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Mertens-Scholz K, Hoffmann B, Gethmann JM, Brangsch H, Pletz MW, Klaus C. Prevalence of tick-borne bacterial pathogens in Germany-has the situation changed after a decade? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1429667. [PMID: 39091677 PMCID: PMC11291221 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1429667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tick-borne pathogens, such as Borreliella spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma spp., are frequently detected in Germany. They circulate between animals and tick vectors and can cause mild to severe diseases in humans. Knowledge about distribution and prevalence of these pathogens over time is important for risk assessment of human and animal health. Methods Ixodes ricinus nymphs were collected at different locations in 2009/2010 and 2019 in Germany and analyzed for tick-borne pathogens by real-time PCR and sequencing. Results Borreliella spp. were detected with a prevalence of 11.96% in 2009/2010 and 13.10% in 2019 with B. afzelii and B. garinii as dominant species. Borrelia miyamotoi was detected in seven ticks and in coinfection with B. afzelii or B. garinii. Rickettsia spp. showed a prevalence of 8.82% in 2009/2010 and 1.68% in 2019 with the exclusive detection of R. helvetica. The prevalence of Anaplasma spp. was 1.00% in 2009/2010 and 7.01% in 2019. A. phagocytophilum was detected in seven tick samples. None of the nymphs were positive for C. burnetii. Discussion Here, observed changes in prevalence were not significant after a decade but require longitudinal observations including parameters like host species and density, climatic factors to improve our understanding of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Mertens-Scholz
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut – Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), Jena, Germany
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Bernd Hoffmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut – Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jörn M. Gethmann
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut – Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Hanka Brangsch
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut – Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Mathias W. Pletz
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Christine Klaus
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut – Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), Jena, Germany
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Senbill H, Karawia D, Zeb J, Alyami NM, Almeer R, Rahman S, Sparagano O, Baruah A. Molecular screening and genetic diversity of tick-borne pathogens associated with dogs and livestock ticks in Egypt. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012185. [PMID: 38837987 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) offer optimal climatic conditions for tick reproduction and dispersal. Research on tick-borne pathogens in this region is scarce. Despite recent advances in the characterization and taxonomic explanation of various tick-borne illnesses affecting animals in Egypt, no comprehensive examination of TBP (tick-borne pathogen) statuses has been performed. Therefore, the present study aims to detect the prevalence of pathogens harbored by ticks in Egypt. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A four-year PCR-based study was conducted to detect a wide range of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) harbored by three economically important tick species in Egypt. Approximately 86.7% (902/1,040) of the investigated Hyalomma dromedarii ticks from camels were found positive with Candidatus Anaplasma camelii (18.8%), Ehrlichia ruminantium (16.5%), Rickettsia africae (12.6%), Theileria annulata (11.9%), Mycoplasma arginini (9.9%), Borrelia burgdorferi (7.7%), Spiroplasma-like endosymbiont (4.0%), Hepatozoon canis (2.4%), Coxiella burnetii (1.6%) and Leishmania infantum (1.3%). Double co-infections were recorded in 3.0% (27/902) of Hy. dromedarii ticks, triple co-infections (simultaneous infection of the tick by three pathogen species) were found in 9.6% (87/902) of Hy. dromedarii ticks, whereas multiple co-infections (simultaneous infection of the tick by ≥ four pathogen species) comprised 12% (108/902). Out of 1,435 investigated Rhipicephalus rutilus ticks collected from dogs and sheep, 816 (56.9%) ticks harbored Babesia canis vogeli (17.1%), Rickettsia conorii (16.2%), Ehrlichia canis (15.4%), H. canis (13.6%), Bo. burgdorferi (9.7%), L. infantum (8.4%), C. burnetii (7.3%) and Trypanosoma evansi (6.6%) in dogs, and 242 (16.9%) ticks harbored Theileria lestoquardi (21.6%), Theileria ovis (20.0%) and Eh. ruminantium (0.3%) in sheep. Double, triple, and multiple co-infections represented 11% (90/816), 7.6% (62/816), and 10.3% (84/816), respectively in Rh. rutilus from dogs, whereas double and triple co-infections represented 30.2% (73/242) and 2.1% (5/242), respectively in Rh. rutilus from sheep. Approximately 92.5% (1,355/1,465) of Rhipicephalus annulatus ticks of cattle carried a burden of Anaplasma marginale (21.3%), Babesia bigemina (18.2%), Babesia bovis (14.0%), Borrelia theleri (12.8%), R. africae (12.4%), Th. annulata (8.7%), Bo. burgdorferi (2.7%), and Eh. ruminantium (2.5%). Double, triple, and multiple co-infections represented 1.8% (25/1,355), 11.5% (156/1,355), and 12.9% (175/1,355), respectively. The detected pathogens' sequences had 98.76-100% similarity to the available database with genetic divergence ranged between 0.0001 to 0.0009% to closest sequences from other African, Asian, and European countries. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close similarities between the detected pathogens and other isolates mostly from African and Asian countries. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Continuous PCR-detection of pathogens transmitted by ticks is necessary to overcome the consequences of these infection to the hosts. More restrictions should be applied from the Egyptian authorities on animal importations to limit the emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne pathogens in the country. This is the first in-depth investigation of TBPs in Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haytham Senbill
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India
- Department of Applied Entomology & Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Donia Karawia
- Department of Pesticide Chemistry & Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Jehan Zeb
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Zoology, Govt. Ghazi Umara Khan Degree College Samarbagh, Higher Education Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Nouf M Alyami
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rafa Almeer
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sahidur Rahman
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Olivier Sparagano
- Agricultural Sciences and Practice, Royal Agricultural University (RAU), Cirencester, United Kingdom
| | - Aiswarya Baruah
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India
