoil heap and adjacent forests. In December 2013, 1024 litterbags (mesh size = 1 mm) containing leaf litter of broadleaved and coniferous trees (mean initial dry weight per sample = 5.789 g) were laid out in the same number and kind in each of the two sites. Mites were extracted from litterbags which were collected every 3–6 months for 3 years. In total, 6466 mites were identified in 59 taxa. Total abundance was higher on forest habitats (5174 specimens) compared to the spoil (1292), and in birch compared to pine stands, both in forest (3345, 1829, respectively) and spoil habitats (981, 311). Throughout the experiment, mites were most abundant on oak litter samples (2063 specimens), while the remaining litter types had similar abundances (1455–1482). At the beginning of the experiment (3–6 months) mite abundance was very low, but was higher on forest habitats. The highest abundance was found after 9 months—144 specimens in pine stands on the spoil heap and 685 in birch stands on forest habitats. During the study, 49 taxa were found on forest and 29 on heap habitats. In birch stands, 37 and 22 taxa were found, whereas in pine 30 and 21, on forest and heap, respectively. The most frequent species on the heap were Amblyseius tubae Karg, Asca bicornis Canestrini et Fanzago, and Asca aphidioides Linneaeus, whereas in forest habitat—Zercon peltatus C.L. Koch, Veigaia nemorensis C.L. Koch, and Trachytes aegrota C.L. Koch. Habitat conditions, tree species and litter type significantly determined the mesostigmatid species composition, richness and abundance. By selection of dominant tree species during afforestation, it is possible to significantly affect the soil fauna composition, and thus indirectly the rate of decomposition.
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Afonso E, Goydadin AC. Molecular detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA in the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) guano. Epidemiol Infect 2018; 146:1253-1258. [PMID: 29843834 PMCID: PMC9134284 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268818001279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although bats are increasingly recognised as potential reservoir hosts of human zoonotic pathogens, bacteria in bats are still poorly studied. To investigate the DNA faecal prevalence of the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, we sampled 23 lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) maternity colonies located in buildings (churches, barns) in rural villages of eastern France. A total of 552 faecal samples were collected from 278 individuals. Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA was detected in the faeces of 63 individuals (22.7%). Such high prevalence might suggest persistent infection in bats and/or a frequent consumption of insect preys carrying bacteria. Faecal DNA prevalence varied highly among colonies but was not related to the colony size. Faecal DNA prevalence was the highest in the Jura Department, where the density of ticks is known to be the highest across the study area. Because the sampled bats live in close proximity to humans, we discuss how concerning the presence of A. phagocytophilum DNA in bat guano is for humans frequenting places of worship that shelter bats. We also advocate future research to understand what a high faecal DNA prevalence in bat guano really implicates in terms of bacteria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Afonso
- Laboratoire Chrono-environnment UMR CNRS 6249, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - A.-C. Goydadin
- Laboratoire Chrono-environnment UMR CNRS 6249, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
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Di Lecce I, Bazzocchi C, Cecere JG, Epis S, Sassera D, Villani BM, Bazzi G, Negri A, Saino N, Spina F, Bandi C, Rubolini D. Patterns of Midichloria infection in avian-borne African ticks and their trans-Saharan migratory hosts. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:106. [PMID: 29471857 PMCID: PMC5824480 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2669-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are obligate haematophagous ectoparasites of vertebrates and frequently parasitize avian species that can carry them across continents during their long-distance migrations. Ticks may have detrimental effects on the health state of their avian hosts, which can be either directly caused by blood-draining or mediated by microbial pathogens transmitted during the blood meal. Indeed, ticks host complex microbial communities, including bacterial pathogens and symbionts. Midichloria bacteria (Rickettsiales) are widespread tick endosymbionts that can be transmitted to vertebrate hosts during the tick bite, inducing an antibody response. Their actual role as infectious/pathogenic agents is, however, unclear. Methods We screened for Midichloria DNA African ticks and blood samples collected from trans-Saharan migratory songbirds at their arrival in Europe during spring migration. Results Tick infestation rate was 5.7%, with most ticks belonging to the Hyalomma marginatum species complex. Over 90% of Hyalomma ticks harboured DNA of Midichloria bacteria belonging to the monophylum associated with ticks. Midichloria DNA was detected in 43% of blood samples of avian hosts. Tick-infested adult birds were significantly more likely to test positive to the presence of Midichloria DNA than non-infested adults and second-year individuals, suggesting a long-term persistence of these bacteria within avian hosts. Tick parasitism was associated with a significantly delayed timing of spring migration of avian hosts but had no significant effects on body condition, whereas blood Midichloria DNA presence negatively affected fat deposits of tick-infested avian hosts. Conclusions Our results show that ticks effectively transfer Midichloria bacteria to avian hosts, supporting the hypothesis that they are infectious to vertebrates. Bird infection likely enhances the horizontal spread of these bacteria across haematophagous ectoparasite populations. Moreover, we showed that Midichloria and tick parasitism have detrimental non-independent effects on avian host health during migration, highlighting the complexity of interactions involving ticks, their vertebrate hosts, and tick-borne bacteria. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2669-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Di Lecce
- Wild Urban Evolution and Ecology Lab, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2C, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Chiara Bazzocchi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, I-20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Jacopo G Cecere
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), via Cà Fornacetta 9, I-40064, Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Sara Epis
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Sassera
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Pavia, via Ferrata 9, I-27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Barbara M Villani
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Gaia Bazzi
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Agata Negri
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Fernando Spina
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), via Cà Fornacetta 9, I-40064, Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133, Milan, Italy.
