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Cândido SL, de Assis Pereira N, de Oliveira Rosa Fonseca MJ, de Campos Pacheco R, Morgado TO, Colodel EM, Nakazato L, Dutra V, Vieira TSWJ, de Aguiar DM. Molecular detection and genetic characterization of Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia sp. in neotropical primates from Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102179. [PMID: 36989601 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The Anaplasmataceae family includes obligate, arthropod-transmitted intracellular bacteria that can be zoonotic and potentially fatal. Studies focusing on the interaction between neotropical primates and the agents of this family are scarce. The present study aimed to identify agents of the Anaplasmataceae family in the whole blood of free-living and captive neotropical primates in the State of Mato Grosso, Central-West Brazil. Thirty-eight samples of six nonhuman primate (NHP) species were collected in seven municipalities and analysed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nucleotide sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of the dsb, groEL, 16S rRNA, and gltA genes. DNA fragments similar to those of Ehrlichia canis were detected in Sapajus apella and Ehrlichia chaffeensis from Mico melanurus. The sequences generated in this study and homologous sequences retrieved from GenBank® were used for phylogenetic analyses to characterize the Ehrlichial agents detected in NHPs. The agents were then grouped into clades corresponding to different isolates from the NHP species. In addition, an Anaplasma sp. closely related to Anaplasma marginale was identified in two S. apella individuals. These findings shed light on the susceptibility of neotropical NHPs to Anaplasmataceae agents. These bacteria are known to be transmitted by ticks, which can also serve as possible sources of infection for other animals, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéfhano Luís Cândido
- Veterinary Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - FAVET, Veterinary Hospital - HOVET, Federal University of Mato Grosso - UFMT, 2367 Fernando Correa Avenue, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil
| | - Nathalia de Assis Pereira
- Virology and Rickettsiosis Laboratory, HOVET, FAVET, UFMT, 2367 Fernando Correa Avenue, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil
| | | | - Richard de Campos Pacheco
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases Veterinary Parasitology of Domestic and Wild Animals, HOVET, FAVET, UFMT, 2367 Fernando Correa Avenue, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil
| | - Thais Oliveira Morgado
- Wild Animals Sector, HOVET, FAVET, UFMT, 2367 Fernando Correa Avenue, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil
| | - Edson Moleta Colodel
- Veterinary Pathology Laboratory, HOVET, FAVET, UFMT, 2367 Fernando Correa Avenue, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil
| | - Luciano Nakazato
- Veterinary Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - FAVET, Veterinary Hospital - HOVET, Federal University of Mato Grosso - UFMT, 2367 Fernando Correa Avenue, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil
| | - Valéria Dutra
- Veterinary Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - FAVET, Veterinary Hospital - HOVET, Federal University of Mato Grosso - UFMT, 2367 Fernando Correa Avenue, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil
| | - Thállitha Samih Wischral Jayme Vieira
- Vector-Borne Diseases Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná - UFPR, 1540 Funcionários Street, Curitiba, PR, 80035-050, Brazil
| | - Daniel Moura de Aguiar
- Virology and Rickettsiosis Laboratory, HOVET, FAVET, UFMT, 2367 Fernando Correa Avenue, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil.
