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Bakker JW, Esser HJ, Sprong H, Godeke GJ, Hoornweg TE, de Boer WF, Pijlman GP, Koenraadt CJM. Differential susceptibility of geographically distinct Ixodes ricinus populations to tick-borne encephalitis virus and louping ill virus. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2321992. [PMID: 38484290 PMCID: PMC10946273 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2024.2321992] [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] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is an emerging pathogen in the Netherlands. Multiple divergent viral strains are circulating and the focal distribution of TBEV remains poorly understood. This may, however, be explained by differences in the susceptibility of tick populations for specific viruses and viral strains, and by viral strains having higher infection success in their local tick population. We investigated this hypothesis by exposing Dutch Ixodes ricinus ticks to two different TBEV strains: TBEV-NL from the Netherlands and TBEV-Neudoerfl from Austria. In addition, we exposed ticks to louping Ill virus (LIV), which is endemic to large parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland, but has not been reported in the Netherlands. Ticks were collected from two locations in the Netherlands: one location without evidence of TBEV circulation and one location endemic for the TBEV-NL strain. Ticks were infected in a biosafety level 3 laboratory using an artificial membrane feeding system. Ticks collected from the region without evidence of TBEV circulation had lower infection rates for TBEV-NL as compared to TBEV-Neudoerfl. Vice versa, ticks collected from the TBEV-NL endemic region had higher infection rates for TBEV-NL compared to TBEV-Neudoerfl. In addition, LIV infection rates were much lower in Dutch ticks compared to TBEV, which may explain why LIV is not present in the Netherlands. Our findings show that ticks from two distinct geographical populations differ in their susceptibility to TBEV strains, which could be the result of differences in the genetic background of the tick populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian W. Bakker
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Helen J. Esser
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Gert-Jan Godeke
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Tabitha E. Hoornweg
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Willem F. de Boer
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Gorben P. Pijlman
- Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Ebert CL, Söder L, Kubinski M, Glanz J, Gregersen E, Dümmer K, Grund D, Wöhler AS, Könenkamp L, Liebig K, Knoll S, Hellhammer F, Topp AK, Becher P, Springer A, Strube C, Nagel-Kohl U, Nordhoff M, Steffen I, Bauer BU, Ganter M, Feige K, Becker SC, Boelke M. Detection and Characterization of Alongshan Virus in Ticks and Tick Saliva from Lower Saxony, Germany with Serological Evidence for Viral Transmission to Game and Domestic Animals. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11030543. [PMID: 36985117 PMCID: PMC10055853 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The newly discovered group of Jingmenviruses has been shown to infect a wide range of hosts and has been associated with febrile illness in humans. During a survey for Jingmenviruses in ticks from Lower Saxony, Germany, Alongshan virus (ALSV) was identified in Ixodes spp. ticks. Additional virus screenings revealed the presence of ALSV in the bodies and saliva of ticks collected at several locations in Lower Saxony. Vector competence studies that included Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus validated the replication of ALSV within those tick species. In vitro feeding experiments with ALSV-injected Ixodes ricinus demonstrated effective viral transmission during blood feeding. To evaluate the potential viral transmission during a natural blood meal, sera from wild game and domestic animals were investigated. One serum sample from a red deer was found to be positive for ALSV RNA, while serological screenings in game and domestic animals revealed the presence of ALSV-specific antibodies at different locations in Lower Saxony. Overall, those results demonstrate the broad distribution of ALSV in ticks in Lower Saxony and hypothesize frequent exposure to animals based on serological investigations. Hence, its potential risk to human and animal health requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Leonie Ebert
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Lars Söder
- Institute of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Mareike Kubinski
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Julien Glanz
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Eva Gregersen
- Institute of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Katrin Dümmer
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Domenic Grund
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Ann-Sophie Wöhler
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Laura Könenkamp
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Katrin Liebig
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Steffen Knoll
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Fanny Hellhammer
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Anna-Katharina Topp
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Paul Becher
- Institute of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, 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
| | - Uschi Nagel-Kohl
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), Food and Veterinary Institute Braunschweig/Hannover, Eintrachtweg 17, 30173 Hanover, Germany
| | - Marcel Nordhoff
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), Food and Veterinary Institute Oldenburg, Philosophenweg 38, 26121 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Imke Steffen
- Institute for Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Benjamin Ulrich Bauer
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hanover, Germany
| | - Martin Ganter
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hanover, Germany
| | - Karsten Feige
- Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 9, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Stefanie C. Becker
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Correspondence: (S.C.B.); (M.B.); Tel.: +49-511-953-8717 (S.C.B.)
| | - Mathias Boelke
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Correspondence: (S.C.B.); (M.B.); Tel.: +49-511-953-8717 (S.C.B.)