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Kolo AO, Raghavan R. Impact of endosymbionts on tick physiology and fitness. Parasitology 2023; 150:859-865. [PMID: 37722758 PMCID: PMC10577665 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Ticks transmit pathogens and harbour non-pathogenic, vertically transmitted intracellular bacteria termed endosymbionts. Almost all ticks studied to date contain 1 or more of Coxiella, Francisella, Rickettsia or Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii endosymbionts, indicative of their importance to tick physiology. Genomic and experimental data suggest that endosymbionts promote tick development and reproductive success. Here, we review the limited information currently available on the potential roles endosymbionts play in enhancing tick metabolism and fitness. Future studies that expand on these findings are needed to better understand endosymbionts’ contributions to tick biology. This knowledge could potentially be applied to design novel strategies that target endosymbiont function to control the spread of ticks and pathogens they vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agatha O. Kolo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Rahul Raghavan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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Wiesinger A, Wenderlein J, Ulrich S, Hiereth S, Chitimia-Dobler L, Straubinger RK. Revealing the Tick Microbiome: Insights into Midgut and Salivary Gland Microbiota of Female Ixodes ricinus Ticks. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021100. [PMID: 36674613 PMCID: PMC9864629 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The ectoparasite Ixodes ricinus is an important vector for many tick-borne diseases (TBD) in the northern hemisphere, such as Lyme borreliosis, rickettsiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, or tick-borne encephalitis virus. As climate change will lead to rising temperatures in the next years, we expect an increase in tick activity, tick population, and thus in the spread of TBD. Consequently, it has never been more critical to understand relationships within the microbial communities in ticks that might contribute to the tick's fitness and the occurrence of TBD. Therefore, we analyzed the microbiota in different tick tissues such as midgut, salivary glands, and residual tick material, as well as the microbiota in complete Ixodes ricinus ticks using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. By using a newly developed DNA extraction protocol for tick tissue samples and a self-designed mock community, we were able to detect endosymbionts and pathogens that have been described in the literature previously. Further, this study displayed the usefulness of including a mock community during bioinformatic analysis to identify essential bacteria within the tick.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wiesinger
- Chair of Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Jasmin Wenderlein
- Chair of Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ulrich
- Chair of Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Stephanie Hiereth
- Chair of Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Lidia Chitimia-Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (InstMikroBioBw), Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937 Munich, Germany
| | - Reinhard K. Straubinger
- Chair of Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Hodosi R, Kazimirova M, Soltys K. What do we know about the microbiome of I. ricinus? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:990889. [PMID: 36467722 PMCID: PMC9709289 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.990889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
I. ricinus is an obligate hematophagous parasitic arthropod that is responsible for the transmission of a wide range of zoonotic pathogens including spirochetes of the genus Borrelia, Rickettsia spp., C. burnetii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Francisella tularensis, which are part the tick´s microbiome. Most of the studies focus on "pathogens" and only very few elucidate the role of "non-pathogenic" symbiotic microorganisms in I. ricinus. While most of the members of the microbiome are leading an intracellular lifestyle, they are able to complement tick´s nutrition and stress response having a great impact on tick´s survival and transmission of pathogens. The composition of the tick´s microbiome is not consistent and can be tied to the environment, tick species, developmental stage, or specific organ or tissue. Ovarian tissue harbors a stable microbiome consisting mainly but not exclusively of endosymbiotic bacteria, while the microbiome of the digestive system is rather unstable, and together with salivary glands, is mostly comprised of pathogens. The most prevalent endosymbionts found in ticks are Rickettsia spp., Ricketsiella spp., Coxiella-like and Francisella-like endosymbionts, Spiroplasma spp. and Candidatus Midichloria spp. Since microorganisms can modify ticks' behavior, such as mobility, feeding or saliva production, which results in increased survival rates, we aimed to elucidate the potential, tight relationship, and interaction between bacteria of the I. ricinus microbiome. Here we show that endosymbionts including Coxiella-like spp., can provide I. ricinus with different types of vitamin B (B2, B6, B7, B9) essential for eukaryotic organisms. Furthermore, we hypothesize that survival of Wolbachia spp., or the bacterial pathogen A. phagocytophilum can be supported by the tick itself since coinfection with symbiotic Spiroplasma ixodetis provides I. ricinus with complete metabolic pathway of folate biosynthesis necessary for DNA synthesis and cell division. Manipulation of tick´s endosymbiotic microbiome could present a perspective way of I. ricinus control and regulation of spread of emerging bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Hodosi
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Maria Kazimirova
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarina Soltys
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Krawczyk AI, Röttjers L, Fonville M, Takumi K, Takken W, Faust K, Sprong H. Quantitative microbial population study reveals geographical differences in bacterial symbionts of Ixodes ricinus. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:120. [PMID: 35927748 PMCID: PMC9351266 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01276-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ixodes ricinus ticks vector pathogens that cause serious health concerns. Like in other arthropods, the microbiome may affect the tick's biology, with consequences for pathogen transmission. Here, we explored the bacterial communities of I. ricinus across its developmental stages and six geographic locations by the 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, combined with quantification of the bacterial load. RESULTS A wide range of bacterial loads was found. Accurate quantification of low microbial biomass samples permitted comparisons to high biomass samples, despite the presence of contaminating DNA. The bacterial communities of ticks were associated with geographical location rather than life stage, and differences in Rickettsia abundance determined this association. Subsequently, we explored the geographical distribution of four vertically transmitted symbionts identified in the microbiome analysis. For that, we screened 16,555 nymphs from 19 forest sites for R. helvetica, Rickettsiella spp., Midichloria mitochondrii, and Spiroplasma ixodetis. Also, the infection rates and distributions of these symbionts were compared to the horizontally transmitted pathogens Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Neoehrlichia mikurensis. The infection rates of all vertically transmitted symbionts differed between the study sites, and none of the symbionts was present in all tested ticks suggesting a facultative association with I. ricinus. The proportions in which symbionts occurred in populations of I. ricinus were highly variable, but geographically close study sites expressed similar proportions. These patterns were in contrast to what we observed for horizontally transmitted pathogens. Lastly, nearly 12% of tested nymphs were free of any targeted microorganisms, which is in line with the microbiome analyses. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that the microbiome of I. ricinus is highly variable, but changes gradually and ticks originating from geographically close forest sites express similar bacterial communities. This suggests that geography-related factors affect the infection rates of vertically transmitted symbionts in I. ricinus. Since some symbionts, such as R. helvetica can cause disease in humans, we propose that public health investigations consider geographical differences in its infection rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra I Krawczyk
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, Bilthoven, 3720 MA, the Netherlands.
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Lisa Röttjers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Manoj Fonville
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, Bilthoven, 3720 MA, the Netherlands
| | - Katshuisa Takumi
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, Bilthoven, 3720 MA, the Netherlands
| | - Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Karoline Faust
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, Bilthoven, 3720 MA, the Netherlands.
