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Giesen C, Cifo D, Gomez-Barroso D, Estévez-Reboredo RM, Figuerola J, Herrador Z. The Role of Environmental Factors in Lyme Disease Transmission in the European Union: A Systematic Review. Trop Med Infect Dis 2024; 9:113. [PMID: 38787046 PMCID: PMC11125681 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed9050113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lyme disease (LD) is an emergent vector-borne disease caused by Borrelia spp. and transmitted through infected ticks, mainly Ixodes spp. Our objective was to determine meteorological and environmental factors associated with LD transmission in Europe and the effect of climate change on LD. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines was performed. We selected studies on LD transmission in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) published between 2000 and 2022. The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database. RESULTS We included 81 studies. The impact of environmental, meteorological or climate change factors on tick vectors was studied in 65 papers (80%), and the impact on human LD cases was studied in 16 papers (19%), whereas animal hosts were only addressed in one study (1%). A significant positive relationship was observed between temperature and precipitation and the epidemiology of LD, although contrasting results were found among studies. Other positive factors were humidity and the expansion of anthropized habitats. CONCLUSIONS The epidemiology of LD seems to be related to climatic factors that are changing globally due to ongoing climate change. Unfortunately, the complete zoonotic cycle was not systematically analyzed. It is important to adopt a One Health approach to understand LD epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Giesen
- Centro de Salud Internacional Madrid Salud, Ayuntamiento de Madrid, 28006 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Daniel Cifo
- Escuela Nacional de Sanidad, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Diana Gomez-Barroso
- Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.G.-B.); (R.M.E.-R.)
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Rosa M. Estévez-Reboredo
- Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.G.-B.); (R.M.E.-R.)
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Zaida Herrador
- Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.G.-B.); (R.M.E.-R.)
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
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2
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Blažeková V, Stanko M, Sprong H, Kohl R, Zubriková D, Vargová L, Bona M, Miklisová D, Víchová B. Ixodiphagus hookeri (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ticks with Sympatric Occurrence (and Different Activities) in the Slovak Karst National Park (Slovakia), Central Europe. Pathogens 2024; 13:385. [PMID: 38787237 PMCID: PMC11123704 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are involved in the transmission a plethora of pathogens. To effectively control ticks and mitigate the risks associated with tick-borne diseases, it is important to implement tick control measures. These may include the use of acaricides as well as the development and implementation of an alternative, environmentally friendly tick management program that include practices such as habitat modification or establishing biological control. Ixodiphagus hookeri Howard is a tick-specific parasitoid wasp that predates on several species of ixodid ticks and could contribute to the control of the tick population. This work aimed to detect the presence of parasitoid wasps in ticks (Ixodidae) using genetic approaches. Several tick species of the genera Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, and Dermacentor, with a sympatric occurrence in the Slovak Karst National Park in southeastern Slovakia, were screened for the presence of wasps of the genus Ixodiphagus. The DNA of the parasitoids was detected in four tick species from three genera. This work presents the first molecular detection of parasitoids in two Dermacentor tick species, as well as the first molecular identification of Ixodiphagus wasps in Ixodes ricinus and Haemaphysalis concinna ticks from the Karst area. In the given area, it was observed that I. ricinus and H. concinna ticks are hyper-parasitized by wasps. Moreover, it was observed that wasps here can parasitize several tick species, some of which are of less significance for human and animal health (as they transmit fewer pathogens).
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Blažeková
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; (V.B.); (M.S.); (D.Z.); (L.V.); (D.M.)
- Department of Epizootiology, Parasitology and Protection of One Health, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 040 81 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Michal Stanko
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; (V.B.); (M.S.); (D.Z.); (L.V.); (D.M.)
