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Jore S, Viljugrein H, Hjertqvist M, Dub T, Mäkelä H. Outdoor recreation, tick borne encephalitis incidence and seasonality in Finland, Norway and Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021). Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2023; 13:2281055. [PMID: 38187169 PMCID: PMC10769561 DOI: 10.1080/20008686.2023.2281055] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
During the pandemic outdoor activities were encouraged to mitigate transmission risk while providing safe spaces for social interactions. Human behaviour, which may favour or disfavour, contact rates between questing ticks and humans, is a key factor impacting tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) incidence. We analyzed annual and weekly TBE cases in Finland, Norway and Sweden from 2010 to 2021 to assess trend, seasonality, and discuss changes in human tick exposure imposed by COVID-19. We compared the pre-pandemic incidence (2010-2019) with the pandemic incidence (2020-2021) by fitting a generalized linear model (GLM) to incidence data. Pre-pandemic incidence was 1.0, 0.29 and 2.8 for Finland, Norway and Sweden, respectively, compared to incidence of 2.2, 1.0 and 3.9 during the pandemic years. However, there was an increasing trend for all countries across the whole study period. Therefore, we predicted the number of cases in 2020/2021 based on a model fitted to the annual cases in 2010-2019. The incidences during the pandemic were 1.3 times higher for Finland, 1.7 times higher for Norway and no difference for Sweden. When social restrictions were enforced to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 there were profound changes in outdoor recreational behavior. Future consideration of public health interventions that promote outdoor activities may increase exposure to vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solveig Jore
- Zoonotic, Food & Waterborne Infections, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo, Norway
| | - Hildegunn Viljugrein
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Norway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Norway
| | - Marika Hjertqvist
- Department of Communicable Disease Control and Health Protection, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
| | - Timothée Dub
- Infectious Disease Control and Vaccinations Unit, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Henna Mäkelä
- Infectious Disease Control and Vaccinations Unit, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
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2
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Dagostin F, Tagliapietra V, Marini G, Cataldo C, Bellenghi M, Pizzarelli S, Cammarano RR, Wint W, Alexander NS, Neteler M, Haas J, Dub T, Busani L, Rizzoli A. Ecological and environmental factors affecting the risk of tick-borne encephalitis in Europe, 2017 to 2021. Euro Surveill 2023; 28:2300121. [PMID: 37855903 PMCID: PMC10588310 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2023.28.42.2300121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundTick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a disease which can lead to severe neurological symptoms, caused by the TBE virus (TBEV). The natural transmission cycle occurs in foci and involves ticks as vectors and several key hosts that act as reservoirs and amplifiers of the infection spread. Recently, the incidence of TBE in Europe has been rising in both endemic and new regions.AimIn this study we want to provide comprehensive understanding of the main ecological and environmental factors that affect TBE spread across Europe.MethodsWe searched available literature on covariates linked with the circulation of TBEV in Europe. We then assessed the best predictors for TBE incidence in 11 European countries by means of statistical regression, using data on human infections provided by the European Surveillance System (TESSy), averaged between 2017 and 2021.ResultsWe retrieved data from 62 full-text articles and identified 31 different covariates associated with TBE occurrence. Finally, we selected eight variables from the best model, including factors linked to vegetation cover, climate, and the presence of tick hosts.DiscussionThe existing literature is heterogeneous, both in study design and covariate types. Here, we summarised and statistically validated the covariates affecting the variability of TBEV across Europe. The analysis of the factors enhancing disease emergence is a fundamental step towards the identification of potential hotspots of viral circulation. Hence, our results can support modelling efforts to estimate the risk of TBEV infections and help decision-makers implement surveillance and prevention campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Dagostin
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Valentina Tagliapietra
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Giovanni Marini
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Claudia Cataldo
- Centre for Gender-specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Bellenghi
- Centre for Gender-specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Scilla Pizzarelli
- Knowledge Unit (Documentation, Library), Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - William Wint
- Environmental Research Group Oxford Ltd, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Timothée Dub
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Luca Busani
- Centre for Gender-specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Annapaola Rizzoli
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy
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3
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Fatal Case of Imported Tick-Borne Encephalitis in South Serbia. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7120434. [PMID: 36548689 PMCID: PMC9784870 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7120434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is vaccine-preventable neglected zoonotic neuroinvasive disease, caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Many of the Central and Eastern European countries are affected by TBE, which is often poorly perceived by tourists visiting endemic territories. Here we are reporting a fatal case of imported TBE in Serbian resident who was exposed to a tick bite during a visit to Switzerland.