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Gonzalez G, Bournez L, Moraes RA, Marine D, Galon C, Vorimore F, Cochin M, Nougairède A, Hennechart-Collette C, Perelle S, Leparc-Goffart I, Durand GA, Grard G, Bénet T, Danjou N, Blanchin M, Lacour SA, Franck B, Chenut G, Mainguet C, Simon C, Brémont L, Zientara S, Moutailler S, Martin-Latil S, Dheilly NM, Beck C, Lecollinet S. A One-Health Approach to Investigating an Outbreak of Alimentary Tick-Borne Encephalitis in a Non-endemic Area in France (Ain, Eastern France): A Longitudinal Serological Study in Livestock, Detection in Ticks, and the First Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Isolation and Molecular Characterisation. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:863725. [PMID: 35479640 PMCID: PMC9037541 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.863725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus’ (TBEV) geographic range and the human incidence are increasing throughout Europe, putting a number of non-endemic regions and countries at risk of outbreaks. In spring 2020, there was an outbreak of tick-born encephalitis (TBE) in Ain, Eastern France, where the virus had never been detected before. All patients but one had consumed traditional unpasteurised raw goat cheese from a local producer. We conducted an investigation in the suspected farm using an integrative One Health approach. Our methodology included (i) the detection of virus in cheese and milk products, (ii) serological testing of all animals in the suspected farm and surrounding farms, (iii) an analysis of the landscape and localisation of wooded area, (iv) the capture of questing ticks and small mammals for virus detection and estimating enzootic hazard, and (v) virus isolation and genome sequencing. This approach allowed us to confirm the alimentary origin of the TBE outbreak and witness in real-time the seroconversion of recently exposed individuals and excretion of virus in goat milk. In addition, we identified a wooded focus area where and around which there is a risk of TBEV exposure. We provide the first TBEV isolate responsible for the first alimentary-transmitted TBE in France, obtained its full-length genome sequence, and found that it belongs to the European subtype of TBEV. TBEV is now a notifiable human disease in France, which should facilitate surveillance of its incidence and distribution throughout France.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Gonzalez
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR VIROLOGIE, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Laure Bournez
- ANSES, Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, Malzéville, France
| | - Rayane Amaral Moraes
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR VIROLOGIE, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Dumarest Marine
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR VIROLOGIE, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Clémence Galon
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Fabien Vorimore
- Bacterial Zoonosis Unit, Laboratory for Animal Health, ANSES Maisons-Alfort, Paris-Est University, Paris, France
| | - Maxime Cochin
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Aix-Marseille Univ-IRD 190-Inserm 1207-IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Antoine Nougairède
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Aix-Marseille Univ-IRD 190-Inserm 1207-IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | | | - Sylvie Perelle
- ANSES Laboratory for Food Safety, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Isabelle Leparc-Goffart
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Aix-Marseille Univ-IRD 190-Inserm 1207-IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.,French National Reference Centre for Arbovirus, Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, Marseille, France
| | - Guillaume André Durand
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Aix-Marseille Univ-IRD 190-Inserm 1207-IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.,French National Reference Centre for Arbovirus, Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, Marseille, France
| | - Gilda Grard
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Aix-Marseille Univ-IRD 190-Inserm 1207-IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.,French National Reference Centre for Arbovirus, Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, Marseille, France
| | - Thomas Bénet
- Santé Publique France, French Public Health Agency, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Office, Lyon, France
| | - Nathalie Danjou
- Regional Health Agency (Agence Régionale de Santé), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Lyon, France
| | - Martine Blanchin
- Regional Health Agency (Agence Régionale de Santé), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Lyon, France
| | - Sandrine A Lacour
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR VIROLOGIE, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Boué Franck
- ANSES, Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, Malzéville, France
| | - Guillaume Chenut
- Local Health Authority, Direction Départementale de la Protection de la Population de l'Ain, Bourg-en-Bresse, France
| | - Catherine Mainguet
- Local Health Authority, Direction Départementale de la Protection de la Population de l'Ain, Bourg-en-Bresse, France
