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Kubinski M, Beicht J, Gerlach T, Aregay A, Osterhaus ADME, Tscherne A, Sutter G, Prajeeth CK, Rimmelzwaan GF. Immunity to Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus NS3 Protein Induced with a Recombinant Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara Fails to Afford Mice Protection against TBEV Infection. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:105. [PMID: 38276677 PMCID: PMC10819467 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a serious neurological disease caused by TBE virus (TBEV). Because antiviral treatment options are not available, vaccination is the key prophylactic measure against TBEV infections. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, cases of vaccination breakthrough infections have been reported. The multienzymatic non-structural protein 3 (NS3) of orthoflaviviruses plays an important role in polyprotein processing and virus replication. In the present study, we evaluated NS3 of TBEV as a potential vaccine target for the induction of protective immunity. To this end, a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara that drives the expression of the TBEV NS3 gene (MVA-NS3) was constructed. MVA-NS3 was used to immunize C57BL/6 mice. It induced NS3-specific immune responses, in particular T cell responses, especially against the helicase domain of NS3. However, MVA-NS3-immunized mice were not protected from subsequent challenge infection with a lethal dose of the TBEV strain Neudoerfl, indicating that in contrast to immunity to prME and NS1, NS3-specific immunity is not an independent correlate of protection against TBEV in this mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Kubinski
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (M.K.); (J.B.); (T.G.); (A.A.); (A.D.M.E.O.); (C.K.P.)
| | - Jana Beicht
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (M.K.); (J.B.); (T.G.); (A.A.); (A.D.M.E.O.); (C.K.P.)
| | - Thomas Gerlach
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (M.K.); (J.B.); (T.G.); (A.A.); (A.D.M.E.O.); (C.K.P.)
| | - Amare Aregay
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (M.K.); (J.B.); (T.G.); (A.A.); (A.D.M.E.O.); (C.K.P.)
| | - Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (M.K.); (J.B.); (T.G.); (A.A.); (A.D.M.E.O.); (C.K.P.)
| | - Alina Tscherne
- Division of Virology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Sonnenstraße 24, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany; (A.T.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Gerd Sutter
- Division of Virology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Sonnenstraße 24, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany; (A.T.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Chittappen Kandiyil Prajeeth
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (M.K.); (J.B.); (T.G.); (A.A.); (A.D.M.E.O.); (C.K.P.)
| | - Guus F. Rimmelzwaan
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (M.K.); (J.B.); (T.G.); (A.A.); (A.D.M.E.O.); (C.K.P.)
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Lamsal A, Tryland M, Paulsen KM, Romano JS, Nymo IH, Stiasny K, Soleng A, Vikse R, Andreassen ÅK. Serological screening for tick-borne encephalitis virus in eight Norwegian herds of semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). Zoonoses Public Health 2023; 70:692-698. [PMID: 37259822 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13060] [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: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is found in Ixodes ricinus ticks throughout the area where viable tick populations exist. In Norway, TBEV is found in I. ricinus from the south coast until Brønnøy municipality in Nordland County and the range of the vector is expanding due to changes in climate, vegetation, host animals and environmental conditions. TBEV might thus have the potential to establish in new areas when I. ricinus expand its geographical distribution. At present, there is little knowledge on the status of the virus in high-altitude areas of inland regions in Norway. It has previously been indicated that reindeer may be an important sentinel species and indicator of the spread of ticks and TBEV in high-altitude regions. In this study, 408 semi-domesticated Eurasian tundra reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) from eight herds, from Tana in Troms and Finnmark County in northern Norway to Filefjell in Innlandet and Viken Counties in southern Norway, were screened for TBEV antibodies using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found 16 TBEV reactive reindeer samples by ELISA; however, these results could not be confirmed by the serum neutralization test (SNT). This could indicate that a flavivirusand not necessarily TBEV, may be circulating among Norwegian semi-domesticated reindeer. The results also indicate that TBEV was not enzootic in Norwegian semi-domesticated reindeer in 2013-2015. This knowledge is important as an information base for future TBEV and flavivirus surveillance in Norway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaka Lamsal
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, Campus Bø, Norway
| | - Morten Tryland
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Evenstad, Norway
| | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Javier Sánchez Romano
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Medical Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Ingebjørg H Nymo
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Section for Food Safety and Animal Health, The Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Karin Stiasny
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rose Vikse
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, Campus Bø, Norway
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Simkute E, Pautienius A, Grigas J, Urbute P, Stankevicius A. The Prevalence, Seroprevalence, and Risk Factors of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Dogs in Lithuania, a Highly Endemic State. Viruses 2023; 15:2265. [PMID: 38005941 PMCID: PMC10674385 DOI: 10.3390/v15112265] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The rising awareness and increasing number of case reports of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in dogs indicate that the virus might be an important tick-borne pathogen in dogs, especially in endemic areas. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence rate of TBEV RNA and TBEV-specific antibodies in clinical samples of dogs living in a highly endemic region of Lithuania and to evaluate the main risk factors for severe disease course and death. The blood samples (n = 473) of dogs were collected in two veterinary clinics in central Lithuania. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) RNA was detected in 18.6% (88/473; CI 95% 15.2-22.4) and TBEV-specific antibodies were found in 21.6% (102/473; CI 95% 17.9-25.6) of dog blood serum samples after confirmation with a virus neutralization test. The death/euthanasia rate was 18.2% (16/88; CI 95% 10.8-27.8) in PCR-positive dogs. Male dogs were more likely to develop neurological symptoms (p = 0.008). Older dogs (p = 0.003), dogs with the presence of neurological symptoms (p = 0.003), and dogs with the presence of TBEV-specific antibodies (p = 0.024) were more likely to experience worse outcomes of the disease. The results of the present study demonstrate that TBEV is a common and clinically important pathogen in dogs in such endemic countries as Lithuania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Simkute
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, (J.G.)
| | - Arnoldas Pautienius
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, (J.G.)
- Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Juozas Grigas
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, (J.G.)
- Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Paulina Urbute
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, (J.G.)
| | - Arunas Stankevicius
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, (J.G.)
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Stegmüller S, Qi W, Torgerson PR, Fraefel C, Kubacki J. Hazard potential of Swiss Ixodes ricinus ticks: Virome composition and presence of selected bacterial and protozoan pathogens. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290942. [PMID: 37956168 PMCID: PMC10642849 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks play an important role in transmitting many different emerging zoonotic pathogens that pose a significant threat to human and animal health. In Switzerland and abroad, the number of tick-borne diseases, in particular tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), has been increasing over the last few years. Thus, it remains essential to investigate the pathogen spectrum of ticks to rapidly detect emerging pathogens and initiate the necessary measures. To assess the risk of tick-borne diseases in different regions of Switzerland, we collected a total of 10'286 ticks from rural and urban areas in ten cantons in 2021 and 2022. Ticks were pooled according to species, developmental stage, gender, and collection site, and analyzed using next generation sequencing (NGS) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The metagenomic analysis revealed for the first time the presence of Alongshan virus (ALSV) in Swiss ticks. Interestingly, the pool-prevalence of ALSV was higher than that of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Furthermore, several TBEV foci have been identified and pool prevalence of selected non-viral pathogens determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Stegmüller
- Institute of Virology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Weihong Qi
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Paul R. Torgerson
- Section of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cornel Fraefel
- Institute of Virology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jakub Kubacki
- Institute of Virology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP), Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Hills SL, Poehling KA, Chen WH, Staples JE. Tick-Borne Encephalitis Vaccine: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2023. MMWR Recomm Rep 2023; 72:1-29. [PMID: 37943707 PMCID: PMC10651317 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.rr7205a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is focally endemic in parts of Europe and Asia. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans by the bites of infected Ixodes species ticks but can also be acquired less frequently by alimentary transmission. Other rare modes of transmission include through breastfeeding, blood transfusion, solid organ transplantation, and slaughtering of viremic animals. TBE virus can cause acute neurologic disease, which usually results in hospitalization, often permanent neurologic or cognitive sequelae, and sometimes death. TBE virus infection is a risk for certain travelers and for laboratory workers who work with the virus. In August 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved Ticovac TBE vaccine for use among persons aged ≥1 year. This report summarizes the epidemiology of and risks for infection with TBE virus, provides information on the immunogenicity and safety of TBE vaccine, and summarizes the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for use of TBE vaccine among U.S. travelers and laboratory workers. The risk for TBE for most U.S. travelers to areas where the disease is endemic is very low. The risk for exposure to infected ticks is highest for persons who are in areas where TBE is endemic during the main TBE virus transmission season of April–November and who are planning to engage in recreational activities in woodland habitats or who might be occupationally exposed. All persons who travel to areas where TBE is endemic should be advised to take precautions to avoid tick bites and to avoid the consumption of unpasteurized dairy products because alimentary transmission of TBE virus can occur. TBE vaccine can further reduce infection risk and might be indicated for certain persons who are at higher risk for TBE. The key factors in the risk-benefit assessment for vaccination are likelihood of exposure to ticks based on activities and itinerary (e.g., location, rurality, season, and duration of travel or residence). Other risk-benefit considerations should include 1) the rare occurrence of TBE but its potentially high morbidity and mortality, 2) the higher risk for severe disease among certain persons (e.g., older persons aged ≥60 years), 3) the availability of an effective vaccine, 4) the possibility but low probability of serious adverse events after vaccination, 5) the likelihood of future travel to areas where TBE is endemic, and 6) personal perception and tolerance of risk ACIP recommends TBE vaccine for U.S. persons who are moving or traveling to an area where the disease is endemic and will have extensive exposure to ticks based on their planned outdoor activities and itinerary. Extensive exposure can be considered based on the duration of travel and frequency of exposure and might include shorter-term (e.g., <1 month) travelers with daily or frequent exposure or longer-term travelers with regular (e.g., a few times a month) exposure to environments that might harbor infected ticks. In addition, TBE vaccine may be considered for persons who might engage in outdoor activities in areas where ticks are likely to be found, with a decision to vaccinate made on the basis of an assessment of their planned activities and itinerary, risk factors for a poor medical outcome, and personal perception and tolerance of risk. In the laboratory setting, ACIP recommends TBE vaccine for laboratory workers with a potential for exposure to TBE virus
