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Bermúdez C SE, Félix ML, Domínguez A L, Araúz D, Venzal JM. Molecular screening of tick-borne microorganisms in ticks from rural areas of Panama, with the first record of Ehrlichia minasensis in Rhipicephalus microplus from Central America. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:1301-1308. [PMID: 38221589 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10306-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
During a molecular screening of rickettsial, borrelial and protozoal agents in ticks from rural areas of Panama, we detected DNA of Rickettsia amblyommatis in four Amblyomma mixtum collected from horses in a locality in Los Santos province. Ehrlichia minasensis and Anaplasma marginale were identified from three and two Rhipicephalus microplus, respectively, collected on cows from Chiriqui province. No DNA from other tick-borne agents was found. These results increase the information of R. amblyommatis and A. marginale in Panama, and also mark the first record of E. minasensis in Central America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio E Bermúdez C
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Avenida Justo Arosemena y Calle 35, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá, Panama.
- Programa de Desarrollo de las Ciencias Básicas (PEDEClBA), Universidad de la República, Rivera, Salto, Uruguay.
| | - María L Félix
- Laboratorio de Vectores y Enfermedades Transmitidas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Rivera, Salto, Uruguay
| | - Lillian Domínguez A
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Avenida Justo Arosemena y Calle 35, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá, Panama
| | - Dimelza Araúz
- Departamento Investigación en Virología y Biotecnología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá, Panama
| | - José M Venzal
- Laboratorio de Vectores y Enfermedades Transmitidas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Rivera, Salto, Uruguay
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Harman PR, Mendell NL, Harman MM, Draney PA, Boyle AT, Gompper ME, Orr TJ, Bouyer DH, Teel PD, Hanley KA. Science abhors a surveillance vacuum: Detection of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in southern New Mexico through passive surveillance. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0292573. [PMID: 38295027 PMCID: PMC10830002 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Robust tick surveillance enhances diagnosis and prevention of tick-borne pathogens, yet surveillance efforts in the United States are highly uneven, resulting in large surveillance vacuums, one of which spans the state of New Mexico. As part of a larger effort to fill this vacuum, we conducted both active and passive tick sampling in New Mexico, focusing on the southern portion of the state. We conducted active tick sampling using dragging and CO₂ trapping at 45 sites across Hidalgo, Doña Ana, Otero, and Eddy counties between June 2021 to May 2022. Sampling occurred intermittently, with at least one sampling event each month from June to October 2021, pausing in winter and resuming in March through May 2022. We also conducted opportunistic, passive tick sampling in 2021 and 2022 from animals harvested by hunters or captured or collected by researchers and animals housed in animal hospitals, shelters, and farms. All pools of ticks were screened for Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, Rickettsia amblyommatis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis. Active sampling yielded no ticks. Passive sampling yielded 497 ticks comprising Carios kelleyi from pallid bats, Rhipicephalus sanguineus from dogs, mule deer, and Rocky Mountain elk, Otobius megnini from dogs, cats, horses, and Coues deer, Dermacentor parumapertus from dogs and black-tailed jackrabbits, Dermacentor albipictus from domesticated cats, mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk, and Dermacentor spp. from American black bear, Rocky Mountain elk, and mule deer. One pool of D. parumapterus from a black-tailed jackrabbit in Luna County tested positive for R. parkeri, an agent of spotted fever rickettsiosis. Additionally, a spotted fever group Rickettsia was detected in 6 of 7 C. kelleyi pools. Two ticks showed morphological abnormalities; however, these samples did not test positive for any of the target pathogens, and the cause of the abnormalities is unknown. Passive surveillance yielded five identified species of ticks from three domestic and six wild mammal species. Our findings update tick distributions and inform the public, medical, and veterinary communities of the potential tick-borne pathogens present in southern New Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige R. Harman
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Nicole L. Mendell
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Maysee M. Harman
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Puck A. Draney
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Anna T. Boyle
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Matthew E. Gompper
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Teri J. Orr
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Donald H. Bouyer
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Pete D. Teel
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kathryn A. Hanley
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
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Gual-Gonzalez L, Self SCW, Zellars K, Meyer M, Dye-Braumuller KC, Evans CL, Cantillo-Barraza O, Torres MW, Nolan MS. Eco-epidemiology of Rickettsia amblyommatis and Rickettsia parkeri in naturally infected ticks (Acari: Ixodida) from South Carolina. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:33. [PMID: 38273414 PMCID: PMC10811935 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06099-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) is the largest group of Rickettsia species of clinical and veterinary importance emerging worldwide. Historically, SFGR cases were linked to Rickettsia rickettsii, the causal agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever; however, recently discovered species Rickettsia parkeri and Rickettsia amblyommatis have been shown to cause a wide range of clinical symptoms. The role of R. amblyommatis in SFGR eco-epidemiology and the possible public health implications remain unknown. METHODS This study evaluated statewide tick surveillance and land-use classification data to define the eco-epidemiological relationships between R. amblyommatis and R. parkeri among questing and feeding ticks collected across South Carolina between 2021 and 2022. Questing ticks from state parks and feeding ticks from animal shelters were evaluated for R. parkeri and R. amblyommatis using reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) on pooled samples. A Bayesian multivariable logistic regression model for pool testing data was used to assess associations between R. parkeri or R. amblyommatis infection and land-use classification variables among questing ticks. The Spearman correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between the two tested pathogens. RESULTS The infection prevalence for R. amblyommatis was 24.8% (23.4-26.3%) among questing ticks, and 39.5% (37.4-42.0%) among feeding ticks; conversely, for R. parkeri it was 19.0% (17.6-20.5%) among questing ticks and 22.4% (20.3-24.5%) among feeding ticks. A negative, refractory correlation was found between the species, with ticks significantly more likely to contain one or the other pathogen, but not both simultaneously. The Bayesian analysis revealed that R. amblyommatis infection was positively associated with deciduous, evergreen, and mixed forests, and negatively associated with hay and pasture fields, and emergent herbaceous wetlands. Rickettsia parkeri infection was positively associated with deciduous, mixed, and evergreen forests, herbaceous vegetation, cultivated cropland, woody wetlands, and emergent herbaceous wetlands, and negatively associated with hay and pasture fields. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to evaluate the eco-epidemiological factors driving tick pathogenicity in South Carolina. The negative interactions between SFGR species suggest the possible inhibition between the two pathogens tested, which could have important public health implications. Moreover, land-use classification factors revealed environments associated with tick pathogenicity, highlighting the need for tick vector control in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lídia Gual-Gonzalez
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Stella C W Self
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Kia Zellars
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Madeleine Meyer
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | | | - Chris L Evans
- Vector-Borne Diseases Laboratory, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, South Carolina Public Health Laboratory, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Omar Cantillo-Barraza
- Grupo de Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Myriam W Torres
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Melissa S Nolan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
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Richardson EA, Roe RM, Apperson CS, Ponnusamy L. Rickettsia amblyommatis in Ticks: A Review of Distribution, Pathogenicity, and Diversity. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020493. [PMID: 36838458 PMCID: PMC9960904 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia amblyommatis is a potentially pathogenic species of Rickettsia within the spotted fever group vectored by ticks. While many studies have been published on this species, there is debate over its pathogenicity and the inhibitory role it plays in diagnosing illnesses caused by other spotted fever group Rickettsia species. Many publications have recorded the high infection prevalence of R. amblyommatis in tick populations at a global scale. While this species is rather ubiquitous, questions remain over the epidemiological importance of this possible human pathogen. With tick-borne diseases on the rise, understanding the exact role that R. amblyommatis plays as a pathogen and inhibitor of infection relative to other tick-borne pathogens will help public health efforts. The goal of this review was to compile the known literature on R. amblyommatis, review what we know about its geographic distribution, tick vectors, and pathogenicity, assess relatedness between various international strains from ticks by phylogenetic analysis and draw conclusions regarding future research needed.
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Eisen L. Tick species infesting humans in the United States. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:102025. [PMID: 35973261 PMCID: PMC10862467 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The data for human tick encounters in the United States (US) presented in this paper were compiled with the goals of: (i) presenting quantitative data across the full range of native or recently established human biting ixodid (hard) and argasid (soft) tick species with regards to their frequency of infesting humans, based on published records of ticks collected while biting humans or crawling on clothing or skin; and (ii) providing a guide to publications on human tick encounters. Summary data are presented in table format, and the detailed data these summaries were based on are included in a set of Supplementary Tables. To date, totals of 36 ixodid species (234,722 specimens) and 13 argasid species (230 specimens) have been recorded in the published literature to infest humans in the US. Nationally, the top five ixodid species recorded from humans were the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis (n=158,008 specimens); the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (n=36,004); the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (n=26,624); the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus (n=4,158); and the Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni (n=3,518). Additional species with more than 250 ticks recorded from humans included Ixodes cookei (n=2,494); the Pacific Coast tick, Dermacentor occidentalis (n=809); the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (n=714); the winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus (n=465); and the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum (n=335). The spinose ear tick, Otobius megnini (n=69), and the pajaroello tick, Ornithodoros coriaceus (n=55) were the argasid species most commonly recorded from humans. Additional information presented for each of the 49 tick species include a breakdown of life stages recorded from humans, broad geographical distribution in the US, host preference, and associated human pathogens or medical conditions. The paper also provides a history of publications on human tick encounters in the US, with tables outlining publications containing quantitative data on human tick encounters as well as other notable publications on human-tick interactions. Data limitations are discussed. Researchers and public health professionals in possession of unpublished human tick encounter data are strongly encouraged to publish this information in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In future papers, it would be beneficial if data consistently were broken down by tick species and life stage as well as host species and ticks found biting versus crawling on clothing or skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.