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da Silva NX, Dias TS, Vignoli JA, Dos Santos Machado L, Telleria EL, de Almeida Pereira VL, do Nascimento ER, da Cunha NC. First molecular detection of Spiroplasma spp. in ticks from horses in Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101896. [PMID: 35051893 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The class Mollicutes comprises microorganisms that lack a cell wall, highly dependent on their host to survive. Within Mollicutes, the genus Spiroplasma comprises motile helical microorganisms associated with various insects and other arthropods. This study aimed to detect and characterize Mollicutes microorganisms in ticks of different species of veterinary importance, using molecular techniques. These ticks were collected from dogs, cats, cattle, and horses from Rio de Janeiro's metropolitan regions. They were morphologically classified and pooled according to their species for subsequent DNA extraction. These samples were tested by PCR using class Mollicutes-specific primers (16S rRNA) and positive amplicons were sequenced. The obtained DNA sequences were compared with other Mollicutes sequences deposited in GenBank. We found that four out of 745 (0.54%) of the tick pools were positive for members of the class Mollicutes, identified as Spiroplasma spp.; of the positive pools, one comprised Amblyomma sculptum adults and three comprised Dermacentor nitens nymphs. The present study describes Spiroplasma spp. in ticks in Brazil for the first time. Nevertheless, due to few reports on these microorganisms, further studies on epidemiology, virulence, and pathogenicity are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalia Xavier da Silva
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Veterinária, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thomas Salles Dias
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Veterinária, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Julia Alves Vignoli
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Veterinária, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leandro Dos Santos Machado
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Veterinária, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Erich Loza Telleria
- Department of Parasitology - Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Virginia Léo de Almeida Pereira
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Veterinária, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elmiro Rosendo do Nascimento
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Veterinária, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nathalie Costa da Cunha
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Veterinária, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Duan DY, Liu YK, Liu L, Liu GH, Cheng TY. Microbiome analysis of the midguts of different developmental stages of Argas persicus in China. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 13:101868. [PMID: 34800866 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Argas persicus is an ectoparasite of poultry. The bacterial community structure and the pathogenic bacteria associated with different developmental stages of A. persicus have implications for control. Argas persicus were collected from chickens in the city of Jiuquan in Gansu, China. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the midgut contents of blood engorged larvae, nymphs and adult females. The V3-V4 hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA genes were sequenced using the IonS5™XL platform. Identification of Rickettsia spp. and detection of Coxiella burnetii were performed using PCR on target genes. The bacterial diversity within larvae was the highest and the bacterial diversity within nymphs was greater than that of adults. At different classification levels, seven bacterial phyla were common phyla, 27 genera were common genera, and 18 species were common species in the three samples. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria showed a marked predominance in all samples. Rickettsia, Stenotrophomonas, Spiroplasma, and Coxiella were the dominant bacteria at the genus level. The Rickettsia species in A. persicus was identified as Rickettsia hoogstraalii and the Coxiella species was identified as a Coxiella-like endosymbiont. Additionally, some bacterial species such as Pseudomonas geniculata, Sphingomonas koreensis, and Acinetobacter haemolyticus were reported here for the first time in A. persicus.
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Yong Duan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China
| | - Yu-Ke Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China
| | - Lei Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China
| | - Guo-Hua Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China.
| | - Tian-Yin Cheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, China.
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Lejal E, Chiquet J, Aubert J, Robin S, Estrada-Peña A, Rue O, Midoux C, Mariadassou M, Bailly X, Cougoul A, Gasqui P, Cosson JF, Chalvet-Monfray K, Vayssier-Taussat M, Pollet T. Temporal patterns in Ixodes ricinus microbial communities: an insight into tick-borne microbe interactions. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:153. [PMID: 34217365 PMCID: PMC8254910 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01051-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks transmit pathogens of medical and veterinary importance and are an increasing threat to human and animal health. Assessing disease risk and developing new control strategies requires identifying members of the tick-borne microbiota as well as their temporal dynamics and interactions. METHODS Using high-throughput sequencing, we studied the Ixodes ricinus microbiota and its temporal dynamics. 371 nymphs were monthly collected during three consecutive years in a peri-urban forest. After a Poisson lognormal model was adjusted to our data set, a principal component analysis, sparse network reconstruction, and differential analysis allowed us to assess seasonal and monthly variability of I. ricinus microbiota and interactions within this community. RESULTS Around 75% of the detected sequences belonged to five genera known to be maternally inherited bacteria in arthropods and to potentially circulate in ticks: Candidatus Midichloria, Rickettsia, Spiroplasma, Arsenophonus and Wolbachia. The structure of the I. ricinus microbiota varied over time with interannual recurrence and seemed to be mainly driven by OTUs commonly found in the environment. Total network analysis revealed a majority of positive partial correlations. We identified strong relationships between OTUs belonging to Wolbachia and Arsenophonus, evidence for the presence of the parasitoid wasp Ixodiphagus hookeri in ticks. Other associations were observed between the tick symbiont Candidatus Midichloria and pathogens belonging to Rickettsia. Finally, more specific network analyses were performed on TBP-infected samples and suggested that the presence of pathogens belonging to the genera Borrelia, Anaplasma and Rickettsia may disrupt microbial interactions in I. ricinus. CONCLUSIONS We identified the I. ricinus microbiota and documented marked shifts in tick microbiota dynamics over time. Statistically, we showed strong relationships between the presence of specific pathogens and the structure of the I. ricinus microbiota. We detected close links between some tick symbionts and the potential presence of either pathogenic Rickettsia or a parasitoid in ticks. These new findings pave the way for the development of new strategies for the control of ticks and tick-borne diseases. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Lejal
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - J Chiquet
- Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR MIA-Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - J Aubert
- Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR MIA-Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - S Robin
- Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR MIA-Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - A Estrada-Peña
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - O Rue
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- INRAE, BioinfOmics, MIGALE Bioinformatics Facility, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - C Midoux
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- INRAE, BioinfOmics, MIGALE Bioinformatics Facility, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- INRAE, PROSE, Université Paris-Saclay, Antony, France
| | - M Mariadassou
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- INRAE, BioinfOmics, MIGALE Bioinformatics Facility, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - X Bailly
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 63122, Saint Genes Champanelle, France
- Université de Lyon, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 69280, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - A Cougoul
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 63122, Saint Genes Champanelle, France
- Université de Lyon, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 69280, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - P Gasqui
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 63122, Saint Genes Champanelle, France
- Université de Lyon, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 69280, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - J F Cosson
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - K Chalvet-Monfray
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 63122, Saint Genes Champanelle, France
- Université de Lyon, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, 69280, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | | | - T Pollet
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Campus de Baillarguet, Montpellier, France.