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Hahn MB, Hojgaard A, Disler G, George W, Droghini A, Schlaht R, Durden LA, Coburn S, Gerlach R, Eisen RJ. Ticks and tick-borne microbes identified through passive and active surveillance in Alaska. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 60:1099-1107. [PMID: 37348952 PMCID: PMC10496432 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Rapid environmental change in Alaska and other regions of the Arctic and sub-Arctic has raised concerns about increasing human exposure to ticks and the pathogens they carry. We tested a sample of ticks collected through a combination of passive and active surveillance from humans, domestic animals, and wildlife hosts in Alaska for a panel of the most common tick-borne pathogens in the contiguous United States to characterize the diversity of microbes present in this region. We tested 189 pooled tick samples collected in 2019-2020 for Borrelia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Babesia spp. using a multiplex PCR amplicon sequencing assay. We found established populations of Ixodes angustus Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae), Ixodes uriae White (Acari: Ixodidae), and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Packard (Acari: Ixodidae) in Alaska, with I. angustus found on a variety of hosts including domestic companion animals (dogs and cats), small wild mammals, and humans. Ixodes angustus were active from April through October with peaks in adult and nymphal activity observed in summer months (mainly July). Although no known human pathogens were detected, Babesia microti-like parasites and candidatus Ehrlichia khabarensis were identified in ticks and small mammals. The only human pathogen detected (B. burgdorferi s.s.) was found in a tick associated with a dog that had recently traveled to New York, where Lyme disease is endemic. This study highlights the value of a combined passive and active tick surveillance system to detect introduced tick species and pathogens and to assess which tick species and microbes are locally established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah B Hahn
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Andrias Hojgaard
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Gale Disler
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - William George
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Amanda Droghini
- Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Renate Schlaht
- UAF/CSU 2 + 2 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program, Colorado State University, 1601 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-160, USA
| | - Lance A Durden
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Road, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA
| | - Sarah Coburn
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99507, USA
| | - Robert Gerlach
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99507, USA
| | - Rebecca J Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
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Belova OA, Polienko AE, Averianova AD, Karganova GG. Development Features of Ixodes ricinus × I. persulcatus Hybrids under Laboratory Conditions. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2252. [PMID: 37764095 PMCID: PMC10536943 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Widely distributed Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus ticks transmit many pathogens of both medical and veterinary significance. The ranges of these tick species overlap and form large sympatric areas in the East European Plain and Baltic countries. It has previously been shown that crossing I. ricinus and I. persulcatus is possible, resulting in the appearance of sterile hybrids. In the present study, we analyzed the features of this hybrid's life cycle under laboratory conditions. For this purpose, virgin females of I. ricinus and I. persulcatus ticks were obtained in the laboratory, and hybrid generations of ticks were bred from the reciprocal crossings of these two tick species. According to our data, mating the females of I. ricinus and I. persulcatus with the males of another species leads to a decrease in the engorgement success of the females, a decrease in the number of hatched larvae, and the appearance of a hybrid generation in which both females and males are sterile. Under laboratory conditions at a constant room temperature and under natural daylight, the morphogenetic diapause of the engorged I. persulcatus larvae began in September. For I. persulcatus nymphs, it occurred earlier than for I. ricinus, in October and November, respectively. The hybrids generally repeated the features of the life cycle of the mother species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oxana A. Belova
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819 Moscow, Russia (G.G.K.)
| | - Alexandra E. Polienko
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819 Moscow, Russia (G.G.K.)
| | - Anastasia D. Averianova
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819 Moscow, Russia (G.G.K.)
| | - Galina G. Karganova
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819 Moscow, Russia (G.G.K.)
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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Lamsal A, Edgar KS, Jenkins A, Renssen H, Kjaer LJ, Alfsnes K, Bastakoti S, Dieseth M, Klitgaard K, Lindstedt HEH, Paulsen KM, Vikse R, Korslund L, Kjelland V, Stuen S, Kjellander P, Christensson M, Teräväinen M, Jensen LM, Regmi M, Giri D, Marsteen L, Bødker R, Soleng A, Andreassen ÅK. Prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus in questing Ixodes ricinus nymphs in southern Scandinavia and the possible influence of meteorological factors. Zoonoses Public Health 2023; 70:473-484. [PMID: 37248739 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13049] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Ixodes ricinus ticks are Scandinavia's main vector for tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), which infects many people annually. The aims of the present study were (i) to obtain information on the TBEV prevalence in host-seeking I. ricinus collected within the Øresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak (ØKS) region, which lies in southern Norway, southern Sweden and Denmark; (ii) to analyse whether there are potential spatial patterns in the TBEV prevalence; and (iii) to understand the relationship between TBEV prevalence and meteorological factors in southern Scandinavia. Tick nymphs were collected in 2016, in southern Scandinavia, and screened for TBEV, using pools of 10 nymphs, with RT real-time PCR, and positive samples were confirmed with pyrosequencing. Spatial autocorrelation and cluster analysis was performed with Global Moran's I and SatScan to test for spatial patterns and potential local clusters of the TBEV pool prevalence at each of the 50 sites. A climatic analysis was made to correlate parameters such as minimum, mean and maximum temperature, relative humidity and saturation deficit with TBEV pool prevalence. The climatic data were acquired from the nearest meteorological stations for 2015 and 2016. This study confirms the presence of TBEV in 12 out of 30 locations in Denmark, where six were from Jutland, three from Zealand and two from Bornholm and Falster counties. In total, five out of nine sites were positive from southern Sweden. TBEV prevalence of 0.7%, 0.5% and 0.5%, in nymphs, was found at three sites along the Oslofjord (two sites) and northern Skåne region (one site), indicating a potential concern for public health. We report an overall estimated TBEV prevalence of 0.1% in questing I. ricinus nymphs in southern Scandinavia with a region-specific prevalence of 0.1% in Denmark, 0.2% in southern Sweden and 0.1% in southeastern Norway. No evidence of a spatial pattern or local clusters was found in the study region. We found a strong correlation between TBEV prevalence in ticks and relative humidity in Sweden and Norway, which might suggest that humidity has a role in maintaining TBEV prevalence in ticks. TBEV is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in southern Scandinavia, and we recommend further studies to understand the TBEV transmission potential with changing climate in Scandinavia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaka Lamsal
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, The University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin Skarsfjord Edgar
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Microbiology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ås, Norway
| | - Andrew Jenkins
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, The University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Hans Renssen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, The University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Lene Jung Kjaer
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Kristian Alfsnes
- Department of Bacteriology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Srijana Bastakoti
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Malene Dieseth
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kirstine Klitgaard
- Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rose Vikse
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Vivian Kjelland
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
- Research Unit, Sørlandet Hospital Health Enterprise, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Petter Kjellander
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Madeleine Christensson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Malin Teräväinen
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Laura Mark Jensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Manoj Regmi
- Department of Data Science, Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dhiraj Giri
- School of Arts, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal
| | | | - René Bødker
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild Kristine Andreassen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, The University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Kjellander P, Bergvall UA, Chirico J, Ullman K, Christensson M, Lindgren PE. Winter activity of Ixodes ricinus in Sweden. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:229. [PMID: 37430316 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05843-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Europe, Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) is the most widespread and abundant tick species, acting as a vector for several microorganisms of medical and veterinary importance. In Northern and Central Europe, the tick has a bimodal activity pattern consisting of a peak in spring to the beginning of summer and a second peak at the end of summer. However, several findings of ticks on animals during winter have been reported, which raises the question of whether this is an overwintering strategy or whether ticks are active during winter in Scandinavia. The objectives of our study were to determine (i) whether ticks were active and finding hosts during winter, (ii) whether they parasitize their hosts, and (iii) what climatic factors-i.e., temperature, snow depth and precipitation-govern tick winter activity. METHODS Throughout three winter seasons, we examined wild-living and free-ranging roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) for ticks on 332 occasions. In total, 140 individual roe deer were captured in two climatically contrasting sites in south-central Sweden, Grimsö and the Bogesund research area, respectively. We re-examined individual roe deer up to 10 times within the same winter or approximately once a week (mean 10 days, median 7 days between re-examinations) and recorded the absence or presence of ticks on the animals, and tested to what extent meteorological factors affected tick activity. To determine the attachment day, we used the coxal/scutal index of 18 nymphs and 47 female ticks. RESULTS In total, 243 I. ricinus were collected from 301 roe deer captures between 14 December and 28 February at the Bogesund study site during three subsequent years (2013/2014-2015/2016). We found attached ticks every third to every second examination (32%, 48% and 32% of the examinations, respectively). However, we collected only three I. ricinus females from 31 roe deer captures at the Grimsö study site between 17 December 2015 and 26 February 2016. At the Bogesund study site, based on 192 captures of previously examined deer, we collected 121 ticks, and ticks were found at 33%, 48% and 26% of the examinations during the respective winters. The probability of finding an attached tick on a roe deer at a temperature of -5 °C was > 8% ± 5 (SE), and that probability increased to almost 20% ± 7 (SE) if the air temperature increased to 5 °C. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that winter-active nymphs and female ticks have been documented to attach and feed on roe deer during winter (December to February) in Scandinavia. The main weather conditions regulating winter activity for females were temperature and precipitation, and the lowest estimated air temperature for finding an active tick was well below 5 °C. The behaviour of winter-active and blood-feeding ticks was documented over several winters and in two contrasting areas, implying that it is a common phenomenon that should be investigated more thoroughly, since it may have important consequences for the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petter Kjellander
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden.