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Jordan RA, Gable S, Egizi A. Relevance of Spatial and Temporal Trends in Nymphal Tick Density and Infection Prevalence for Public Health and Surveillance Practice in Long-Term Endemic Areas: A Case Study in Monmouth County, NJ. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:1451-1466. [PMID: 35662344 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases are a growing public health problem in the United States, and the US northeast has reported consistently high case rates for decades. Monmouth County, New Jersey, was one of the earliest jurisdictions to report Lyme disease cases in 1979 and reports several hundred cases per year nearly 40 yr later. In the time since, however, tick-borne health risks have expanded far beyond Lyme disease to include a variety of other bacterial pathogens and viruses, and additional vectors, necessitating a continually evolving approach to tick surveillance. In 2017, Monmouth County initiated an active surveillance program targeting sites across three ecological regions for collection of Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) and Amblyomma americanum L. (Acari: Ixodidae) as well as testing via qPCR for associated bacterial pathogens. During the first five years of this program (2017-2021), we report high levels of spatiotemporal variability in nymphal density and infection prevalence in both species, limiting the granularity with which human risk can be predicted from acarological data. Nonetheless, broader patterns emerged, including an ongoing trend of A. americanum dominance, risks posed by Borrelia miyamotoi, and the frequency of coinfected ticks. We present some of the first county-level, systematic surveillance of nymphal A. americanum density and infection prevalence in the northeastern US. We also documented a temporary decline in Borrelia burgdorferi that could relate to unmeasured trends in reservoir host populations. We discuss the implications of our findings for tick-borne disease ecology, public health communication, and tick surveillance strategies in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Jordan
- Tick-borne Disease Program, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724, USA
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Sydney Gable
- Tick-borne Disease Program, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724, USA
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Andrea Egizi
- Tick-borne Disease Program, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724, USA
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
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Association between Growth Rate and Pathogenicity of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia. JOURNAL OF PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.22207/jpam.16.1.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia parkeri and Rickettsia amblyommatis are spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) associated with Amblyomma ticks. R. parkeri is a recognized human pathogen that causes an eschar-associated febrile illness, while R. amblyommatis has not been confirmed as a causative agent of human disease. We hypothesized that the rate of replication is one of the factors contributing to rickettsial pathogenicity. In this study, growth and infectivity of R. parkeri and R. amblyommatis in mammalian (Vero E6) and tick-derived (ISE6) cell lines were assessed and compared over a 96-hour time course of infection using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and microscopy. The pathogenic R. parkeri displayed a significantly higher level of infection in both Vero E6 and ISE6 cells than R. amblyommatis at 72 hours post-inoculation (hpi). Distinct growth profiles between rickettsial species with known and uncertain pathogenicity were identified. R. parkeri burdens were significantly greater than those of R. amblyommatis from 24 to 96 hpi. The relative fold changes of load were significantly higher in the pathogenic agent than in R. amblyommatis from 48 hpi onward and reached the maximum fold increase of ~2002- and ~296-fold in Vero E6 cells and ~1363- and ~161-fold in ISE6 cells, respectively, at 96 hpi. The results from the present study demonstrate that growth rate is associated with the pathogenicity of rickettsiae. Understanding SFGR growth characteristics in mammalian and tick cells will provide insight into rickettsial biology and pathogenesis.
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Current tools for the diagnosis and detection of spotted fever group Rickettsia. Acta Trop 2021; 218:105887. [PMID: 33713627 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae causes a number of diseases in humans worldwide, which can range from mild to highly lethal. Since the clinical presentations of rickettsioses caused by SFG rickettsiae are variable and may be similar to the diseases caused by other rickettsiae, such as Orientia tsutsugamushi (agent for scrub typhus), Coxiella burnetii (agent for Q fever) and the typhus group rickettsiae (agents for epidemic and murine typhus), the accurate diagnosis of infections caused by SFG Rickettsia remains challenging especially in resource-poor settings in developing countries. This review summarizes the various diagnostic and detection tools that are currently available for the confirmation of infections by SFG rickettsiae. The advantages and challenges pertaining to the different serological and molecular detections methods, as well as new assays in development, are discussed. The utility of the detection tools contributing to the surveillance of SFG rickettsiae in arthropods and animals are reviewed.
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Yen WY, Stern K, Mishra S, Helminiak L, Sanchez-Vicente S, Kim HK. Virulence potential of Rickettsia amblyommatis for spotted fever pathogenesis in mice. Pathog Dis 2021; 79:ftab024. [PMID: 33908603 PMCID: PMC8110513 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftab024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia amblyommatis belongs to the spotted fever group of Rickettsia and infects Amblyomma americanum (Lone Star ticks) for transmission to offspring and mammals. Historically, the geographic range of A. americanum was restricted to the southeastern USA. However, recent tick surveys identified the progressive northward invasion of A. americanum, contributing to the increased number of patients with febrile illnesses of unknown etiology after a tick bite in the northeastern USA. While serological evidence strongly suggests that patients are infected with R. amblyommatis, the virulence potential of R. amblyommatis is not well established. Here, we performed a bioinformatic analysis of three genome sequences of R. amblyommatis and identified the presence of multiple putative virulence genes whose products are implicated for spotted fever pathogenesis. Similar to other pathogenic spotted fever rickettsiae, R. amblyommatis replicated intracellularly within the cytoplasm of tissue culture cells. Interestingly, R. amblyommatis displayed defective attachment to microvascular endothelial cells. The attachment defect and slow growth rate of R. amblyommatis required relatively high intravenous infectious doses to produce dose-dependent morbidity and mortality in C3H mice. In summary, our results corroborate clinical evidence that R. amblyommatis can cause mild disease manifestation in some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Yi Yen
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, Laboratory of Comparative Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Kayla Stern
- John F. Kennedy High School, Bellmore, NY 11710, USA
| | - Smruti Mishra
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Luke Helminiak
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Santiago Sanchez-Vicente
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Hwan Keun Kim
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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Hensley JR, Zambrano ML, Williams-Newkirk AJ, Dasch GA. Detection of Rickettsia Species, and Coxiella-Like and Francisella-Like Endosymbionts in Amblyomma americanum and Amblyomma maculatum from a Shared Field Site in Georgia, United States of America. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:509-516. [PMID: 33956519 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Two abundant species of aggressive ticks commonly feed on humans in Georgia: the Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) and the Lone Star tick (A. americanum). A. maculatum is the primary host of Rickettsia parkeri, "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae," and a Francisella-like endosymbiont (AmacFLE), whereas A. americanum is the primary host for R. amblyommatis, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, E. ewingii, and a Coxiella-like endosymbiont (AamCLE). Horizontal transmission of R. parkeri from A. maculatum to A. americanum by co-feeding has been described, and R. amblyommatis has been found infrequently in A. maculatum ticks. We assessed the prevalence of these agents and whether exchange of tick-associated bacteria is common between A. maculatum and A. americanum collected from the same field site. Unengorged ticks were collected May-August 2014 in west-central Georgia from a 4.14 acre site by flagging and from humans and canines traversing that site. All DNA samples were screened with quantitative PCR assays for the bacteria found in both ticks, and the species of any Rickettsia detected was identified by species-specific TaqMan assays or sequencing of the rickettsial ompA gene. Only R. amblyommatis (15) and AamCLE (39) were detected in 40 A. americanum, while the 74 A. maculatum only contained R. parkeri (30), "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae" (3), and AmacFLE (74). Neither tick species had either Ehrlichia species. Consequently, we obtained no evidence for the frequent exchange of these tick-borne agents in a natural setting despite high levels of carriage of each agent and the common observance of infestation of both ticks on both dogs and humans at this site. Based on these data, exchange of these Rickettsia, Coxiella, and Francisella agents between A. maculatum and A. americanum appears to be an infrequent event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine R Hensley
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Department of Environmental Sciences and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Department of Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Maria L Zambrano
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amanda J Williams-Newkirk
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Department of Environmental Sciences and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Department of Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gregory A Dasch
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Saleh MN, Allen KE, Lineberry MW, Little SE, Reichard MV. Ticks infesting dogs and cats in North America: Biology, geographic distribution, and pathogen transmission. Vet Parasitol 2021; 294:109392. [PMID: 33971481 PMCID: PMC9235321 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A diverse array of ixodid and argasid ticks infest dogs and cats in North America, resulting in skin lesions, blood loss, and disease. The ticks most commonly found on pets in this region are hard ticks of the genera Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Ixodes, and Rhipicephalus, as well as the more recently established Haemaphysalis longicornis. Soft tick genera, especially Otobius and Ornithodoros, are also reported from pets in some regions. In this review, we provide a summary of the complex and diverse life histories, distinct morphologies, and questing and feeding behaviors of the more common ticks of dogs and cats in North America with a focus on recent changes in geographic distribution. We also review pathogens of dogs and cats associated with the different tick species, some of which can cause serious, potentially fatal disease, and describe the zoonotic risk posed by ticks of pets. Understanding the natural history of ticks and the maintenance cycles responsible for providing an ongoing source of tick-borne infections is critical to effectively combatting the challenges ticks pose to the health of pets and people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meriam N Saleh
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078, United States
| | - Kelly E Allen
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078, United States.