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10
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Körner S, Makert GR, Ulbert S, Pfeffer M, Mertens-Scholz K. The Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Hard Ticks in Europe and Their Role in Q Fever Transmission Revisited-A Systematic Review. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:655715. [PMID: 33981744 PMCID: PMC8109271 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.655715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The zoonosis Q fever is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Besides the main transmission route via inhalation of contaminated aerosols, ticks are discussed as vectors since the first isolation of the pathogen from a Dermacentor andersonii tick. The rare detection of C. burnetii in ticks and the difficult differentiation of C. burnetii from Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs) are questioning the relevance of ticks in the epidemiology of Q fever. In this review, literature databases were systematically searched for recent prevalence studies concerning C. burnetii in ticks in Europe and experimental studies evaluating the vector competence of tick species. A total of 72 prevalence studies were included and evaluated regarding DNA detection methods and collection methods, country, and tested tick species. Specimens of more than 25 different tick species were collected in 23 European countries. Overall, an average prevalence of 4.8% was determined. However, in half of the studies, no Coxiella-DNA was detected. In Southern European countries, a significantly higher prevalence was observed, possibly related to the abundance of different tick species here, namely Hyalomma spp. and Rhipicephalus spp. In comparison, a similar proportion of studies used ticks sampled by flagging and dragging or tick collection from animals, under 30% of the total tick samples derived from the latter. There was no significant difference in the various target genes used for the molecular test. In most of the studies, no distinction was made between C. burnetii and CLEs. The application of specific detection methods and the confirmation of positive results are crucial to determine the role of ticks in Q fever transmission. Only two studies were available, which assessed the vector competence of ticks for C. burnetii in the last 20 years, demonstrating the need for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Körner
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
| | - Gustavo R. Makert
- Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ulbert
- Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katja Mertens-Scholz
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses (IBIZ), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Jena, Germany
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11
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Beliavskaia A, Hönig V, Erhart J, Vyhlidalova T, Palus M, Cerny J, Kozlova I, Ruzek D, Palomar AM, Bell-Sakyi L. Spiroplasma Isolated From Third-Generation Laboratory Colony Ixodes persulcatus Ticks. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:659786. [PMID: 33842580 PMCID: PMC8032855 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.659786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Spiroplasma are vertically-transmitted endosymbionts of ticks and other arthropods. Field-collected Ixodes persulcatus have been reported to harbour Spiroplasma, but nothing is known about their persistence during laboratory colonisation of this tick species. We successfully isolated Spiroplasma from internal organs of 6/10 unfed adult ticks, belonging to the third generation of an I. persulcatus laboratory colony, into tick cell culture. We screened a further 51 adult male and female ticks from the same colony for presence of Spiroplasma by genus-specific PCR amplification of fragments of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes; 100% of these ticks were infected and the 16S rRNA sequence showed 99.8% similarity to that of a previously-published Spiroplasma isolated from field-collected I. persulcatus. Our study shows that Spiroplasma endosymbionts persist at high prevalence in colonised I. persulcatus through at least three generations, and confirms the usefulness of tick cell lines for isolation and cultivation of this bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Beliavskaia
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Vaclav Hönig
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jan Erhart
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Tereza Vyhlidalova
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Martin Palus
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jiri Cerny
- Centre for Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Irina Kozlova
- Science Center for Family Health and Human Reproduction Problems, Irkutsk, Russia
| | - Daniel Ruzek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | - Ana M Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño, Spain
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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12
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Spiroplasma Infection among Ixodid Ticks Exhibits Species Dependence and Suggests a Vertical Pattern of Transmission. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9020333. [PMID: 33567677 PMCID: PMC7915285 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9020333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the genus Spiroplasma are Gram-positive bacteria without cell walls. Some Spiroplasma species can cause disease in arthropods such as bees, whereas others provide their host with resistance to pathogens. Ticks also harbour Spiroplasma, but their role has not been elucidated yet. Here, the infection status and genetic diversity of Spiroplasma in ticks were investigated using samples collected from different geographic regions in Japan. A total of 712 ticks were tested for Spiroplasma infection by PCR targeting 16S rDNA, and Spiroplasma species were genetically characterized based on 16S rDNA, ITS, dnaA, and rpoB gene sequences. A total of 109 samples originating from eight tick species were positive for Spiroplasma infection, with infection rates ranging from 0% to 84% depending on the species. A linear mixed model indicated that tick species was the primary factor associated with Spiroplasma infection. Moreover, certain Spiroplasma alleles that are highly adapted to specific tick species may explain the high infection rates in Ixodes ovatus and Haemaphysalis kitaokai. A comparison of the alleles obtained suggests that horizontal transmission between tick species may not be a frequent event. These findings provide clues to understand the transmission cycle of Spiroplasma species in wild tick populations and their roles in host ticks.
