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Ma R, Li C, Gao A, Jiang N, Feng X, Li J, Hu W. Evidence-practice gap analysis in the role of tick in brucellosis transmission: a scoping review. Infect Dis Poverty 2024; 13:3. [PMID: 38191468 PMCID: PMC10773131 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01170-4] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brucellosis is a zoonotic affliction instigated by bacteria belonging to the genus Brucella and is characterized by a diverse range of pervasiveness, multiple transmission routes, and serious hazards. It is imperative to amalgamate the current knowledge and identify gaps pertaining to the role of ticks in brucellosis transmission. METHODS We systematically searched China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang, Google Scholar, and PubMed on the topic published until April 23, 2022. The procedure was performed in accordance with the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. The selected articles were categorized across three major topic areas, and the potential data was extracted to describe evidence-practice gaps by two reviewers. RESULTS The search identified 83 eligible studies for the final analyses. The results highlighted the potential capacity of ticks in brucellosis transmission as evidenced by the detection of Brucella in 16 different tick species. The pooled overall prevalence of Brucella in ticks was 33.87% (range: 0.00-87.80%). The review also revealed the capability of Brucella to circulate in parasitic ticks' different developmental stages, thus posing a potential threat to animal and human health. Empirical evidence from in vitro rodent infection experiments has revealed that ticks possess the capability to transmit Brucella to uninfected animals (range: 45.00-80.00%). Moreover, significant epidemiological associations have been found between the occurrence of brucellosis in animals and tick control in rangelands, which further suggests that ticks may serve as potential vectors for brucellosis transmission in ruminants. Notably, a mere three cases of human brucellosis resulting from potential tick bites were identified in search of global clinical case reports from 1963 to 2019. CONCLUSIONS It is imperative to improve the techniques used to identify Brucella in ticks, particularly by developing a novel, efficient, precise approach that can be applied in a field setting. Furthermore, due to the lack of adequate evidence of tick-borne brucellosis, it is essential to integrate various disciplines, including experimental animal science, epidemiology, molecular genetics, and others, to better understand the efficacy of tick-borne brucellosis. By amalgamating multiple disciplines, we can enhance our comprehension and proficiency in tackling tick-borne brucellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China
| | - Chunfu Li
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China
| | - Ai Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China
| | - Na Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China
| | - Xinyu Feng
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China.
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 20025, China.
- One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, 20025, China.
| | - Jian Li
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China.
- Basic Medical College, Guangxi University of Chinese Medical, Nanning, 530005, Guangxi, China.
| | - Wei Hu
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China.
- Basic Medical College, Guangxi University of Chinese Medical, Nanning, 530005, Guangxi, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.
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Jones JD, Proffitt KM, Ramsey JM, Almberg ES, Anderson NJ. Reproductive Fate of Brucellosis-Seropositive Elk (Cervus canadensis): Implications for Disease Transmission Risk. J Wildl Dis 2024; 60:52-63. [PMID: 37889938 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-22-00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Brucellosis is a disease caused by the bacterium Brucella abortus that infects elk (Cervus canadensis) and cattle (Bos taurus). There is the potential for transmission from wildlife to livestock through contact with infected material shed during abortions or live births. To understand the impact of exposure on pregnancy rates we captured 30-100 elk per year from 2011 through 2020, testing their blood for serologic exposure to B. abortus. Predicted pregnancy rates for seropositive animals were 9.6% lower in prime-age (2.5-15.5 yr; 85%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 74-91%) and 37.7% lower in old (>15.5 yr; 43%, 95% CI: 19-71%) elk as compared with seronegative animals. To understand the risk of seropositive elk shedding B. abortus bacteria and the effects of exposure on elk reproductive performance, we conducted a 5-yr longitudinal study monitoring 30 seropositive elk. We estimated the annual probability of a seropositive elk having an abortion as 0.06 (95% CI: 0.02-0.15). We detected B. abortus at three abortions and two live births, using a combination of culture and PCR testing. The predicted probability of a pregnant seropositive elk shedding B. abortus during an abortion or live birth was 0.08 (95% CI: 0.04-0.19). To understand what proportion of seropositive elk harbored live B. abortus bacteria in their tissues, we euthanized seropositive elk at the end of 5 yr of monitoring and sampled tissues for B. abortus. Assuming perfect detection, the predicted probability of a seropositive elk having B. abortus in at least one tissue was 0.18 (95% CI: 0.06-0.43). The transmission risk seropositive elk pose is mitigated by decreased pregnancy rates, low probability of abortion events, low probability of shedding at live birth events, and reasonably low probability of B. abortus in tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D Jones
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, 1400 South 19th Avenue, Bozeman, Montana 59718, USA
| | - Kelly M Proffitt
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, 1400 South 19th Avenue, Bozeman, Montana 59718, USA
| | - Jennifer M Ramsey
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, 1400 South 19th Avenue, Bozeman, Montana 59718, USA
| | - Emily S Almberg
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, 1400 South 19th Avenue, Bozeman, Montana 59718, USA
| | - Neil J Anderson
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, 490 North Meridian Road, Kalispell, Montana 59901, USA
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