| | - Megan W Lineberry
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078, United States
| | - Susan E Little
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078, United States
| | - Mason V Reichard
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078, United States
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Snellgrove AN, Krapiunaya I, Scott P, Levin ML. Assessment of the Pathogenicity of Rickettsia amblyommatis, Rickettsia bellii, and Rickettsia montanensis in a Guinea Pig Model. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:232-241. [PMID: 33600263 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the genus Rickettsia range from nonpathogenic endosymbionts to virulent pathogens such as Rickettsia rickettsii, the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Many rickettsiae are considered nonpathogenic because they have been isolated from ticks but not vertebrate hosts. We assessed the ability of three presumed endosymbionts: Rickettsia amblyommatis, Rickettsia bellii, and Rickettsia montanensis, to infect a guinea pig animal model. These species were chosen because of their high prevalence in respective tick vectors or published reports suggestive of human or animal pathogenicity. Following intraperitoneal (IP) inoculation of cell culture suspensions of R. rickettsii, R. amblyommatis, R. bellii, or R. montanensis into guinea pigs, animals were monitored for signs of clinical illness for 13 days. Ear biopsies and blood samples were taken at 2- to 3-day intervals for detection of rickettsial DNA by PCR. Animals were necropsied and internal organ samples were also tested using PCR assays. Among the six guinea pigs inoculated with R. amblyommatis, fever, orchitis, and dermatitis were observed in one, one, and three animals respectively. In R. bellii-exposed animals, we noted fever in one of six animals, orchitis in one, and dermatitis in two. No PCR-positive tissues were present in either the R. amblyommatis- or R. bellii-exposed groups. In the R. montanensis-exposed group, two of six animals became febrile, two had orchitis, and three developed dermatitis in ears or footpads. R. montanensis DNA was detected in ear skin biopsies collected on multiple days from three animals. Also, a liver specimen from one animal and spleen specimens of two animals were PCR positive. The course and severity of disease in the three experimental groups were significantly milder than that of R. rickettsii. This study suggests that the three rickettsiae considered nonpathogenic can cause either subclinical or mild infections in guinea pigs when introduced via IP inoculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa N Snellgrove
- Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Inna Krapiunaya
- Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Michael L Levin
- Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Straily A, Stuck S, Singleton J, Brennan S, Marcum S, Condit M, Lee C, Kato C, Tonnetti L, Stramer SL, Paddock CD. Antibody Titers Reactive With Rickettsia rickettsii in Blood Donors and Implications for Surveillance of Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis in the United States. J Infect Dis 2021; 221:1371-1378. [PMID: 31267128 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since 2000, the reported prevalence of tick-borne spotted fever rickettsiosis has increased considerably. We compared the level of antibody reactivity among healthy blood donors from 2 widely separated regions of the United States and evaluated the impact of antibody prevalence on public health surveillance in one of these regions. METHODS Donor serum samples were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence antibody assay to identify immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies reactive with Rickettsia rickettsii. The Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH) analyzed characteristics of cases from 2016 surveillance data to evaluate the utility of laboratory surveillance for case assessment. RESULTS Of the Georgia donors (n = 1493), 11.1% demonstrated antibody titers reactive with R. rickettsii at titers ≥64, whereas 6.3% of donors from Oregon and Washington (n = 1511) were seropositive. Most seropositive donors had a titer of 64; only 3.1% (n = 93) of all donors had titers ≥128. During 2016, GDPH interviewed 243 seropositive case patients; only 28% (n = 69) met inclusion criteria in the national case definition for spotted fever rickettsiosis. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that a single IgG antibody titer is an unreliable measure of diagnosis and could inaccurately affect surveillance estimates that define magnitude and clinical characteristics of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other spotted fever rickettsioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Straily
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Atlanta.,Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
| | | | - Joseph Singleton
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
| | | | - Stephanie Marcum
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
| | - Marah Condit
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
| | - Christopher Lee
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
| | - Cecilia Kato
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
| | - Laura Tonnetti
- American Red Cross, Rockville and Gaithersburg, Maryland
| | | | - Christopher D Paddock
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
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14
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Occi J, Egizi AM, Goncalves A, Fonseca DM. New Jersey-Wide Survey of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia (Proteobacteria: Rickettsiaceae) in Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae). Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 103:1009-1016. [PMID: 32588804 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
For the last decade, the New Jersey (NJ) Department of Health has reported between 42 and 144 new cases each year of "spotted fever group rickettsiosis" (SFGR), a statistic that reflects uncertainty regarding which rickettsial agents (Proteobacteria: Rickettsiaceae: Rickettsia) are infecting NJ residents. To identify the Rickettsia circulating in NJ ticks, we used a combination of conventional and real time PCR approaches to screen 560 Dermacentor variabilis Say and 245 Amblyomma americanum L. obtained from a 1-day state-wide surveillance in May 2018 and an additional 394 D. variabilis collected across NJ in 2013-2018. We found zero D. variabilis infected with Rickettsia rickettsii, the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and, on average, 1.3% infected with presumed nonpathogenic Rickettsia montanensis. We also found zero A. americanum infected with R. rickettsii, and 20% infected with Rickettsia amblyommatis, a prevalence somewhat lower than in more southern states. Overall, we conclude that it is unlikely that R. rickettsii vectored by D. variabilis is a primary cause of SFGR cases in NJ and discuss our findings in the context of known facts and current limitations. We conclude that understanding the causes of SFGR east of the Mississippi will require collaboration among medical doctors, public health authorities, and medical entomologists to follow up presumptive human cases of SFGR with detailed histories of exposure, species-specific molecular assays, and active surveillance of putative vectors and the pathogens they may carry.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Occi
- Department of Entomology, Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Andrea M Egizi
- Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, Tick-borne Diseases Laboratory, Tinton Falls, New Jersey.,Department of Entomology, Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Ashley Goncalves
- Department of Entomology, Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Dina M Fonseca
- Department of Entomology, Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
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15
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Bermúdez C S, Zaldívar Y, Domínguez A L, Hernández M, de Antinori MEB, Krawczak FS. Rickettsia amblyommatis isolated from Amblyomma mixtum (Acari: Ixodida) from two sites in Panama. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 12:101597. [PMID: 33099170 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Rickettsia amblyommatis is widely distributed in the Americas, and has been reported to infect different species of ticks within its distribution. In Panama, R. amblyommatis is the most common Rickettsia and its presence was molecularly detected in nine species of ticks and one flea species. This work described the isolation of R. amblyommatis in Vero cells by shell vial technique, from Amblyomma mixtum ticks collected from a captive tapir from Gamboa (Colon province), and a horse from El Valle de Antón (Cocle province). These represent the first isolations of R. amblyommatis in Panama.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Bermúdez C
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama; Estación Científica Coiba, Coiba AIP, Panama.
| | - Yamitzel Zaldívar
- Departamento de Investigación y Riesgo Biológico 3, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama
| | - Lillian Domínguez A
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama
| | - Michelle Hernández
- Departamento de Investigación y Riesgo Biológico 3, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama
| | | | - Felipe S Krawczak
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Brazil.