| | - Catherine Simon
- Local Health Authority, Direction Départementale de la Protection de la Population de l'Ain, Bourg-en-Bresse, France
| | - Laurence Brémont
- Local Health Authority, Direction Départementale de la Protection de la Population de l'Ain, Bourg-en-Bresse, France
| | - Stephan Zientara
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR VIROLOGIE, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sara Moutailler
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sandra Martin-Latil
- ANSES Laboratory for Food Safety, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Nolwenn M Dheilly
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR VIROLOGIE, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Cécile Beck
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR VIROLOGIE, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sylvie Lecollinet
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR VIROLOGIE, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
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Bravo C, Castells VB, Zietek-Gutsch S, Bodin PA, Molony C, Frühwein M. Using social media listening and data mining to understand travellers' perspectives on travel disease risks and vaccine-related attitudes and behaviours. J Travel Med 2022; 29:6515801. [PMID: 35085399 PMCID: PMC8944297 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taac009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Travellers can access online information to research and plan their expeditions/excursions, and seek travel-related health information. We explored German travellers' attitude and behaviour toward vaccination, and their travel-related health information seeking activities. METHODS We used two approaches: web 'scraping' of comments on German travel-related sites and an online survey. 'Scraping' of travel-related sites was undertaken using keywords/synonyms to identify vaccine- and disease-related posts. The raw unstructured text extracted from online comments was converted to a structured dataset using Natural Language Processing Techniques. Traveller personas were defined using K-means based on the online survey results, with cluster (i.e. persona) descriptions made from the most discriminant features in a distinguished set of observations. The web-scraped profiles were mapped to the personas identified. Travel and vaccine-related behaviours were described for each persona. RESULTS We identified ~2.6 million comments; ~880 k were unique and mentioned ~280 k unique trips by ~65 k unique profiles. Most comments were on destinations in Europe (37%), Africa (21%), Southeast Asia (12%) and the Middle East (11%). Eight personas were identified: 'middle-class family woman', 'young woman travelling with partner', 'female globe-trotter', 'upper-class active man', 'single male traveller', 'retired traveller', 'young backpacker', and 'visiting friends and relatives'. Purpose of travel was leisure in 82-94% of profiles, except the 'visiting friends and relatives' persona. Malaria and rabies were the most commented diseases with 12.7 k and 6.6 k comments, respectively. The 'middle-class family woman' and the 'upper-class active man' personas were the most active in online conversations regarding endemic disease and vaccine-related topics, representing 40% and 19% of comments, respectively. Vaccination rates were 54%-71% across the traveller personas in the online survey. Reasons for vaccination reluctance included perception of low risk to disease exposure (21%), price (14%), fear of side effects (12%) and number of vaccines (11%). CONCLUSIONS The information collated on German traveller personas and behaviours toward vaccinations should help guide counselling by healthcare professionals.
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Evaluation of two artificial infection methods of live ticks as tools for studying interactions between tick-borne viruses and their tick vectors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:491. [PMID: 35017574 PMCID: PMC8752753 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04498-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Up to 170 tick-borne viruses (TBVs) have been identified to date. However, there is a paucity of information regarding TBVs and their interaction with respective vectors, limiting the development of new effective and urgently needed control methods. To overcome this gap of knowledge, it is essential to reproduce transmission cycles under controlled laboratory conditions. In this study we assessed an artificial feeding system (AFS) and an immersion technique (IT) to infect Ixodes ricinus ticks with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Kemerovo (KEM) virus, both known to be transmitted predominantly by ixodid ticks. Both methods permitted TBEV acquisition by ticks and we further confirmed virus trans-stadial transmission and onward transmission to a vertebrate host. However, only artificial feeding system allowed to demonstrate both acquisition by ticks and trans-stadial transmission for KEMV. Yet we did not observe transmission of KEMV to mice (IFNAR-/- or BALB/c). Artificial infection methods of ticks are important tools to study tick-virus interactions. When optimally used under laboratory settings, they provide important insights into tick-borne virus transmission cycles.
