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López Y, Muñoz-Leal S, Martínez C, Guzmán C, Calderón A, Martínez J, Galeano K, Muñoz M, Ramírez JD, Faccini-Martínez ÁA, Mattar S. Molecular evidence of Borrelia spp. in bats from Córdoba Department, northwest Colombia. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:5. [PMID: 36604762 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05614-y] [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: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genus Borrelia is composed of two well-defined monophyletic groups, the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex (Bb) and the relapsing fever (RF) group borreliae. Recently, a third group, associated with reptiles and echidnas, has been described. In general, RF group borreliae use rodents as reservoir hosts; although neotropical bats may also be involved as important hosts, with scarce knowledge regarding this association. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of Borrelia spp. DNA in bats from the department of Córdoba in northwest Colombia. METHODS During September 2020 and June 2021, 205 bats were captured in six municipalities of Córdoba department, Colombia. Specimens were identified using taxonomic keys and DNA was extracted from spleen samples. A Borrelia-specific real-time PCR was performed for the 16S rRNA gene. Fragments of the 16S rRNA and flaB genes were amplified in the positive samples by conventional PCR. The detected amplicons were sequenced by the Sanger method. Phylogenetic reconstruction was performed in IQ-TREE with maximum likelihood based on the substitution model TPM3+F+I+G4 with bootstrap values deduced from 1000 replicates. RESULTS Overall, 10.2% (21/205) of the samples were found positive by qPCR; of these, 81% (17/21) and 66.6% (14/21) amplified 16S rRNA and flaB genes, respectively. qPCR-positive samples were then subjected to conventional nested and semi-nested PCR to amplify 16S rRNA and flaB gene fragments. Nine positive samples for both genes were sequenced, and seven and six sequences were of good quality for the 16S rRNA and flaB genes, respectively. The DNA of Borrelia spp. was detected in the insectivorous and fruit bats Artibeus lituratus, Carollia perspicillata, Glossophaga soricina, Phyllostomus discolor, and Uroderma sp. The 16S rRNA gene sequences showed 97.66-98.47% identity with "Borrelia sp. clone Omi3," "Borrelia sp. RT1S," and Borrelia sp. 2374; the closest identities for the flaB gene were 94.02-98.04% with "Borrelia sp. Macaregua." For the 16S rRNA gene, the phylogenetic analysis showed a grouping with "Candidatus Borrelia ivorensis" and "Ca. Borrelia africana," and for the flaB gene showed a grouping with Borrelia sp. Macaregua and Borrelia sp. Potiretama. The pathogenic role of the Borrelia detected in this study is unknown. CONCLUSIONS We describe the first molecular evidence of Borrelia spp. in the department of Córdoba, Colombia, highlighting that several bat species harbor Borrelia spirochetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesica López
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - Caty Martínez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Camilo Guzmán
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Alfonso Calderón
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Jairo Martínez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Ketty Galeano
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.,Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Álvaro A Faccini-Martínez
- Research Institute, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud-FUCS, Bogotá, Colombia.,Servicios y Asesorías en Infectología-SAI, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Salim Mattar
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia.
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Detection of Borrelia and Babesia species in Haemaphysalis punctata ticks sampled in Southern England. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101902. [PMID: 35042078 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The distribution and population size of the red sheep tick (Haemaphysalis punctata) are increasing in Northern Europe, and in the United Kingdom reports of human biting by this species have increased in recent years. To assess the risk of tick-borne disease (TBD) transmission to humans and livestock by H. punctata, ticks sampled from sites in Southern England were screened using PCR for either Borrelia species or piroplasms over a three year period, 2018-2020. A total of 302 H. punctata were collected from eight locations. From these, two Babesia species associated with TBD infections in livestock, Babesia major and Babesia motasi, and the human pathogen Borrelia miyamotoi were detected, predominantly from a single location in Sussex. Consequently, the range expansion of this tick across Southern England may impact public and livestock health.