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4
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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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5
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Banović P, Díaz-Sánchez AA, Đurić S, Sević S, Turkulov V, Lendak D, Mikić SS, Simin V, Mijatović D, Bogdan I, Potkonjak A, Savić S, Obregón D, Cabezas-Cruz A. Unexpected TBEV Seropositivity in Serbian Patients Who Recovered from Viral Meningitis and Encephalitis. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11030371. [PMID: 35335695 PMCID: PMC8951648 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11030371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) causes a life-threatening disease named Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). The clinical symptoms associated with TBE range from non-specific to severe inflammation of the central nervous system and are very similar to the clinical presentation of other viral meningitis/encephalitis. In consequence, TBE is often misclassified by clinical physicians, mainly in the non-identified high-risk areas where none or only a few TBE cases have been reported. Considering this situation, we hypothesized that among persons from northern Serbia who recovered from viral meningitis or encephalitis, there would be evidence of TBEV infection. To test this hypothesis, in this observational study, we evaluated the seroreactivity against TBEV antigens in patients from northern Serbia who were hospitalized due to viral meningitis and/or viral encephalitis of unknown etiology. Three cases of seroreactivity to TBEV antigens were discovered among convalescent patients who recovered from viral meningitis and/or encephalitis and accepted to participate in the study (n = 15). The clinical and laboratory findings of these patients overlap with that of seronegative convalescent patients. Although TBE has been a notifiable disease in Serbia since 2004, there is no active TBE surveillance program for the serologic or molecular screening of TBEV infection in humans in the country. This study highlights the necessity to increase the awareness of TBE among physicians and perform active and systematic screening of TBEV antibodies among patients with viral meningitis and/or encephalitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Banović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Prevention of Rabies and Other Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
- Department of Microbiology with Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
- Correspondence: (P.B.); (A.C.-C.)
| | | | - Selena Đurić
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
| | - Siniša Sević
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Vesna Turkulov
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Dajana Lendak
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Sandra Stefan Mikić
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Verica Simin
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Dragana Mijatović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Prevention of Rabies and Other Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Ivana Bogdan
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Aleksandar Potkonjak
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Sara Savić
- Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Dasiel Obregón
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
- Correspondence: (P.B.); (A.C.-C.)
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6
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Broeckel RM, Feldmann F, McNally KL, Chiramel AI, Sturdevant GL, Leung JM, Hanley PW, Lovaglio J, Rosenke R, Scott DP, Saturday G, Bouamr F, Rasmussen AL, Robertson SJ, Best SM. A pigtailed macaque model of Kyasanur Forest disease virus and Alkhurma hemorrhagic disease virus pathogenesis. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009678. [PMID: 34855915 PMCID: PMC8638978 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Kyasanur Forest disease virus (KFDV) and the closely related Alkhurma hemorrhagic disease virus (AHFV) are emerging flaviviruses that cause severe viral hemorrhagic fevers in humans. Increasing geographical expansion and case numbers, particularly of KFDV in southwest India, class these viruses as a public health threat. Viral pathogenesis is not well understood and additional vaccines and antivirals are needed to effectively counter the impact of these viruses. However, current animal models of KFDV pathogenesis do not accurately reproduce viral tissue tropism or clinical outcomes observed in humans. Here, we show that pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) infected with KFDV or AHFV develop viremia that peaks 2 to 4 days following inoculation. Over the course of infection, animals developed lymphocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated liver enzymes. Infected animals exhibited hallmark signs of human disease characterized by a flushed appearance, piloerection, dehydration, loss of appetite, weakness, and hemorrhagic signs including epistaxis. Virus was commonly present in the gastrointestinal tract, consistent with human disease caused by KFDV and AHFV where gastrointestinal symptoms (hemorrhage, vomiting, diarrhea) are common. Importantly, RNAseq of whole blood revealed that KFDV downregulated gene expression of key clotting factors that was not observed during AHFV infection, consistent with increased severity of KFDV disease observed in this model. This work characterizes a nonhuman primate model for KFDV and AHFV that closely resembles human disease for further utilization in understanding host immunity and development of antiviral countermeasures.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Chlorocebus aethiops
- Cytokines/blood
- Disease Models, Animal
- Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
- Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
- Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
- Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
- Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/pathology
- Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/virology
- Female
- HEK293 Cells
- Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral/immunology
- Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral/pathology
- Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral/virology
- Humans
- Lymph Nodes/virology
- Macaca nemestrina
- Vero Cells
- Viremia
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M. Broeckel
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Friederike Feldmann
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Kristin L. McNally