- Institute of Zoology Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; (H.S.); (R.K.)
| | - Robert Kohl
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; (H.S.); (R.K.)
| | - Dana Zubriková
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; (V.B.); (M.S.); (D.Z.); (L.V.); (D.M.)
| | - Lucia Vargová
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; (V.B.); (M.S.); (D.Z.); (L.V.); (D.M.)
| | - Martin Bona
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Košice, Slovakia;
| | - Dana Miklisová
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; (V.B.); (M.S.); (D.Z.); (L.V.); (D.M.)
| | - Bronislava Víchová
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; (V.B.); (M.S.); (D.Z.); (L.V.); (D.M.)
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3
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Haring V, Jacob J, Walther B, Trost M, Stubbe M, Mertens-Scholz K, Melzer F, Scuda N, Gentil M, Sixl W, Schäfer T, Stanko M, Wolf R, Pfeffer M, Ulrich RG, Obiegala A. White-Toothed Shrews (Genus Crocidura): Potential Reservoirs for Zoonotic Leptospira spp. and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens? Pathogens 2023; 12:781. [PMID: 37375471 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060781] [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: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Three species of white-toothed shrews of the order Eulipotyphla are present in central Europe: the bicolored (Crocidura leucodon), greater (Crocidura russula) and lesser (Crocidura suaveolens) white-toothed shrews. Their precise distribution in Germany is ill-defined and little is known about them as reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens (Leptospira spp., Coxiella burnetii, Brucella spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia spp., Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Bartonella spp.). We investigated 372 Crocidura spp. from Germany (n = 341), Austria (n = 18), Luxembourg (n = 2) and Slovakia (n = 11). West European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) were added to compare the presence of pathogens in co-occurring insectivores. Crocidura russula were distributed mainly in western and C. suaveolens mainly in north-eastern Germany. Crocidura leucodon occurred in overlapping ranges with the other shrews. Leptospira spp. DNA was detected in 28/227 C. russula and 2/78 C. leucodon samples. Further characterization revealed that Leptospira kirschneri had a sequence type (ST) 100. Neoehrlichia mikurensis DNA was detected in spleen tissue from 2/213 C. russula samples. Hedgehogs carried DNA from L. kirschneri (ST 100), L. interrogans (ST 24), A. phagocytophilum and two Bartonella species. This study improves the knowledge of the current distribution of Crocidura shrews and identifies C. russula as carrier of Leptospira kirschneri. However, shrews seem to play little-to-no role in the circulation of the arthropod-borne pathogens investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Haring
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Rodent Research, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Bernd Walther
- Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Rodent Research, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Trost
- Dezernat Artenschutz, Staatliche Vogelschutzwarte und CITES, Landesamt für Umweltschutz Sachsen-Anhalt, Reideburger Straße 47, 06116 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Michael Stubbe
- Zentralmagazin Naturwissenschaftlicher Sammlungen, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Domplatz 4, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Katja Mertens-Scholz
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Falk Melzer
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Nelly Scuda
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Eggenreuther Weg 43, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michaela Gentil
- Laboklin GmbH & Co.KG, Steubenstrasse 4, 97688 Bad Kissingen, Germany
| | - Wolfdieter Sixl
- Institute of Hygiene, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Tanja Schäfer
- Wildtierhilfe Schäfer e.V., Waldstraße 275, 63071 Offenbach, Germany
| | - Michal Stanko
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Ronny Wolf
- Institute of Biology, Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 41-43, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 41-43, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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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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5
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The Surveillance of Borrelia Species in Camelus dromedarius and Associated Ticks: The First Detection of Borrelia miyamotoi in Egypt. Vet Sci 2023; 10:vetsci10020141. [PMID: 36851446 PMCID: PMC9961693 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10020141] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are emerging and re-emerging infections that have a worldwide impact on human and animal health. Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a severe zoonotic disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) transmitted to humans by the bite of infected Ixodes ticks. Borrelia miyamotoi is a spirochete that causes relapsing fever (RF) and is genetically related to Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. However, there have been no reports of B. miyamotoi in Egypt, and the data on LB in camels is scarce. Thus, the present study was conducted to screen and genetically identify Borrelia spp. and B. miyamotoi in Egyptian camels and associated ticks using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). METHODS A total of 133 blood samples and 1596 adult hard ticks were collected from Camelus dromedaries at Cairo and Giza slaughterhouses in Egypt. Tick species were identified by examining their morphology and sequencing the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. Borrelia spp. was detected using nested PCR on the IGS (16S-23S) gene, and positive samples were genotyped using 16S rRNA and glpQ spp. genes specific for Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia miyamotoi, respectively. The positive PCR products were sequenced and analyzed by phylogenetic tree. RESULTS Analysis of the cox1 gene sequence revealed that the adult ticks belonged to three genera; Hyalomma (H), Amblyomma (Am), and Rhipicephalus (R), as well as 12 species, including H. dromedarii, H. marginatum, H. excavatum, H. anatolicum, R. annulatus, R. pulchellus, Am. testudinarium, Am. hebraeum, Am. lipidium, Am. variegatum, Am. cohaerens and Am. gemma. Borrelia spp. was found in 8.3% (11/133) of the camel blood samples and 1.3% (21/1596) of the ticks, respectively. Sequencing of the IGS (16S-23S) gene found that B. afzelii, detected from H. dromedarii and H. marginatum, and B. crocidurae, which belongs to the RF group, was detected from one blood sample. B. burgdorferi and B. miyamotoi were discovered in the blood samples and tick species. Phylogenetic analysis of the glpQ gene showed that the B. miyamotoi in this study was of the Asian and European types. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the camels can be infected by Lyme borrelia and other Borrelia bacteria species. This study also provides the first insight into the presence of Borrelia miyamotoi and B. afzelii DNA in camels and associated ticks in Egypt.
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6
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Cleveland DW, Anderson CC, Brissette CA. Borrelia miyamotoi: A Comprehensive Review. Pathogens 2023; 12:267. [PMID: 36839539 PMCID: PMC9967256 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in the Northern Hemisphere and is the causative agent of Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD). Borrelia miyamotoi is vectored by the same hard-bodied ticks as Lyme disease Borrelia, yet phylogenetically groups with relapsing fever Borrelia, and thus, has been uniquely labeled a hard tick-borne relapsing fever Borrelia. Burgeoning research has uncovered new aspects of B. miyamotoi in human patients, nature, and the lab. Of particular interest are novel findings on disease pathology, prevalence, diagnostic methods, ecological maintenance, transmission, and genetic characteristics. Herein, we review recent literature on B. miyamotoi, discuss how findings adapt to current Borrelia doctrines, and briefly consider what remains unknown about B. miyamotoi.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Catherine A. Brissette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
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7
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New challenges posed by ticks and tick-borne diseases. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01097-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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8
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Sonnberger BW, Wortha LN, Rackl D, Obwaller AG, Joachim A, Fuehrer HP. Vector Surveillance and Pathogen Detection in the Working Areas of Military Working Dogs in Eastern Austria. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11050506. [PMID: 35631026 PMCID: PMC9143989 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11050506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases play a major role in human and veterinary medicine worldwide. A previous study detected asymptomatic vector-borne pathogens in military working dogs stationed at a military base in eastern Austria, and a follow-up survey of potential arthropod vectors was conducted in spring 2019 and 2020 in the vicinity of the base to evaluate the presence of vectors and their carrier status for a range of canine and zoonotic pathogens. A total of 1324 ticks (nymphs and adults of Ixodes ricinus, comprising 92.9% of the collected specimens, and adults of Haemaphysalis inermis, a tick previously only rarely described in Austria, Haemaphysalis concinna, and Dermacentor reticulatus) were collected by flagging. In 44.1% (125/284) of all pools (n = 284), one infectious agent was found; in 27.8% (79/284) and in 1.1% (3/284), two and three different agents, respectively, could be identified. Overall, 72.9% of the pools contained at least one pathogen (Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., and Babesia microti). Borrelia mijamotoi, B. lustinaniae, and B. microti were previously only described in single cases in Austria. Mosquitoes were collected with BG-Sentinel traps monthly during the summer of 2019. A total of 71 individuals from 11 species were collected. No filarioid DNA was detected in the mosquito sample pools, although Dirofilaria repens had been present in the dogs from the military site. In conclusion, vector surveillance should be combined with the surveillance of an exposed population whenever possible to estimate the infection risks for dogs and their handlers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard W. Sonnberger
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (B.W.S.); (L.N.W.); (A.J.)