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Sevestre J, Diarra AZ, Oumarou HA, Durant J, Delaunay P, Parola P. Detection of emerging tick-borne disease agents in the Alpes-Maritimes region, southeastern France. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101800. [PMID: 34352531 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis is a zoonotic tick-borne infection representing the most frequent vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. The Mediterranean rim is generally described as unsuitable for the European vector, Ixodes ricinus. We conducted an epidemiological study to assess whether I. ricinus was present and study its infection status for tick-borne bacteria. Ticks originating from southeastern France were obtained from flagging sampling and removed from animals and tick-bitten patients. Species level identification used morphological keys and MALDI-TOF MS. Quantitative PCR and sequencing assays were used to detect and identify tick-associated bacteria (Borrelia, Rickettsia, Anaplasmataceae, Bartonella, Coxiella burnetii) in each specimen. A total of 1232 ticks were collected in several localities. Among these, 863 were identified as I. ricinus (70%). Bacterial screening allowed identification of Lyme group Borrelia among I. ricinus ticks originating from various regional areas. Other emerging tick-borne pathogens like Borrelia miyamotoi and Rickettsia species were also detected. The Alpes-Maritimes region, part of the French Riviera, harbours I. ricinus ticks infected with Lyme group Borrelia and several other tick-borne bacterial agents. Clinicians and outdoor activity participants should be aware of the local Lyme borreliosis transmission risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Sevestre
- Service de Parasitologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France; Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille 13385 Cedex 05, France; Aix-Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
| | - Adama Zan Diarra
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille 13385 Cedex 05, France; Aix-Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
| | | | - Jacques Durant
- Service d'Infectiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France
| | - Pascal Delaunay
- Service de Parasitologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France; MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Parola
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille 13385 Cedex 05, France; Aix-Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France.
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Filipe D, Parreira R, Pereira A, Galvão N, Cristóvão JM, Nunes M, Vieira ML, Campino L, Maia C. Preliminary comparative analysis of the resolving power of COX1 and 16S-rDNA as molecular markers for the identification of ticks from Portugal. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS 2021; 24:100551. [PMID: 34024368 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2021.100551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The utility of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COX1) and 16S ribosomal DNA (16S-rDNA) sequence analyses as a complementary/alternative tool to classical taxonomy, for the identification of some of the most prevalent hard tick species from Portugal was evaluated using BOLD-ID (COX1 only), BLASTn and phylogenetic tree reconstruction based on multiple nucleotide sequence alignments. Both molecular markers proved suitable for identifying ticks to a species level, but specific aspects that limit their resolving power must be considered. Their accuracy of tick identification in all life stages and of the other tick species described in the South of Europe is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo Filipe
- Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (NOVA), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Parreira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Microbiology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - André Pereira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nuno Galvão
- Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - José Manuel Cristóvão
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mónica Nunes
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Maria Luísa Vieira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Microbiology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lenea Campino
- Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carla Maia
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, Lisboa, Portugal.
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Colunga-Salas P, Sánchez-Montes S, Volkow P, Ruíz-Remigio A, Becker I. Lyme disease and relapsing fever in Mexico: An overview of human and wildlife infections. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238496. [PMID: 32941463 PMCID: PMC7497999 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis and Relapsing fever are considered emerging and re-emerging diseases that cause major public health problems in endemic countries. Epidemiology and geographical distribution of these diseases are documented in the US and in Europe, yet in Mexico, studies are scarce and scattered. The aims of this study were (1) to present the first confirmatory evidence of an endemic case of Lyme disease in Mexico and (2) to analyze the epidemiological trend of these both diseases by compiling all the information published on Borrelia in Mexico. Two databases were compiled, one of human cases and another of wild and domestic animals in the country. The analysis included the evaluation of risk factors for the human population, the diversity of Borrelia species and their geographic distribution. Six Borrelia species were reported in a total of 1,347 reports, of which 398 were of humans. Women and children from rural communities were shown to be more susceptible for both Lyme borreliosis and Relapsing fever. The remaining reports were made in diverse mammalian species and ticks. A total of 17 mammalian species and 14 tick species were recorded as hosts for this bacterial genus. It is noteworthy that records of Borrelia were only made in 18 of the 32 states, mainly in northern and central Mexico. These results highlight the importance of performing further studies in areas where animal cases have been reported, yet no human studies have been done, in order to complete the epidemiological panorama for Lyme borreliosis and Relapsing fever. Finally, the search for Borrelia infections in other vertebrates, such as reptiles and amphibians is recommended to gain a more accurate view of Borrelia species and their distribution. The geographical approach presented herein justifies an intense sampling effort to improve epidemiological knowledge of these diseases to aid vector control and prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Colunga-Salas