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Abhilash I. Chiramel
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Gail L. Sturdevant
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline M. Leung
- Research Technologies Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Patrick W. Hanley
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Jamie Lovaglio
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Rebecca Rosenke
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Dana P. Scott
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Greg Saturday
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Fadila Bouamr
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Angela L. Rasmussen
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Shelly J. Robertson
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Sonja M. Best
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Stiasny K, Santonja I, Holzmann H, Essl A, Stanek G, Kundi M, Heinz FX. The regional decline and rise of tick-borne encephalitis incidence do not correlate with Lyme borreliosis, Austria, 2005 to 2018. EURO SURVEILLANCE : BULLETIN EUROPEEN SUR LES MALADIES TRANSMISSIBLES = EUROPEAN COMMUNICABLE DISEASE BULLETIN 2021; 26. [PMID: 34477056 PMCID: PMC8414957 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2021.26.35.2002108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Background Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is a human pathogen that is expanding its endemic zones in Europe, emerging in previously unaffected regions. In Austria, increasing incidence in alpine regions in the west has been countered by a decline in traditional endemic areas to the east of the country. Aim To shed light on the cause of this disparity, we compared the temporal changes of human TBE incidences in all federal provinces of Austria with those of Lyme borreliosis (LB), which has the same tick vector and rodent reservoir. Methods This comparative analysis was based on the surveillance of hospitalised TBE cases by the National Reference Center for TBE and on the analysis of hospitalised LB cases from hospital discharge records across all of Austria from 2005 to 2018. Results The incidences of the two diseases and their annual fluctuations were not geographically concordant. Neither the decline in TBE in the eastern lowlands nor the increase in western alpine regions is paralleled by similar changes in the incidence of LB. Conclusion The discrepancy between changes in incidence of TBE and LB support the contributions of virus-specific factors beyond the mere availability of tick vectors and/or human outdoor activity, which are a prerequisite for the transmission of both diseases. A better understanding of parameters controlling human pathogenicity and the maintenance of TBE virus in its natural vector−host cycle will generate further insights into the focal nature of TBE and can potentially improve forecasts of TBE risk on smaller regional scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Stiasny
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Isabel Santonja
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Astrid Essl
- Astrid Eßl Consulting-Gesundheitsforschung, Wiener Neustadt, Austria.,GfK Austria Healthcare, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerold Stanek
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Kundi
- Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Franz X Heinz
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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8
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Agudelo M, Palus M, Keeffe JR, Bianchini F, Svoboda P, Salát J, Peace A, Gazumyan A, Cipolla M, Kapoor T, Guidetti F, Yao KH, Elsterová J, Teislerová D, Chrdle A, Hönig V, Oliveira T, West AP, Lee YE, Rice CM, MacDonald MR, Bjorkman PJ, Růžek D, Robbiani DF, Nussenzweig MC. Broad and potent neutralizing human antibodies to tick-borne flaviviruses protect mice from disease. J Exp Med 2021; 218:e20210236. [PMID: 33831141 PMCID: PMC8040517 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20210236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is an emerging human pathogen that causes potentially fatal disease with no specific treatment. Mouse monoclonal antibodies are protective against TBEV, but little is known about the human antibody response to infection. Here, we report on the human neutralizing antibody response to TBEV in a cohort of infected and vaccinated individuals. Expanded clones of memory B cells expressed closely related anti-envelope domain III (EDIII) antibodies in both groups of volunteers. However, the most potent neutralizing antibodies, with IC50s below 1 ng/ml, were found only in individuals who recovered from natural infection. These antibodies also neutralized other tick-borne flaviviruses, including Langat, louping ill, Omsk hemorrhagic fever, Kyasanur forest disease, and Powassan viruses. Structural analysis revealed a conserved epitope near the lateral ridge of EDIII adjoining the EDI-EDIII hinge region. Prophylactic or early therapeutic antibody administration was effective at low doses in mice that were lethally infected with TBEV.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/genetics
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/genetics
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology
- Antibodies, Viral/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Viral/genetics
- Antibodies, Viral/immunology
- Cells, Cultured
- Cohort Studies
- Cross Reactions/immunology
- Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/drug effects
- Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
- Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/physiology
- Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
- Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
- Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/virology
- Epitopes/immunology
- Female
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin G/administration & dosage
- Immunoglobulin G/immunology
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
- Survival Analysis
- Viral Envelope Proteins/genetics
- Viral Envelope Proteins/immunology
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Agudelo
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Martin Palus
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jennifer R. Keeffe
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
| | - Filippo Bianchini
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Pavel Svoboda
- Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Salát
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Avery Peace
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Anna Gazumyan