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McKee CD, Osikowicz LM, Schwedhelm TR, Bai Y, Castle KT, Kosoy MY. Survey of Parasitic Bacteria in Bat Bugs, Colorado. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 55:237-241. [PMID: 29329460 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Bat bugs (Cimex adjunctus Barber) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) collected from big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus Palisot de Beauvoir) in Colorado, United States were assessed for the presence of Bartonella, Brucella, and Yersinia spp. using molecular techniques. No evidence of Brucella or Yersinia infection was found in the 55 specimens collected; however, 4/55 (7.3%) of the specimens were positive for Bartonella DNA. Multi-locus characterization of Bartonella DNA shows that sequences in bat bugs are phylogenetically related to other Bartonella isolates and sequences from European bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifton D McKee
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Lynn M Osikowicz
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Teresa R Schwedhelm
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Ying Bai
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO
| | | | - Michael Y Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO
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Hubert J, Erban T, Kopecky J, Sopko B, Nesvorna M, Lichovnikova M, Schicht S, Strube C, Sparagano O. Comparison of Microbiomes between Red Poultry Mite Populations (Dermanyssus gallinae): Predominance of Bartonella-like Bacteria. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2017; 74:947-960. [PMID: 28534089 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-0993-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Blood feeding red poultry mites (RPM) serve as vectors of pathogenic bacteria and viruses among vertebrate hosts including wild birds, poultry hens, mammals, and humans. The microbiome of RPM has not yet been studied by high-throughput sequencing. RPM eggs, larvae, and engorged adult/nymph samples obtained in four poultry houses in Czechia were used for microbiome analyses by Illumina amplicon sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene V4 region. A laboratory RPM population was used as positive control for transcriptome analysis by pyrosequencing with identification of sequences originating from bacteria. The samples of engorged adult/nymph stages had 100-fold more copies of 16S rRNA gene copies than the samples of eggs and larvae. The microbiome composition showed differences among the four poultry houses and among observed developmental stadia. In the adults' microbiome 10 OTUs comprised 90 to 99% of all sequences. Bartonella-like bacteria covered between 30 and 70% of sequences in RPM microbiome and 25% bacterial sequences in transcriptome. The phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed two distinct groups of Bartonella-like bacteria forming sister groups: (i) symbionts of ants; (ii) Bartonella genus. Cardinium, Wolbachia, and Rickettsiella sp. were found in the microbiomes of all tested stadia, while Spiroplasma eriocheiris and Wolbachia were identified in the laboratory RPM transcriptome. The microbiomes from eggs, larvae, and engorged adults/nymphs differed. Bartonella-like symbionts were found in all stadia and sampling sites. Bartonella-like bacteria was the most diversified group within the RPM microbiome. The presence of identified putative pathogenic bacteria is relevant with respect to human and animal health issues while the identification of symbiontic bacteria can lead to new control methods targeting them to destabilize the arthropod host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Hubert
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Prague 6-Ruzyne, 161 06, Czechia.
| | - Tomas Erban
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Prague 6-Ruzyne, 161 06, Czechia
| | - Jan Kopecky
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Prague 6-Ruzyne, 161 06, Czechia
| | - Bruno Sopko
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Prague 6-Ruzyne, 161 06, Czechia
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, V Uvalu 84/1, Prague, 5150 06, Czechia
| | - Marta Nesvorna
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Prague 6-Ruzyne, 161 06, Czechia
| | - Martina Lichovnikova
- Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1665/1, Brno, 61 300, Czechia
| | - Sabine Schicht
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Olivier Sparagano
- Vice-Chancellor Office, Centre for Applied Biological and Exercise Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
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Cevidanes A, Altet L, Chirife AD, Proboste T, Millán J. Drivers of Bartonella infection in micromammals and their fleas in a Mediterranean peri-urban area. Vet Microbiol 2017; 203:181-188. [PMID: 28619142 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2017.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
People living at the human/wildlife interface are at risk of becoming infected with Bartonella for which micromammals act as reservoir. We aimed to determine the factors related to the prevalence of Bartonella and its haplotype diversity in micromammals and in their fleas in a Mediterranean peri-urban environment. We analyzed 511 micromammals, chiefly 407 wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), captured into Barcelona metropolitan area (Spain) in spring and autumn from 2011 to 2013 in two natural and two adjacent residential areas, their fleas (grouped in 218 monospecific pools) and 29 fetuses from six Bartonella-positive female wood mice. Amplification of a fragment of ITS was carried out by real time PCR. Prevalence was 49% (57% in the dominant species, the wood mouse), and 12 haplotypes were detected. In general, prevalence was higher in those hosts more heavily infested by fleas, coincident with higher rates of capture, in autumn than in spring, and in adults than in juveniles. Prevalence did not differ between natural and residential areas except for one prevalent haplotype, which was more frequent in natural areas. Prevalence in flea pools (58%) was only explained by Bartonella occurrence in the pool host. In 56.4% of the flea pools with identified Bartonella haplotypes, we found the same haplotype in the host and in its flea pool. Prevalence in wood mouse fetuses was 69%, with at least one infected fetus in all litters, and two litters with all the fetuses infected. indicating that vertical transmission might be important in Bartonella epidemiology in the wood mouse. There is a hazard of Bartonella infection for people living in residential areas and those visiting peri-urban natural areas in Barcelona.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitor Cevidanes
- PhD Program in Conservation Medicine, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, República 252, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Laura Altet
- Vetgenomics, Edificio Eureka, Research Facilities, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Spain
| | - Andrea D Chirife
- Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, República 252, Santiago, Chile
| | - Tatiana Proboste
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Javier Millán
- Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, República 252, Santiago, Chile.