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16
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Jones AM, Van de Wyngaerde MT, Machtinger ET, Rajotte EG, Baker TC. Choice of Laboratory Tissue Homogenizers Matters When Recovering Nucleic Acid From Medically Important Ticks. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 57:1221-1227. [PMID: 31971588 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ticks can vector and transmit many pathogens and pose a serious human health threat throughout the world. After collection, many diagnostic laboratories must mechanically disrupt tick specimens for diagnostic testing and research purposes, but few studies have evaluated how well-commercial tissue homogenizers perform this task. We evaluated four commercially available tissue homogenizers: The Bead Ruptor 24 Elite, the Bullet Blender Storm, the gentleMACS Dissociator, and the Precellys 24. We quantitatively compared maceration level, nucleic acid quality, quantity, amplification, and DNA shearing to determine which machines performed the best. The Bead Ruptor 24 Elite had the highest overall score when disrupting a single, uninfected adult Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus) (Ixodida: Ixodidae) and performed well in follow-on tests including disrupting individual juvenile samples and detecting pathogens from infected samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Jones
- Vector Diagnostics Department, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
| | | | - Erika T Machtinger
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
| | - Edwin G Rajotte
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
| | - Thomas C Baker
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
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17
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Egizi A, Gable S, Jordan RA. Rickettsia spp. Infecting Lone Star Ticks (Amblyomma americanum) (Acari: Ixodidae) in Monmouth County, New Jersey. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 57:974-978. [PMID: 31912880 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne rickettsiae are undergoing epidemiological changes in the eastern United States while human encounters with lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum L.) have increased substantially. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction assays to test for three species of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) in 1,858 nymphal A. americanum collected from Monmouth County, New Jersey, a coastal county with endemic Lyme disease and established tick surveillance. Out of the 1,858 tested, 465 (25.0%) were infected with Rickettsia amblyommatis Karpathy, a species of undetermined pathogenicity found frequently in A. americanum, while 1/1,858 (0.05%) contained Rickettsia rickettsii Brumpt, the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. No ticks tested positive for mildly pathogenic Rickettsia parkeri Lackman, and no ticks were co-infected with multiple Rickettsia spp. Our results indicate that A. americanum could be involved in transmission of R. rickettsii to humans in New Jersey, albeit rarely. The much higher rates of R. amblyommatis infection are consistent with hypotheses that human sera reacting to this species could contribute to reports of mild SFGR cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Egizi
- Tick-borne Disease Program, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, Tinton Falls, NJ
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - Sydney Gable
- Tick-borne Disease Program, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, Tinton Falls, NJ
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - Robert A Jordan
- Tick-borne Disease Program, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, Tinton Falls, NJ
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
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18
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Novel PCR exclusion assay to detect spotted fever group rickettsiae in the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101453. [PMID: 32439385 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is the most common and abundant human-biting tick in the southeastern United States where spotted fever rickettsioses frequently occur. However, the role of this tick in transmitting and maintaining pathogenic and non-pathogenic spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) remains poorly defined. This is partially due to the high prevalence and abundance of Rickettsia amblyommatis in most populations of A. americanum. Many molecular assays commonly employed to detect rickettsiae use PCR primers that target highly conserved regions in the SFGR so low abundance rickettsia may not be detected when R. amblyommatis is present. It is costly and inefficient to test for low abundance rickettsial agents with multiple individual specific assays even when they are multiplexed, as most samples will be negative. Real time PCR assays may also be hampered by inadequate limits of detection (LODs) for low abundance agents. We exploited the absence of an otherwise relatively SFGR-conserved genome region in R. amblyommatis to design a hemi-nested PCR-assay which has a sensitivity of 10 copies in detecting the presence of most SFGR, but not R. amblyommatis in DNA of infected lone star ticks. This deletion is conserved in 21 isolates of R. amblyommatis obtained from multiple states. We demonstrated the assay's utility by detecting a pathogenic SFGR, Rickettsia parkeri, in 15/50 (30 %) of field collected A. americanum ticks that were previously screened with conventional assays and found to be positive for R. amblyommatis. These co-infected ticks included 1 questing female, 6 questing nymphs, and 8 attached males. The high prevalence of R. parkeri among host-attached ticks may be due to several variables and does not necessarily reflect the risk of disease transmission from attached ticks to vertebrate hosts. This novel assay can provide accurate estimates of the prevalence of less common SFGR in A. americanum and thus improve our understanding of the role of this tick in the maintenance and transmission of the SFGR commonly responsible for human rickettsioses.
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19
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Presence of diverse Rickettsia spp. and absence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks in an East Texas forest with reduced tick density associated with controlled burns. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 11:101310. [PMID: 31704208 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
As tick-borne diseases continue to emerge across the United States, there is need for a better understanding of the tick and pathogen communities in the southern states and of habitat features that influence transmission risk. We surveyed questing and on-host ticks in pine-dominated forests with various fire management regimes in the Sam Houston National Forest, a popular recreation area near Houston, Texas. Four linear transects were established- two with a history of controlled burns, and two unburned. Systematic drag sampling yielded 112 ticks from two species, Ixodes scapularis (n=73) and Amblyomma americanum (n=39), with an additional 106 questing ticks collected opportunistically from drag cloth operators. There was a significant difference in systematically-collected questing tick density between unburned (15 and 18 ticks/1000 m2) and burned (2 and 4 ticks/1000 m2) transects. We captured 106 rodents and found 74 ticks on the rodents, predominantly Dermacentor variabilis. One unburned transect had significantly more ticks per mammal than any of the other three transects. DNA of Rickettsia species was detected in 146/292 on and off-host ticks, including the 'Rickettsial endosymbiont of I. scapularis' and Rickettsia amblyommatis, which are of uncertain pathogenicity to humans. Borrelia lonestari was detected in one A. americanum, while Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the agent of Lyme disease, was not detected in any tick samples. Neither Borrelia nor Rickettsia spp. were detected in any of the mammal ear biopsies (n=64) or blood samples (n=100) tested via PCR. This study documents a high prevalence in ticks of Rickettsia spp. thought to be endosymbionts, a low prevalence of relapsing fever group Borrelia in ticks, and a lack of detection of Lyme disease-group Borrelia in both ticks and mammals in an east Texas forested recreation area. Additionally, we observed low questing tick density in areas with a history of controlled burns. These results expand knowledge of tick-borne disease ecology in east Texas which can aid in directing future investigative, modeling, and management efforts.
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20
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Amblyomma americanum serpin 27 (AAS27) is a tick salivary anti-inflammatory protein secreted into the host during feeding. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007660. [PMID: 31449524 PMCID: PMC6730956 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks successfully feed and transmit pathogens by injecting pharmacological compounds in saliva to thwart host defenses. We have previously used LC-MS/MS to identify proteins that are present in saliva of unfed Amblyomma americanum ticks that were exposed to different hosts. Here we show that A. americanum serine protease inhibitor (serpin) 27 (AAS27) is an immunogenic saliva protein that is injected into the host within the first day of tick feeding and is an anti-inflammatory protein that might act by blocking plasmin and trypsin functions. Although AAS27 is injected into the host throughout tick feeding, qRT-PCR and western blotting analyses indicate that the respective transcript and protein are present in high amounts within the first 24 h of tick feeding. Biochemical screening of Pichia pastoris-expressed recombinant (r) AAS27 against mammalian proteases related to host defense shows it is an inhibitor of trypsin and plasmin, with stoichiometry of inhibition indices of 3.5 and 3.8, respectively. Consistent with typical inhibitory serpins, rAAS27 formed heat- and SDS-stable irreversible complexes with both proteases. We further demonstrate that rAAS27 inhibits trypsin with ka of 6.46 ± 1.24 x 104 M-1 s-1, comparable to serpins of other tick species. We show that native AAS27 is part of the repertoire of proteins responsible for the inhibitory activity against trypsin in crude tick saliva. AAS27 is likely utilized by the tick to evade the hosts inflammation defense since rAAS27 blocks both formalin and compound 48/80-induced inflammation in rats. Tick immune sera of rabbits that had acquired resistance against tick feeding following repeated infestations with A. americanum or Ixodes scapularis ticks reacts with rAAS27. Of significant interest, antibody to rAAS27 blocks this serpin inhibitory functions. Taken together, we conclude that AAS27 is an anti-inflammatory protein secreted into the host during feeding and may represent a potential candidate for development of an anti-tick vaccine.