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Melissa Cipolla
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Tania Kapoor
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Francesca Guidetti
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Kai-Hui Yao
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Jana Elsterová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Aleš Chrdle
- Hospital České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK
| | - Václav Hönig
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Thiago Oliveira
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Anthony P. West
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
| | - Yu E. Lee
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
| | - Charles M. Rice
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Margaret R. MacDonald
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Pamela J. Bjorkman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
| | - Daniel Růžek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Davide F. Robbiani
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Michel C. Nussenzweig
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
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9
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Banović P, Obregón D, Mijatović D, Simin V, Stankov S, Budakov-Obradović Z, Bujandrić N, Grujić J, Sević S, Turkulov V, Díaz-Sánchez AA, Cabezas-Cruz A. Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Seropositivity among Tick Infested Individuals in Serbia. Pathogens 2021; 10:301. [PMID: 33807559 PMCID: PMC8001322 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), caused by the TBE virus (TBEV), is a life-threatening disease with clinical symptoms ranging from non-specific to severe inflammation of the central nervous system. Despite TBE is a notifiable disease in Serbia since 2004, there is no active TBE surveillance program for the serologic or molecular screening of TBEV infection in humans in the country. This prospective cohort study aimed to assess the TBEV exposure among tick-infested individuals in Serbia during the year 2020. A total of 113 individuals exposed to tick bites were recruited for the study and screened for anti-TBEV antibodies using a commercial indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA) test. Blood samples from 50 healthy donors not exposed to tick bites were included as a control group. Most of the enrolled patients reported infestations with one tick, being I. ricinus the most frequent tick found in the participants. The TBEV seroprevalence was higher (13.27%, 15 total 113) in tick-infested individuals than in healthy donors (4%, 2 total 50), although the difference was not significant. Notably, male individuals exposed to tick bites showed five times higher relative risk (RR) of being TBEV-seropositive than healthy donors of the same gender (RR= 5.1, CI = 1.6-19; p = 0.007). None of the seropositive individuals developed clinical manifestations of TBE, but the first clinical-stage of Lyme borreliosis (i.e., erythema migrans) was detected in seven of them. Potential TBEV foci were identified in rural areas, mostly in proximity or within the Fruška Gora mountain. We conclude that the Serbian population is at high risk of TBEV exposure. Further epidemiological studies should focus on potential TBEV foci identified in this study. The implementation of active surveillance for TBEV might contribute to evaluating the potential negative impact of TBE in Serbia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Banović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
| | - Dasiel Obregón
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
- Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP 13400-970, Brazil
| | - Dragana Mijatović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Verica Simin
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (V.S.); (S.S.)
| | - Srdjan Stankov
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (V.S.); (S.S.)
| | - Zorana Budakov-Obradović
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Blood Transfusion Institute Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Nevenka Bujandrić
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Blood Transfusion Institute Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Jasmina Grujić
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Blood Transfusion Institute Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Siniša Sević
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Vesna Turkulov
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | | | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
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10
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Dub T, Ollgren J, Huusko S, Uusitalo R, Siljander M, Vapalahti O, Sane J. Game Animal Density, Climate, and Tick-Borne Encephalitis in Finland, 2007-2017. Emerg Infect Dis 2020; 26:2899-2906. [PMID: 33219653 PMCID: PMC7706931 DOI: 10.3201/eid2612.191282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an endemic infection of public health importance in Finland. We investigated the effect of ecologic factors on 2007-2017 TBE trends. We obtained domestic TBE case data from the National Infectious Diseases Register, weather data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and data from the Natural Resources Institute in Finland on mammals killed by hunters yearly in game management areas. We performed a mixed-effects time-series analysis with time lags on weather and animal parameters, adding a random effect to game management areas. During 2007-2017, a total of 395/460 (86%) domestic TBE cases were reported with known place of exposure and date of sampling. Overall, TBE incidence increased yearly by 15%. After adjusting for the density of other animals and minimum temperatures, we found thatTBE incidence was positively associated with white-tailed deer density. Variation in host animal density should be considered when assessing TBE risks and designing interventions.
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11