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Gomez-Chamorro A, Hodžić A, King KC, Cabezas-Cruz A. Ecological and evolutionary perspectives on tick-borne pathogen co-infections. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2021; 1:100049. [PMID: 35284886 PMCID: PMC8906131 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2021.100049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne pathogen co-infections are common in nature. Co-infecting pathogens interact with each other and the tick microbiome, which influences individual pathogen fitness, and ultimately shapes virulence, infectivity, and transmission. In this review, we discuss how tick-borne pathogens are an ideal framework to study the evolutionary dynamics of co-infections. We highlight the importance of inter-species and intra-species interactions in vector-borne pathogen ecology and evolution. We also propose experimental evolution in tick cell lines as a method to directly test the impact of co-infections on pathogen evolution. Experimental evolution can simulate in real-time the long periods of time involved in within-vector pathogen interactions in nature, a major practical obstacle to cracking the influence of co-infections on pathogen evolution and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Gomez-Chamorro
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire D’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Adnan Hodžić
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kayla C. King
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire D’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
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Luzzi MDC, Carvalho LALD, Pinheiro DG, Lima-Duarte L, Camargo JV, Kishi LT, Fernandes CC, Machado RZ, Soares JF, André MR, Barros-Battesti DM. Analysis on the prokaryotic microbiome in females and embryonic cell cultures of Rhipicephalus sanguineus tropical and temperate lineages from two specific localities in Brazil. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 30:e005721. [PMID: 34378769 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612021066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Two lineages of Rhipicephalus sanguineus are known in Brazil: the temperate or southern and the tropical or northern populations. The distribution patterns of both lineages of R. sanguineus have epidemiological implications that can affect vectorial competence concerning Ehrlichia canis, the agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis. Intending to identify the microbiomes of both lineages and compare microorganisms in R. sanguineus, we used the 16S rRNA (V4-V5 region) gene-based metataxonomic approach, through NGS sequencing on the MiSeq Illumina platform. We selected specimens of females from the environment and samples of primary embryonic cell cultures, from both lineages, and this was the first study to investigate the prokaryotic microbiome in tick cell cultures. The results showed that many bacterial taxa detected in the samples were typical members of the host environment. A significant diversity of microorganisms in R. sanguineus females and in embryonic cell cultures from both lineages was found, with emphasis on the presence of Coxiella in all samples, albeit in different proportions. The Coxiella species present in the two lineages of ticks may be different and may have co-evolved with them, thus driving different patterns of interactions between ticks and the pathogens that they can harbor or transmit to vertebrate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara de Cassia Luzzi
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Lucas Amoroso Lopes de Carvalho
- Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Daniel Guariz Pinheiro
- Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Leidiane Lima-Duarte
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, SP, Brasil
| | - Jaqueline Valéria Camargo
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Luciano Takeshi Kishi
- Laboratório Multiusuário Centralizado para Sequenciamento de DNA em Larga Escala e Análise de Expressão Gênica - LMSeq, Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Camila Cesário Fernandes
- Laboratório Multiusuário Centralizado para Sequenciamento de DNA em Larga Escala e Análise de Expressão Gênica - LMSeq, Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - João Fábio Soares
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti
- Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.,Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, SP, Brasil
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Effect of GP19 Peptide Hyperimmune Antiserum on Activated Macrophage during Ehrlichia canis Infection in Canine Macrophage-like Cells. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11082310. [PMID: 34438767 PMCID: PMC8388390 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In terms of its veterinary importance, vaccine development against Ehrlichia canis is needed. However, the effect of developing vaccines on humoral immune response against E. canis infection is still unknown. Novel GP194-43 was synthesized according to E. canis GP19 epitope prediction. To restrict any loss and/or illness in the host animal, rabbits were used in this study to produce GP194-43 hyperimmune sera. The effect of GP194-43 hyperimmune sera on neutralization was examined in vitro by determining the inhibition of E. canis infection of the macrophage-like cell line (DH82) in the presence of the sera. Four groups of DH82 cells received differing treatments. These included E. canis experimentally infected DH82 cells, E. canis-infected DH82 cells with control rabbit serum (untreated group), E. canis-infected DH82 cells with GP194-43 rabbit antiserum (treated group) and uninfected cells (negative control group), respectively. The treated group developed a decrease (p < 0.01) in the percentage of E. canis infected cells after 3 days post-infection at 48.57 ± 1.28. In addition, real-time PCR analyses of cytokine mRNA expression involved with the macrophage, humoral, and cellular immune responses were conducted. The findings revealed an upregulated expression of IFNG in the treated group during the infection. This study demonstrated neutralization in the GP194-43 peptide hyperimmune sera of immunized rabbits. Notably, IFN-γ production could be effectively promoted in canine macrophages in relation to the activation of macrophages and adaptive immune responses. The results of this study indicate the potential for the use of this immunogen in further investigations involving immunized and infected dogs as E. canis host species.