- Office of the State Government of Upper Austria, Department of Food Security and Veterinary Affairs, Directorate Social Affairs and Health, 4021 Linz, Austria
| | - Licha N. Wortha
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (B.W.S.); (L.N.W.); (A.J.)
| | - Dietmar Rackl
- Veterinary Service, Joint Support Command, Federal Ministry of Defense, 1120 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Adelheid G. Obwaller
- Research and Development, Division of Science, Federal Ministry of Defense, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Anja Joachim
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (B.W.S.); (L.N.W.); (A.J.)
| | - Hans-Peter Fuehrer
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (B.W.S.); (L.N.W.); (A.J.)
- Correspondence:
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9
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Jakab Á, Kahlig P, Kuenzli E, Neumayr A. Tick borne relapsing fever - a systematic review and analysis of the literature. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010212. [PMID: 35171908 PMCID: PMC8887751 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a zoonosis caused by various Borrelia species transmitted to humans by both soft-bodied and (more recently recognized) hard-bodied ticks. In recent years, molecular diagnostic techniques have allowed to extend our knowledge on the global epidemiological picture of this neglected disease. Nevertheless, due to the patchy occurrence of the disease and the lack of large clinical studies, the knowledge on several clinical aspects of the disease remains limited. In order to shed light on some of these aspects, we have systematically reviewed the literature on TBRF and summarized the existing data on epidemiology and clinical aspects of the disease. Publications were identified by using a predefined search strategy on electronic databases and a subsequent review of the reference lists of the obtained publications. All publications reporting patients with a confirmed diagnosis of TBRF published in English, French, Italian, German, and Hungarian were included. Maps showing the epidemiogeographic mosaic of the different TBRF Borrelia species were compiled and data on clinical aspects of TBRF were analysed. The epidemiogeographic mosaic of TBRF is complex and still continues to evolve. Ticks harbouring TBRF Borrelia have been reported worldwide, with the exception of Antarctica and Australia. Although only molecular diagnostic methods allow for species identification, microscopy remains the diagnostic gold standard in most clinical settings. The most suggestive symptom in TBRF is the eponymous relapsing fever (present in 100% of the cases). Thrombocytopenia is the most suggestive laboratory finding in TBRF. Neurological complications are frequent in TBRF. Treatment is with beta-lactams, tetracyclines or macrolids. The risk of Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction (JHR) appears to be lower in TBRF (19.3%) compared to louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) (55.8%). The overall case fatality rate of TBRF (6.5%) and LBRF (4-10.2%) appears to not differ. Unlike LBRF, where perinatal fatalities are primarily attributable to abortion, TBRF-related perinatal fatalities appear to primarily affect newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ákos Jakab
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Kahlig
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Esther Kuenzli
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Neumayr
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
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10
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Bubanová D, Majláth I, Vargová B, Pipová N, Szekeres S, Majláthová V. Prevalence of relapsing fever spirochete
Borrelia miyamotoi
in
Ixodes ricinus
ticks from eastern Slovakia. Zoonoses Public Health 2022; 69:242-247. [DOI: 10.1111/zph.12914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Igor Majláth
- Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice Košice Slovak Republic
| | - Blažena Vargová
- Applied Research Center University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice Kosice Slovak Republic
| | - Natália Pipová
- Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice Košice Slovak Republic
| | - Sándor Szekeres
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest Hungary
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Ticks and their epidemiological role in Slovakia: from the past till present. Biologia (Bratisl) 2021; 77:1575-1610. [PMID: 34548672 PMCID: PMC8446484 DOI: 10.1007/s11756-021-00845-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