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Zakham F, Jääskeläinen AJ, Castrén J, Sormunen JJ, Uusitalo R, Smura T, Von Troil G, Kuivanen S, Sironen T, Vapalahti O. Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of Borrelia miyamotoi strains from ticks collected in the capital region of Finland. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 12:101608. [PMID: 33249364 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging pathogen that shares high similarity with relapsing fever Borrelia, but has an atypical clinical presentation. Within the framework of tick-borne disease surveillance in Finland, human serum samples suspected for tick-borne encephalitis (n=974) and questing ticks (n=739) were collected from the capital region in Finland to determine the prevalence of B. miyamotoi. All tested human samples were negative and 5 (0.68 %) Ixodes ricinus ticks were positive for B. miyamotoi. Partial sequencing of the flagellin (flaB) gene of 3 positive samples and 27 B. miyamotoi-positive tick samples obtained from previous studies across Finland were amplified, sequenced, and included in the phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree revealed that most B. miyamotoi strains isolated from ticks in Finland share high similarity with other European strains, including strains related to human infection. Possible disease transmission may occur during exposure to tick bites. A single strain collected from an I. persulcatus tick in Pajujärvi grouped with an outlier of B. miyamotoi strains isolated from Russia and Far East Asian countries. Further studies should investigate the pathogen's role in human infection in Finland. Another important finding is the occurrence of I. persulcatus ticks (8%) collected by crowdsourcing from the coastal southern part of Finland. This suggests a regular introduction and a possible wide expansion of this tick species in the country. This could be associated with transmission of new pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fathiah Zakham
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Anne J Jääskeläinen
- HUS Diagnostic Center, HUSLAB, Clinical Microbiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
| | | | | | - Ruut Uusitalo
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Geosciences and Geography, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teemu Smura
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gabriel Von Troil
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Archipelago Doctors Ltd, Helsinki Area, Finland
| | - Suvi Kuivanen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; HUS Diagnostic Center, HUSLAB, Clinical Microbiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
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12
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Deviatkin AA, Karganova GG, Vakulenko YA, Lukashev AN. TBEV Subtyping in Terms of Genetic Distance. Viruses 2020; 12:E1240. [PMID: 33142676 PMCID: PMC7692686 DOI: 10.3390/v12111240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, the lowest formal taxon in virus classification is species; however, unofficial lower-level units are commonly used in everyday work. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a species of mammalian tick-borne flaviviruses that may cause encephalitis. Many known representatives of TBEV are grouped into subtypes, mostly according to their phylogenetic relationship. However, the emergence of novel sequences could dissolve this phylogenetic grouping; in the absence of strict quantitative criterion, it may be hard to define the borders of the first TBEV taxonomic unit below the species level. In this study, the nucleotide/amino-acid space of all known TBEV sequences was analyzed. Amino-acid sequence p-distances could not reliably distinguish TBEV subtypes. Viruses that differed by less than 10% of nucleotides in the polyprotein-coding gene belonged to the same subtype. At the same time, more divergent viruses were representatives of different subtypes. According to this distance criterion, TBEV species may be divided into seven subtypes: TBEV-Eur, TBEV-Sib, TBEV-FE, TBEV-2871 (TBEV-Ob), TBEV-Him, TBEV-178-79 (TBEV-Bkl-1), and TBEV-886-84 (TBEV-Bkl-2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei A. Deviatkin
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119048 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Galina G. Karganova
- Department of Organization and Technology of Immunobiological Preparations, Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yulia A. Vakulenko
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119435 Moscow, Russia;
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander N. Lukashev
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119048 Moscow, Russia;
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119435 Moscow, Russia;
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13
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Yoshii K, Takahashi-Iwata I, Shirai S, Kobayashi S, Yabe I, Sasaki H. A Retrospective Epidemiological Study of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Patients with Neurological Disorders in Hokkaido, Japan. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111672. [PMID: 33126600 PMCID: PMC7692117 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a zoonotic disease that usually presents as a moderate febrile illness followed by severe encephalitis, and various neurological symptoms are observed depending on the distinct central nervous system (CNS) regions affected by the TBE virus (TBEV) infection. In Japan, TBE incidence is increasing and TBEV distributions are reported in wide areas, specifically in Hokkaido. However, an extensive epidemiological survey regarding TBEV has not been conducted yet. In this study, we conducted a retrospective study of the prevalence of antibodies against TBEV in patients with neurological disorders and healthy populations in a TBEV-endemic area in Hokkaido. Among 2000 patients, three patients with inflammatory diseases in the CNS had TBEV-specific IgM antibodies and neutralizing antibodies. The other four patients diagnosed clinically with other neurological diseases were positive for TBEV-specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies, indicating previous TBEV infection. In a total of 246 healthy residents in a TBEV-endemic region, one resident had TBEV-specific antibodies. These results demonstrated undiagnosed TBEV infections in Japan. Further surveys are required to reveal the actual epidemiological risk of TBE and to consider preventive measures, such as a vaccine program, for the control of TBE in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Yoshii
- Laboratory of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan;
- National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-98-819-8595
| | - Ikuko Takahashi-Iwata
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (I.T.-I.); (S.S.); (I.Y.); (H.S.)
| | - Shinichi Shirai
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (I.T.-I.); (S.S.); (I.Y.); (H.S.)
| | - Shintaro Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan;
| | - Ichiro Yabe
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (I.T.-I.); (S.S.); (I.Y.); (H.S.)
| | - Hidenao Sasaki
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (I.T.-I.); (S.S.); (I.Y.); (H.S.)