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Gerardo Herrera M. L, Ortega-García S, Morales-Malacara JB, Flores-Martínez JJ, López-Ortega G, Richman AD. Geographical and Seasonal Patterns of Spleen Mass and Acarine Load in Tropical and Subtropical Leaf-Nosed Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2016.18.2.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Martínez MMR, Lopez MPI, Iñiguez-Dávalos LI, Yuill T, Orlova MV, Reeves WK. New records of ectoparasitic Acari (Arachnida) and Streblidae (Diptera) from bats in Jalisco, Mexico. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2016; 41:309-313. [PMID: 27860017 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ectoparasites of bats in the Neotropics are diverse and play numerous ecological roles as vectors of microbial pathogens and endoparasites and as food sources for other cave fauna living both on their hosts and in bat roosts. The ectoparasites of bats in Jalisco State of western Mexico have not been as well described as those of other states with recent checklists that have focused primarily on the Yucatan Peninsula. We captured bats from 2011-2015 on the south coast and Sierra de Amula, Jalisco using mist nets, and we removed ectoparasites by hand. We identified 24 species of streblid bat flies and six ectoparasitic mites from bats caught in mist nets. There were an additional eight possibly undescribed species of Streblidae. Our collections extend the known range of species into Jalisco.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M Pilar Ibarra Lopez
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Guadalajara, México
| | | | - Thomas Yuill
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Madison, WI, U.S.A
| | | | - Will K Reeves
- Western Compliance Assurance Branch, USDA-APHIS-BRS, Fort Collins, CO 80526, U.S.A
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Reeves WK, Beck J, Orlova MV, Daly JL, Pippin K, Revan F, Loftis AD. Ecology of Bats, Their Ectoparasites, and Associated Pathogens on Saint Kitts Island. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 53:1218-1225. [PMID: 27282816 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ectoparasites of bats and bat-associated pathogens are poorly studied in the Lesser Antilles Islands. We report on an 11-mo field study on Saint Kitts Island of bat populations, their associated ectoparasites, and pathogens. We report on five ectoparasite species, including four Streblidae (Diptera) and a Spinturnicidae (Acari). Several genotypes of unnamed Bartonella were isolated from bats and ectoparasites. Microfilaria of an undetermined Litomosoides spp. were detected in blood from Artibeus jamaicensis Leach (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) (and associated ectoparasites: Trichobius intermedius Peterson and Hurka (Diptera: Streblidae) and Periglischrus iheringi Oudemans (Acari: Spinturnicidae)). In addition, an Ehrlichia sp. and Rickettsia africae were detected in the blood of several bat species. Our study is one of the first surveys of ectoparasite-borne pathogens in wild mammals from St. Kitts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will K Reeves
- USASAM/PHR, 2510 5th St., Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, US Air Force, Dayton, OH
| | - Jason Beck
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 1345 Barton Rd., Pocatello, ID 83204
| | - Maria V Orlova
- National Research Tomsk State University, 36, Lenina str., Tomsk 634050, Russia
| | - Jennifer L Daly
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P O Box 334, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (; ; ; )
| | - Kristi Pippin
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P O Box 334, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (; ; ; )
| | - Floyd Revan
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P O Box 334, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (; ; ; )
| | - Amanda D Loftis
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P O Box 334, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (; ; ; )
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Bradley JM, Mascarelli PE, Trull CL, Maggi RG, Breitschwerdt EB. Bartonella henselae infections in an owner and two Papillon dogs exposed to tropical rat mites (Ornithonyssus bacoti). Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 14:703-9. [PMID: 25325313 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2013.1492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
After raccoons were trapped and removed from under a house in New York, the owner and her two Papillon dogs became infested with numerous rat mites (Ornithonyssus bacoti). Two weeks later, both dogs developed pruritus, progressively severe vesicular lesions, focal areas of skin exfoliation, swelling of the vulva or prepuce, abdominal pain, and behavioral changes. Two months after the mite infestation, the owner was hospitalized because of lethargy, fatigue, uncontrollable panic attacks, depression, headaches, chills, swollen neck lymph nodes, and vesicular lesions at the mite bite sites. Due to ongoing illness, 3 months after the mite infestation, alcohol-stored mites and blood and serum from both dogs and the owner were submitted for Bartonella serology and Bartonella alpha Proteobacteria growth medium (BAPGM) enrichment blood culture/PCR. Bartonella henselae DNA was amplified and sequenced from blood or culture specimens derived from both dogs, the owner, and pooled rat mites. Following repeated treatments with doxycycline, both dogs eventually became B. henselae seronegative and blood culture negative and clinical signs resolved. In contrast, the woman was never B. henselae seroreactive, but was again PCR positive for B. henselae 20 months after the mite infestation, despite prior treatment with doxycycline. Clinicians and vector biologists should consider the possibility that rat mites may play a role in Bartonella spp. transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M Bradley
- Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
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31
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Guerra AS, Eckerlin RP, Dowling APG, Durden LA, Robbins RG, Dittmar K, Helgen KM, Agwanda B, Allan BF, Hedlund T, Young HS. Host-Parasite Associations in Small Mammal Communities in Semiarid Savanna Ecosystems of East Africa. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 53:851-860. [PMID: 27113102 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite the established importance of rodents as reservoirs of vector-borne zoonoses in East Africa, there is relatively limited information regarding the infestation parameters and host associations of ectoparasites that vector many such pathogens among small mammals in this region. Between 2009 and 2013, small mammals were live-trapped in the semiarid savanna of Kenya. A subset of these individual hosts, including 20 distinct host taxa, was examined for ectoparasites, which were identified to species. Species of fleas, ticks, mites, and sucking lice were recorded. Based on these data, we calculated host-specific infestation parameters, documented host preferences among ectoparasites, conducted a rarefaction analysis and extrapolation to determine if ectoparasites were adequately sampled, and assessed nestedness for fleas to understand how pathogens might spread in this system. We found that the flea community structure was significantly nested. Understanding the ectoparasite network structure may have significant human relevance, as at least seven of the ectoparasite species collected are known vectors of pathogens of medical importance in the region, including Yersinia pestis, Rickettsia spp., and Theileria parva, the causative agents of plague, spotted fevers and other rickettsial illnesses in humans, and theileriosis, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofia Guerra
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA (; ),
| | - Ralph P Eckerlin
- Natural Sciences Division, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, VA
| | | | - Lance A Durden
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
| | - Richard G Robbins
- Armed Forces Pest Management Board, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment, Silver Spring, MD
| | | | - Kristofer M Helgen
- Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
| | - Bernard Agwanda
- Mammal Section, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya , and
| | - Brian F Allan
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL (; )
| | - Tyler Hedlund
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL (; )
| | - Hillary S Young
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA (; )
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32
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Regier Y, O Rourke F, Kempf VAJ. Bartonella spp. - a chance to establish One Health concepts in veterinary and human medicine. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:261. [PMID: 27161111 PMCID: PMC4862191 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1546-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases remain a remarkable health threat for humans and animals. In the past, the epidemiology, etiology and pathology of infectious agents affecting humans and animals have mostly been investigated in separate studies. However, it is evident, that combined approaches are needed to understand geographical distribution, transmission and infection biology of “zoonotic agents”. The genus Bartonella represents a congenial example of the synergistic benefits that can arise from such combined approaches: Bartonella spp. infect a broad variety of animals, are linked with a constantly increasing number of human diseases and are transmitted via arthropod vectors. As a result, the genus Bartonella is predestined to play a pivotal role in establishing a One Health concept combining veterinary and human medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Regier
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fiona O Rourke
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Volkhard A J Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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Gofton AW, Oskam CL, Lo N, Beninati T, Wei H, McCarl V, Murray DC, Paparini A, Greay TL, Holmes AJ, Bunce M, Ryan U, Irwin P. Inhibition of the endosymbiont "Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii" during 16S rRNA gene profiling reveals potential pathogens in Ixodes ticks from Australia. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:345. [PMID: 26108374 PMCID: PMC4493822 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0958-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is of significant medical and veterinary importance as a cause of dermatological and neurological disease, yet there is currently limited information about the bacterial communities harboured by these ticks and the risk of infectious disease transmission to humans and domestic animals. Ongoing controversy about the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (the aetiological agent of Lyme disease) in Australia increases the need to accurately identify and characterise bacteria harboured by I. holocyclus ticks. Methods Universal PCR primers were used to amplify the V1-2 hyper-variable region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes present in DNA samples from I. holocyclus and I. ricinus ticks, collected in Australia and Germany respectively. The 16S amplicons were purified, sequenced on the Ion Torrent platform, and analysed in USEARCH, QIIME, and BLAST to assign genus and species-level taxonomy. Initial analysis of I. holocyclus and I. ricinus identified that > 95 % of the 16S sequences recovered belonged to the tick intracellular endosymbiont “Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii” (CMM). A CMM-specific blocking primer was designed