| | - Ulrika A Bergvall
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Jan Chirico
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karin Ullman
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Madeleine Christensson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Per-Eric Lindgren
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Laboratory Medicine, Microbiological Laboratory, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönköping, Sweden
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Noll M, Wall R, Makepeace BL, Vineer HR. Distribution of ticks in the Western Palearctic: an updated systematic review (2015-2021). Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:141. [PMID: 37095583 PMCID: PMC10127368 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05773-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The distributions of ticks and tick-borne pathogens are thought to have changed rapidly over the last two decades, with their ranges expanding into new regions. This expansion has been driven by a range of environmental and socio-economic factors, including climate change. Spatial modelling is being increasingly used to track the current and future distributions of ticks and tick-borne pathogens and to assess the associated disease risk. However, such analysis is dependent on high-resolution occurrence data for each species. To facilitate such analysis, in this review we have compiled georeferenced tick locations in the Western Palearctic, with a resolution accuracy under 10 km, that were reported between 2015 and 2021 METHODS: The PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for peer-reviewed papers documenting the distribution of ticks that were published between 2015 and 2021, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The papers were then screened and excluded in accordance with the PRISMA flow chart. Coordinate-referenced tick locations along with information on identification and collection methods were extracted from each eligible publication. Spatial analysis was conducted using R software (version 4.1.2). RESULTS From the 1491 papers identified during the initial search, 124 met the inclusion criteria, and from these, 2267 coordinate-referenced tick records from 33 tick species were included in the final dataset. Over 30% of articles did not record the tick location adequately to meet inclusion criteria, only providing a location name or general location. Among the tick records, Ixodes ricinus had the highest representation (55%), followed by Dermacentor reticulatus (22.1%) and Ixodes frontalis (4.8%). The majority of ticks were collected from vegetation, with only 19.1% collected from hosts. CONCLUSIONS The data presented provides a collection of recent high-resolution, coordinate-referenced tick locations for use in spatial analyses, which in turn can be used in combination with previously collated datasets to analyse the changes in tick distribution and research in the Western Palearctic. In the future it is recommended that, where data privacy rules allow, high-resolution methods are routinely used by researchers to geolocate tick samples and ensure their work can be used to its full potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Noll
- Institute of Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Richard Wall
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Benjamin L Makepeace
- Institute of Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Hannah Rose Vineer
- Institute of Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Belova OA, Polienko AE, Averianova AD, Karganova GG. Hybrids of Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus ticks effectively acquire and transmit tick-borne encephalitis virus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1104484. [PMID: 36743302 PMCID: PMC9895388 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1104484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ixodes rici nus and Ixodes persulcatus ticks are the main vectors of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), which has three main subtypes connected with certain tick species: the European subtype, associated with I. ricinus, and the Siberian and Far-Eastern subtypes, associated with I. persulcatus. Distribution ranges of these species overlap and form large sympatric areas in the East European Plain and Baltic countries. It has previously been shown that crossing of I. ricinus and I. persulcatus is possible, with the appearance of sterile hybrids. Hybridization of ticks can affect not only the spread of ticks but also the properties of natural foci of arbovirus infections, in particular TBEV. In the present study, we analyzed the effectiveness of virus transmission from infected mice to larvae and nymphs and trans-stadial transmission (from larvae to nymph and adult) in I. ricinus, I. persulcatus, and hybrids. For this purpose, we bred a hybrid generation from the crossing of I. persulcatus females and I. ricinus males, and we used the Siberian and European subtypes of TBEV. We showed that after feeding on infected mice, virus prevalence in engorged ticks decreased over time, and after molting, the opposite was true. In hybrids we observed the highest acquisition effectiveness and RNA copy numbers during Siberian TBEV subtype transmission. The efficiency of trans-stadial transmission of both TBEV subtypes was similar in hybrids and parental species. After the second trans-stadial TBEV transmission, a significant increase in ticks' infection rates was observed only in specific subtype-tick combination. Our data demonstrate the possible features of TBEV circulation in the I. ricinus and I. persulcatus sympatry area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oxana A. Belova
- Laboratory of Biology of arboviruses, Federal State Autonomous Scientific Institution "Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and- Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia,*Correspondence: Oxana A. Belova,
| | - Alexandra E. Polienko
- Laboratory of Biology of arboviruses, Federal State Autonomous Scientific Institution "Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and- Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia D. Averianova
- Laboratory of Biology of arboviruses, Federal State Autonomous Scientific Institution "Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and- Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia
| | - Galina G. Karganova
- Laboratory of Biology of arboviruses, Federal State Autonomous Scientific Institution "Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and- Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia,Department of Virology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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12
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Kholodilov IS, Belova OA, Ivannikova AY, Gadzhikurbanov MN, Makenov MT, Yakovlev AS, Polienko AE, Dereventsova AV, Litov AG, Gmyl LV, Okhezin EV, Luchinina SV, Klimentov AS, Karganova GG. Distribution and Characterisation of Tick-Borne Flavi-, Flavi-like, and Phenuiviruses in the Chelyabinsk Region of Russia. Viruses 2022; 14:v14122699. [PMID: 36560703 PMCID: PMC9780909 DOI: 10.3390/v14122699] [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: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, we presented data from a two-year study of flavi-, flavi-like, and phenuiviruses circulation in the population of ixodid ticks in the Chelyabinsk region. We isolated three tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) strains from I. persulcatus, which was not detected in the ticks of the genus Dermacentor. The virus prevalence ranged from 0.66% to 2.28%. The Yanggou tick virus (YGTV) is widespread in steppe and forest-steppe zones and is mainly associated with ticks of the genus Dermacentor. We isolated 26 strains from D. reticulatus, D. marginatus, and I. persulcatus ticks in the HAE/CTVM8 tick cell line. The virus prevalence ranged from 1.58% to 4.18% in D. reticulatus, ranged from 0.78% to 3.93% in D. marginatus, and was 0.66% in I. persulcatus. There was combined focus of TBEV and YGTV in the territory of the Chelyabinsk region. The Alongshan virus (ALSV) was found to be associated with I. persulcatus ticks and is spread in forest zone. We detected 12 amplicons and isolated 7 strains of ALSV in tick cells. The virus prevalence ranged from 1.13% to 6.00%. The phlebovirus Gomselga and unclassified phenuivirus Stavropol were associated with I. persulcatus and D. reticulatus ticks, respectively. Virus prevalence of the unclassified phenuivirus Stavropol in the Chelyabinsk region is lower than that in neighbouring regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan S. Kholodilov
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Oxana A. Belova
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Y. Ivannikova
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Magomed N. Gadzhikurbanov
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Marat T. Makenov
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Epidemiology, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, 111123 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander S. Yakovlev
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandra E. Polienko
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alena V. Dereventsova
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander G. Litov
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Larissa V. Gmyl
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Egor V. Okhezin
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Alexander S. Klimentov
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Galina G. Karganova
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, FSASI Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of RAS, 108819 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence:
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13
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Bugmyrin SV, Romanova LY, Belova OA, Kholodilov IS, Bespyatova LA, Chernokhaeva LL, Gmyl LV, Klimentov AS, Ivannikova AY, Polienko AE, Yakovlev AS, Ieshko EP, Gmyl AP, Karganova GG. Pathogens in Ixodes persulcatus and Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) in Karelia (Russia). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:102045. [PMID: 36183587 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Ixodid ticks (Acarina, Ixodidae) are vectors of dangerous human infections. The main tick species that determine the epidemiological situation for tick-borne diseases in northern Europe are Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus. In recent years, significant changes in the number and distribution of these species have been observed, accompanied by an expansion of the sympatric range. This work summarizes the data of long-term studies carried out in Karelia since 2007 on the infection of I. persulcatus and I. ricinus ticks with various pathogens, including new viruses with unclear pathogenic potential. As a result, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV, Siberian genotype), Alongshan virus, several representatives of the family Phenuiviridae, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, Ehrlichia muris, Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae and Candidatus Lariskella arthropodarum were identified. Data were obtained on the geographical and temporal variability of tick infection rates with these main pathogens. The average infection rates of I. persulcatus with TBEV and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato were 4.4% and 23.4% and those of I. ricinus were 1.1% and 11.9%, respectively. We did not find a correlation between the infection rate of ticks with TBEV, B. burgdorferi s.l. and Ehrlichia muris/chaffeensis with the sex of the vector. In general, the peculiarities of the epidemiological situation in Karelia are determined by the wide distribution and high abundance of I. persulcatus ticks and by their relatively high infection rate with TBEV and B. burgdorferi s.l. in most of the territory, including the periphery of the range.
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Affiliation(s)
- S V Bugmyrin
- Institute of Biology, Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, 11 Pushkinskaya St., Petrozavodsk 185910, Russia
| | - L Yu Romanova
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia; Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov University, Moscow 119146, Russia
| | - O A Belova
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia
| | - I S Kholodilov
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia
| | - L A Bespyatova
- Institute of Biology, Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, 11 Pushkinskaya St., Petrozavodsk 185910, Russia
| | - L L Chernokhaeva
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia
| | - L V Gmyl
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia
| | - A S Klimentov
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia
| | - A Y Ivannikova
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia
| | - A E Polienko
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia
| | - A S Yakovlev
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia
| | - E P Ieshko
- Institute of Biology, Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, 11 Pushkinskaya St., Petrozavodsk 185910, Russia
| | - A P Gmyl
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia
| | - G G Karganova
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108811, Russia; Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov University, Moscow 119146, Russia; Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Biology, Moscow 119991, Russia.
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LOUPING-ILL VIRUS SEROSURVEY OF WILLOW PTARMIGAN (LAGOPUS LAGOPUS LAGOPUS) IN NORWAY. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:282-291. [PMID: 33822153 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In Norway, the Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus lagopus) is experiencing population declines and is nationally Red Listed as Near Threatened. Although disease has not generally been regarded as an important factor behind population fluctuations for Willow Ptarmigan in Norway, disease occurrence has been poorly investigated. Both louping-ill virus (LIV) and the closely related tick-borne encephalitis virus are found along the southern part of the Norwegian coast. We assessed whether and where Norwegian Willow Ptarmigan populations have been infected with LIV. We expected to find infected individuals in populations in the southernmost part of the country. We did not expect to find infected individuals in populations further north and at higher altitudes because of the absence of the main vector, the sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus). We collected serum samples on Nobuto filter paper and used a hemagglutination inhibition assay for antibodies against LIV. We collected data at both local and country-wide levels. For local sampling, we collected and analyzed 87 hunter-collected samples from one of the southernmost Willow Ptarmigan populations in Norway. Of these birds, only three positives (3.4%) were found. For the country-wide sampling, we collected serum samples from 163 Willow Ptarmigan carcasses submitted from selected locations all over the country. Of these birds, 32% (53) were seropositive for LIV or a cross-reacting virus. Surprisingly, we found seropositive individuals from locations across the whole country, including outside the known distribution of the sheep tick. These results suggest that either LIV or a cross-reacting virus infects ptarmigan in large parts of Norway, including at high altitudes and latitudes.