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13
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Guizzo MG, Neupane S, Kucera M, Perner J, Frantová H, da Silva Vaz I, de Oliveira PL, Kopacek P, Zurek L. Poor Unstable Midgut Microbiome of Hard Ticks Contrasts With Abundant and Stable Monospecific Microbiome in Ovaries. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:211. [PMID: 32457850 PMCID: PMC7225584 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Culture-independent metagenomic methodologies have enabled detection and identification of microorganisms in various biological systems and often revealed complex and unknown microbiomes. In many organisms, the microbiome outnumbers the host cells and greatly affects the host biology and fitness. Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites with a wide host range. They vector a number of human and animal pathogens and also directly cause major economic losses in livestock. Although several reports on a tick midgut microbiota show a diverse bacterial community, in most cases the size of the bacterial population has not been determined. In this study, the microbiome was quantified in the midgut and ovaries of the ticks Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus microplus before, during, and after blood feeding. Although the size of bacterial community in the midgut fluctuated with blood feeding, it was overall extremely low in comparison to that of other hematophagous arthropods. In addition, the tick ovarian microbiome of both tick species exceeded the midgut 16S rDNA copy numbers by several orders of magnitude. This indicates that the ratio of a tick midgut/ovary microbiome represents an exception to the general biology of other metazoans. In addition to the very low abundance, the tick midgut diversity in I. ricinus was variable and that is in contrast to that found in the tick ovary. The ovary of I. ricinus had a very low bacterial diversity and a very high and stable bacterial abundance with the dominant endosymbiont, Midichloria sp. The elucidation of this aspect of tick biology highlights a unique tissue-specific microbial-invertebrate host interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Garcia Guizzo
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Center for Zoonoses, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czechia.,Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Saraswoti Neupane
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Matej Kucera
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Jan Perner
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Helena Frantová
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Laboratório de Imunologia Aplicada a Sanidade Animal, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Pedro L de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Petr Kopacek
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Ludek Zurek
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Center for Zoonoses, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czechia.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University, Brno, Czechia
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14
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Current knowledge on the microbiota of edible insects intended for human consumption: A state-of-the-art review. Food Res Int 2019; 125:108527. [PMID: 31554102 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2019.108527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 06/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Because of their positive nutritional characteristics and low environmental impact, edible insects might be considered a 'food of the future'. However, there are safety concerns associated with the consumption of insects, such as contaminating chemical and biological agents. The possible presence of pathogenic and toxigenic microorganisms is one of the main biological hazards associated with edible insects. This review presents an overview of the microbiota of edible insects, highlighting the potential risks for human health. Detailed information on the microbiota of edible insects from literature published in 2000-2019 is presented. These data show complex ecosystems, with marked variations in microbial load and diversity, among edible insects as well as stable and species-specific microbiota for some of the most popular edible insect species, such as mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) and grasshoppers (Locusta migratoria). Raw edible insects generally contain high numbers of mesophilic aerobes, bacterial endospores or spore-forming bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, psychrotrophic aerobes, and fungi, and potentially harmful species (i.e. pathogenic, mycotoxigenic, and spoilage microbes) may be present. Several studies have focused on reducing the microbial contamination of edible insects by applying treatments such as starvation, rinsing, thermal treatments, chilling, drying, fermentation, and marination, both alone and, sometimes, in combination. Although these studies show that various heat treatments were the most efficient methods for reducing microbial numbers, they also highlight the need for species-specific mitigation strategies. The feasibility of using edible insects as ingredients in the food industry in the development of innovative insect-based products has been explored; although, in some cases, the presence of spore-forming bacteria and other food-borne pathogens is a concern. Recent studies have shown that a risk assessment of edible insects should also include an evaluation of the incidence of antibiotic-resistance (AR) genes and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms in the production chain. Finally, as proposed in the literature, microbial hazards should be limited through the implementation of good hygienic practices during rearing, handling, processing, and storage, as well as the implementation of an appropriate HACCP system for edible insect supply chains. Another issue frequently reported in the literature is the need for a legislative framework for edible insect production, commercialisation, and trading, as well as the need for microbiological criteria specifically tailored for edible insects. Microbiological criteria like those already been established for the food safety and hygiene (e.g. those in the European Union food law) of different food categories (e.g. ready-to-eat products) could be applied to edible insect-based products.
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15
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Palomar AM, Premchand-Branker S, Alberdi P, Belova OA, Moniuszko-Malinowska A, Kahl O, Bell-Sakyi L. Isolation of known and potentially pathogenic tick-borne microorganisms from European ixodid ticks using tick cell lines. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:628-638. [PMID: 30819609 PMCID: PMC6446187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ticks harbour and, in many cases transmit to their vertebrate hosts, a wide variety of pathogenic, apathogenic and endosymbiotic microorganisms. Recent molecular analyses have greatly increased the range of bacterial species potentially associated with ticks, but in most cases cannot distinguish between surface contaminants, microorganisms present in the remains of the previous blood meal and truly intracellular or tissue-associated bacteria. Here we demonstrate how tick cell lines, primary cell cultures and organ cultures can be used to isolate and propagate bacteria from within embryonic and adult Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks originating from different parts of Europe. We isolated and partially characterised four new strains of Spiroplasma from The Netherlands, Spain and Poland, two new strains of Rickettsia raoultii from Russia and Poland, one strain of Rickettsia slovaca from Spain and a species of Mycobacterium from the UK. Comparison with published sequences showed that the Spiroplasma strains were closely related to Spiroplasma ixodetis and the Mycobacterium isolate belonged to the Mycobacterium chelonae complex, while the R. raoultii and R. slovaca strains were similar to previously-validated species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, CIBIR, C/ Piqueras, 98, Logroño 26006, La Rioja, Spain; The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK.
| | - Shonnette Premchand-Branker
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK; Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
| | - Oxana A Belova
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia; Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, 20-1 Malaya Pirogovskaya St., Moscow 119435, Russia.
| | - Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University in Białystok, Zurawia 14, 15-540 Białystok, Poland.
| | - Olaf Kahl
- Tick-radar GmbH, 10555 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK; The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK; Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK.
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16
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Phylogenetics of the Spiroplasma ixodetis endosymbiont reveals past transfers between ticks and other arthropods. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:575-584. [PMID: 30744948 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The bacterium Spiroplasma ixodetis is a maternally inherited endosymbiont primarily described from ticks but also found widespread across other arthropods. While it has been identified as a male-killing agent in some insect species, the consequences of infection with S. ixodetis in ticks are entirely unknown, and it is unclear how this endosymbiont spreads across tick species. Here, we have investigated this aspect through the examination of the diversity and evolutionary history of S. ixodetis infections in 12 tick species and 12 other arthropod species. Using a multi-locus typing approach, we identified that ticks harbor a substantial diversity of divergent S. ixodetis strains. Phylogenetic investigations revealed that these S. ixodetis strains do not cluster within a tick-specific subclade but rather exhibit distinct evolutionary origins. In their past, these strains have undergone repeated horizontal transfers between ticks and other arthropods, including aphids and flies. This diversity pattern strongly suggests that maternal inheritance and horizontal transfers are key drivers of S. ixodetis spread, dictating global incidence of infections across tick communities. We do not, however, detect evidence of S. ixodetis-based male-killing since we observed that infections were widely present in both males and females across populations of the African blue tick Rhipicephalus decoloratus.