that decreased CMM sequences by approximately 96 % in both tick species and significantly increased the total detectable bacterial diversity, allowing identification of medically important bacterial pathogens that were previously masked by CMM. Results Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was identified in German I. ricinus, but not in Australian I. holocyclus ticks. However, bacteria of medical significance were detected in I. holocyclus ticks, including a Borrelia relapsing fever group sp., Bartonella henselae, novel “Candidatus Neoehrlichia” spp., Clostridium histolyticum, Rickettsia spp., and Leptospira inadai. Conclusions Abundant bacterial endosymbionts, such as CMM, limit the effectiveness of next-generation 16S bacterial community profiling in arthropods by masking less abundant bacteria, including pathogens. Specific blocking primers that inhibit endosymbiont 16S amplification during PCR are an effective way of reducing this limitation. Here, this strategy provided the first evidence of a relapsing fever Borrelia sp. and of novel “Candidatus Neoehrlichia” spp. in Australia. Our results raise new questions about tick-borne pathogens in I. holocyclus ticks. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-0958-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander W Gofton
- Vector and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Charlotte L Oskam
- Vector and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Nathan Lo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Tiziana Beninati
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Heng Wei
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Victoria McCarl
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Dáithí C Murray
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Andrea Paparini
- Vector and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Telleasha L Greay
- Vector and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Andrew J Holmes
- School of Molecular Biosciences and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Michael Bunce
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Una Ryan
- Vector and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Peter Irwin
- Vector and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
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Abstract
A dataset of bacterial diversity found in mites was compiled from 193 publications (from 1964 to January 2015). A total of 143 mite species belonging to the 3 orders (Mesostigmata, Sarcoptiformes and Trombidiformes) were recorded and found to be associated with approximately 150 bacteria species (in 85 genera, 51 families, 25 orders and 7 phyla). From the literature, the intracellular symbiont Cardinium, the scrub typhus agent Orientia, and Wolbachia (the most prevalent symbiont of arthropods) were the dominant mite-associated bacteria, with approximately 30 mite species infected each. Moreover, a number of bacteria of medical and veterinary importance were also reported from mites, including species from the genera Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Bartonella, Francisella, Coxiella, Borrelia, Salmonella, Erysipelothrix and Serratia. Significant differences in bacterial infection patterns among mite taxa were identified. These data will not only be useful for raising awareness of the potential for mites to transmit disease, but also enable a deeper understanding of the relationship of symbionts with their arthropod hosts, and may facilitate the development of intervention tools for disease vector control. This review provides a comprehensive overview of mite-associated bacteria and is a valuable reference database for future research on mites of agricultural, veterinary and/or medical importance.
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Miťková K, Berthová L, Kalúz S, Kazimírová M, Burdová L, Kocianová E. First detections of Rickettsia helvetica and R. monacensis in ectoparasitic mites (Laelapidae and Trombiculidae) infesting rodents in south-western Slovakia. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:2465-72. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4443-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Hornok S, Földvári G, Rigó K, Meli ML, Gönczi E, Répási A, Farkas R, Papp I, Kontschán J, Hofmann-Lehmann R. Synanthropic rodents and their ectoparasites as carriers of a novel haemoplasma and vector-borne, zoonotic pathogens indoors. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:27. [PMID: 25589174 PMCID: PMC4299477 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0630-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite their close association with human dwellings, the role of synanthropic rodents in the epidemiology of vector-borne infections is seldom studied. The aim of the present study was to compensate for this lack of information, by the molecular investigation of vector-borne bacteria in peridomestic rodents and their ectoparasites. Findings Fifty-two rodents (mainly house mice and brown rats) were caught alive in buildings and checked for blood-sucking ectoparasites; followed by molecular analysis of these, together with spleen samples, for the presence of vector-borne agents. Haemoplasma infection was significantly more prevalent among brown rats, than among house mice. A novel haemoplasma genotype (with only 92-93% similarity to Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis and M. coccoides in its 16S rRNA gene) was detected in a harvest mouse and a brown rat. Sporadic occurrence of Rickettsia helvetica, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Bartonella sp. was also noted in rodents and/or their ectoparasites. Conclusions These results indicate that synanthropic rodents, although with low prevalence, may carry zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens indoors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sándor Hornok
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary.