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14
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Paulsen KM, Lamsal A, Bastakoti S, Pettersson JHO, Pedersen BN, Stiasny K, Haglund M, Smura T, Vapalahti O, Vikse R, Alfsnes K, Andreassen ÅK. High-throughput sequencing of two European strains of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Hochosterwitz and 1993/783. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 12:101557. [PMID: 33080519 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101557] [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: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a medically important arbovirus, widespread in Europe and Asia. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans and animals by bites from ticks and, in rare cases, by consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. The aim of this study was to sequence and characterize two TBEV strains with amplicon sequencing by designing overlapping primers. The amplicon sequencing, via Illumina MiSeq, covering nearly the entire TBEV genome, was successful: We retrieved and characterized the complete polyprotein sequence of two TBEV strains, Hochosterwitz and 1993/783 from Austria and Sweden, respectively. In this study the previous phylogenetic analysis of both strains was confirmed to be of the European subtypes of TBEV (TBEV-Eu) by whole genome sequencing. The Hochosterwitz strain clustered with the two strains KrM 93 and KrM 213 from South Korea, and the 1993/783 strain clustered together with the NL/UH strain from the Netherlands. Our study confirms the suitability and rapidness of the high-throughput sequencing method used to produce complete TBEV genomes from TBEV samples of high viral load giving high-molecular-weight cDNA with large overlapping amplicons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine M Paulsen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, PO-Box 222 Skøyen, NO-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alaka Lamsal
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, PO-Box 222 Skøyen, NO-0213, Oslo, Norway; University of South-Eastern Norway, Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, Gullbringvegen 36, NO-3800, Bø, Norway
| | - Srijana Bastakoti
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, PO-Box 222 Skøyen, NO-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - John H-O Pettersson
- Uppsala University, Zoonosis Science Center, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala, Sweden; The University of Sydney, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, Sydney, Australia
| | - Benedikte N Pedersen
- University of South-Eastern Norway, Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, Gullbringvegen 36, NO-3800, Bø, Norway
| | - Karin Stiasny
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Virology, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mats Haglund
- Kalmar County Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases, SE-391 85, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Teemu Smura
- University of Helsinki, Department of Virology, Medicum, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- University of Helsinki, Department of Virology, Medicum, Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Department of Virology and Immunology, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rose Vikse
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, PO-Box 222 Skøyen, NO-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristian Alfsnes
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Bacteriology, PO-Box 222 Skøyen, NO-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, PO-Box 222 Skøyen, NO-0213, Oslo, Norway; University of South-Eastern Norway, Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, Gullbringvegen 36, NO-3800, Bø, Norway.
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15
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Tick populations from endemic and non-endemic areas in Germany show differential susceptibility to TBEV. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15478. [PMID: 32968088 PMCID: PMC7511395 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71920-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is endemic in twenty-seven European countries, transmitted via the bite of an infected tick. TBEV is the causative agent of one of the most important viral diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). In Germany, 890 human cases were registered between the years 2018–2019. The castor bean tick, Ixodes ricinus, is the TBEV vector with the highest importance in Central Europe, including Germany. Despite the nationwide distribution of this tick species, risk areas of TBEV are largely located in Southern Germany. To increase our understanding of TBEV-tick interactions, we collected ticks from different areas within Germany (Haselmühl/Bavaria, Hanover/Lower Saxony) and infected them via an in vitro feeding system. A TBEV isolate was obtained from an endemic focus in Haselmühl. In two experimental series conducted in 2018 and 2019, ticks sampled in Haselmühl (TBEV focus) showed higher artificial feeding rates, as well as higher TBEV infections rates than ticks from the non-endemic area (Hanover). Other than the tick origin, year and month of the infection experiment as well as co-infection with Borrelia spp., had a significant impact on TBEV Haselmühl infection rates. Taken together, these findings suggest that a specific adaptation of the tick populations to their respective TBEV virus isolates or vice versa, leads to higher TBEV infection rates in those ticks. Furthermore, co-infection with other tick-borne pathogens such as Borrelia spp. can lower TBEV infection rates in specific populations.
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16
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Kuivanen S, Levanov L, Kareinen L, Sironen T, Jääskeläinen AJ, Plyusnin I, Zakham F, Emmerich P, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Hepojoki J, Smura T, Vapalahti O. Detection of novel tick-borne pathogen, Alongshan virus, in Ixodes ricinus ticks, south-eastern Finland, 2019. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 24. [PMID: 31290392 PMCID: PMC6628756 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2019.24.27.1900394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The newly identified tick-borne Alongshan virus (ALSV), a segmented Jingmen virus group flavivirus, was recently associated with human disease in China. We report the detection of ALSV RNA in Ixodes ricinus ticks in south-eastern Finland. Screening of sera from patients suspected for tick-borne encephalitis for Jingmen tick virus-like virus RNA and antibodies revealed no human cases. The presence of ALSV in common European ticks warrants further investigations on its role as a human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Kuivanen
- Authors contributed equally.,Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lev Levanov
- Authors contributed equally.,Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lauri Kareinen
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anne J Jääskeläinen
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ilya Plyusnin
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Fathiah Zakham
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petra Emmerich
- University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Departments of Virology and Arbovirology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg, Germany.,Departments of Virology and Arbovirology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jussi Hepojoki
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teemu Smura
- Authors contributed equally.,Division of Clinical Microbiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Authors contributed equally.,Division of Clinical Microbiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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17