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21
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Santanello C, Barwari R, Troyo A. Spotted fever group Rickettsiae in Ticks from Missouri. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1395-1399. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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22
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Jiang J, An H, Lee JS, O’Guinn ML, Kim HC, Chong ST, Zhang Y, Song D, Burrus RG, Bao Y, Klein TA, Richards AL. Molecular characterization of Haemaphysalis longicornis-borne rickettsiae, Republic of Korea and China. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1606-1613. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Levin ML, Schumacher LBM, Snellgrove A. Effects of Rickettsia amblyommatis Infection on the Vector Competence of Amblyomma americanum Ticks for Rickettsia rickettsii. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018; 18:579-587. [PMID: 30096017 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although Dermacentor spp. ticks are considered the primary vectors of Rickettsia rickettsii in the United States, other North American tick species are also capable of transmitting the agent, including the lone star tick-Amblyomma americanum. The lone star tick is an aggressive human-biting tick abundant in the South, Central, and Mid-Atlantic United States, which has been shown to be a competent vector of R. rickettsii in laboratory studies. However in nature, A. americanum frequently carry Rickettsia amblyommatis-another member of the spotted fever group-with the prevalence of infection reaching 84% in some populations. It has been postulated that the presence of an endosymbiotic Rickettsia in a significant proportion of a vector population would diminish or even block transmission of pathogenic Rickettsia in ticks from generation to generation due to transovarial interference. We measured the ability of R. amblyommatis-infected A. americanum to acquire R. rickettsii from an infected host with a bloodmeal, and transmit it transstadially, horizontally (to a susceptible host), and vertically to the next generation. Larvae from both the R. amblyommatis-infected and R. amblyommatis-free cohorts acquired R. rickettsii from infected guinea pigs, but the presence of the symbiont diminished the ability of coinfected engorged larvae to transmit R. rickettsii transstadially. Conversely, acquisition of R. rickettsii by cofeeding was unaffected in R. amblyommatis-infected nymphs and adults; prevalence of R. rickettsii in engorged adults reached 97% in both R. amblyommatis-infected and R. amblyommatis-free cohorts. In guinea pigs exposed to dually infected nymphs, R. rickettsii infection was milder than in those fed upon nymphs infected with R. rickettsii only. The frequency of transovarial transmission of R. rickettsii in the R. amblyommatis-infected cohort (31%) appeared lower than that in the R. amblyommatis-free cohort (48%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Larval progenies of dually infected A. americanum females transmitted R. rickettsii to naïve guinea pigs confirming viability of the pathogen. Thus, the vector competence of A. americanum for R. rickettsii was not significantly affected by R. amblyommatis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Levin
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lauren B M Schumacher
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Alyssa Snellgrove
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, Georgia
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24
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Abstract
In this paper, we present a historical review of rickettsiosis in Central America and also the most recent findings of Rickettsia in ectoparasites. All countries of Central America have records of rickettsiosis. Regarding the typhus group rickettsioses, there is clinical or serological evidence of Rickettsia prowazekii in Guatemala, Rickettsia typhi in Panama, Guatemala, and Costa Rica and unidentified species of the typhus group in El Salvador. Concerning spotted fever group rickettsiosis, there is serological evidence of infection by Rickettsia akari in Costa Rica and confirmed cases involving Rickettsia rickettsii in Panama and Costa Rica. There are also reports of spotted fever group rickettsiosis in acute patients from Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Serological studies in Central America show reactivity of Rickettsia ambyommatis, Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia rhipicephali, and R. rickettsii in domestic and wild mammals. Eight species of Rickettsia have been detected in ectoparasites from Central America: R. africae (or very similar), R. amblyommatis, R. asembonensis, R. bellii, R. felis, R. parkeri, R. rhipicephali, and R. rickettsii, in addition to undescribed strains such as Atlantic Rainforest, Colombianensi, IbR/CRC, Barva, Aragaoi, and Candidatus "Rickettsia nicoyana;" the latter being the only one associated with Argasidae (Ornithodoros knoxjonesi). R. amblyommatis is the most common species in Central America, seeing as it has been reported in 10 species of ticks and one of fleas in five of the seven countries of the region. In this study, we demonstrate that the genus Rickettsia is widely distributed in Central America and that rickettsiosis could be an underestimated problem in the absence of greater diagnostic efforts in undetermined febrile cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sergio E Bermúdez
- Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Research, Panamá,
| | - Adriana Troyo
- Vector Research Laboratory, Tropical Diseases Research Center, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica
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25
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Suspected and Confirmed Vector-Borne Rickettsioses of North America Associated with Human Diseases. Trop Med Infect Dis 2018; 3:tropicalmed3010002. [PMID: 30274401 PMCID: PMC6136625 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed3010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of pathogenic rickettsial agents has expanded over the last two decades. In North America, the majority of human cases are caused by tick-borne rickettsioses but rickettsiae transmitted by lice, fleas, mites and other arthropods are also responsible for clinical disease. Symptoms are generally nonspecific or mimic other infectious diseases; therefore, diagnosis and treatment may be delayed. While infection with most rickettsioses is relatively mild, delayed diagnosis and treatment may lead to increased morbidity and mortality. This review will discuss the ecology, epidemiology and public health importance of suspected and confirmed vector-transmitted Rickettsia species of North America associated with human diseases.
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Polsomboon S, Hoel DF, Murphy JR, Linton YM, Motoki M, Robbins RG, Bautista K, Bricen O I, Achee NL, Grieco JP, Ching WM, Chao CC. Molecular Detection and Identification of Rickettsia Species in Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected From Belize, Central America. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:1718-1726. [PMID: 28981693 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about tick-borne rickettsial pathogens in Belize, Central America. We tested ixodid ticks for the presence of Rickettsia species in three of the six northern and western Belizean districts. Ticks were collected from domestic animals and tick drags over vegetation in 23 different villages in November 2014, February 2015, and May 2015. A total of 2,506 collected ticks were identified to the following species: Dermacentor nitens Neumann (46.69%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (19.55%), Rhipicephalus microplus (Canestrini) (19.47%), Amblyomma cajennense complex (9.74%), Amblyomma maculatum Koch (3.47%), Amblyomma ovale Koch (0.68%), Ixodes nr affinis (0.16%), Amblyomma nr maculatum (0.12%), and Amblyomma nr oblongoguttatum (0.12%). Ticks were pooled according to species, life stage (larva, nymph, or adult), and location (n = 509) for DNA extraction and screened for genus Rickettsia by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). All 42 positive pools were found to be positive for spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia in pools of A. cajennense complex (n = 33), A. maculatum (n = 4), A. nr maculatum (n = 1), A. ovale (n = 1), R. sanguineus (n = 1), and I. nr affinis (n = 2). Rickettsia amblyommatis was identified from A. cajennense complex and A. nr maculatum. Rickettsia parkeri was found in A. maculatum, and Rickettsia sp. endosymbiont was detected in I. nr affinis. The presence of infected ticks suggests a risk of tick-borne rickettsioses to humans and animals in Belize. This knowledge can contribute to an effective tick management and disease control program benefiting residents and travelers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suppaluck Polsomboon
- Department of Preventive Medicine & Biostatistics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - David F Hoel
- Department of Preventive Medicine & Biostatistics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Jittawadee R Murphy
- Department of Preventive Medicine & Biostatistics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Yvonne-Marie Linton
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, MRC-534, Suitland, MD 20746
- Smithsonian Institution, Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560
| | - Maysa Motoki
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, MRC-534, Suitland, MD 20746
- Department of Entomology, Institut Pasteur du Laos, Sisattanak District, PO Box 3560, Vientiane, Laos, PDR
| | - Richard G Robbins
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, MRC-534, Suitland, MD 20746
| | - Kim Bautista
- Ministry of Health, Vector Control Office, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk, Belize
| | - Ireneo Bricen O
- Ministry of Health, Vector Control Office, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk, Belize
- Belize Vector and Ecology Center (BVEC), Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, Belize
| | - Nicole L Achee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, 239 Galvin Life Science Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - John P Grieco
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, 239 Galvin Life Science Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Wei-Mei Ching
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Disease Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910
| | - Chien-Chung Chao
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Disease Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910
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Varela-Stokes AS, Park SH, Kim SA, Ricke SC. Microbial Communities in North American Ixodid Ticks of Veterinary and Medical Importance. Front Vet Sci 2017; 4:179. [PMID: 29104867 PMCID: PMC5654947 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2017.00179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Interest in microbial communities, or microbiota, of blood-feeding arthropods such as ticks (order Parasitiformes, suborder Ixodida) is increasing. Studies on tick microorganisms historically emphasized pathogens of high medical or veterinary importance. Current techniques allow for simultaneous detection of pathogens of interest, non-pathogenic symbionts, like Coxiella-LE and Francisella-LE, and microorganisms of unknown pathogenic potential. While each generation of ticks begins with a maternally acquired repertoire of microorganisms, microhabitats off and on vertebrate hosts can alter the microbiome during the life cycle. Further, blood-feeding may allow for horizontal exchange of various pathogenic microbiota that may or may not also be capable of vertical transmission. Thus, the tick microbiome may be in constant flux. The geographical spread of tick vector populations has resulted in a broader appreciation of tick-borne diseases and tick-associated microorganisms. Over the last decade, next-generation sequencing technology targeting the 16S rRNA gene led to documented snapshots of bacterial communities among life stages of laboratory and field-collected ticks, ticks in various feeding states, and tick tissues. Characterizing tick bacterial communities at population and individual tissue levels may lead to identification of markers for pathogen maintenance, and thus, indicators of disease “potential” rather than disease state. Defining the role of microbiota within the tick may lead to novel control measures targeting tick-bacterial interactions. Here, we review our current understanding of microbial communities for some vectors in the family Ixodidae (hard ticks) in North America, and interpret published findings for audiences in veterinary and medical fields with an appreciation of tick-borne disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Varela-Stokes