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Detection of Borrelia spp., Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Dirofilaria immitis in Eastern Coyotes (Canis latrans) in Nova Scotia, Canada. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:678-682. [PMID: 33956091 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia miyamotoi are tickborne zoonotic pathogens in Canada. Both bacteria are vectored by ticks, Ixodes scapularis in Atlantic Canada, but require wildlife reservoir species to maintain the bacteria for retransmission to future generations of ticks. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are opportunistic feeders, resulting in frequent contact with other animals and with ticks. Because coyotes are closely related to domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), it is probable that coyote susceptibility to Borrelia infection is similar to that of dogs. We collected livers and kidneys of eastern coyotes from licensed harvesters in Nova Scotia, Canada, and tested them using nested PCR for the presence of B. burgdorferi, B. miyamotoi, and Dirofilaria immitis. Blood obtained from coyote livers was also tested serologically for antibodies to B. burgdorferi, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and D. immitis. Borrelia burgdorferi and D. immitis were detected by both nested PCR and serology tests. Seroreactivity to A. phagocytophilum was also found. Borrelia miyamotoi and E. canis were not detected. Our results show that coyotes in Nova Scotia have been exposed to a number of vectorborne pathogens.
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Al-Khafaji AM, Bell-Sakyi L, Fracasso G, Luu L, Heylen D, Matthysen E, Oteo JA, Palomar AM. Isolation of Candidatus Rickettsia vini from Belgian Ixodes arboricola ticks and propagation in tick cell lines. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101511. [PMID: 32993931 PMCID: PMC7545694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Candidatus Rickettsia vini was originally detected in Ixodes arboricola ticks from Spain, and subsequently reported from several other Western Palearctic countries including Belgium. Recently, the bacterium was isolated in mammalian (Vero) cell culture from macerated male I. arboricola from Czech Republic, but there have been no reports of propagation in tick cells. Here we report isolation in a tick cell line of three strains of Ca. R. vini from I. arboricola collected from nests of great tits (Parus major) in Belgium. Internal organs of one male and two engorged female ticks were dissected aseptically, added to cultures of the Rhipicephalus microplus cell line BME/CTVM23 and incubated at 28 °C. Rickettsia-like bacteria were first seen in Giemsa-stained cytocentrifuge smears between 2 and 15 weeks later. Two of the isolates grew rapidly, destroying the tick cells within 2–4 weeks of onward passage in BME/CTVM23 cells, while the third isolate grew much more slowly, only requiring subculture at 4−5-month intervals. PCR amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA and Rickettsia gltA, sca4, ompB, ompA and 17-kDa genes revealed that all three isolates were Ca. R. vini, with 100 % identity to each other and to published Ca. R. vini sequences from other geographical locations. Transmission electron microscopy revealed typical single Rickettsia bacteria in the cytoplasm of BME/CTVM23 cells. The Ca. R. vini strain isolated from the male I. arboricola tick, designated Boshoek1, was tested for ability to grow in a panel of Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes scapularis and R. microplus cell lines and in Vero cells. The Boshoek1 strain grew rapidly, causing severe cytopathic effect, in the R. microplus line BME26, the I. ricinus line IRE11 and Vero cells, more slowly in the I. ricinus line IRE/CTVM19, possibly established a low-level infection in the I. ricinus line IRE/CTVM20, and failed to infect cells of any of four I. scapularis lines over a 12-week observation period. This study confirmed the applicability of the simple tick organ-cell line co-cultivation technique for isolation of tick-borne Rickettsia spp. using BME/CTVM23 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa M Al-Khafaji
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK; College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Qadisiyah Province, Iraq.
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.
| | - Gerardo Fracasso
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Lisa Luu
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.
| | - Dieter Heylen
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, M26 Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA; Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - José A Oteo
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, C/ Piqueras, 98, Logroño, 26006, La Rioja, Spain.
| | - Ana M Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, C/ Piqueras, 98, Logroño, 26006, La Rioja, Spain.