- Centro de Medicina Tropical, Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Sokani Sánchez-Montes
- Centro de Medicina Tropical, Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Patricia Volkow
- Departamento de Infectología, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Adriana Ruíz-Remigio
- Centro de Medicina Tropical, Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ingeborg Becker
- Centro de Medicina Tropical, Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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Naddaf SR, Mahmoudi A, Ghasemi A, Rohani M, Mohammadi A, Ziapour SP, Nemati AH, Mostafavi E. Infection of hard ticks in the Caspian Sea littoral of Iran with Lyme borreliosis and relapsing fever borreliae. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101500. [PMID: 32993956 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The Caspian Sea littoral of Iran is home to various hard tick species, including Ixodes ricinus, the notorious vector of Lyme borreliosis (LB) in Eurasia. Here, in this area, we examined I. ricinus and other hard ticks, along with common rodents and small mammals for LB and relapsing fever (RF) borreliae infection. Ticks were collected from various mammalian hosts, including sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses, dogs, donkeys, rodents, and hedgehogs. Rodents and small mammals were live-captured from different habitats. A real-time PCR for 16S rRNA sequence revealed borrelial DNA in 71 out of 501 (≈14 %) specimens belonging to I. ricinus and Rhipicephalus ticks. None of the rodents and small mammals showed borrelial infection in the viscera. PCR amplification and sequencing of a 600-bp sequence of the flaB identified Borrelia bavariensis, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia valaisiana, and the RF Borrelia, B. miyamotoi in I. ricinus ticks. The RF-like Borrelia in Rhipicephalus ticks shared the highest identity (98.97 %) with an isolate infecting Haemaphysalis megaspinosa ticks in Japan. Our phylogeny and BLAST analysis suggest the range extension of the European I. ricinus-associated borreliae into the north of Iran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saied Reza Naddaf
- Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ahmad Mahmoudi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran; National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Ahmad Ghasemi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran; National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Mahdi Rohani
- National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran; Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Mohammadi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran; National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Seyyed Payman Ziapour
- Department of Parasitology, Zoonosis Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Amol, Mazandaran, Iran
| | - Amir Hesam Nemati
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran; National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Ehsan Mostafavi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran; National Reference Laboratory for Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Akanlu, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran
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Khoo JJ, Ishak SN, Lim FS, Mohd-Taib FS, Khor CS, Loong SK, AbuBakar S. Detection of a Borrelia sp. From Ixodes granulatus Ticks Collected From Rodents in Malaysia. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 55:1642-1647. [PMID: 30137379 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjy122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The Borrelia genus consists of spirochete bacteria known to cause Lyme disease (LD) and relapsing fever in humans. Borrelia pathogens are commonly transmitted via arthropod vectors such as ticks, mites, or lice. Here, we report the molecular screening of LD group Borrelia sp. from ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from rodents trapped in recreational forests and a semiurban residential area in the Selangor state in Malaysia. Of 156 adult ticks surveyed, 72 ticks were determined as positive for Borrelia sp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All Borrelia PCR-positive ticks belonged to the Ixodes granulatus Supino species. Borrelia sp. was not detected in other tick species examined, including Dermacentor sp. and Amblyomma sp. ticks. Thirteen Borrelia PCR-positive tick samples were selected for further sequence analyses. Phylogenetic analyses of partial flaB gene sequences revealed that the Borrelia sp. were closely related to the LD group borreliae, Borrelia yangtzensis; a novel Borrelia genospecies reported in East Asian countries including Japan, Taiwan, and China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Borrelia sp. related to Borrelia yangtzensis detected in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. The zoonotic potential of the Borrelia sp. reported here merits further investigation, as it may explain the previously reported serological evidence for borrelial infections in Malaysia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Jing Khoo
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Siti Nabilah Ishak
- School of Environmental Science and Natural Resources, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Fang Shiang Lim
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Farah Shafawati Mohd-Taib
- School of Environmental Science and Natural Resources, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chee Sieng Khor
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shih Keng Loong