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De Pelsmaeker N, Korslund L, Steifetten Ø. High-elevational occurrence of two tick species, Ixodes ricinus and I. trianguliceps, at their northern distribution range. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:161. [PMID: 33736666 PMCID: PMC7977262 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04604-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the last decades a northward and upward range shift has been observed among many organisms across different taxa. In the northern hemisphere, ticks have been observed to have increased their latitudinal and altitudinal range limit. However, the elevational expansion at its northern distribution range remains largely unstudied. In this study we investigated the altitudinal distribution of the exophilic Ixodes ricinus and endophilic I. trianguliceps on two mountain slopes in Norway by assessing larval infestation rates on bank voles (Myodes glareolus). METHODS During 2017 and 2018, 1325 bank voles were captured during the spring, summer and autumn at ten trapping stations ranging from 100 m to 1000 m.a.s.l. in two study areas in southern Norway. We used generalized logistic regression models to estimate the prevalence of infestation of both tick species along gradients of altitude, considering study area, collection year and season, temperature, humidity and altitude interactions as extrinsic variables, and host body mass and sex as intrinsic predictor variables. RESULTS We found that both I. ricinus and I. trianguliceps infested bank voles at altitudes up to 1000 m.a.s.l., which is a substantial increase in altitude compared to previous findings for I. ricinus in this region. The infestation rates declined more rapidly with increasing altitude for I. ricinus compared to I. trianguliceps, indicating that the endophilic ecology of I. trianguliceps may provide shelter from limiting factors tied to altitude. Seasonal effects limited the occurrence of I. ricinus during autumn, but I. trianguliceps was found to infest rodents at all altitudes during all seasons of both years. CONCLUSIONS This study provides new insights into the altitudinal distribution of two tick species at their northern distribution range, one with the potential to transmit zoonotic pathogens to both humans and livestock. With warming temperatures predicted to increase, and especially so in the northern regions, the risk of tick-borne infections is likely to become a concern at increasingly higher altitudes in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas De Pelsmaeker
- Department of Nature, Health and the Environment, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.
| | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Øyvind Steifetten
- Department of Nature, Health and the Environment, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
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Perveen N, Muzaffar SB, Al-Deeb MA. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases of Livestock in the Middle East and North Africa: A Review. INSECTS 2021; 12:83. [PMID: 33477991 PMCID: PMC7835866 DOI: 10.3390/insects12010083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are important vectors of an array of viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens resulting in a wide range of animal and human diseases. There is limited information in the literature about tick species in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, even though they have suitable climate and vegetation for ticks and their hosts. We reviewed the occurrence of tick species and the pathogens they transmit from the MENA on published papers from 1901-2020. We found taxonomic records of 55 tick species infesting livestock representing the following eight genera: Ornithodoros, Otobius, Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Ixodes, and Rhipicephalus. In addition, 15 pathogens were recorded causing diseases of significance, with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, theileriosis, babesiosis and anaplasmosis being widely distributed diseases in the region. In recent decades, there has been increasing trends in disease occurrence and movement associated with global movement of humans and global trade of animals. We suggest that disease control and prevention could be achieved effectively through good integration between public health, veterinary medicine and animal management, and ecological approaches. We recommend further research in the areas of tick ecology and tick born-disease transmission. Furthermore, we suggest evaluation and improvement of disease control policies in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mohammad Ali Al-Deeb
- Department of Biology, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain 15551, UAE; (N.P.); (S.B.M.)
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17
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Kjær LJ, Klitgaard K, Soleng A, Edgar KS, Lindstedt HEH, Paulsen KM, Andreassen ÅK, Korslund L, Kjelland V, Slettan A, Stuen S, Kjellander P, Christensson M, Teräväinen M, Baum A, Jensen LM, Bødker R. Spatial patterns of pathogen prevalence in questing Ixodes ricinus nymphs in southern Scandinavia, 2016. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19376. [PMID: 33168841 PMCID: PMC7652892 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76334-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne pathogens cause diseases in animals and humans, and tick-borne disease incidence is increasing in many parts of the world. There is a need to assess the distribution of tick-borne pathogens and identify potential risk areas. We collected 29,440 tick nymphs from 50 sites in Scandinavia from August to September, 2016. We tested ticks in a real-time PCR chip, screening for 19 vector-associated pathogens. We analysed spatial patterns, mapped the prevalence of each pathogen and used machine learning algorithms and environmental variables to develop predictive prevalence models. All 50 sites had a pool prevalence of at least 33% for one or more pathogens, the most prevalent being Borrelia afzelii, B. garinii, Rickettsia helvetica, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Neoehrlichia mikurensis. There were large differences in pathogen prevalence between sites, but we identified only limited geographical clustering. The prevalence models performed poorly, with only models for R. helvetica and N. mikurensis having moderate predictive power (normalized RMSE from 0.74-0.75, R2 from 0.43-0.48). The poor performance of the majority of our prevalence models suggest that the used environmental and climatic variables alone do not explain pathogen prevalence patterns in Scandinavia, although previously the same variables successfully predicted spatial patterns of ticks in the same area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lene Jung Kjær
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
| | - Kirstine Klitgaard
- Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Vivian Kjelland
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
- Research Unit, Sørlandet Hospital Health Enterprise, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Audun Slettan
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Petter Kjellander
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Madeleine Christensson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Malin Teräväinen
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Andreas Baum
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Laura Mark Jensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - René Bødker
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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18
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Marvik Å, Tveten Y, Pedersen AB, Stiasny K, Andreassen ÅK, Grude N. Low prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus antibodies in Norwegian blood donors. Infect Dis (Lond) 2020; 53:44-51. [PMID: 32924695 DOI: 10.1080/23744235.2020.1819561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) constitutes a public health concern in Europe. Certain coastal municipalities in southern Norway are considered TBE risk areas and in the last two years, there have been increasing numbers of TBE cases. Since the majority of infections are claimed to be asymptomatic, the aim of the current study was to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) among unvaccinated adults living in a TBE endemic area in Norway. METHODS One thousand one hundred and twenty-three blood donors living in Vestfold and Telemark county were included and associated sera were analysed for TBEV IgG antibodies. Information regarding tick bites, previous flavivirus exposure and knowledge regarding TBE and TBE prevention were obtained through a questionnaire. RESULTS Fifty-eight samples were reactive by ELISA, of which 21 (36.2%) were confirmed by a TBEV-specific serum neutralization test. Of the 21 blood donors with neutralizing TBEV antibodies detected, 17 reported previous TBE vaccination. Thus, only four blood donors (0.4%) had TBEV neutralizing antibodies consistent with previously undergone TBEV infection. Regarding TBE awareness, half of the blood donors were familiar with TBE, but only 35% were aware of a preventive TBE vaccine. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicates low prevalence of subclinical TBEV infections among blood donors living in Vestfold and Telemark county and there is a lack of awareness among general public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Åshild Marvik
- Department of Microbiology, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway
| | - Yngvar Tveten
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Telemark Hospital Trust, Skien, Norway
| | | | - Karin Stiasny
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Åshild Kristine Andreassen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, University of South-eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Nils Grude
- Department of Microbiology, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway.,The Antibiotic Centre of Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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19
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Rónai Z, Egyed L. Survival of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Goat Cheese and Milk. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2020; 12:264-268. [PMID: 32388731 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-020-09427-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Survival of tick-borne encephalitis virus was studied from pasteurized and unpasteurized goat milk and from salted/unsalted and spiced/unspiced cheese made from goat milk inoculated with low and high litres of infective virus. Both soft (63 °C, 30 min) and fast (72 °C, 15 s) pasteurization conditions destroyed viable virus particles. A small amount of infective virus could be detected only for 5‒10 days from milk, and from unsalted cheese. From milk inoculated with a higher amount of virus, infectious viral particles were detectable for 20‒25 days and from unsalted cheese samples for 10‒15 days, independently of the use of spices. Pasteurization and salt treatment made goat milk and cheese safely consumable. These two methods must be used when making any human food from goat milk to avoid milk-borne human TBEV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsuzsanna Rónai
- Molecular Biology Department, National Food Chain Safety Office, Veterinary Diagnostic Institute, Tábornok u 2, Budapest, 1143, Hungary
| | - László Egyed
- Institute for Veterinary Medical Research, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 18, Budapest, 1581, Hungary.