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Isolation and Propagation of Laboratory Strains and a Novel Flea-Derived Field Strain of Wolbachia in Tick Cell Lines. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8070988. [PMID: 32630209 PMCID: PMC7409115 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8070988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia are intracellular endosymbionts of several invertebrate taxa, including insects and nematodes. Although Wolbachia DNA has been detected in ticks, its presence is generally associated with parasitism by insects. To determine whether or not Wolbachia can infect and grow in tick cells, cell lines from three tick species, Ixodes scapularis, Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus microplus, were inoculated with Wolbachia strains wStri and wAlbB isolated from mosquito cell lines. Homogenates prepared from fleas collected from cats in Malaysia were inoculated into an I. scapularis cell line. Bacterial growth and identity were monitored by microscopy and PCR amplification and sequencing of fragments of Wolbachia genes. The wStri strain infected Ixodes spp. cells and was maintained through 29 passages. The wAlbB strain successfully infected Ixodes spp. and R. microplus cells and was maintained through 2–5 passages. A novel strain of Wolbachia belonging to the supergroup F, designated wCfeF, was isolated in I. scapularis cells from a pool of Ctenocephalides sp. cat fleas and maintained in vitro through two passages over nine months. This is the first confirmed isolation of a Wolbachia strain from a flea and the first isolation of any Wolbachia strain outside the “pandemic” A and B supergroups. The study demonstrates that tick cells can host multiple Wolbachia strains, and can be added to panels of insect cell lines to improve success rates in isolation of field strains of Wolbachia.
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Serologic and Molecular Diagnosis of Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis Infection in Dogs in an Endemic Region. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9060488. [PMID: 32575536 PMCID: PMC7350331 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9060488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis are obligate intracellular, tick-borne rickettsial pathogens of dogs that may cause life-threatening diseases. In this study, we assessed the usefulness of PCR and a widely used commercial antibody-based point-of-care (POC) test to diagnose A. platys and E. canis infection and updated the prevalence of these pathogens in dogs inhabiting the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts. We detected A. platys in 62/227 (27%), E. canis in 84/227 (37%), and the presence of both in 43/227 (19%) of the dogs using PCR. POC testing was positive for A. platys in 53/187 (28%), E. canis in 112/187 (60%), and for both in 42/187 (22%) of the samples tested. There was only a slight agreement between A. platys PCR and POC test results and a fair agreement for E. canis PCR and POC test results. Our study suggests that PCR testing may be particularly useful in the early stage of infection when antibody levels are low or undetectable, whereas, POC test is useful when false-negative PCR results occur due to low bacteremia. A combination of PCR and POC tests may increase the ability to diagnose A. platys and E. canis infection and consequently will improve patient management.
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Jimenez IA, Vega Mariño PA, Stapleton GS, Prieto JB, Bowman DD. Canine vector-borne disease in domestic dogs on Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS 2020; 19:100373. [PMID: 32057400 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases result in significant morbidity and mortality in domestic dogs in tropical and subtropical regions and also pose a potential threat to wildlife species and humans. Ehrlichia canis, the causative agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME), has a high reported seroprevalence in dogs on Santa Cruz in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Veterinary diagnostic and treatment resources are often scarce and clinical follow-up is lacking in the Galápagos. This study evaluated 58 dogs presenting to the Darwin Animal Doctors clinic in the city of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island during August of 2018. The seroprevalence of E. canis/Ehrlichia ewingii (48.3%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum/Anaplasma platys (12.1%), and Borrelia burgdorferi (0%), as well as the proportion of dogs actively infected with E. canis (12.1%) and E. ewingii (0%), are reported. Active infection was defined as the identification of antigen by PCR. Dogs with a packed cell volume (PCV) ≤ 30% had a 10-fold risk of active infection with E. canis compared to dogs with a PCV ≥ 31% (p = .0124). A PCV cutoff of 30% may be a useful screening tool for active E. canis infection in regions with high Ehrlichia seroprevalence, in the absence of other apparent causes of anemia. Dirofilaria immitis antigen was present in 6.9% of examined dogs, with the highest prevalence in the barrio Las Ninfas. PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to provide the first molecular identification of D. immitis in the Galápagos. This study updates the seropositivity and prevalence data of these canine vector-borne pathogens and highlights the need for continued surveillance in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Angelica Jimenez
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, 602 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, United States of America; Animal Medical Center, 510 E. 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065, United States of America.