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Cohen C, Toh E, Munro D, Dong Q, Hawlena H. Similarities and seasonal variations in bacterial communities from the blood of rodents and from their flea vectors. ISME JOURNAL 2015; 9:1662-76. [PMID: 25575310 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2014.255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Revised: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Vector-borne microbes are subject to the ecological constraints of two distinct microenvironments: that in the arthropod vector and that in the blood of its vertebrate host. Because the structure of bacterial communities in these two microenvironments may substantially affect the abundance of vector-borne microbes, it is important to understand the relationship between bacterial communities in both microenvironments and the determinants that shape them. We used pyrosequencing analyses to compare the structure of bacterial communities in Synosternus cleopatrae fleas and in the blood of their Gerbillus andersoni hosts. We also monitored the interindividual and seasonal variability in these bacterial communities by sampling the same individual wild rodents during the spring and again during the summer. We show that the bacterial communities in each sample type (blood, female flea or male flea) had a similar phylotype composition among host individuals, but exhibited seasonal variability that was not directly associated with host characteristics. The structure of bacterial communities in male fleas and in the blood of their rodent hosts was remarkably similar and was dominated by flea-borne Bartonella and Mycoplasma phylotypes. A lower abundance of flea-borne bacteria and the presence of Wolbachia phylotypes distinguished bacterial communities in female fleas from those in male fleas and in rodent blood. These results suggest that the overall abundance of a certain vector-borne microbe is more likely to be determined by the abundance of endosymbiotic bacteria in the vector, abundance of other vector-borne microbes co-occurring in the vector and in the host blood and by seasonal changes, than by host characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmit Cohen
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Evelyn Toh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Daniel Munro
- Department of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
| | - Qunfeng Dong
- 1] Department of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA [2] Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
| | - Hadas Hawlena
- 1] Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel [2] Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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Granquist EG, Kristiansson M, Lindgren PE, Matussek A, Nødtvedt A, Okstad W, Stuen S. Evaluation of microbial communities and symbionts in Ixodes ricinus and ungulate hosts (Cervus elaphus and Ovis aries) from shared habitats on the west coast of Norway. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:780-4. [PMID: 25132534 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Recent reports suggest a potential for transmission of a newly discovered rickettsial endosymbiont, Midichloria mitochondrii, to animals and humans from feeding ticks (Ixodes ricinus). Using molecular methods; I. ricinus, sheep and red deer in Anaplasma phagocytophilum-endemic areas of Norway, were examined to see if they were infected by M. mitochondrii or related organisms like Wolbachia pipientis and Rickettsia spp. A total of 532 ticks collected from pastures, 76 blood samples from grazing lambs and 12 organ samples from hunted deer, were analyzed during the study. All larval pools, 60.4% pooled nymphs and 35.1% of adult ticks were positive for M. mitochondrii. There was a significant difference between geographical areas in the prevalence of M. mitochondrii infection among nymphs. A total of 2.2% pooled nymphs and 5.3% adult ticks were positive for A. phagocytophilum. Eleven percent of pooled nymphs were positive for Borrelia spp, 2.2% of pooled nymphs and 3.5% of adult ticks were positive for Rickettsia spp. and none of the ticks were positive for W. pipientis. The prevalence of A. phagocytophilum infection was 54% and 75% in grazing lambs and deer, respectively. No animals were positive for Borrelia spp., M. mitochondrii, Rickettsia spp. or W. pipientis. The reported findings suggest that M. mitochondrii is widespread in tick populations at different geographical sites, and may appear in co-infection with A. phagocytophilum, Borrelia spp. and Rickettsia spp. in ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik G Granquist
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Malin Kristiansson
- Department of Laboratory Services, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Per-Eric Lindgren
- Department of Laboratory Services, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden; Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - Andreas Matussek
- Department of Laboratory Services, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Ane Nødtvedt
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Wenche Okstad
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