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, United States
| | - Si Hong Park
- Department of Food Science, Center for Food Safety, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Sun Ae Kim
- Department of Food Science, Center for Food Safety, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Steven C Ricke
- Department of Food Science, Center for Food Safety, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
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Karim S, Budachetri K, Mukherjee N, Williams J, Kausar A, Hassan MJ, Adamson S, Dowd SE, Apanskevich D, Arijo A, Sindhu ZU, Kakar MA, Khan RMD, Ullah S, Sajid MS, Ali A, Iqbal Z. A study of ticks and tick-borne livestock pathogens in Pakistan. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005681. [PMID: 28650978 PMCID: PMC5501686 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As obligate blood-feeding arthropods, ticks transmit pathogens to humans and domestic animals more often than other arthropod vectors. Livestock farming plays a vital role in the rural economy of Pakistan, and tick infestation causes serious problems with it. However, research on tick species diversity and tick-borne pathogens has rarely been conducted in Pakistan. In this study, a systematic investigation of the tick species infesting livestock in different ecological regions of Pakistan was conducted to determine the microbiome and pathobiome diversity in the indigenous ticks. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A total of 3,866 tick specimens were morphologically identified as 19 different tick species representing three important hard ticks, Rhipicephalus, Haemaphysalis and Hyalomma, and two soft ticks, Ornithodorus and Argas. The bacterial diversity across these tick species was assessed by bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing using a 454-sequencing platform on 10 of the different tick species infesting livestock. The notable genera detected include Ralstonia, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, Rickettsia, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Corynebacterium, Enterobacter, and Enterococcus. A survey of Spotted fever group rickettsia from 514 samples from the 13 different tick species generated rickettsial-specific amplicons in 10% (54) of total ticks tested. Only three tick species Rhipicephalus microplus, Hyalomma anatolicum, and H. dromedarii had evidence of infection with "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" a result further verified using a rompB gene-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. The Hyalomma ticks also tested positive for the piroplasm, Theileria annulata, using a qPCR assay. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This study provides information about tick diversity in Pakistan, and pathogenic bacteria in different tick species. Our results showed evidence for Candidatus R. amblyommii infection in Rhipicephalus microplus, H. anatolicum, and H. dromedarii ticks, which also carried T. annulata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Karim
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States of America
| | - Khemraj Budachetri
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States of America
| | - Nabanita Mukherjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States of America
| | - Jaclyn Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States of America
| | - Asma Kausar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States of America
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Jawadul Hassan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States of America
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Steven Adamson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States of America
| | - Scot E. Dowd
- Molecular Research LP, Shallowater, TX, United States of America
| | - Dmitry Apanskevich
- Institute of Arthropodology and Parasitology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Abdullah Arijo
- Department of Parasitology, Sindh Agricultural University, Tando Jam, Pakistan
| | - Zia Uddin Sindhu
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Azam Kakar
- Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Lasbela, Balochistan, Pakistan
| | | | - Shafiq Ullah
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Zafar Iqbal
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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29
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Luz HR, Faccini JLH, McIntosh D. Molecular analyses reveal an abundant diversity of ticks and rickettsial agents associated with wild birds in two regions of primary Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2017; 8:657-665. [PMID: 28479066 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Brazilian wild birds are recognized as frequent and important hosts for immature stages of more than half of the 32 recognized species of Amblyomma ticks recorded in that country. Several species of Amblyomma harbor rickettsial agents, including members of the spotted fever group (SFG). Most studies on this topic relied primarily on morphological characterization and reported large portions of the collected ticks at the genus rather than species level. Clearly, this factor may have contributed to an underestimation of tick diversity and distribution and makes comparisons between studies difficult. The current investigation combined morphological and molecular analyses to assess the diversity of ticks and rickettsial agents associated with wild birds, captured in two regions of native Atlantic rainforest, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A total of 910 birds were captured, representing two orders, 34 families and 106 species, among which 93 specimens (10.2%), were parasitized by 138 immature ticks (60 larvae and 78 nymphs), representing 10 recognized species of the genus Amblyomma; together with two reasonably well classified haplotypes (Amblyomma sp. haplotype Nazaré and Amblyomma sp. strain USNTC 6792). Amplification by PCR and sequencing of rickettsial genes (htrA, gltA, ompA and ompB), demonstrated the presence of Rickettsia DNA in 48 (34%) of the ticks. Specifically, Rickettsia bellii was detected in a single larva and a single nymph of A. aureolatum; R. amblyomatis was found in 16 of 37 A. longirostre and was recorded for the first time in three nymphs of A. calcaratum; R. rhipicephali was detected in 9 (47%) of 19 Amblyomma sp. haplotype Nazaré ticks. The remaining ticks were infected with genetic variants of R. parkeri, namely strain ApPR in 12 A. parkeri and seven Amblyomma sp. haplotype Nazaré ticks, with the strain NOD found in two specimens of A. nodosum. Interestingly, a single larvae of A. ovale was shown to be infected with the emerging human pathogen Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest (ARF), suggesting a possible role for birds in the dispersal of ticks infected with this variant of R. parkeri. The diversity of ticks and Rickettsia recorded in this study is, to our knowledge, the most abundant recorded to date in Brazil and highlighted the value of employing methods capable of providing species level identification of the ixodofauna of wild birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermes Ribeiro Luz
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - João Luiz Horacio Faccini
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Douglas McIntosh
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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30
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Bermúdez SE, Gottdenker N, Krishnvajhala A, Fox A, Wilder HK, González K, Smith D, López M, Perea M, Rigg C, Montilla S, Calzada JE, Saldaña A, Caballero CM, Lopez JE. Synanthropic Mammals as Potential Hosts of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Panama. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0169047. [PMID: 28060928 PMCID: PMC5218486 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Synanthropic wild mammals can be important hosts for many vector-borne zoonotic pathogens. The aim of this study was determine the exposure of synanthropic mammals to two types of tick-borne pathogens in Panama, spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) and Borrelia relapsing fever (RF) spirochetes. One hundred and thirty-one wild mammals were evaluated, including two gray foxes, two crab-eating foxes (from zoos), four coyotes, 62 opossum and 63 spiny rats captured close to rural towns. To evaluate exposure to SFGR, serum samples from the animals were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using Rickettsia rickettsii and Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii antigen. Immunoblotting was performed using Borrelia turicatae protein lysates and rGlpQ, to assess infection caused by RF spirochetes. One coyote (25%) and 27 (43%) opossums showed seroreactivity to SFGR. Of these opossums, 11 were seroreactive to C. R. amblyommii. Serological reactivity was not detected to B. turicatae in mammal samples. These findings may reflect a potential role of both mammals in the ecology of tick-borne pathogens in Panama.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio E. Bermúdez
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
| | - Nicole Gottdenker
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Aparna Krishnvajhala
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Amy Fox
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Hannah K. Wilder
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kadir González
- Departamento de Investigación en Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
| | | | | | - Milixa Perea
- Departamento de Investigación en Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
| | - Chystrie Rigg
- Departamento de Investigación en Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
| | - Santiago Montilla
- Departamento de Investigación en Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
| | - José E. Calzada
- Departamento de Investigación en Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
| | - Azael Saldaña
- Departamento de Investigación en Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
| | | | - Job E. Lopez
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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Budachetri K, Williams J, Mukherjee N, Sellers M, Moore F, Karim S. The microbiome of neotropical ticks parasitizing on passerine migratory birds. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 8:170-173. [PMID: 27802919 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2015] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal migration of passerine birds between temperate North America and tropical Central and South America is an ecological phenomenon. Migration of birds has been associated with the introduction of ectoparasites like ticks or tick-borne pathogens across the avian migration routes. In this study, the microbial diversity was determined in the ticks and bird DNA samples using 454 pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Tick DNA samples showed the dominance of genera Lactococcus, Francisella, Raoultella, Wolbachia and Rickettsia across all the ticks, but birds DNA did not share common microbial diversity with ticks. Furthermore, "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" infection in the 91 ticks collected off the songbirds was also quantified by qPCR assay. Interestingly, "Candidatus R. amblyommii" was tested positive in 24 ticks (26% infection), and infection varied from as low as three copies to thousands of copies, but bird blood samples showed no amplification. Our results provide evidence that songbirds serve as transport carrier for immature ticks, and less likely to be a reservoir for "Candidatus R. amblyommii".
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Affiliation(s)
- Khemraj Budachetri
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Jaclyn Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Nabanita Mukherjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Michael Sellers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Frank Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Shahid Karim
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA.