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Incidence and occurrence of tick-borne encephalitis and neuroborreliosis in Germany. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 13:101867. [PMID: 34936972 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101867] [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: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Given the nationwide distribution of the vector, Ixodes ricinus, both neuroborreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) might be expected to occur throughout Germany. However, cases of neuroborreliosis and TBE have so far only been reported in certain German states and counties. The aim of this survey therefore was to investigate the possible occurrence of TBE in regions not designated as known risk areas and the spread and incidence of neuroborreliosis throughout Germany. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire which was sent to 305 neurological clinics in Germany. Only twenty-two of them (7.2%) participated in a prospective, and 52 (17%) in a retrospective survey, therefore the significance of the study is limited. Cases of TBE were detected in five counties (Barnim, Dessau-Roßlau, Western Pomerania-Ruegen, Saarbruecken, Uckermark) that were not known so far as areas of risk according to the definition of the German Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI). The median incidence of TBE in various counties was 1.24 cases with a range from 0.19 to 20 cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year. Illnesses from neuroborreliosis were reported from all 61 counties, where clinics participated in the study. The incidence here varied between 0.19 and 23.4 cases with a median of 3.0 cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year. In areas where both diseases occurred, their incidence differed greatly from each other. The survey shows the occurrence of TBE in several counties in eastern Germany that are not defined as risk areas by the RKI and an incidence of neuroborreliosis in Germany that is significantly higher than reported to the public health authorities.
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Dwużnik-Szarek D, Mierzejewska EJ, Bajer A. Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:536. [PMID: 34649613 PMCID: PMC8518239 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05039-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Two populations of Dermacentor reticulatus ticks (Western and Eastern) in Poland are among the most dynamic tick populations in Central Europe. Expansion and settlement of ticks in new localizations depend on the presence of suitable hosts, for both adult and juvenile ticks. Methods The current study was planned to complement our previous studies on questing adult ticks and was focused on a collection of juvenile D. reticulatus ticks from rodents from three regions in Poland, defined by the presence/absence of adult ticks (regions of the Western and Eastern tick population and the gap area between them) to confirm the existence of stable populations. Rodent trapping was conducted in open habitats (fallow lands, wasteland and submerged meadows) in 2016–2018 in June, July and/or August to encompass seasonal peaks of larvae and nymph activity. Results Altogether, three tick species were collected, 2866 D. reticulatus, 2141 Ixodes ricinus and 427 Haemaphysalis concinna. Dermacentor reticulatus was the most common (72.3%) and abundant (mean 17.94 ± 2.62 ticks/rodent) tick species on rodents from the Eastern region; in the Western region infestation of rodents was only 6.8%. Ixodes ricinus was found in all three regions and was the only tick species collected from rodents from the gap area. Haemaphysalis concinna was noted only in the Western region. The highest infestation of juvenile D. reticulatus was recorded on voles (Myodes and Microtus spp.), infestation of I. ricinus was the highest on Apodemus mice, and the majority of H. concinna ticks were collected from root voles Alexandromys oeconomus. Conclusions Our study confirmed a stable population of D. reticulatus in Eastern and Central Poland and a lower prevalence and mean abundance of this tick species among rodents from the Western region. A lack of juvenile D. reticulatus on rodents in Niewiadów confirmed the existence of the gap area, free of D. reticulatus ticks. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05039-z.