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Kopecký J, Nesvorná M, Hubert J. Bartonella-like bacteria carried by domestic mite species. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2014; 64:21-32. [PMID: 24711066 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-014-9811-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2013] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria of the genus Bartonella are carried by haematophagous mites, ticks, fleas and flies, and attack the erythrocytes of mammals. Here we describe a Bartonella-like clade, a distinct group related to Bartonellaceae, in stored-product mites (Acari: Astigmata) and a predatory mite Cheyletus eruditus (Acari: Prostigmata) based on the analysis of cloned 16S rRNA gene sequences. By using the clade-specific primers, closely related Bartonella-like 16S rRNA sequences were amplified from both laboratory colonies and field strains of three synanthropic mite species (Acarus siro, Lepidoglyphus destructor and Tyrophagus putrescentiae) and a predatory mite. Altogether, sequences of Bartonella-like bacteria were found in 11 strains, but were not detected in Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus and two strains of L. destructor. All obtained sequences formed a separate cluster branching as a sister group to Bartonellaceae and related to other separate clusters comprising uncultured bacterial clones from human skin and hemipteran insects (Nysius plebeius and Nysius sp.). The classification of sequences into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) showed a difference between A. siro and T. putrescentiae suggesting that the Bartonella-like bacteria are different in these two mite species. However, species specific sequences in separate OTUs were observed also for C. eruditus. Possible symbiotic interactions between Bartonella-like bacteria and their mite hosts are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Kopecký
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovská 507, 161 06, Praha 6-Ruzyně, Czech Republic
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Ahamad M, Ibrahim H, Bujang MK, Sah SAM, Mohamad N, Nor SM, Ahmad AH, Ho TM. A survey of acarine ectoparasites of bats (Chiroptera) in Malaysia. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2013; 50:140-146. [PMID: 23427663 DOI: 10.1603/me11240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
A comprehensive 8-yr survey of acarine ectoparasites (ticks and mites) of bats was carried out in 18 localities from 2002 to 2009. Most of the surveys were conducted during 14 national biodiversity scientific expeditions throughout Malaysia. The objective was to identify acarines of known public health importance from bats and thus determine whether there is any potential public health risk in Malaysia. Trapping of bats was conducted using Harp traps and Mist nets. In total, 1,579 individuals comprising of 6 families and 52 species of bats were examined alive. In general, 25.6% of the bats were infested with acarines. Infestation rates of ticks, mesostigmatid mites, and chiggers on bats examined were 0.4, 10.4, and 14.7%, respectively. Their prevalence and mean intensity were tabulated. Genera of ticks extracted were Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Ixodes, and Ornithodoros. Of these genera, only two species can be identified to species level and they are Amblyomma cordiferum and Ixodes simplex. In total, 8 genera and 15 species of mesostigmatid mites were found; the species were Ancystropus eonycteris, Ancystropus zeleborii, Echinonysus nasutus, Laelaps aingworthae, Laelaps nuttalli, Laelaps sanguisugus, Laelaps sculpturatus, Longolaelaps longulus, Longolaelaps whartonii, Meristaspis lateralis, Meristaspis macroglossi, Paraperiglischrus rhinolophinus, Spinturnix acuminatus, Spinturnix americanus, and Spinturnix bakeri. Chiggers on bats were represented by 12 genera and 6 species; the species identified were Gahrliepia fletcheri, Riedlinia lipoxena, Trombigastia cadei, Walchiella impar, Walchiella oudemansi, and Whartonia caobangensis. The study produced an up-to-date list of acarine ectoparasites of bats in Malaysia where a total of 38 genera and 47 species of acarines were listed. Findings of the study demonstrated that 5 genera and 1 species of acarines that may pose potential health risks, can be found on bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Ahamad
- Acarology Unit, Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Melter O, Arvand M, Votýpka J, Hulínská D. Bartonella quintana transmission from mite to family with high socioeconomic status. Emerg Infect Dis 2012; 18:163-5. [PMID: 22257438 PMCID: PMC3310088 DOI: 10.3201/eid1801.110186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Abstract
SUMMARYBat flies are obligate ectoparasites of bats and it has been hypothesized that they may be involved in the transmission ofBartonellaspecies between bats. A survey was conducted to identify whetherCyclopodia greefi greefi(Diptera: Nycteribiidae) collected from Ghana and 2 islands in the Gulf of Guinea harbourBartonella. In total, 137 adult flies removed fromEidolon helvum, the straw-coloured fruit bat, were screened for the presence ofBartonellaby culture and PCR analysis.BartonellaDNA was detected in 91 (66·4%) of the specimens examined and 1 strain of aBartonellasp., initially identified inE. helvumblood from Kenya, was obtained from a bat fly collected in Ghana. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to report the identification and isolation ofBartonellain bat flies from western Africa.
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Bartonella species and their ectoparasites: selective host adaptation or strain selection between the vector and the mammalian host? Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2011; 34:299-314. [PMID: 21616536 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2011.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2011] [Revised: 04/16/2011] [Accepted: 04/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A wide range of blood-sucking arthropods have either been confirmed or are suspected as important vectors in Bartonella transmission to mammals, including humans. Overall, it appears that the diversity of Bartonella species DNA identified in ectoparasites is much broader than the species detected in their mammalian hosts, suggesting a mechanism of adaptation of Bartonella species to their host-vector ecosystem. However, these mechanisms leading to the fitness between the vectors and their hosts still need to be investigated.