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32
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Sayler K, Rowland J, Boyce C, Weeks E. Borrelia burgdorferi DNA absent, multiple Rickettsia spp. DNA present in ticks collected from a teaching forest in North Central Florida. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 8:53-59. [PMID: 27720381 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases are an emerging public health threat in the United States. In Florida, there has been public attention directed towards the possibility of locally acquired Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the causative agent of Lyme disease, in association with the lone star tick. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ticks and the pathogens they carry and potentially transmit, such as B. burgdorferi, in a highly utilized teaching and research forest in North Central Florida. Ticks were collected by dragging and flagging methods over a four month period in early 2014, identified, and tested by PCR for multiple pathogens including Anaplasma, Borrelia, Rickettsia, and Ehrlichia species. During the study period the following ticks were collected: 2506 (96.5%) Amblyomma americanum L., 64 (2.5%) Ixodes scapularis Say, 19 (0.7%) Dermacentor variabilis Say, and 5 (0.2%) Ixodes affinis Neuman. Neither Borrelia spp. (0/846) nor Anaplasma spp. (0/69; Ixodes spp. only) were detected by PCR in any of the ticks tested. However, Rickettsia DNA was present in 53.7% (86/160), 62.5% (40/64), 60.0% (3/5) and 31.6% (6/19) of A. americanum, I. scapularis, I. affinis and D. variabilis, respectively. Furthermore, E. chaffeensis and E. ewingii DNA were detected in 1.3% and 4.4% of adult A. americanum specimens tested, respectively. Although receiving an A. americanum bite is likely in wooded areas in North Central Florida due to the abundance of this tick, the risk of contracting a tick-borne pathogen in this specific area during the spring season appears to be low. The potential for pathogen prevalence to be highly variable exists, even within a single geographical site and longitudinal studies are needed to assess how tick-borne pathogen prevalence is changing over time in North Central Florida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Sayler
- College of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 SW 16th Avenue, Veterinary Academic Building, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Jessica Rowland
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, PO Box 110620, 1881 Natural Area Drive, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, 2055 Mowry Rd, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Carisa Boyce
- College of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 SW 16th Avenue, Veterinary Academic Building, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA; Department of Entomology and Nematology, PO Box 110620, 1881 Natural Area Drive, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Emma Weeks
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, PO Box 110620, 1881 Natural Area Drive, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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33
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First report of "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" in west coast of Mexico. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:1139-1145. [PMID: 27616774 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
We report the first case of "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" detected in Amblyomma mixtum ticks on humans on the west coast of Mexico. This is the most western record of "Ca. R. amblyommii" in the Western Hemisphere, representing the first record for the western coast of the Americas. Even if the record is far from the previously known locations for the species it does not represent a new record regarding temperature, precipitation and topographic parameters. Since "Ca. R. amblyommii" antibodies have been detected in patients suspected of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and the tick A. mixtum has been associated with humans, it is important to consider "Ca. R. amblyommii" as a potential risk for the human population that has not been considered at risk before.
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34
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Bermúdez SE, Castro AM, Trejos D, García GG, Gabster A, Miranda RJ, Zaldívar Y, Paternina LE. Distribution of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Hard Ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) from Panamanian Urban and Rural Environments (2007-2013). ECOHEALTH 2016; 13:274-284. [PMID: 27068930 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-016-1118-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne rickettsiosis is an important emerging disease in Panama; to date, there have been 12 confirmed cases, including eight fatalities. To evaluate the distribution of rickettsiae in Panamanian ticks, we collected questing and on-host ticks in urban and rural towns in elevations varying between 0 and 2300 m. A total of 63 sites (13 urban and 50 rural towns) were used to develop models of spatial distributions. We found the following tick species: Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (present in 54 of 63 towns and cities), Amblyomma mixtum (45/63), Dermacentor nitens (40/63), A. ovale (37/63), Rhipicephalus microplus (33/63), A. oblongoguttatum (33/63), Ixodes affinis (3/63), and Ixodes boliviensis (2/63). Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. was present in urban and rural towns, and other species were present only in rural towns. DNA was extracted from 408 R. sanguineus s.l., 387 A. mixtum, 103 A. ovale, and 11 A. oblongoguttatum and later tested for rickettsiae genes using PCR. Rickettsia DNA was detected in ticks from 21 of 63 localities. Rickettsia rickettsii was detected in five A. mixtum (1.29%), and Candidatus "Rickettsia amblyommii" was found in 138 A. mixtum (35%), 14 R. sanguineus (3.4%), and one A. ovale (0.9%). These results suggest that much of rural Panama is suitable for the expansion of tick populations and could favor the appearance of new tick-borne rickettsiosis outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio E Bermúdez
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama.
- Grupo de Estudios con Ectoparásitos, Panama, Panama.
| | - Angélica M Castro
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Diomedes Trejos
- Grupo de Estudios con Ectoparásitos, Panama, Panama
- Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses, Panama, Panama
| | - Gleydis G García
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Amanda Gabster
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Roberto J Miranda
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Yamitzel Zaldívar
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama, Panama
| | - Luis E Paternina
- Grupo de Estudios con Ectoparásitos, Panama, Panama
- Grupo BIOGEM, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo Centauro, Universidad de Antioquia, Antioquia, Colombia
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia
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Hudman DA, Sargentini NJ. Detection of Borrelia, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia spp. in ticks in northeast Missouri. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:915-921. [PMID: 27133163 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick) and Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) in northeast Missouri for the presence of Borrelia, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia bacteria. We collected actively questing ticks from four sites within Adair County, Missouri. A total of 15,162 ticks were collected, of which 13,980 were grouped in 308 pools (lone star ticks, 288 pools; American dog ticks, 20 pools) and tested for presence/absence of bacteria using polymerase chain reaction. Infection rates were calculated as the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Of the 308 pools tested, 229 (74.4%) were infected with bacteria and the overall MLE of the infection rate per 100 ticks was calculated as 2.9% (CI 2.61-3.21). Infection rates varied among life stages, 28.6% (CI 23.89-33.97) in adults, 7.0% (CI 5.10-9.86) in nymphs, and 1.0% (CI 0.75-1.20) in larvae. In the 116 adult lone star pools, infection rates were calculated for Borrelia lonestari (1.4%), Borrelia spp. (2.7%), Ehrlichia chaffeensis (6.1%), Ehrlichia ewingii (3.3%), Rickettsia amblyommii (18.3%), and Rickettsia montanensis (0.4%). Infection rates for the 52 nymphal lone star pools were calculated as B. lonestari (1.03%), Borrelia spp. (0.40%), E. chaffeensis (2.02%), E. ewingii (0.24%), and R. amblyommii (2.70%). In the 20 adult American dog tick pools, infection rates were determined as E. chaffeensis (9.47%), E. ewingii (5.47%), and R. montanensis (8.06%). Eight Borrelia samples were sequenced with five 99-100% identical to B. burgdorferi (s.l.) and three 99% identical to B. lonestari. Eight samples were sequenced for E. chaffeensis (all 99-100% identical) and one sample was sequenced for E. ewingii (99% identical). Seven samples were sequenced for Rickettsia and three were 99% identical to R. montanensis and four were 100% identical to R. amblyommii. This study demonstrates B. lonestari, E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, R. amblyommii, and R. montanensis in northeast Missouri ticks for the first time. Understanding the presence and epidemiology of these causative (E. chaffeensis and E. ewingii) and suspected (B. lonestari and R. amblyommii) agents in Missouri should increase awareness of potential tick-borne disease in the medical community.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Hudman
- A. T. Still University, 800 W. Jefferson St., Kirksville, MO 63501, United States.