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17
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Díaz-Sánchez S, Hernández-Jarguín A, Torina A, de Mera IGF, Blanda V, Caracappa S, Gortazar C, de la Fuente J. Characterization of the bacterial microbiota in wild-caught Ixodes ventalloi. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 10:336-343. [PMID: 30482513 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Exploring the microbial diversity of ticks is crucial to understand geographical dispersion and pathogen transmission. Tick microbes participate in many biological processes implicated in the acquisition, maintenance, and transmission of pathogens, and actively promote host phenotypic changes, and adaptation to new environments. The microbial community of Ixodes ventalloi still remains unexplored. In this study, the bacterial microbiota of wild-caught I. ventalloi was characterized using shotgun-metagenomic sequencing in samples from unfed adults collected during December 2013-January 2014 in two locations from Sicily, Italy. The microbiota identified in I. ventalloi was mainly composed of symbiotic, commensal, and environmental bacteria. Interestingly, we identified the genera Anaplasma and Borrelia as members of the microbiota of I. ventalloi. These results advance our information on I. ventalloi microbiota composition, with potential implications in tick-host adaptation, geographic expansion, and vector competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Díaz-Sánchez
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Angélica Hernández-Jarguín
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Alessandra Torina
- Intituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via G. Marinuzzi no3, 90129, Palermo, Italy
| | - Isabel G Fernández de Mera
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Valeria Blanda
- Intituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via G. Marinuzzi no3, 90129, Palermo, Italy
| | - Santo Caracappa
- Intituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via G. Marinuzzi no3, 90129, Palermo, Italy
| | - Christian Gortazar
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
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18
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Osimani A, Milanović V, Cardinali F, Garofalo C, Clementi F, Pasquini M, Riolo P, Ruschioni S, Isidoro N, Loreto N, Franciosi E, Tuohy K, Petruzzelli A, Foglini M, Gabucci C, Tonucci F, Aquilanti L. The bacterial biota of laboratory-reared edible mealworms (Tenebrio molitor L.): From feed to frass. Int J Food Microbiol 2018. [PMID: 29525619 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Tenebrio molitor represents one of the most popular species used for the large-scale conversion of plant biomass into protein and is characterized by high nutritional value. In the present laboratory study, the bacterial biota characterizing a pilot production chain of fresh T. molitor larvae was investigated. To this end, different batches of fresh mealworm larvae, their feeding substrate (wheatmeal) and frass were analyzed by viable microbial counts, PCR-DGGE and Illumina sequencing. Moreover, the occurrence of Coxiella burnetii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) was assessed through qualitative real-time PCR assays. Microbial viable counts highlighted low microbial contamination of the wheatmeal, whereas larvae and frass were characterized by high loads of Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, and several species of mesophilic aerobes. Spore-forming bacteria were detected to a lesser extent in all the samples. The combined molecular approach used to profile the microbiota confirmed the low microbial contamination of wheatmeal and allowed the detection of Enterobacter spp., Erwinia spp., Enterococcus spp. and Lactococcus spp. as dominant genera in both larvae and frass. Moreover, Klebsiella spp., Pantoea spp., and Xenorhabdus spp. were found to be in the minority. Entomoplasmatales (including Spiroplasma spp.) constituted a major fraction of the microbiota of one batch of larvae. From the real-time PCR assays, no sample was positive for either C. burnetii or STEC, whereas P. aeruginosa was detected in one sample of frass. Based on the overall results, two sources of microbial contamination were hypothesized, namely feeding with wheatmeal and vertical transmission of microorganisms from mother to offspring. Since mealworms are expected to be eaten as a whole, the overall outcomes collected in this laboratory study discourage the consumption of fresh mealworm larvae. Moreover, microbial loads and the absence of potential pathogens known to be associated with this insect species should be carefully assessed in order to reduce the minimum risk for consumers, by identifying the most opportune processing methods (e.g., boiling, frying, drying, etc.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Osimani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Vesna Milanović
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Federica Cardinali
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Cristiana Garofalo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesca Clementi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Marina Pasquini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Paola Riolo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Sara Ruschioni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Nunzio Isidoro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Nino Loreto
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Elena Franciosi
- Food Quality and Nutrition Department (DQAN), Research and Innovation Center, Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), via E. Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Kieran Tuohy
- Food Quality and Nutrition Department (DQAN), Research and Innovation Center, Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), via E. Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Annalisa Petruzzelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Centro di Riferimento Regionale Autocontrollo, via Canonici 140, 61100, Villa Fastiggi, Pesaro, Italy
| | - Martina Foglini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Centro di Riferimento Regionale Autocontrollo, via Canonici 140, 61100, Villa Fastiggi, Pesaro, Italy
| | - Claudia Gabucci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Centro di Riferimento Regionale Autocontrollo, via Canonici 140, 61100, Villa Fastiggi, Pesaro, Italy
| | - Franco Tonucci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Centro di Riferimento Regionale Autocontrollo, via Canonici 140, 61100, Villa Fastiggi, Pesaro, Italy
| | - Lucia Aquilanti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
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Bonnet SI, Binetruy F, Hernández-Jarguín AM, Duron O. The Tick Microbiome: Why Non-pathogenic Microorganisms Matter in Tick Biology and Pathogen Transmission. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017. [PMID: 28642842 PMCID: PMC5462901 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are among the most important vectors of pathogens affecting humans and other animals worldwide. They do not only carry pathogens however, as a diverse group of commensal and symbiotic microorganisms are also present in ticks. Unlike pathogens, their biology and their effect on ticks remain largely unexplored, and are in fact often neglected. Nonetheless, they can confer multiple detrimental, neutral, or beneficial effects to their tick hosts, and can play various roles in fitness, nutritional adaptation, development, reproduction, defense against environmental stress, and immunity. Non-pathogenic microorganisms may also play a role in driving transmission of tick-borne pathogens (TBP), with many potential implications for both human and animal health. In addition, the genetic proximity of some pathogens to mutualistic symbionts hosted by ticks is evident when studying phylogenies of several bacterial genera. The best examples are found within members of the Rickettsia, Francisella, and Coxiella genera: while in medical and veterinary research these bacteria are traditionally recognized as highly virulent vertebrate pathogens, it is now clear to evolutionary ecologists that many (if not most) Coxiella, Francisella, and Rickettsia bacteria are actually non-pathogenic microorganisms exhibiting alternative lifestyles as mutualistic ticks symbionts. Consequently, ticks represent a compelling yet challenging system in which to study microbiomes and microbial interactions, and to investigate the composition, functional, and ecological implications of bacterial communities. Ultimately, deciphering the relationships between tick microorganisms as well as tick symbiont interactions will garner invaluable information, which may aid in the future development of arthropod pest and vector-borne pathogen transmission control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Florian Binetruy