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44
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Harris HL, Brennan LJ, Keddie BA, Braig HR. Bacterial symbionts in insects: balancing life and death. Symbiosis 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-010-0065-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Goodman SM, Chan LM, Nowak MD, Yoder AD. Phylogeny and biogeography of western Indian Ocean Rousettus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). J Mammal 2010; 91:593-606. [PMID: 32287379 PMCID: PMC7108659 DOI: 10.1644/09-mamm-a-283.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2009] [Accepted: 12/29/2009] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined patterns of genetic variation in Rousettus madagascariensis from Madagascar and R. obliviosus from the Comoros (Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli). Genetic distances among individuals on the basis of 1,130 base pairs of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) locus were estimated from specimens collected from 17 sites on Madagascar, 3 sites on Grande Comore, 3 sites on Anjouan, and 2 sites on Mohéli. We observed little variation in Madagascar and nearshore island samples (maximum 1.1%) and interisland Comoros samples (maximum 1.8%). In contrast, pairwise distances between different sampled sites on Madagascar and the Comoros varied from 8.5% to 13.2%. For 131 Malagasy animals, 69 unique haplotypes were recovered with 86 variable sites, and for 44 Comorian individuals, 17 unique haplotypes were found with 30 variable sites. No haplotype was shared between Madagascar and the Comoros, adding to previous morphological evidence that these 2 populations should be considered separate species. Cytb data showed that Rousettus populations of Madagascar (including nearshore islands) and the Comoros are respectively monophyletic and display no geographic structure in haplotype diversity, and that R. madagascariensis and R. obliviosus are strongly supported as sister to each other relative to other Rousettus species. Genotypic data from 6 microsatellite loci confirm lack of geographic structure in either of the 2 species. In pairwise tests of population differentiation, the only significant values were between samples from the Comoro Islands and Madagascar (including nearshore islands). Estimates of current and historical demographic parameters support population expansion in both the Comoros and Madagascar. These data suggest a more recent and rapid demographic expansion in Madagascar in comparison with greater population stability on the Comoros. On the basis of available evidence, open-water crossings approaching 300 km seem rarely traversed by Rousettus, and, if successful, can result in genetic isolation and subsequent differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Goodman
- Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA, and Vahatra, BP 3972, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
| | - Lauren M. Chan
- Department of Biology, Box 90338, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Michael D. Nowak
- Department of Biology, Box 90338, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Anne D. Yoder
- Department of Biology, Box 90338, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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Kabeya H, Colborn JM, Bai Y, Lerdthusnee K, Richardson JH, Maruyama S, Kosoy MY. Detection ofBartonella tamiaeDNA in Ectoparasites from Rodents in Thailand and Their Sequence Similarity with Bacterial Cultures from Thai Patients. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 10:429-34. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2009.0124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hidenori Kabeya
- Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Science, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - James M. Colborn
- Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Ying Bai
- Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Kriangkrai Lerdthusnee
- Department of Entomology, U.S. Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jason H. Richardson
- Department of Entomology, U.S. Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Soichi Maruyama
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Science, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Michael Y. Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Nelder MP, Reeves WK, Adler PH, Wozniak A, Wills W. Ectoparasites and Associated Pathogens of Free-Roaming and Captive Animals in Zoos of South Carolina. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2009; 9:469-77. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2008.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mark P. Nelder
- Department of Entomology, Soils & Plant Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
| | - Will K. Reeves
- USDA-ARS-ABADRL, College of Agriculture, Laramie, Wyoming
| | - Peter H. Adler
- Department of Entomology, Soils & Plant Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
| | - Arthur Wozniak
- Bureau of Laboratories, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - William Wills
- Department of Entomology, Soils & Plant Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
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Beninati T, Riegler M, Vilcins IME, Sacchi L, McFadyen R, Krockenberger M, Bandi C, O'Neill SL, Lo N. Absence of the symbiont Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii in the mitochondria of the tick Ixodes holocyclus. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2009; 299:241-7. [PMID: 19732154 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2009.01757.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii (M. mitochondrii) belongs to a novel clade of bacteria within the order Rickettsiales. Recent PCR-based screening studies indicate that it is present in a number of blood-sucking arthropods, as well as the blood of some vertebrates. Its medical and veterinary significance remains to be determined. Electron microscopic examinations of M. mitochondrii have thus far been conducted on two infected tick species. Remarkably, the bacterium was found in abundance within the mitochondria of the ovarian cells of each tick species. This makes it the only characterized bacterium able to invade the mitochondria of any multicellular organism. To examine whether mitochondrial invasion is a consistent characteristic of M. mitochondrii, we examined two tick species found in Eastern Australia. One of these species, Ixodes holocyclus, was infected with two M. mitochondrii strains; however, no bacteria were seen in the mitochondria. Comparative studies involving these strains may shed light on the unique phenomenon of mitochondrial invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Beninati
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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De Luna CJ, Moro CV, Guy JH, Zenner L, Sparagano OAE. Endosymbiotic bacteria living inside the poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae). EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2009; 48:105-13. [PMID: 19145467 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-008-9230-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2008] [Accepted: 12/16/2008] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the endosymbiotic bacteria living inside the poultry red mite collected from five samples of one commercial farm from the UK and 16 farms from France using genus-specific PCR, PCR-TTGE and DNA sequencing. Endosymbiotic bacteria are intracellular obligate organisms that can cause several phenotypic and reproductive anomalies to their host and they are found widespread living inside arthropods. The farm sampled from the UK was positive for bacteria of the genera Cardinium sp. and Spiroplasma sp. From France, 7 farms were positive for Cardinium sp., 1 farm was positive for Spiroplasma sp., 1 farm was positive for Rickettsiella sp. and 2 farms were positive for Schineria sp. However, it was not possible to detect the presence of the genus Wolbachia sp. which has been observed in other ectoparasites. This study is the first report of the presence of endosymbionts living inside the poultry red mite. The results obtained suggest that it may be possible that these bacterial endosymbionts cause biological modifications to the poultry red mite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos J De Luna
- School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7 RU, UK.
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De Luna CJ, Arkle S, Harrington D, George DR, Guy JH, Sparagano OAE. The Poultry Red MiteDermanyssus gallinaeas a Potential Carrier of Vector-borne Diseases. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2008; 1149:255-8. [DOI: 10.1196/annals.1428.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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