| | - Patricio Alejandro Vega Mariño
- Agencia de Regulación y Control de la Bioseguridad y Cuarentena para Galápagos, Avenida Baltra, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galápagos 200102, Ecuador
| | - G Sean Stapleton
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, 602 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Battista Prieto
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, 602 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, United States of America
| | - Dwight Douglas Bowman
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, 602 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, United States of America
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Dias F, Couto J, Ferrolho J, Seron GS, Bell-Sakyi L, Antunes S, Domingos A. Folate pathway modulation in Rhipicephalus ticks in response to infection. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 67 Suppl 2:94-99. [PMID: 31231926 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Folate pathways components were demonstrated to be present in RNA-sequencing data obtained from uninfected and pathogen-infected Rhipicephalus ticks. Here, PCR and qPCR allowed the identification of folate-related genes in Rhipicephalus spp. ticks and in the tick cell line IDE8. Genes coding for GTP cyclohydrolase I (gch-I), thymidylate synthase (ts) and 6-pyrovoyltetrahydropterin (ptps) were identified. Differential gene expression was evaluated by qPCR between uninfected and infected samples of four biological systems, showing significant upregulation and largest fold-change for the gch-I gene in the majority of the biological systems, supporting the selection for functional analysis by RNAi silencing. Efficient knockdown of the gch-I gene in uninfected and Ehrlichia canis-infected IDE8 cells showed no detectable impact on the capacity of the bacteria to invade or replicate in the tick cells. Overall, this work demonstrated an increase in the expression of some folate-related genes, though not always statistically significantly, in the presence of infection, suggesting gene expression modulation of these pathways, either as a tick response to an invader or manipulation of the tick cell machinery by the pathogens to their advantage. This discovery points to folate pathways as interesting targets for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Dias
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Joana Couto
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana Ferrolho
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Gustavo S Seron
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sandra Antunes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Domingos
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
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Barros-Battesti DM, Machado RZ, André MR, de Sousa KCM, Franze DA, Lima-Duarte L, Cirelli-Moraes A, Nunes PH, Labruna MB, Moraes-Filho J, Martins MM, Szabó MPJ. Successful Infection of Tick Cell Cultures of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Tropical Lineage) with Ehrlichia canis. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018; 18:653-662. [PMID: 30222504 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2017.2197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There are two distinct lineages of ticks, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, in South America: tropical and temperate lineages. Only the tropical lineage is recognized as competent vector for Ehrlichia canis. The epidemiological data of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis is congruent with the distribution of the two lineages of R. sanguineus. Herein, we report the infection of R. sanguineus (tropical lineage) cell cultures with E. canis, after cryopreservation. R. sanguineus (tropical lineage) cell identity was confirmed by sequencing using a 16S rDNA gene fragment. Tick cell cultures were prepared in L-15B medium supplemented with 10%, 15%, and 20% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS), and 10% of Tryptose Phosphate Broth (TPB). Cell cultures developed better at the concentration of 20% of FBS. Cultures in the fifth harvest (approximately 7 months later) were selected for the first infections. Optimal R. sanguineus cell growth and adhesion was observed (5.0 × 106 cells/mL, and the population doubling time every 57 h). Once infected with E. canis, the cultures were maintained in L-15B medium supplemented with 2% and 5% of FBS fortified with iron and 10% TPB. Infected cells were also cryopreserved. DNA was extracted from infected and noninfected cells and analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR targeting the E. canis-dsb gene. Primary culture of the fifth passage was infected by E. canis and it maintained the pathogen for at least 40 days before partial cell destruction. Subcultures of infected cells (fresh and cryopreserved cultures) onto new tick cell cultures were successful. The E. canis infection was confirmed by real-time PCR and light and transmission electron microscopy. The R. sanguineus (tropical lineage) cells infected with E. canis successfully infected new tick cell cultures, showing that these cells could be an alternative substrate for maintenance of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti
- 1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, State University Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP) , Jaboticabal, Brazil
- 2 Laboratory of Parasitology, Butantan Institute , São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- 1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, State University Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP) , Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- 1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, State University Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP) , Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Keyla Carstens Marques de Sousa