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290), IRD (UMR224), Université de MontpellierMontpellier, France
| | | | - Olivier Duron
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290), IRD (UMR224), Université de MontpellierMontpellier, France
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20
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Duron O, Binetruy F, Noël V, Cremaschi J, McCoy KD, Arnathau C, Plantard O, Goolsby J, Pérez de León AA, Heylen DJA, Van Oosten AR, Gottlieb Y, Baneth G, Guglielmone AA, Estrada‐Peña A, Opara MN, Zenner L, Vavre F, Chevillon C. Evolutionary changes in symbiont community structure in ticks. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:2905-2921. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Duron
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Florian Binetruy
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Valérie Noël
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Julie Cremaschi
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Karen D. McCoy
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Céline Arnathau
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | | | - John Goolsby
- Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory USDA‐ARS Edinburg TX USA
| | - Adalberto A. Pérez de León
- Knipling‐Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory Veterinary Pest Genomics Center Kerrville TX USA
| | - Dieter J. A. Heylen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 Antwerp Belgium
| | - A. Raoul Van Oosten
- Evolutionary Ecology Group University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 Antwerp Belgium
| | - Yuval Gottlieb
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Rehovot Israel
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Rehovot Israel
| | - Alberto A. Guglielmone
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas Santa Fe Argentina
| | - Agustin Estrada‐Peña
- Department of Animal Pathology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zaragoza Zaragoza Spain
| | - Maxwell N. Opara
- Ticks and Tick‐borne Pathogens Research Unit (TTbPRU) Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology University of Abuja Abuja Nigeria
| | - Lionel Zenner
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive (LBBE) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5558) – Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Villeurbanne France
| | - Fabrice Vavre
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive (LBBE) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5558) – Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Villeurbanne France
| | - Christine Chevillon
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
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21
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The microbiota of marketed processed edible insects as revealed by high-throughput sequencing. Food Microbiol 2017; 62:15-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2016.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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22
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Klubal R, Kopecky J, Nesvorna M, Sparagano OAE, Thomayerova J, Hubert J. Prevalence of pathogenic bacteria in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Central Bohemia. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2016; 68:127-137. [PMID: 26612395 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-015-9988-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/31/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria associated with the tick Ixodes ricinus were assessed in specimens unattached or attached to the skin of cats, dogs and humans, collected in the Czech Republic. The bacteria were detected by PCR in 97 of 142 pooled samples including 204 ticks, i.e. 1-7 ticks per sample, collected at the same time from one host. A fragment of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified, cloned and sequenced from 32 randomly selected samples. The most frequent sequences were those related to Candidatus Midichloria midichlori (71% of cloned sequences), followed by Diplorickettsia (13%), Spiroplasma (3%), Rickettsia (3%), Pasteurella (3%), Morganella (3%), Pseudomonas (2%), Bacillus (1%), Methylobacterium (1%) and Phyllobacterium (1%). The phylogenetic analysis of Spiroplasma 16S rRNA gene sequences showed two groups related to Spiroplasma eriocheiris and Spiroplasma melliferum, respectively. Using group-specific primers, the following potentially pathogenic bacteria were detected: Borellia (in 20% of the 142 samples), Rickettsia (12%), Spiroplasma (5%), Diplorickettsia (5%) and Anaplasma (2%). In total, 68% of I. ricinus samples (97/142) contained detectable bacteria and 13% contained two or more putative pathogenic groups. The prevalence of tick-borne bacteria was similar to the observations in other European countries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan Kopecky
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Ruzyne, 16106, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Marta Nesvorna
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Ruzyne, 16106, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Jan Hubert
- Medical Centre Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, Ruzyne, 16106, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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23
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Mueller NJ, Tini GM, Weber A, Gaspert A, Husmann L, Bloemberg G, Boehler A, Benden C. Hepatitis From Spiroplasma sp. in an Immunocompromised Patient. Am J Transplant 2015; 15:2511-6. [PMID: 25832127 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.13254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
A 70-year-old lung transplant recipient patient was admitted with fever, nausea, abdominal pain, peripheral edema and pronounced weakness. An initial work-up for presumed infection revealed cholestatic hepatitis, leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia, but failed to detect a pathogen. An increased glucose uptake exclusively in the liver was demonstrated by positron emission tomography. Liver biopsy showed basophilic inclusions in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. Broad- range 16S rRNA gene PCR followed by sequence analysis yielded Spiroplasma sp. in two independent blood samples and the liver biopsy, confirming Spiroplasma sp. as the causative agent. Antibiotic treatment with doxycycline and azithromycin led to complete recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- N J Mueller
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - G M Tini
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - A Weber
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - A Gaspert
- Institute of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - L Husmann
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - G Bloemberg
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - A Boehler
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - C Benden
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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24
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Bell-Sakyi L, Palomar AM, Kazimirova M. Isolation and propagation of a Spiroplasma sp. from Slovakian Ixodes ricinus ticks in Ixodes spp. cell lines. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:601-6. [PMID: 26003954 PMCID: PMC4518060 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 05/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ixodes spp. ticks are known to occasionally harbour spiroplasmas – helical mycoplasmas in the class Mollicutes; a previous study in Slovakia reported an overall prevalence of Spiroplasma ixodetis of 3% in Ixodes ricinus. In the present study, extracts of unfed adult I. ricinus ticks collected from vegetation in south-western Slovakia were added to a panel of cell lines derived from I. ricinus and Ixodes scapularis embryos. The cultures were monitored by preparation and examination of Giemsa-stained cytocentrifuge smears at intervals over the subsequent 16–18 months. Spiroplasma-like microorganisms were detected in cultures of both tick species after 2–3 months and subcultured onto fresh, uninfected cells of the appropriate cell line up to seven times. Molecular analysis using PCR assays targeting fragments of the 16S rRNA, ITS and rpoB genes confirmed the identity of the microorganisms as a Spiroplasma sp., with between 98.9% and 99.5% similarity to S. ixodetis. The sequences of the spiroplasmas isolated from three different pools of ticks collected on two different occasions were identical for all three genes tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK.