In Slovakia, 22 tick species have been found to occur to date. Among them, Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus, D. marginatus and marginally Haemaphysalis concinna, H. inermis and H. punctata have been identified as the species of public health relevance. Ticks in Slovakia were found to harbour and transmit zoonotic and/or potentially zoonotic agents such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), spirochaetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex, the relapsing fever sprirochaete Borrelia miyamotoi, bacteria belonging to the orders Rickettsiales (Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Neoehrlichia mikurensis), Legionellales (Coxiella burnetii), and Thiotrichales (Francisella tularensis), and Babesia spp. parasites (order Piroplasmida). Ixodes ricinus is the principal vector of the largest variety of microorganisms including viruses, bacteria and piroplasms. TBEV, B. burgdorferi s.l., rickettsiae of the spotted fever group, C. burnetii and F. tularensis have been found to cause serious diseases in humans, whereas B. miyamotoi, A. phagocytophilum, N. mikurensis, Babesia microti, and B. venatorum pose lower or potential risk to humans. Distribution of TBEV has a focal character. During the last few decades, new tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) foci and their spread to new areas have been registered and TBE incidence rates have increased. Moreover, Slovakia reports the highest rates of alimentary TBE infections among the European countries. Lyme borreliosis (LB) spirochaetes are spread throughout the distribution range of I. ricinus. Incidence rates of LB have shown a slightly increasing trend since 2010. Only a few sporadic cases of human rickettsiosis, anaplasmosis and babesiosis have been confirmed thus far in Slovakia. The latest large outbreaks of Q fever and tularaemia were recorded in 1993 and 1967, respectively. Since then, a few human cases of Q fever have been reported almost each year. Changes in the epidemiological characteristics and clinical forms of tularaemia have been observed during the last few decades. Global changes and development of modern molecular tools led to the discovery and identification of emerging or new tick-borne microorganisms and symbionts with unknown zoonotic potential. In this review, we provide a historical overview of research on ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Slovakia with the most important milestones and recent findings, and outline future directions in the investigation of ticks as ectoparasites and vectors of zoonotic agents and in the study of tick-borne diseases.
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Dwużnik-Szarek D, Mierzejewska EJ, Alsarraf M, Alsarraf M, Bajer A. Pathogens detected in the tick Haemaphysalis concinna in Western Poland: known and unknown threats. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 84:769-783. [PMID: 34379235 PMCID: PMC8367898 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00647-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, a new focus of the relict tick Haemaphysalis concinna was discovered in Western Poland, near Wolsztyn, Greater Poland voivodeship. This species may play an important role in the circulation of pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. In the present study we tested 880 juvenile ticks collected from rodents, including 427 H. concinna, 443 Ixodes ricinus and 10 Dermacentor reticulatus for three of the most common pathogens vectored by ticks in Poland: Rickettsia and Babesia spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Additionally, molecular techniques were applied for accurate identification of tick host species (the voles Microtus and Alexandromys). Our study found differences in the range and prevalence of vectored pathogens between the three tick species. DNA of all three pathogens was found in I. ricinus. In juvenile H. concinna, DNA of Babesia microti, Borrelia afzelii and Rickettsia sp. was identified. Moreover, DNA of a new unnamed Babesia species related to B. crassa, was found in two H. concinna nymphs. This genotype of Babesia was previously identified in H. concinna in the Far East and then in Central Europe. DNA of Rickettsia raoulti and B. afzelii was detected in D. reticulatus nymphs. Among rodent hosts, Alexandromys oeconomus seems to be host of the highest significance for juvenile tick stages and was the only host species with B. afzelii detected in blood samples. Using phylogenetic methods, we confirmed a clear division between rodents from the genera Microtus and Alexandromys. Moreover, we found that A. oeconomus trapped in Western Poland clustered with a Central European A. oeconomus allopatric phylogroup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Dwużnik-Szarek
- Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Ewa Julia Mierzejewska
- Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mohammed Alsarraf
- Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mustafa Alsarraf
- Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Bajer
- Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
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Ouarti B, Hamzaoui BE, Stanko M, Laroche M, Mediannikov O, Parola P, Sekeyová Z. Detection of Rickettsia raoultii in Dermacentor reticulatus and Haemaphysalis inermis ticks in Slovakia. Biologia (Bratisl) 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-021-00789-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractTicks are vector arthropods responsible for the transmission of several pathogenic agents that affect both human and animal health worldwide. In this study our objective was to analyse, using molecular tools, the bacterial community of Dermacentor reticulatus and Haemaphysalis inermis ticks collected in south-eastern Slovakia. Using real-time PCR, we identified the presence of Rickettsia spp. DNA at levels of 14/59 (23.72 %) and 29/173 (16.76 %) in D. reticulatus and H. inermis, respectively. In addition, using standard PCR and sequencing, we identified the presence of Rickettsia raoultii DNA in 13 ticks belonging to the two investigated species. Rickettsia raoultii blast results revealed an average identification percentage of 99.62 %. Following the results of this molecular study there is a possibility that D. reticulatus and H. inermis play a potential role in the transmission of R. raoultii. To prove the possibility of validity of this hypothesis, we suggest performing experimental models in future studies. Our results can serve as preliminary data for future transmission models.
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Ixodiphagus hookeri wasps (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) in two sympatric tick species Ixodes ricinus and Haemaphysalis concinna (Ixodida: Ixodidae) in the Slovak Karst (Slovakia): ecological and biological considerations. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11310. [PMID: 34050233 PMCID: PMC8163793 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90871-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Ixodiphagus endoparasitoid wasps are natural tick enemies that can reduce their abundance. In this study, we investigated the presence of Ixodiphagus hookeri in Haemaphysalis concinna and Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Slovak Karst (southern Slovakia) and analysed the ecological and physiological relationships in the parasitoid-host system. Unfed H. concinna and I. ricinus nymphs harvested from vegetation were fed on rabbits. The engorged specimens were kept at 25 °C and 75% RH until the emergence of the adult wasps. For the first time in Europe, we found the presence of I. hookeri in two species of ticks collected in the same locality and compared their development in these tick species. The prevalence of wasps in H. concinna and I. ricinus during their spring activity was estimated at 10.64% and 27.78%, respectively. The presence of the wasps did not affect the duration of nymph feeding. Engorged wasp-infected ticks achieved higher body mass than non-infected specimens. In both tick species, there were no differences in the length of the development period and the number and sex ratio of adult I. hookeri. The analysed indicators and characteristics of the I. hookeri wasp-tick system can be used in research on tick control.
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Abstract
With one exception (epidemic relapsing fever), borreliae are obligately maintained in nature by ticks. Although some Borrelia spp. may be vertically transmitted to subsequent generations of ticks, most require amplification by a vertebrate host because inheritance is not stable. Enzootic cycles of borreliae have been found globally; those receiving the most attention from researchers are those whose vectors have some degree of anthropophily and, thus, cause zoonoses such as Lyme disease or relapsing fever. To some extent, our views on the synecology of the borreliae has been dominated by an applied focus, viz., analyses that seek to understand the elements of human risk for borreliosis. But, the elements of borrelial perpetuation do not necessarily bear upon risk, nor do our concepts of risk provide the best structure for analyzing perpetuation. We identify the major global themes for the perpetuation of borreliae, and summarize local variations on those themes, focusing on key literature to outline the factors that serve as the basis for the distribution and abundance of borreliae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam R. Telford
- Dept of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA
| | - Heidi K. Goethert
- Dept of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA
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