- 1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, State University Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP) , Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Pablo Henrique Nunes
- 3 Federal University of Latin American Integration-UNILA , Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Bahia Labruna
- 4 Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jonas Moraes-Filho
- 4 Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil
- 5 Veterinary Medicine, University of Santo Amaro , São Paulo, Brazil
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12
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Reif KE, Ujczo JK, Alperin DC, Noh SM. Francisella tularensis novicida infection competence differs in cell lines derived from United States populations of Dermacentor andersoni and Ixodes scapularis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12685. [PMID: 30140074 PMCID: PMC6107653 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30419-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In the United States, Dermacentor spp. are common vectors of Francisella tularensis subspecies (ssp.), while Ixodes scapularis is not, though the geographic distribution and host range of pathogen and tick overlap. To examine if differences in infection competence at the cellular level underpin these ecological differences, we evaluated the competence of D. andersoni (DAE100) and I. scapularis (ISE6) cell lines to support F. tularensis ssp. novicida (F. novicida) infection. Importantly, D. andersoni is a vector for both F. tularensis spp. tularensis, and F. novicida. We hypothesized F. novicida infection would be more productive in D. andersoni than in I. scapularis cells. Specifically, we determined if there are differences in F. novicida i) invasion, ii) replication, or iii) tick cell viability between DAE100 and ISE6 cells. We further examined the influence of temperature on infection kinetics. Both cell lines were permissive to F. novicida infection; however, there were significantly higher bacterial levels and mortality in DAE100 compared to ISE6 cells. Infection at environmental temperatures prolonged the time bacteria were maintained at high levels and reduced tick cell mortality in both cell lines. Identifying cellular determinants of vector competence is essential in understanding tick-borne disease ecology and designing effective intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Reif
- Animal Disease Research Unit, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, Washington, USA.
| | - Jessica K Ujczo
- Animal Disease Research Unit, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Debra C Alperin
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Susan M Noh
- Animal Disease Research Unit, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, Washington, USA
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13
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Bell-Sakyi L, Darby A, Baylis M, Makepeace BL. The Tick Cell Biobank: A global resource for in vitro research on ticks, other arthropods and the pathogens they transmit. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1364-1371. [PMID: 29886187 PMCID: PMC6052676 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Tick cell lines are increasingly used in many fields of tick and tick-borne disease research. The Tick Cell Biobank was established in 2009 to facilitate the development and uptake of these unique and valuable resources. As well as serving as a repository for existing and new ixodid and argasid tick cell lines, the Tick Cell Biobank supplies cell lines and training in their maintenance to scientists worldwide and generates novel cultures from tick species not already represented in the collection. Now part of the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool, the Tick Cell Biobank has embarked on a new phase of activity particularly targeted at research on problems caused by ticks, other arthropods and the diseases they transmit in less-developed, lower- and middle-income countries. We are carrying out genotypic and phenotypic characterisation of selected cell lines derived from tropical tick species. We continue to expand the culture collection, currently comprising 63 cell lines derived from 18 ixodid and argasid tick species and one each from the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis and the biting midge Culicoides sonorensis, and are actively engaging with collaborators to obtain starting material for primary cell cultures from other midge species, mites, tsetse flies and bees. Outposts of the Tick Cell Biobank will be set up in Malaysia, Kenya and Brazil to facilitate uptake and exploitation of cell lines and associated training by scientists in these and neighbouring countries. Thus the Tick Cell Biobank will continue to underpin many areas of global research into biology and control of ticks, other arthropods and vector-borne viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, United Kingdom.
| | - Alistair Darby
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United Kingdom.
| | - Matthew Baylis
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, United Kingdom; NIHR Health Protection Research Institute in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, The Ronald Ross Building, 8 West Derby Street, Liverpool L69 7BE, United Kingdom.
| | - Benjamin L Makepeace
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, United Kingdom.
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