| | - Ana M Palomar
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK; CIBIR, C/Piqueras, 98, Logroño 26006, La Rioja, Spain
| | - Maria Kazimirova
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84506 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Qiu Y, Nakao R, Ohnuma A, Kawamori F, Sugimoto C. Microbial population analysis of the salivary glands of ticks; a possible strategy for the surveillance of bacterial pathogens. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103961. [PMID: 25089898 PMCID: PMC4121176 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are one of the most important blood-sucking vectors for infectious microorganisms in humans and animals. When feeding they inject saliva, containing microbes, into the host to facilitate the uptake of blood. An understanding of the microbial populations within their salivary glands would provide a valuable insight when evaluating the vectorial capacity of ticks. Three tick species (Ixodes ovatus, I. persulcatus and Haemaphysalis flava) were collected in Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan between 2008 and 2011. Each tick was dissected and the salivary glands removed. Bacterial communities in each salivary gland were characterized by 16S amplicon pyrosequencing using a 454 GS-Junior Next Generation Sequencer. The Ribosomal Database Project (RDP) Classifier was used to classify sequence reads at the genus level. The composition of the microbial populations of each tick species were assessed by principal component analysis (PCA) using the Metagenomics RAST (MG-RAST) metagenomic analysis tool. Rickettsia-specific PCR was used for the characterization of rickettsial species. Almost full length of 16S rDNA was amplified in order to characterize unclassified bacterial sequences obtained in I. persulcatus female samples. The numbers of bacterial genera identified for the tick species were 71 (I. ovatus), 127 (I. persulcatus) and 59 (H. flava). Eighteen bacterial genera were commonly detected in all tick species. The predominant bacterial genus observed in all tick species was Coxiella. Spiroplasma was detected in Ixodes, and not in H. flava. PCA revealed that microbial populations in tick salivary glands were different between tick species, indicating that host specificities may play an important role in determining the microbial complement. Four female I. persulcatus samples contained a high abundance of several sequences belonging to Alphaproteobacteria symbionts. This study revealed the microbial populations within the salivary glands of three species of ticks, and the results will contribute to the knowledge and prediction of emerging tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjin Qiu
- Division of Collaboration and Education, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Unit of Risk Analysis and Management, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Aiko Ohnuma
- Administration Office, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Kawamori
- Department of Microbiology, Shizuoka Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environmental Science, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Chihiro Sugimoto
- Division of Collaboration and Education, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan
- * E-mail:
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26
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Abstract
Eighty Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in the Rovinka forest in Slovakia were tested by real-time and routine single-step PCR for the presence of different pathogenic and endosymbiotic bacteria. No evidence of Coxiella burnetii, Diplorickettsia massiliensis, or Bartonella spp. was found. However, we identified, as the pathogenic bacteria, Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 8%, Rickettsia helvetica in 11%, Borrelia afzelii in 9%, Bo. garinii in 8%, Bo. burgdorferi sensu stricto in 5%, Bo. valaisiana in 3%, and Bo. miyamotoi in 1% of ticks. Other bacteria with unknown or suspected pathogenicity for humans were also identified: Arsenophonus nasoniae in 25%, Spiroplasma ixodetis in 3%, Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii in 4%, Wolbachia aff. pipientis in 14%, and Ehrlichia muris in 3% of ticks. A. nasoniae was found almost exclusively in nymphs, and E. muris was only found in adult ticks. In total, 65% of ticks contained at least one species of bacteria, and 16% contained 2 or more species.
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Taylor M, Mediannikov O, Raoult D, Greub G. Endosymbiotic bacteria associated with nematodes, ticks and amoebae. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 64:21-31. [PMID: 22126456 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2011.00916.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2011] [Revised: 11/21/2011] [Accepted: 11/21/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Endosymbiosis is a mutualistic, parasitic or commensal symbiosis in which one symbiont is living within the body of another organism. Such symbiotic relationship with free-living amoebae and arthropods has been reported with a large biodiversity of microorganisms, encompassing various bacterial clades and to a lesser extent some fungi and viruses. By contrast, current knowledge on symbionts of nematodes is still mainly restricted to Wolbachia and its interaction with filarial worms that lead to increased pathogenicity of the infected nematode. In this review article, we aim to highlight the main characteristics of symbionts in term of their ecology, host cell interactions, parasitism and co-evolution, in order to stimulate future research in a field that remains largely unexplored despite the availability of modern tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Taylor
- Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
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Spiroplasma bacteria enhance survival of Drosophila hydei attacked by the parasitic wasp Leptopilina heterotoma. PLoS One 2010; 5:e12149. [PMID: 20730104 PMCID: PMC2921349 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2010] [Accepted: 07/20/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Maternally-transmitted associations between endosymbiotic bacteria and insects are ubiquitous. While many of these associations are obligate and mutually beneficial, many are facultative, and the mechanism(s) by which these microbes persist in their host lineages remain elusive. Inherited microbes with imperfect transmission are expected to be lost from their host lineages if no other mechanisms increase their persistence (i.e., host reproductive manipulation and/or fitness benefits to host). Indeed numerous facultative heritable endosymbionts are reproductive manipulators. Nevertheless, many do not manipulate reproduction, so they are expected to confer fitness benefits to their hosts, as has been shown in several studies that report defense against natural enemies, tolerance to environmental stress, and increased fecundity. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined whether larval to adult survival of Drosophila hydei against attack by a common parasitoid wasp (Leptopilina heterotoma), differed between uninfected flies and flies that were artificially infected with Spiroplasma, a heritable endosymbiont of Drosophila hydei that does not appear to manipulate host reproduction. Survival was significantly greater for Spiroplasma-infected flies, and the effect of Spiroplasma infection was most evident during the host's pupal stage. We examined whether or not increased survival of Spiroplasma-infected flies was due to reduced oviposition by the wasp (i.e., pre-oviposition mechanism). The number of wasp eggs per fly larva did not differ significantly between Spiroplasma-free and Spiroplasma-infected fly larvae, suggesting that differential fly survival is due to a post-oviposition mechanism. Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that Spiroplasma confers protection to D. hydei against wasp parasitism. This is to our knowledge the first report of a potential defensive mutualism in the genus Spiroplasma. Whether it explains the persistence and high abundance of this strain in natural populations of D. hydei, as well as the widespread distribution of heritable Spiroplasma in Drosophila and other arthropods, remains to be investigated.
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Hornok S, Meli ML, Perreten A, Farkas R, Willi B, Beugnet F, Lutz H, Hofmann-Lehmann R. Molecular investigation of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) as potential vectors of rickettsial and mycoplasmal agents. Vet Microbiol 2010; 140:98-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2009.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2008] [Revised: 04/23/2009] [Accepted: 07/03/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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