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Uusitalo R, Siljander M, Dub T, Sane J, Sormunen JJ, Pellikka P, Vapalahti O. Modelling habitat suitability for occurrence of human tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases in Finland. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101457. [PMID: 32723626 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The numbers of reported human tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases in Europe have increased in several endemic regions (including Finland) in recent decades, indicative of an increasing threat to public health. As such, it is important to identify the regions at risk and the most influential factors associated with TBE distributions, particularly in understudied regions. This study aimed to identify the risk areas of TBE transmission in two different datasets based on human TBE disease cases from 2007 to 2011 (n = 86) and 2012-2017 (n = 244). We also examined which factors best explain the presence of human TBE cases. We used ensemble modelling to determine the relationship of TBE occurrence with environmental, ecological, and anthropogenic factors in Finland. Geospatial data including these variables were acquired from several open data sources and satellite and aerial imagery and, were processed in GIS software. Biomod2, an ensemble platform designed for species distribution modelling, was used to generate ensemble models in R. The proportion of built-up areas, field, forest, and snow-covered land in November, people working in the primary sector, human population density, mean precipitation in April and July, and densities of European hares, white-tailed deer, and raccoon dogs best estimated distribution of human TBE disease cases in the two datasets. Random forest and generalized boosted regression models performed with a very good to excellent predictive power (ROC = 0.89-0.96) in both time periods. Based on the predictive maps, high-risk areas for TBE transmission were located in the coastal regions in Southern and Western Finland (including the Åland Islands), several municipalities in Central and Eastern Finland, and coastal municipalities in Southern Lapland. To explore potential changes in TBE distributions in future climate, we used bioclimatic factors with current and future climate forecast data to reveal possible future hotspot areas. Based on the future forecasts, a slightly wider geographical extent of TBE risk was introduced in the Åland Islands and Southern, Western and Northern Finland, even though the risk itself was not increased. Our results are the first steps towards TBE-risk area mapping in current and future climate in Finland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruut Uusitalo
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Virology, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 21, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Agnes Sjöberginkatu 2, P.O. Box 66, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Mika Siljander
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Timothée Dub
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Jussi Sane
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
| | | | - Petri Pellikka
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, University of Helsinki, Finland; Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 21, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Agnes Sjöberginkatu 2, P.O. Box 66, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; Virology and Immunology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
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18
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Wallenhammar A, Lindqvist R, Asghar N, Gunaltay S, Fredlund H, Davidsson Å, Andersson S, Överby AK, Johansson M. Revealing new tick-borne encephalitis virus foci by screening antibodies in sheep milk. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:185. [PMID: 32268924 PMCID: PMC7140392 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04030-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tick distribution in Sweden has increased in recent years, with the prevalence of ticks predicted to spread towards the northern parts of the country, thus increasing the risk of tick-borne zoonoses in new regions. Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is the most significant viral tick-borne zoonotic disease in Europe. The disease is caused by TBE virus (TBEV) infection which often leads to severe encephalitis and myelitis in humans. TBEV is usually transmitted to humans via tick bites; however, the virus can also be excreted in the milk of goats, sheep and cattle and infection may then occur via consumption of unpasteurised dairy products. Virus prevalence in questing ticks is an unreliable indicator of TBE infection risk as viral RNA is rarely detected even in large sample sizes collected at TBE-endemic areas. Hence, there is a need for robust surveillance techniques to identify emerging TBEV risk areas at early stages. Methods Milk and colostrum samples were collected from sheep and goats in Örebro County, Sweden. The milk samples were analysed for the presence of TBEV antibodies by ELISA and validated by western blot in which milk samples were used to detect over-expressed TBEV E-protein in crude cell extracts. Neutralising titers were determined by focus reduction neutralisation test (FRNT). The stability of TBEV in milk and colostrum was studied at different temperatures. Results In this study we have developed a novel strategy to identify new TBEV foci. By monitoring TBEV antibodies in milk, we have identified three previously unknown foci in Örebro County which also overlap with areas of TBE infection reported during 2009–2018. In addition, our data indicates that keeping unpasteurised milk at 4 °C will preserve the infectivity of TBEV for several days. Conclusions Altogether, we report a non-invasive surveillance technique for revealing risk areas for TBE in Sweden, by detecting TBEV antibodies in sheep milk. This approach is robust and reliable and can accordingly be used to map TBEV “hotspots”. TBEV infectivity in refrigerated milk was preserved, emphasising the importance of pasteurisation (i.e. 72 °C for 15 s) prior to consumption.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Wallenhammar
- School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Richard Lindqvist
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Naveed Asghar
- School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Sezin Gunaltay
- School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.,Lydia Becker Institiute of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Hans Fredlund
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Åke Davidsson
- School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Sören Andersson
- School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Anna K Överby
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Johansson
- School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
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19
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Lumbar Radiculitis as a Complication of Vaccination against Tick-Borne Encephalitis: A Differential Diagnosis of Low Back Pain and Nerve Root Compression. Case Rep Med 2020; 2020:6130364. [PMID: 32280350 PMCID: PMC7142386 DOI: 10.1155/2020/6130364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Serious adverse reactions following immunisation with adult tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccines are rare, but when they occur, they most frequently involve the nervous system. We present a case of a female patient who developed a sensory and motor L4 monoradiculopathy following self-injection of an inactivated vaccine against TBE in the ipsilateral quadriceps muscle. The motor and sensory L4 dysfunction vanished after 12 months. TBE vaccine-induced radiculopathy should be considered as a mimic of spinal root compression.