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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
| | - 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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Banović P, Díaz-Sánchez AA, Galon C, Foucault-Simonin A, Simin V, Mijatović D, Papić L, Wu-Chuang A, Obregón D, Moutailler S, Cabezas-Cruz A. A One Health approach to study the circulation of tick-borne pathogens: A preliminary study. One Health 2021; 13:100270. [PMID: 34141849 PMCID: PMC8188046 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) have complex life cycles involving tick vectors and vertebrate hosts. However, there is limited empirical evidence on the zoonotic circulation of TBPs. In this study, we used a One Health approach to study the possible circulation of TBPs in ticks, animals and humans within a rural household in the foothills of the Fruška Gora mountain, northern Serbia. The presence of TBP DNA was assessed using microfluidic PCR (25 bacterial species, 7 parasite species, 5 bacterial genera, 3 parasite genera) in animal, human and tick samples and the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) RNA was screened for using RT-qPCR on tick samples. In addition, Lyme borreliosis serology was assessed in patients sera. Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ixodes ricinus ticks were identified on dogs and Haemaphysalis punctata was identified on house walls. Rickettsia helvetica was the most common pathogen detected in pooled R. sanguineus and I. ricinus tick samples, followed by Hepatozoon canis. None of the H. punctata tick samples tested positive for the presence of TBPs. Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia monacensis were the most frequent pathogens detected in dogs, followed by Rickettsia felis, whereas Anaplasma bovis was the only pathogen found in one of the goats tested. None of the human blood samples collected from family members tested positive for the presence of TBPs. Although microfluidic PCR did not detect Borrelia sp. in any of the tested tick or blood samples, a family member with a history of Lyme disease was seropositive for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). We conclude that, despite the presence of TBPs in tick and vertebrate reservoirs, there is no evidence of infection with TBPs across various components of the epidemiological chain in a rural Fruška Gora household.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Banović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia.,Department of Microbiology with Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
| | - Adrian Alberto Díaz-Sánchez
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Clemence Galon
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
| | - Angélique Foucault-Simonin
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
| | - Verica Simin
- Department for Microbiological & Other Diagnostics, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
| | - Dragana Mijatović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
| | - Luka Papić
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
| | - Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
| | - Dasiel Obregón
- School of Environmental Sciences University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.,Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo 13400-970, Brazil
| | - Sara Moutailler
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
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9
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Liebig K, Boelke M, Grund D, Schicht S, Bestehorn-Willmann M, Chitimia-Dobler L, Dobler G, Jung K, Becker SC. The Stable Matching Problem in TBEV Enzootic Circulation: How Important Is the Perfect Tick-Virus Match? Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010196. [PMID: 33477924 PMCID: PMC7833397 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), like other arthropod-transmitted viruses, depends on specific vectors to complete its enzootic cycle. It has been long known that Ixodes ricinus ticks constitute the main vector for TBEV in Europe. In contrast to the wide distribution of the TBEV vector, the occurrence of TBEV transmission is focal and often restricted to a small parcel of land, whereas surrounding areas with seemingly similar habitat parameters are free of TBEV. Thus, the question arises which factors shape this focal distribution of TBEV in the natural habitat. To shed light on factors driving TBEV-focus formation, we used tick populations from two TBEV-foci in Lower Saxony and two TBEV-foci from Bavaria with their respective virus isolates as a showcase to analyze the impact of specific virus isolate-tick population relationships. Using artificial blood feeding and field-collected nymphal ticks as experimental means, our investigation showed that the probability of getting infected with the synonymous TBEV isolate as compared to the nonsynonymous TBEV isolate was elevated but significantly higher only in one of the four TBEV foci. More obviously, median viral RNA copy numbers were significantly higher in the synonymous virus–tick population pairings. These findings may present a hint for a coevolutionary adaptation of virus and tick populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Liebig
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (K.L.); (M.B.); (D.G.); (S.S.)
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonosis, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Mathias Boelke
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (K.L.); (M.B.); (D.G.); (S.S.)
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonosis, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Domenic Grund
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (K.L.); (M.B.); (D.G.); (S.S.)
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonosis, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Sabine Schicht
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (K.L.); (M.B.); (D.G.); (S.S.)
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hanover, Germany
| | - Malena Bestehorn-Willmann
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937 Munich, Germany; (M.B.-W.); (L.C.-D.); (G.D.)
| | - Lidia Chitimia-Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937 Munich, Germany; (M.B.-W.); (L.C.-D.); (G.D.)
| | - Gerhard Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937 Munich, Germany; (M.B.-W.); (L.C.-D.); (G.D.)
| | - Klaus Jung
- Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany;
| | - Stefanie C. Becker
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hanover, Germany; (K.L.); (M.B.); (D.G.); (S.S.)
- Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonosis, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-9538717
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