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20
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van Oort BEH, Hovelsrud GK, Risvoll C, Mohr CW, Jore S. A Mini-Review of Ixodes Ticks Climate Sensitive Infection Dispersion Risk in the Nordic Region. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E5387. [PMID: 32726948 PMCID: PMC7432026 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17155387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Climate change in the Nordic countries is projected to lead to both wetter and warmer seasons. This, in combination with associated vegetation changes and increased animal migration, increases the potential incidence of tick-borne diseases (TBD) where already occurring, and emergence in new places. At the same time, vegetation and animal management influence tick habitat and transmission risks. In this paper, we review the literature on Ixodes ricinus, the primary vector for TBD. Current and projected distribution changes and associated disease transmission risks are related to climate constraints and climate change, and this risk is discussed in the specific context of reindeer management. Our results indicate that climatic limitations for vectors and hosts, and environmental and societal/institutional conditions will have a significant role in determining the spreading of climate-sensitive infections (CSIs) under a changing climate. Management emerges as an important regulatory "tool" for tick and/or risk for disease transfer. In particular, shrub encroachment, and pasture and animal management, are important. The results underscore the need to take a seasonal view of TBD risks, such as (1) grazing and migratory (host) animal presence, (2) tick (vector) activity, (3) climate and vegetation, and (4) land and animal management, which all have seasonal cycles that may or may not coincide with different consequences of climate change on CSI migration. We conclude that risk management must be coordinated across the regions, and with other land-use management plans related to climate mitigation or food production to understand and address the changes in CSI risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bob E. H. van Oort
- CICERO Center for International Climate Research, P.O. Box 1129, Blindern, 0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Grete K. Hovelsrud
- Nord University and Nordland Research Institute, P.O. Box 1490, 8049 Bodø, Norway;
| | - Camilla Risvoll
- Nordland Research Institute, P.O. Box 1490, 8049 Bodø, Norway;
| | - Christian W. Mohr
- The Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, P.O. Box 115, 1431 Ås, Norway;
| | - Solveig Jore
- Norwegian Public Health Institute, P.O. Box 222 Skøyen, 0213 Oslo, Norway;
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21
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Kjær LJ, Soleng A, Edgar KS, Lindstedt HEH, Paulsen KM, Andreassen ÅK, Korslund L, Kjelland V, Slettan A, Stuen S, Kjellander P, Christensson M, Teräväinen M, Baum A, Klitgaard K, Bødker R. Predicting and mapping human risk of exposure to Ixodes ricinus nymphs using climatic and environmental data, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, 2016. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 24. [PMID: 30862329 PMCID: PMC6402176 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2019.24.9.1800101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BackgroundTick-borne diseases have become increasingly common in recent decades and present a health problem in many parts of Europe. Control and prevention of these diseases require a better understanding of vector distribution.AimOur aim was to create a model able to predict the distribution of Ixodes ricinus nymphs in southern Scandinavia and to assess how this relates to risk of human exposure.MethodsWe measured the presence of I. ricinus tick nymphs at 159 stratified random lowland forest and meadow sites in Denmark, Norway and Sweden by dragging 400 m transects from August to September 2016, representing a total distance of 63.6 km. Using climate and remote sensing environmental data and boosted regression tree modelling, we predicted the overall spatial distribution of I. ricinus nymphs in Scandinavia. To assess the potential public health impact, we combined the predicted tick distribution with human density maps to determine the proportion of people at risk.ResultsOur model predicted the spatial distribution of I. ricinus nymphs with a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 60%. Temperature was one of the main drivers in the model followed by vegetation cover. Nymphs were restricted to only 17.5% of the modelled area but, respectively, 73.5%, 67.1% and 78.8% of the human populations lived within 5 km of these areas in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.ConclusionThe model suggests that increasing temperatures in the future may expand tick distribution geographically in northern Europe, but this may only affect a small additional proportion of the human population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lene Jung Kjær
- Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Katrine Mørk Paulsen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo Norway.,Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Vivian Kjelland
- Sørlandet Hospital Health Enterprise, Research Unit, Kristiansand, Norway.,Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Audun Slettan
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Petter Kjellander
- Department of Ecology, Wildlife Ecology Unit, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö, Sweden
| | - Madeleine Christensson
- Department of Ecology, Wildlife Ecology Unit, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö, Sweden
| | - Malin Teräväinen
- Department of Ecology, Wildlife Ecology Unit, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö, Sweden
| | - Andreas Baum
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kirstine Klitgaard
- Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - René Bødker
- Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
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22
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Bilgin Z, Turan N, Cizmecigil UY, Altan E, Esatgil MU, Yilmaz A, Aydin O, Kocazeybek B, Richt JA, Yilmaz H. Investigation of Vector-Borne Viruses in Ticks, Mosquitos, and Ruminants in the Thrace District of Turkey. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:670-679. [PMID: 32397953 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a considerable increase in vector-borne zoonotic diseases around the world, including Turkey, such as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), tick borne encephalitis (TBE), Rift Valley fever (RVF), and West Nile fever (WNF), causing disease and death in humans and animals and significant economical losses. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of CCHF virus (CCHFV) and TBE virus (TBEV) in ticks and RVF virus (RVFV) and WNF virus (WNV) in mosquitos, as well as in sheep and cattle, in the Thrace district of the Marmara region, which borders Bulgaria and Greece. Buffy-coat samples from 86 cattle and 81 sheep, as well as 563 ticks and 7390 mosquitos, were collected and examined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR for the presence of CCHFV, TBEV, RVFV, and WNV. All buffy-coat samples from cattle and sheep were negative for these viruses. Similarly, all tick samples were negative for CCHFV-RNA and TBEV-RNA. Among 245 pools representing 7390 mosquitos, only 1 pool sample was found to be positive for WNV-RNA and was confirmed by sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that it was WNV lineage-2. No RVFV-RNA was detected in the 245 mosquito pools. In conclusion, results of this study indicate that CCHFV, TBEV, and RVFV are not present in livestock and respective vectors in the Thrace district of Marmara region of Turkey, whereas WNV-RNA was found in mosquitos from this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahide Bilgin
- Department of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nuri Turan
- Department of Virology, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Utku Y Cizmecigil
- Department of Virology, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Eda Altan
- Department of Virology, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Meltem Ulutas Esatgil
- Department of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Aysun Yilmaz
- Department of Virology, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ozge Aydin
- Department of Virology, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Bekir Kocazeybek
- Department of Microbiology, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Juergen A Richt
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Huseyin Yilmaz
- Department of Virology, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
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23
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Hauck D, Springer A, Chitimia-Dobler L, Strube C. Two-year monitoring of tick abundance and influencing factors in an urban area (city of Hanover, Germany). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101464. [PMID: 32723659 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ticks may transmit a variety of human and animal pathogens. Prevalence of Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in ticks has been monitored in the city of Hanover, Germany, since 2005. However, to determine the infection risk for humans and animals, not only pathogen prevalence, but also tick abundance and seasonality need to be taken into account. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate tick abundance at ten different collection sites in the city of Hanover, Germany. Collection of questing ticks was performed by the flagging method in the first and second half of each month during the tick season (April-October) in 2017 and 2018. At each 200 m² collection site, one of four 50 m² fields was sampled per visit on a rotational basis, resulting in 100 m² sampled per month. In addition, data on weather conditions, near-ground temperature, relative humidity and vegetation composition were noted at each collection event. In 2017, a total of 1770 ticks were collected, while 1866 ticks were collected in 2018. Ixodes ricinus was the most prevalent species (97.0 % of all ticks, 98.0 % of nymphs, 91.6 % of adults) followed by I. inopinatus (2.3 % of all ticks, 1.1 % of nymphs, 8.0 % of adults), I. frontalis (0.6 % of all ticks, 0.6 % of nymphs, 0.3 % of adults) and I. hexagonus (0.03 % of all ticks, 0.03 % of nymphs, 0.0 % of adults). Using generalized linear mixed modeling, density of I. ricinus and I. inopinatus in 2017 was significantly higher than in 2018. Regarding different landscape types, ticks were significantly more abundant in mixed forests than in parks, with more than 50 ticks/100 m² on average in both years. In urban parks, average tick density amounted to 15 ticks/100 m² in 2017 and 11 ticks/100 m² in 2018 and in broad-leaved forests average tick density was 13 and 18 ticks/100 m² in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Tick density showed a marked peak in June 2017 and in May 2018 at most sites, whereas a less pronounced peak was recognizable in September. Tick density varied considerably between collection sites. However, no statistically significant effect of (micro-)climatic variables, including near-ground temperature, relative humidity and saturation deficit, was found. Thus, further factors, such as the abundance of wildlife hosts, need to be considered in future studies to explain the differences between collection sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Hauck
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hanover, Germany
| | - Andrea Springer
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hanover, Germany
| | | | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hanover, Germany.
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24
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Management Options for Ixodes ricinus-Associated Pathogens: A Review of Prevention Strategies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17061830. [PMID: 32178257 PMCID: PMC7143654 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17061830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are important human and animal parasites and vectors of many infectious disease agents. Control of tick activity is an effective tool to reduce the risk of contracting tick-transmitted diseases. The castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) is the most common tick species in Europe. It is also a vector of the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis, which are two of the most important arthropod-borne diseases in Europe. In recent years, increases in tick activity and incidence of tick-borne diseases have been observed in many European countries. These increases are linked to many ecological and anthropogenic factors such as landscape management, climate change, animal migration, and increased popularity of outdoor activities or changes in land usage. Tick activity is driven by many biotic and abiotic factors, some of which can be effectively managed to decrease risk of tick bites. In the USA, recommendations for landscape management, tick host control, and tick chemical control are well-defined for the applied purpose of reducing tick presence on private property. In Europe, where fewer studies have assessed tick management strategies, the similarity in ecological factors influencing vector presence suggests that approaches that work in USA may also be applicable. In this article we review key factors driving the tick exposure risk in Europe to select those most conducive to management for decreased tick-associated risk.
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25
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Vikse R, Paulsen KM, Edgar KS, H-O Pettersson J, Ottesen PS, Okbaldet YB, Kiran N, Lamsal A, Lindstedt HEH, Pedersen BN, Soleng A, Andreassen ÅK. Geographical distribution and prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks and phylogeographic structure of the Ixodes ricinus vector in Norway. Zoonoses Public Health 2020; 67:370-381. [PMID: 32112526 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), a zoonotic flaviviral infection, is endemic in large parts of Norway and Eurasia. Humans are mainly infected with TBEV via bites from infected ticks. In Norway, the main geographical distribution of ticks is along the Norwegian coastline from southeast (~59°N) and up to the southern parts of Nordland County (~65°N). In this study, we collected ticks by flagging along the coast from Østfold County to Nordland County. By whole-genome sequencing of the mitochondrial genome of Ixodes ricinus, the phylogenetic tree suggests that there is limited phylogeographic structure both in Norway and in Europe. The overall TBEV prevalence is 0.3% for nymphs and 4.3% for adults. The highest estimated TBEV prevalence in adult ticks was detected in Rogaland and Vestfold County, while for nymphs it is highest in Vestfold, Vest-Agder and Rogaland. The present work is one of the largest studies on distribution and prevalence of TBEV in ticks in Scandinavia, showing that the virus is wider distributed in Norway than previously anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose Vikse
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin Skarsfjord Edgar
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - John H-O Pettersson
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Modelling, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology/Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Preben Skrede Ottesen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Yohannes Bein Okbaldet
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nosheen Kiran
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alaka Lamsal
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,University of South East Norway, Bø i Telemark, Norway
| | - Heidi Elisabeth H Lindstedt
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Benedikte Nevjen Pedersen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,University of South East Norway, Bø i Telemark, Norway
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,University of South East Norway, Bø i Telemark, Norway
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26
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Hvidsten D, Frafjord K, Gray JS, Henningsson AJ, Jenkins A, Kristiansen BE, Lager M, Rognerud B, Slåtsve AM, Stordal F, Stuen S, Wilhelmsson P. The distribution limit of the common tick, Ixodes ricinus, and some associated pathogens in north-western Europe. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101388. [PMID: 32122808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In north-western Europe, the common tick, Ixodes ricinus, is widely established, its distribution appears to be increasing and the spread of tick-borne diseases is of increasing concern. The project 'Flått i Nord' (Ticks in northern Norway) commenced in spring 2009 with the intention of studying the tick's distribution and that of its pathogens in northern Norway. Several methods were used: cloth-dragging, collecting from trapped small mammals, and collecting from pets. Since 2010, the occurrence of ticks in the region of northern Norway was determined directly by cloth-dragging 167 times in 109 separate locations between the latitudes of 64 °N and 70 °N (included seven locations in the northern part of Trøndelag County). The northernmost location of a permanent I. ricinus population was found to be Nordøyvågen (66.2204 °N, 12.59 °E) on the Island of Dønna. In a sample of 518 nymphal and adult ticks, the Borrelia prevalence collected close to this distribution limit varied but was low (1-15 %) compared with the locations in Trøndelag, south of the study area (15-27 %). Five specimens (1 %) were positive for Rickettsia helvetica. The length of the vegetation growing season (GSL) can be used as an approximate index for the presence of established populations of I. ricinus. The present study suggests that the threshold GSL for tick establishment is about 170 days, because the median GSL from 1991 to 2015 was 174-184 days at sites with permanent tick populations, showing a clear increase compared with the period 1961-1990. This apparent manifestation of climate change could explain the northward extension of the range of I. ricinus.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Hvidsten
- University Hospital of North Norway, Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Tromsø, Norway; Nordland Hospital, Division of Diagnostic Services, Department of Microbiology, Bodø, Norway.