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20
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Deviatkin AA, Kholodilov IS, Vakulenko YA, Karganova GG, Lukashev AN. Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus: An Emerging Ancient Zoonosis? Viruses 2020; 12:v12020247. [PMID: 32102228 PMCID: PMC7077300 DOI: 10.3390/v12020247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is one of the most important viral zoonosis transmitted by the bite of infected ticks. In this study, all tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) E gene sequences available in GenBank as of June 2019 with known date of isolation (n = 551) were analyzed. Simulation studies showed that a sample bias could significantly affect earlier studies, because small TBEV datasets (n = 50) produced non-overlapping intervals for evolutionary rate estimates. An apparent lack of a temporal signal in TBEV, in general, was found, precluding molecular clock analysis of all TBEV subtypes in one dataset. Within all subtypes and most of the smaller groups in these subtypes, there was evidence of many medium- and long-distance virus transfers. These multiple random events may play a key role in the virus spreading. For some groups, virus diversity within one territory was similar to diversity over the whole geographic range. This is best exemplified by the virus diversity observed in Switzerland or Czech Republic. These two countries yielded most of the known European subtype Eu3 subgroup sequences, and the diversity of viruses found within each of these small countries is comparable to that of the whole Eu3 subgroup, which is prevalent all over Central and Eastern Europe. Most of the deep tree nodes within all three established TBEV subtypes dated less than 300 years back. This could be explained by the recent emergence of most of the known TBEV diversity. Results of bioinformatics analysis presented here, together with multiple field findings, suggest that TBEV may be regarded as an emerging disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei A. Deviatkin
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119048 Moscow, Russia;
- Laboratory of Postgenomic Technologies, Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health, 105275 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-906-739-0860
| | - Ivan S. Kholodilov
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), 108819 Moscow, Russia; (I.S.K.); (G.G.K.)
| | - Yulia A. Vakulenko
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119435 Moscow, Russia;
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Galina G. Karganova
- Laboratory of Biology of Arboviruses, Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides (FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS), 108819 Moscow, Russia; (I.S.K.); (G.G.K.)
- Department of Organization and Technology of Immunobiological Preparations, Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander N. Lukashev
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119048 Moscow, Russia;
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119435 Moscow, Russia;
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21
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Zubriková D, Wittmann M, Hönig V, Švec P, Víchová B, Essbauer S, Dobler G, Grubhoffer L, Pfister K. Prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate, Germany. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101375. [PMID: 31983627 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are the most common tick-borne diseases in Germany. We collected Ixodes ricinus ticks from 16 high-risk and four low-risk sites distributed in Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate based on the number of human TBE cases recorded at the Robert Koch Institute from 2001 to 2009. A total of 8805 questing ticks (8203 nymphs, 602 adults) were collected in 2010 and examined in pools for the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) using real-time RT-PCR. Overall TBEV prevalence evaluated as the minimum infection rate (MIR) was 0.26 % (23 positive pools/8805 ticks in 1029 pools). TBEV was detected at seven of the 16 high-risk sites, where MIR ranged from 0.16 to 2.86 %. A total of 3969 ticks were examined by PCR for infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) targeting the 5 S-23 S rRNA intergenic spacer (IGS) region. IGS nucleotide sequences were used to determine genospecies. Selected positive Borrelia samples were subjected to PCR and sequencing targeting the OspA gene, providing 46 sequences for molecular phylogenetic analysis. Of the 3969 questing ticks, 506 (12.7 %) were positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. Seven B. burgdorferi s.l. genospecies were identified: B. afzelii (41.3 %), B. garinii (19 %), B. valaisiana (13.8 %), B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (11.1 %), B. spielmanii (0.4 %), B. lusitaniae (0.2 %), and Candidatus B. finlandensis (0.6 %). Mixed infections were identified in 13.6 % of the ticks. The rate of infection in questing ticks varied among sites from 5.6 % (72 examined, four positive) to 29.5 % (88 examined, 26 positive). B. burgdorferi s.l. occurred at all 20 sites, whereas TBEV was detected only at the high-risk sites where more human TBE cases were reported compared to low-risk sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Zubriková
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Experimental Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Maria Wittmann
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Experimental Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Václav Hönig
- Biology Centre AS CR, Institute of Parasitology & University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Švec
- Department of Geoinformatics, VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic
| | - Bronislava Víchová
- Institute of Parasitology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Sandra Essbauer
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, German Center of Infection Research DZIF Partner, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Gerhard Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, German Center of Infection Research DZIF Partner, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Biology Centre AS CR, Institute of Parasitology & University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Kurt Pfister
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Experimental Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
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