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Nunes M, Parreira R, Carreira T, Inácio J, Vieira ML. Development and evaluation of a two-step multiplex TaqMan real-time PCR assay for detection/quantification of different genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:176-182. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Pereira A, Parreira R, Cotão AJ, Nunes M, Vieira ML, Azevedo F, Campino L, Maia C. Tick-borne bacteria and protozoa detected in ticks collected from domestic animals and wildlife in central and southern Portugal. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2017; 9:225-234. [PMID: 28958791 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are vectors of many human and animal pathogens. The aim of this study was to screen bacteria and protozoa from ticks infesting domestic animals and wildlife collected in central and southern Portugal. A total of 593 ticks, comprising 465 (78.4%) adults, 122 (20.6%) nymphs, and six (1.0%) larvae, were collected from 283 hosts of 25 different species (4 domestic and 21 wild). Overall, the analysis of DNA extracts prepared from ticks collected from hosts of 11 different species in the districts of Castelo Branco, Portalegre, Lisboa, Setúbal, Beja and Faro, revealed the presence of genomic sequences from Anaplasma sp., A. ovis, Babesia sp., relapsing fever-like Borrelia sp., Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Ri. helvetica, Ri. massiliae, Ri. raoultii, Ri. slovaca, Candidatus Ri. barbariae, Theileria annulata and T. ovis, in specimens of Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Hy. marginatum, Rhipicephalus bursa and Rh. sanguineus sensu lato. The obtained results suggest the circulation of a wide variety of infectious agents, some of zoonotic concern, in hard ticks from Portugal. Further studies should be conducted to better characterize (both genetically and phenotypically) the putative novel microorganisms detected, both in what regards their potential pathogenity towards vertebrates, and to assist the implementation of effective control strategies for the management of ticks and human and animal tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Pereira
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisboa, Portugal; Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT, UNL, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Parreira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Microbiology Unit, IHMT, UNL, Portugal
| | | | - Mónica Nunes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Microbiology Unit, IHMT, UNL, Portugal
| | - Maria Luísa Vieira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Microbiology Unit, IHMT, UNL, Portugal
| | | | - Lenea Campino
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT, UNL, Portugal
| | - Carla Maia
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisboa, Portugal; Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT, UNL, Portugal.
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Khoo JJ, Lim FS, Tan KK, Chen FS, Phoon WH, Khor CS, Pike BL, Chang LY, AbuBakar S. Detection in Malaysia of a Borrelia sp. From Haemaphysalis hystricis (Ixodida: Ixodidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:1444-1448. [PMID: 28874019 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Spirochetes from the Borrelia genus are known to cause diseases in humans, namely Lyme disease and relapsing fever. These organisms are commonly transmitted to humans by arthropod vectors including ticks, mite, and lice. Here, we report the molecular detection of a Borrelia sp. from a Haemaphysalis hystricis Supino tick collected from wildlife in an Orang Asli settlement in Selangor, Malaysia. Phylogenetic analyses of partial 16s rRNA and flaB gene sequences revealed that the Borrelia sp. is closely related to the relapsing fever group borreliae, Borrelia lonestari, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Borrelia theileri, as well as a number of uncharacterized Borrelia sp. from ticks in Portugal and Japan. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a Borrelia sp. detected in H. hystricis, and in Malaysia. The zoonotic potential of this Borrelia sp. merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Khoo
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - F S Lim
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - K K Tan
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - F S Chen
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - W H Phoon
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - C S Khor
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - B L Pike
- Naval Medical Research Center-Asia (NMRC-A), Singapore
| | - L Y Chang
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - S AbuBakar
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
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Cutler SJ, Ruzic-Sabljic E, Potkonjak A. Emerging borreliae - Expanding beyond Lyme borreliosis. Mol Cell Probes 2016; 31:22-27. [PMID: 27523487 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis (or Lyme disease) has become a virtual household term to the exclusion of other forgotten, emerging or re-emerging borreliae. We review current knowledge regarding these other borreliae, exploring their ecology, epidemiology and pathological potential, for example, for the newly described B. mayonii. These bacteria range from tick-borne, relapsing fever-inducing strains detected in some soft ticks, such as B. mvumii, to those from bat ticks resembling B. turicatae. Some of these emerging pathogens remain unnamed, such as the borrelial strains found in South African penguins and some African cattle ticks. Others, such as B. microti and unnamed Iranian strains, have not been recognised through a lack of discriminatory diagnostic methods. Technical improvements in phylogenetic methods have allowed the differentiation of B. merionesi from other borrelial species that co-circulate in the same region. Furthermore, we discuss members that challenge the existing dogma that Lyme disease-inducing strains are transmitted by hard ticks, whilst the relapsing fever-inducing spirochaetes are transmitted by soft ticks. Controversially, the genus has now been split with Lyme disease-associated members being transferred to Borreliella, whilst the relapsing fever species retain the Borrelia genus name. It took some 60 years for the correlation with clinical presentations now known as Lyme borreliosis to be attributed to their spirochaetal cause. Many of the borreliae discussed here are currently considered exotic curiosities, whilst others, such as B. miyamotoi, are emerging as significant causes of morbidity. To elucidate their role as potential pathogenic agents, we first need to recognise their presence through suitable diagnostic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eva Ruzic-Sabljic
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleksandar Potkonjak
- University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Novi Sad, Serbia
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