| | - K Frafjord
- UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø University Museum, Tromsø, Norway
| | - J S Gray
- University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - A J Henningsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Jönköping, Region Jönköping County, AND Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - A Jenkins
- University of South-Eastern Norway, Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, Bø, Norway
| | | | - M Lager
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Jönköping, Region Jönköping County, AND Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - B Rognerud
- University of Oslo, Department of Geosciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - A M Slåtsve
- Nordland Hospital, Division of Diagnostic Services, Department of Microbiology, Bodø, Norway
| | - F Stordal
- University of Oslo, Department of Geosciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - S Stuen
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Section for Small Ruminants Research, Sandnes, Norway
| | - P Wilhelmsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Jönköping, Region Jönköping County, AND Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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27
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Paulsen KM, das Neves CG, Granquist EG, Madslien K, Stuen S, Pedersen BN, Vikse R, Rocchi M, Laming E, Stiasny K, Andreassen ÅK. Cervids as sentinel-species for tick-borne encephalitis virus in Norway - A serological study. Zoonoses Public Health 2019; 67:342-351. [PMID: 31855321 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). TBEV is one of the most important neurological pathogens transmitted by tick bites in Europe. The objectives of this study were to investigate the seroprevalence of TBE antibodies in cervids in Norway and the possible emergence of new foci, and furthermore to evaluate if cervids can function as sentinel animals for the distribution of TBEV in the country. Serum samples from 286 moose, 148 roe deer, 140 red deer and 83 reindeer from all over Norway were collected and screened for TBE immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies with a modified commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by TBEV serum neutralisation test (SNT). The overall seroprevalence against the TBEV complex in the cervid specimens from Norway was 4.6%. The highest number of seropositive cervids was found in south-eastern Norway, but seropositive cervids were also detected in southern- and central Norway. Antibodies against TBEV detected by SNT were present in 9.4% of the moose samples, 1.4% in red deer, 0.7% in roe deer, and nil in reindeer. The majority of the positive samples in our study originated from areas where human cases of TBE have been reported in Norway. The study is the first comprehensive screening of cervid species in Norway for antibodies to TBEV, and shows that cervids are useful sentinel animals to indicate TBEV occurrence, as supplement to studies in ticks. Furthermore, the results indicate that TBEV might be spreading northwards in Norway. This information may be of relevance for public health considerations and supports previous findings of TBEV in ticks in Norway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine M Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Erik G Granquist
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Benedikte N Pedersen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Rose Vikse
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mara Rocchi
- Virus Surveillance Unit, Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, Scotland, UK
| | - Ellie Laming
- Virus Surveillance Unit, Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, Scotland, UK
| | - Karin Stiasny
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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28
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Jung Kjær L, Soleng A, Edgar KS, Lindstedt HEH, Paulsen KM, Andreassen ÅK, Korslund L, Kjelland V, Slettan A, Stuen S, Kjellander P, Christensson M, Teräväinen M, Baum A, Klitgaard K, Bødker R. Predicting the spatial abundance of Ixodes ricinus ticks in southern Scandinavia using environmental and climatic data. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18144. [PMID: 31792296 PMCID: PMC6889419 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54496-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, focus on tick-borne diseases has increased as ticks and their pathogens have become widespread and represent a health problem in Europe. Understanding the epidemiology of tick-borne infections requires the ability to predict and map tick abundance. We measured Ixodes ricinus abundance at 159 sites in southern Scandinavia from August-September, 2016. We used field data and environmental variables to develop predictive abundance models using machine learning algorithms, and also tested these models on 2017 data. Larva and nymph abundance models had relatively high predictive power (normalized RMSE from 0.65–0.69, R2 from 0.52–0.58) whereas adult tick models performed poorly (normalized RMSE from 0.94–0.96, R2 from 0.04–0.10). Testing the models on 2017 data produced good results with normalized RMSE values from 0.59–1.13 and R2 from 0.18–0.69. The resulting 2016 maps corresponded well with known tick abundance and distribution in Scandinavia. The models were highly influenced by temperature and vegetation, indicating that climate may be an important driver of I. ricinus distribution and abundance in Scandinavia. Despite varying results, the models predicted abundance in 2017 with high accuracy. The models are a first step towards environmentally driven tick abundance models that can assist in determining risk areas and interpreting human incidence data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lene Jung Kjær
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark. .,Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Katrine Mørk Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Vivian Kjelland
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.,Sørlandet Hospital Health Enterprise, Research Unit, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Audun Slettan
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Petter Kjellander
- Department of Ecology, Wildlife Ecology Unit, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö, Sweden
| | - Madeleine Christensson
- Department of Ecology, Wildlife Ecology Unit, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö, Sweden
| | - Malin Teräväinen
- Department of Ecology, Wildlife Ecology Unit, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö, Sweden
| | - Andreas Baum
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kirstine Klitgaard
- Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - René Bødker
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.,Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
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29
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Hauck D, Springer A, Pachnicke S, Schunack B, Fingerle V, Strube C. Ixodes inopinatus in northern Germany: occurrence and potential vector role for Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in comparison with Ixodes ricinus. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:3205-3216. [PMID: 31720842 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06506-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
In 2014, a new tick species, Ixodes inopinatus, was described, which is closely related to Ixodes ricinus. So far, I. inopinatus has been found in Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Austria, and southern Germany. No data is yet available regarding occurrence of I. inopinatus in northern Germany and the potential role of I. inopinatus as a vector for tick-borne pathogens. Therefore, 3845 DNA samples from Ixodes ticks collected for prevalence studies on Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum during the years 2010-2015 in the northern German cities of Hamburg and Hanover were differentiated into I. ricinus or I. inopinatus by sequencing a part of the 16S rRNA gene. In total, 4% (137/3845) of the sequenced ticks were assigned to the species I. inopinatus and 96% (3708/3845) to I. ricinus. The prevalence of Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and A. phagocytophilum DNA in I. inopinatus was 34% (46/137), 46% (63/137), and 3% (4/137), respectively, whereas the prevalence of these bacteria in I. ricinus was 25% (919/3708), 47% (1729/3708), and 4% (135/3708), respectively. Compared with I. ricinus, significantly more I. inopinatus ticks tested positive for Borrelia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of I. inopinatus in northern Germany. Detection of the DNA of Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and A. phagocytophilum in questing I. inopinatus indicates a potential role of this tick species as a vector of these pathogens, which needs to be confirmed by transmission experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Hauck
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hanover, Germany
| | - Andrea Springer
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hanover, Germany
| | | | | | - Volker Fingerle
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Veterinärstraße 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hanover, Germany.
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30
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Pedersen BN, Jenkins A, Paulsen KM, Okbaldet YB, Edgar KS, Lamsal A, Soleng A, Andreassen ÅK. Distribution of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in Ixodes ricinus ticks along the coast of Norway: The western seaboard is a low-prevalence region. Zoonoses Public Health 2019; 67:130-137. [PMID: 31705635 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Neoehrlichia mikurensis is a tick-borne pathogen widespread among ticks and rodents in Europe and Asia. A previous study on Ixodes ricinus ticks in Norway suggested that N. mikurensis was scarce or absent on the south-west coast of Norway, but abundant elsewhere. The aim of this study was to further investigate the prevalence and distribution of N. mikurensis along the western seaboard of Norway in comparison with more eastern and northern areas. The second aim of the study was to examine seasonal variation of the bacterium in one specific location in the south-eastern part of Norway. Questing I. ricinus were collected from 13 locations along the coast of Norway, from Brønnøysund in Nordland County to Spjaerøy in Østfold County. In total, 11,113 nymphs in 1,113 pools and 718 individual adult ticks were analysed for N. mikurensis by real-time PCR. The mean prevalence of N. mikurensis in adult ticks was 7.9% while the estimated pooled prevalence in nymphs was 3.5%. The prevalence ranged from 0% to 25.5%, with the highest prevalence in the southernmost and the northernmost locations. The pathogen was absent, or present only at low prevalence (<5%), at eight locations, all located in the west, from 58.9°N to 64.9°N. The prevalence of N. mikurensis was significantly different between counties (p < .0001). No significant seasonal variation of N. mikurensis prevalence was observed in the period May to October 2015. Our results confirm earlier findings of a low prevalence of N. mikurensis in the western seaboard of Norway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikte N Pedersen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Andrew Jenkins
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.,Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Yohannes B Okbaldet
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin S Edgar
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alaka Lamsal
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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31
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Formińska K, Wołkowicz T, Brodzik K, Stefanoff P, Gołąb E, Masny A, Osiak B, Cieślik P, Bielawska-Drózd A, Zasada AA. Genetic diversity of Francisella tularensis in Poland with comments on MLVA genotyping and a proposition of a novel rapid v4-genotyping. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 11:101322. [PMID: 31711731 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101322] [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: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the genotypes of Francisella tularensis (F. tularensis) strains isolated in Poland during the period 1953-2013 and studied their genetic relationship to F. tularensis strains isolated in other countries using MLVA. We examined the mosquito and tick samples collected in Poland for the presence of F. tularensis DNA using PCR. Our results revealed a high genetic diversity among the strains of F. tularensis collected from Poland, suggesting that the bacterium is commonly found in the environment. However, we did not detect F. tularensis DNA in ticks and mosquitoes, showing that the arthropod bites might not be the main source of infection. We also propose the application of a practical assay called v4-genotyping that can be directly performed on the clinical and environmental samples. In addition, we discovered genetic variations among Schu S4 reference strains used in various laboratories and showed that MLVA analysis should not be based on amplicon sizes only because point mutations occurring within the MLVA loci might not always be manifested by a change in the amplicon size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Formińska
- National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Wołkowicz
- National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Klaudia Brodzik
- National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paweł Stefanoff
- National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Gołąb
- National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksander Masny
- National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Piotr Cieślik
- Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Puławy, Poland
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32
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Smura T, Tonteri E, Jääskeläinen A, von Troil G, Kuivanen S, Huitu O, Kareinen L, Uusitalo J, Uusitalo R, Hannila-Handelberg T, Voutilainen L, Nikkari S, Sironen T, Sane J, Castrén J, Vapalahti O. Recent establishment of tick-borne encephalitis foci with distinct viral lineages in the Helsinki area, Finland. Emerg Microbes Infect 2019; 8:675-683. [PMID: 31084456 PMCID: PMC6522972 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2019.1612279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Number of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases has increased and new foci have emerged in Finland during the last decade. We evaluated risk for locally acquired TBE in the capital region inhabited by 1.2 million people. We screened ticks and small mammals from probable places of TBE virus (TBEV) transmission and places without reported circulation. The TBEV positive samples were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Within the study period 2007–2017, there was a clear increase of both all TBE cases and locally acquired cases in the Helsinki area. The surveillance of ticks and small mammals for TBEV confirmed four distinct TBEV foci in the Helsinki area. All detected TBEV strains were of the European subtype. TBEV genome sequences indicated that distinct TBEV lineages circulate in each focus. Molecular clock analysis suggested that the virus lineages were introduced to these foci decades ago. In conclusion, TBE has emerged in the mainland of Helsinki area during the last decade, with at least four distinct virus lineages independently introduced into the region previously. Although the overall annual TBE incidence is below the threshold for recommending general vaccinations, the situation requires further surveillance to detect and prevent possible further emergence of local TBE clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teemu Smura
- a Department of Virology , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.,b Division of Clinical Microbiology , Helsinki University Hospital Laboratory Services (HUSLAB) , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Elina Tonteri
- c Centers for Military Medicine and Biothreat Preparedness , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Anu Jääskeläinen
- b Division of Clinical Microbiology , Helsinki University Hospital Laboratory Services (HUSLAB) , Helsinki , Finland
| | | | - Suvi Kuivanen
- a Department of Virology , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Otso Huitu
- e Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Lauri Kareinen
- a Department of Virology , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Joni Uusitalo
- a Department of Virology , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Ruut Uusitalo
- a Department of Virology , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.,f Department of Geosciences and Geography , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.,g Department of Veterinary Biosciences , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland
| | | | - Liina Voutilainen
- c Centers for Military Medicine and Biothreat Preparedness , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Simo Nikkari
- c Centers for Military Medicine and Biothreat Preparedness , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- a Department of Virology , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Jussi Sane
- h Department of Health Security, Infectious Disease Control and Vaccinations Unit , National Institute for Health and Welfare , Helsinki , Finland
| | | | - Olli Vapalahti
- a Department of Virology , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.,b Division of Clinical Microbiology , Helsinki University Hospital Laboratory Services (HUSLAB) , Helsinki , Finland.,g Department of Veterinary Biosciences , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland
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33
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Jenkins A, Raasok C, Pedersen BN, Jensen K, Andreassen Å, Soleng A, Edgar KS, Lindstedt HH, Kjelland V, Stuen S, Hvidsten D, Kristiansen BE. Detection of Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis in Norway up to the northern limit of Ixodes ricinus distribution using a novel real time PCR test targeting the groEL gene. BMC Microbiol 2019; 19:199. [PMID: 31462211 PMCID: PMC6714093 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1502-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis is an emerging tick-borne pathogen. It is widely distributed in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Europe, but knowledge of its distribution in Norway, where I. ricinus reaches its northern limit, is limited. In this study we have developed a real time PCR test for Ca. N. mikurensis and used it to investigate the distribution of Ca. N. mikurensis in Norway. RESULTS Real time PCR targeting the groEL gene was developed and shown to be highly sensitive. It was used to detect Ca. N. mikurensis in 1651 I. ricinus nymphs and adults collected from twelve locations in Norway, from the eastern Oslo Fjord in the south to near the Arctic Circle in the north. The overall prevalence was 6.5% and varied locally between 0 and 16%. Prevalence in adults and nymphs was similar, suggesting that ticks acquire Ca. N. mikurensis predominantly during their first blood meal. In addition, 123 larvae were investigated; Ca. N. mikurensis was not found in larvae, suggesting that transovarial transmission is rare or absent. Sequence analysis suggests that a single variant dominates in Norway. CONCLUSIONS Ca. N. mikurensis is widespread and common in ticks in Norway and reaches up to their northern limit near the Arctic Circle. Ticks appear to acquire Ca. N. mikurensis during their first blood meal. No evidence for transovarial transmission was found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Jenkins
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.
| | - Cecilie Raasok
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Present address: Nittedal Municipal Water and Drainage Authority, Nittedal, Norway
| | - Benedikte N Pedersen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Kristine Jensen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Present address: Telemark Trust Hospital, Section for Pathology, Skien, Norway
| | - Åshild Andreassen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Vivian Kjelland
- Department of Engineering and Science, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.,Sørlandet Trust Hospital Research Unit, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Dag Hvidsten
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bjørn-Erik Kristiansen
- Department of Process, Energy, and Environmental Technology, University of South-Eastern Norway, Porsgrunn, Norway
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34
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Kjær LJ, Soleng A, Edgar KS, Lindstedt HEH, Paulsen KM, Andreassen ÅK, Korslund L, Kjelland V, Slettan A, Stuen S, Kjellander P, Christensson M, Teräväinen M, Baum A, Isbrand A, Jensen LM, Klitgaard K, Bødker R. A large-scale screening for the taiga tick, Ixodes persulcatus, and the meadow tick, Dermacentor reticulatus, in southern Scandinavia, 2016. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:338. [PMID: 31288866 PMCID: PMC6617640 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3596-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The taiga tick, Ixodes persulcatus, has previously been limited to eastern Europe and northern Asia, but recently its range has expanded to Finland and northern Sweden. The species is of medical importance, as it, along with a string of other pathogens, may carry the Siberian and Far Eastern subtypes of tick-borne encephalitis virus. These subtypes appear to cause more severe disease, with higher fatality rates than the central European subtype. Until recently, the meadow tick, Dermacentor reticulatus, has been absent from Scandinavia, but has now been detected in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Dermacentor reticulatus carries, along with other pathogens, Babesia canis and Rickettsia raoultii. Babesia canis causes severe and often fatal canine babesiosis, and R. raoultii may cause disease in humans. We collected 600 tick nymphs from each of 50 randomly selected sites in Denmark, southern Norway and south-eastern Sweden in August–September 2016. We tested pools of 10 nymphs in a Fluidigm real time PCR chip to screen for I. persulcatus and D. reticulatus, as well as tick-borne pathogens. Of all the 30,000 nymphs tested, none were I. persulcatus or D. reticulatus. Our results suggest that I. persulcatus is still limited to the northern parts of Sweden, and have not expanded into southern parts of Scandinavia. According to literature reports and supported by our screening results, D. reticulatus may yet only be an occasional guest in Scandinavia without established populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lene Jung Kjær
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Katrine Mørk Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Vivian Kjelland
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.,Sørlandet Hospital Health Enterprise, Research Unit, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Audun Slettan
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Petter Kjellander
- Wildlife Ecology Unit, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö, Sweden
| | - Madeleine Christensson
- Wildlife Ecology Unit, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö, Sweden
| | - Malin Teräväinen
- Wildlife Ecology Unit, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö, Sweden
| | - Andreas Baum
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anastasia Isbrand
- Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Laura Mark Jensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Kirstine Klitgaard
- Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - René Bødker
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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35
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Kholodilov I, Belova O, Burenkova L, Korotkov Y, Romanova L, Morozova L, Kudriavtsev V, Gmyl L, Belyaletdinova I, Chumakov A, Chumakova N, Dargyn O, Galatsevich N, Gmyl A, Mikhailov M, Oorzhak N, Polienko A, Saryglar A, Volok V, Yakovlev A, Karganova G. Ixodid ticks and tick-borne encephalitis virus prevalence in the South Asian part of Russia (Republic of Tuva). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:959-969. [PMID: 31103456 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The most significant processes of arbovirus evolution can be expected to occur in the territories where ticks of different species cohabitate and at the boundaries of virus occurrence, where the probability of the appearance of new virus variants is high due to the possible shift in the main vectors and/or vertebrate hosts. One of the most interesting regions in this regard is the Republic of Tuva. Since most of its territory is covered by mountain ranges and intermountain basins, we were able to study the distribution of vectors and viruses in geographically isolated areas at different altitudes and in various landscapes. From 2008 to 2017, we conducted six expeditions to Tuva and collected 3,077 adult ticks and 24 nymphs. The distribution of tick species was confined to specific landscapes, as follows: Dermacentor nuttalli occurred in steppes, D. silvarum inhabited forest-steppe areas, and Ixodes persulcatus inhabited mixed forests. All three species of ticks were collected on plains and mountain slopes. The range of D. silvarum was shown to be lower than 1300 m above sea level (a.s.l.). Only D. nuttalli and I. persulcatus were collected at higher altitudes. According to our observations, single nymphs of D. nuttalli appear on animals one month before larvae appear. This finding confirms the hypothesis that the immature forms of D. nuttalli are able to overwinter under favourable conditions. We isolated 9 strains and 3 isolates of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) from I. persulcatus, one strain from D. nuttalli and one strain from D. silvarum. The TBEV strain from D. nuttalli was isolated from the territory inhabited only by Dermacentor ticks. All isolated strains belong to the Siberian subtype of TBEV. TBEV was detected in ticks from all the investigated altitudes. There were no statistically significant differences in the virus prevalence between the Dermacentor and Ixodes ticks. The results of our work provide additional support for the hypothesis of the existence of TBEV foci in areas with an absolute dominance of D. nuttalli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Kholodilov
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia.
| | - Oxana Belova
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "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, Malaya Pirogovskaya st., 20-1, Moscow 119435, Russia.
| | - Ludmila Burenkova
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia.
| | - Yuri Korotkov
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia.
| | - Lidiya Romanova
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia; I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Trubetskaya st., 8-2, Moscow 119991, Russia.
| | - Lola Morozova
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitic Diseases, Sechenov University, Trubetskaya st., 8-2, Moscow 119991, Russia.
| | - Vitalii Kudriavtsev
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia.
| | - Larissa Gmyl
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia.
| | - Ilmira Belyaletdinova
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia.
| | - Alexander Chumakov
- Tuvinian Antiplague Station of Rospotrebnadzor, Moskovskaya st., 13, Kyzyl 667010, Russia.
| | - Natalia Chumakova
- Tuvinian Antiplague Station of Rospotrebnadzor, Moskovskaya st., 13, Kyzyl 667010, Russia.
| | - Oyumaa Dargyn
- Tuva Republican Center for Disease Prevention and Control of AIDS and Infectious disease, Oyuna Kursedi st., 159A, Kyzyl 667003, Russia.
| | - Nina Galatsevich
- Tuvinian Antiplague Station of Rospotrebnadzor, Moskovskaya st., 13, Kyzyl 667010, Russia.
| | - Anatoly Gmyl
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia.
| | - Mikhail Mikhailov
- I. Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Malyy Kazennyy pereulok, 5a, Moscow 105064, Russia.
| | - Natalia Oorzhak
- Infectious disease hospital, Chekhova st., 65, Kyzyl 667003, Russia.
| | - Alexandra Polienko
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia.
| | - Anna Saryglar
- Infectious disease hospital, Chekhova st., 65, Kyzyl 667003, Russia.
| | - Viktor Volok
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Miklukho-Maklaya st., 6, Moscow 105064, Russia.
| | - Alexander Yakovlev
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia.
| | - Galina Karganova
- Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, poselenie Moskovskiy, Moscow 108819, Russia; I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Trubetskaya st., 8-2, Moscow 119991, Russia.
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Razanske I, Rosef O, Radzijevskaja J, Bratchikov M, Griciuviene L, Paulauskas A. Prevalence and co-infection with tick-borne Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. in red deer ( Cervus elaphus) and roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus) in Southern Norway. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2019; 8:127-134. [PMID: 30766793 PMCID: PMC6360459 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. are causative agents of tick-borne infections that are increasingly considered as a threat to animal and public health. To assess the role of cervids in the maintenance of zoonotic pathogens in Norway, we investigated the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. in free-ranging roe deer and red deer. Initial screening of spleen samples of 104 animals by multiplex real-time PCR targeting the major surface protein (msp2) gene and 18S rRNA revealed the presence of A. phagocytophilum infection in 81.1% red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 88.1% roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and Babesia spp. parasites in 64.9% red deer and 83.6% roe deer, respectively. Co-infections were found in 62.2% red deer and 79.9% roe deer. Nested PCR and sequence analysis of partial msp4 and 18S rRNA genes were performed for molecular characterization of A. phagocytophilum strains and Babesia species. A total of eleven A. phagocytophilum msp4 gene sequence variants were identified: five different variants were 100% identical to corresponding A. phagocytophilum sequences deposited in the GenBank database, while other six sequence variants had unique nucleotide polymorphisms. Sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA gene demonstrated the presence of multiple Babesia species, including Babesia capreoli, Babesia divergens, Babesia venatorum and Babesia odocoilei/Babesia cf. odocoilei. This study is the first report demonstrating the prevalence and molecular characterization of A. phagocytophilum strains and Babesia species in roe deer and red deer in Norway. The high infection and co-infection rates with A. phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. in red deer and roe deer suggest that these cervids may play an important role in the transmission of single and multiple pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Razanske
- Department of Biology, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos 8, LT -444404, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Olav Rosef
- Department of Biology, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos 8, LT -444404, Kaunas, Lithuania.,Rosef Field Research Station, Frolandsveien 2667, 4828, Mjåvatn, Norway
| | - Jana Radzijevskaja
- Department of Biology, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos 8, LT -444404, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Maksim Bratchikov
- Department of Biology, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos 8, LT -444404, Kaunas, Lithuania.,Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M.K. Čiurlionio 21, LT-03101, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Loreta Griciuviene
- Department of Biology, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos 8, LT -444404, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Algimantas Paulauskas
- Department of Biology, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos 8, LT -444404, Kaunas, Lithuania
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Paulsen KM, Stuen S, das Neves CG, Suhel F, Gurung D, Soleng A, Stiasny K, Vikse R, Andreassen ÅK, Granquist EG. Tick-borne encephalitis virus in cows and unpasteurized cow milk from Norway. Zoonoses Public Health 2018; 66:216-222. [PMID: 30593734 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is recognized as the most important zoonotic tick-transmitted virus in Europe. TBEV is mainly transmitted to humans through bites from TBEV-infected ticks (Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus). However, alimentary infection after consumption of unpasteurized milk and cheese from domestic ruminants has been reported. There is little information about TBEV in ruminants in Norway. The objectives of this study were to analyse unpasteurized cow milk for TBEV RNA and to study the presence of IgG antibodies to TBEV in the same animals. A total of 112 milk and blood samples were collected from cows from five different farms spread from southern to northern Norway. The milk samples were analysed by an in-house reverse transcription (RT) real-time polymerase chain reaction and confirmed by pyrosequencing. Serum samples were screened by a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and verified by a TBEV-specific serum neutralization test. We found TBEV RNA in unpasteurized milk collected from farms in the municipalities of Mandal, Skedsmo and Brønnøy in 5.4% of the tested animals. Specific antibodies to TBEV were only detected in Arendal, where 88.2% of the tested animals were positive. Further studies on milk containing TBEV RNA should be performed to conclude if TBEV found in unpasteurized milk in Norway is infectious, which could be of great importance in a One Health perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine M Paulsen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | | | | | - Deepa Gurung
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Karin Stiasny
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rose Vikse
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Erik G Granquist
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
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38
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Sormunen JJ, Klemola T, Hänninen J, Mäkelä S, Vuorinen I, Penttinen R, Sääksjärvi IE, Vesterinen EJ. The importance of study duration and spatial scale in pathogen detection-evidence from a tick-infested island. Emerg Microbes Infect 2018; 7:189. [PMID: 30482899 PMCID: PMC6258729 DOI: 10.1038/s41426-018-0188-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Ticks (Acari: Ixodoidea) are among the most common vectors of zoonotic pathogens worldwide. While research on tick-borne pathogens is abundant, few studies have thoroughly investigated small-scale spatial differences in their occurrence. Here, we used long-term cloth-dragging data of Ixodes ricinus and its associated, known and putative pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Bartonella spp., Babesia spp., and tick-borne encephalitis virus, TBEV) from a small, well-studied island in southwestern Finland to analyze potential temporal and spatial differences in pathogen prevalence and diversity between and within different biotopes. We found robust evidence indicating significant dissimilarities in B. burgdorferi s.l., A. phagocytophilum, Rickettsia, and Ca. N. mikurensis prevalence, even between proximal study areas on the island. Moreover, during the 6 years of the ongoing study, we witnessed the possible emergence of TBEV and Ca. N. mikurensis on the island. Finally, the stable occurrence of a protozoan pathogen that has not been previously reported in Finland, Babesia venatorum, was observed on the island. Our study underlines the importance of detailed, long-term tick surveys for public health. We propose that by more precisely identifying different environmental factors associated with the emergence and upkeep of enzootic pathogen populations through rigorous longitudinal surveys, we may be able to create more accurate models for both current and future pathogen distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jani Jukka Sormunen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland. .,Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Tero Klemola
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Jari Hänninen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu Mäkelä
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Ilppo Vuorinen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Ritva Penttinen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Eero Juhani Vesterinen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.,Deparment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
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39
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Lindqvist R, Upadhyay A, Överby AK. Tick-Borne Flaviviruses and the Type I Interferon Response. Viruses 2018; 10:E340. [PMID: 29933625 PMCID: PMC6071234 DOI: 10.3390/v10070340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses are globally distributed pathogens causing millions of human infections every year. Flaviviruses are arthropod-borne viruses and are mainly transmitted by either ticks or mosquitoes. Mosquito-borne flaviviruses and their interactions with the innate immune response have been well-studied and reviewed extensively, thus this review will discuss tick-borne flaviviruses and their interactions with the host innate immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lindqvist
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, SE-90185 Umeå, Sweden.
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Arunkumar Upadhyay
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, SE-90185 Umeå, Sweden.
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Anna K Överby
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, SE-90185 Umeå, Sweden.
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
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40
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Kjelland V, Paulsen KM, Rollum R, Jenkins A, Stuen S, Soleng A, Edgar KS, Lindstedt HH, Vaino K, Gibory M, Andreassen ÅK. Tick-borne encephalitis virus, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from recreational islands in southern Norway. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1098-1102. [PMID: 29678403 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of tick-borne pathogens of medical importance in questing ticks collected from five recreationally used islands along the Norwegian coastline. Furthermore, since coinfection may affect the disease severity, this study aimed to determine the extent of coinfection in individual ticks or co-localization of tick-borne pathogens. In all, 4158 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks were analyzed. For detection of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), nymphs (3690) were analyzed in pools of ten. To detect Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, B. miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, 468 nymphs were analyzed individually. A total of five nymph pools was infected with TBEV, giving an overall prevalence of 0.14%. In the individually analyzed ticks, B. burgdorferi s. l. (15.6%), Candidatus N. mikurensis (11%), A. phagocytophilum (1.4%) and B. miyamotoi (0.9%) were detected. Coinfection was found in 3.3% of the ticks, and the only dual infection observed was with B. afzelii and Candidatus N. mikurensis. This association was significantly higher than what would occur by random chance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Kjelland
- University of Agder, Faculty of Engineering Science, Department of Natural Sciences, Gimlemoen 25, NO-4630 Kristiansand, Norway; Sørlandet Hospital Health Enterprise, Research Unit, P. O. Box 416, NO-4604 Kristiansand, Norway.
| | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway; University College of Southeast Norway, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Gullbringveien 38, NO-3800 Boe, Norway
| | - Rikke Rollum
- University of Agder, Faculty of Engineering Science, Department of Natural Sciences, Gimlemoen 25, NO-4630 Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Andrew Jenkins
- University College of Southeast Norway, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Gullbringveien 38, NO-3800 Boe, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health, Kyrkjeveien 332/334, NO-4325 Sandnes, Norway
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin S Edgar
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Heidi H Lindstedt
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kirsti Vaino
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Moustafa Gibory
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway; University College of Southeast Norway, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Gullbringveien 38, NO-3800 Boe, Norway
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