| | - N J Sargentini
- A. T. Still University, 800 W. Jefferson St., Kirksville, MO 63501, United States
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Delisle J, Mendell NL, Stull-Lane A, Bloch KC, Bouyer DH, Moncayo AC. Human Infections by Multiple Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Tennessee. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 94:1212-7. [PMID: 27022147 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most common tick-borne disease in Tennessee. However, Rickettsia rickettsii has rarely been isolated from endemic ticks, suggesting rickettsioses may be caused by other species. A total of 56 human serum samples that were serologically positive for exposure to Rickettsia were obtained from commercial laboratories in 2010 and 2011. In addition, 20 paired sera from patients with encephalitis and positive Rickettsia serology were obtained from the Tennessee Unexplained Encephalitis Surveillance (TUES) study. Using an immunofluorescence assay, reactivity of the sera to R. rickettsii, Rickettsia montanensis, Rickettsia parkeri, and Rickettsia amblyommii was tested, and a comparison of endpoint titers was used to determine the probable antigen that stimulated the antibody response. Cross-absorption was conducted for 94.8% (N = 91) of the samples due to serologic cross-reactivity. Of the commercial laboratory samples, 55.4% (N = 31) had specific reactivity to R. amblyommii and 44.6% (N = 25) were indeterminate. Of the paired TUES samples, 20% (N = 4) had specific reactivity to R. amblyommii, 5% (N = 1) to R. montanensis, and 5% (N = 1) to R. parkeri Patients with specific reactivity to R. amblyommii experienced fever (75%), headache (68%) and myalgia (58%). Rash (36%) and thrombocytopenia (40%) were less common. To our knowledge, this is the first time R. amblyommii has been reported as a possible causative agent of rickettsioses in Tennessee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie Delisle
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Nicole L Mendell
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Annica Stull-Lane
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Karen C Bloch
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Donald H Bouyer
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Abelardo C Moncayo
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
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Luce-Fedrow A, Mullins K, Kostik AP, St John HK, Jiang J, Richards AL. Strategies for detecting rickettsiae and diagnosing rickettsial diseases. Future Microbiol 2016; 10:537-64. [PMID: 25865193 DOI: 10.2217/fmb.14.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Rickettsial diseases and scrub typhus constitute a group of the oldest known vector-borne diseases. The cosmopolitan distribution of the vectors that transmit rickettsiae and orientiae leads to a worldwide prevalence of these diseases. Despite their significant historical status, detection and diagnosis of these diseases are still evolving today. Serological methods remain among the most prevalent techniques used for the detection/diagnosis of rickettsial diseases and scrub typhus. Molecular techniques have been instrumental in increasing the sensitivity/specificity of diagnosis, identifying new Rickettsia and Orientia species and have enhanced epidemiological capabilities when used in combination with serological methods. In this review, we discuss these techniques and their associated pros and cons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Luce-Fedrow
- Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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Nunes EDC, Vizzoni VF, Navarro DL, Iani FCDM, Durães LS, Daemon E, Soares CAG, Gazeta GS. Rickettsia amblyommii infecting Amblyomma sculptum in endemic spotted fever area from southeastern Brazil. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015; 110:1058-61. [PMID: 26676317 PMCID: PMC4708027 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760150266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Rickettsia bacteria include the aetiological agents for the
human spotted fever (SF) disease. In the present study, a SF groupRickettsia
amblyommii related bacterium was detected in a field collected
Amblyomma sculptum (Amblyomma cajennense species
complex) tick from a Brazilian SF endemic site in southeastern Brazil, in the
municipality of Juiz de Fora, state of Minas Gerais. Genetic analysis based on genes
ompA,ompB and htrA showed that
the detected strain, named R. amblyommii str. JF, is related to the
speciesR. amblyommii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emília de Carvalho Nunes
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Vinicius Figueiredo Vizzoni
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Daniel Leal Navarro
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Liliane Silva Durães
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Erik Daemon
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Carlos Augusto Gomes Soares
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Gilberto Salles Gazeta
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Dahlgren FS, Paddock CD, Springer YP, Eisen RJ, Behravesh CB. Expanding Range of Amblyomma americanum and Simultaneous Changes in the Epidemiology of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis in the United States. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015; 94:35-42. [PMID: 26503270 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia species are etiologic agents of a wide range of human infections from asymptomatic or mild infections to severe, life-threatening disease. In the United States, recent passive surveillance for SFG rickettsiosis shows an increased incidence and decreased severity of reported cases. The reasons for this are not well understood; however, we hypothesize that less pathogenic rickettsiae are causing more human infections, while the incidence of disease caused by more pathogenic rickettsiae, particularly Rickettsia rickettsii, is relatively stable. During the same period, the range of Amblyomma americanum has expanded. Amblyomma americanum is frequently infected with "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii", a SFG Rickettsia of unknown pathogenicity. We tested our hypothesis by modeling incidence rates from 1993 to 2013, hospitalization rates from 1981 to 2013, and case fatality rates from 1981 to 2013 regressed against the presence of A. americanum, the decade of onset of symptoms, and the county of residence. Our results support the hypothesis, and we show that the expanding range of A. americanum is associated with changes in epidemiology reported through passive surveillance. We believe epidemiological and acarological data collected on individual cases from enhanced surveillance may further elucidate the reasons for the changing epidemiology of SFG rickettsiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Scott Dahlgren
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Christopher D Paddock
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Yuri P Springer
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Rebecca J Eisen
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Casey Barton Behravesh
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Novakova M, Literak I, Chevez L, Martins TF, Ogrzewalska M, Labruna MB. Rickettsial infections in ticks from reptiles, birds and humans in Honduras. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:737-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 06/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Wright CL, Sonenshine DE, Gaff HD, Hynes WL. Rickettsia parkeri Transmission to Amblyomma americanum by Cofeeding with Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) and Potential for Spillover. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 52:1090-1095. [PMID: 26336226 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Amblyomma americanum (L.) is a human-biting ixodid tick distributed throughout much of the southeastern United States. Rickettsia parkeri is a member of the spotted fever group rickettsiae and causes a febrile illness in humans commonly referred to as "Tidewater spotted fever" or "R. parkeri rickettsiosis." Although the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum Koch, is the primary vector of R. parkeri, a small proportion of A. americanum have also been shown to harbor R. parkeri. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether R. parkeri is spilling over into A. americanum in eastern Virginia and also to determine through laboratory experiments, whether A. americanum can acquire R. parkeri by cofeeding alongside infected ticks. Of 317 wild-caught, flat adult A. americanum tested from 29 counties and independent cities in coastal Virginia, a single female A. americanum was positive for R. parkeri, suggesting that R. parkeri is spilling over into this species, but at very low rates (<1.0%). Laboratory studies using guinea pigs indicated that nymphal A. americanum were able to acquire R. parkeri while feeding alongside infected A. maculatum and then transstadially maintain the infection. Nymphal A. americanum infected with Rickettsia amblyommii, however, were less likely to acquire R. parkeri, suggesting that infection with R. amblyommii may prevent R. parkeri from establishing infection in A. americanum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea L Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529
| | - Daniel E Sonenshine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529
| | - Holly D Gaff
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529. School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University Road, Westville, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Wayne L Hynes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529. Corresponding author, e-mail:
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42
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D AMC, S GGG, Dzul-Rosado K, Aguilar A, Castillo J, Gabster A, Trejos D, Zavala-Castro J, Bermúdez C SE. Questing Amblyomma mixtum and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi (Acari: Ixodidae) Infected with Candidatus "Rickettsia amblyommii" from the Natural Environment in Panama Canal Basin, Panama. Trop Med Health 2015; 43:217-22. [PMID: 26865823 PMCID: PMC4689609 DOI: 10.2149/tmh.2015-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This work emphasizes the detection of Candidatus “Rickettsia amblyommii” in questing Haemaphysalis juxtakochi and Amblyomma mixtum. From February 2009 to December 2012, questing ticks were collected from the vegetation and leaf-litter of four protected forests and two grassy areas around the Panama Canal basin. DNA was extracted from Amblyomma mixtum, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma oblongoguttatum, Amblyomma pecarium, Amblyomma tapirellum, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, and unidentified immature Amblyomma. Specific primers of citrate synthase gene gltA were used to detect and identify the rickettsiae. Amplicons with the expected band size were purified and sequenced. DNA of C. “R. amblyommii” was found in A. mixtum, H. juxtakochi and Amblyomma immatures. To our knowledge, these finding represent the first report of C. “R. amblyommii” in free-living ticks in the wilderness of Central America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica M Castro D
- Departamento en Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
| | - Gleidys G García S
- Departamento en Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
| | - Karla Dzul-Rosado
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi" de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán en Mérida , México
| | | | - Juan Castillo
- Departamento en Investigación en Genómica y Proteómica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
| | - Amanda Gabster
- Departamento en Investigación en Genómica y Proteómica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
| | - Diomedes Trejos
- Laboratorio de Análisis Biomolecular, Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses , Panamá
| | - Jorge Zavala-Castro
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi" de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán en Mérida , México
| | - Sergio E Bermúdez C
- Departamento en Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud , Panamá
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Wang SY, Kuo YC, Huang YZ, Huang CW, Kao CM. Bioremediation of 1,2-dichloroethane contaminated groundwater: Microcosm and microbial diversity studies. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2015; 203:97-106. [PMID: 25863886 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.03.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2014] [Revised: 03/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the effectiveness of bioremediating 1,2-dichloroethane (DCA)-contaminated groundwater under different oxidation-reduction processes was evaluated. Microcosms were constructed using indigenous bacteria and activated sludge as the inocula and cane molasses and a slow polycolloid-releasing substrate (SPRS) as the primary substrates. Complete DCA removal was obtained within 30 days under aerobic and reductive dechlorinating conditions. In anaerobic microcosms with sludge and substrate addition, chloroethane, vinyl chloride, and ethene were produced. The microbial communities and DCA-degrading bacteria in microcosms were characterized by 16S rRNA-based denatured-gradient-gel electrophoresis profiling and nucleotide sequence analyses. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was applied to evaluate the variations in Dehalococcoides spp. and Desulfitobacterium spp. Increase in Desulfitobacterium spp. indicates that the growth of Desulfitobacterium might be induced by DCA. Results indicate that DCA could be used as the primary substrate under aerobic conditions. The increased ethene concentrations imply that dihaloelimination was the dominate mechanism for DCA biodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Y Wang
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Y C Kuo
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Y Z Huang
- Bioenvironmental Engineering Department, Chung Yuan University, Chung Li, Taiwan
| | - C W Huang
- Deaprtment of Biological Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - C M Kao
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
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Rivas JJ, Moreira-Soto A, Alvarado G, Taylor L, Calderón-Arguedas O, Hun L, Corrales-Aguilar E, Morales JA, Troyo A. Pathogenic potential of a Costa Rican strain of 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii' in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) and protective immunity against Rickettsia rickettsii. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015. [PMID: 26210090 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii' is a spotted fever group rickettsia that is not considered pathogenic, although there is serologic evidence of possible infection in animals and humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathogenic potential of a Costa Rican strain of 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' in guinea pigs and determine its capacity to generate protective immunity against a subsequent infection with a local strain of Rickettsia rickettsii isolated from a human case. Six guinea pigs were inoculated with 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' strain 9-CC-3-1 and two controls with cell culture medium. Health status was evaluated, and necropsies were executed at days 2, 4, and 13. Blood and tissues were processed by PCR to detect the gltA gene, and end titers of anti-'Candidatus R. amblyommii' IgG were determined by indirect immunofluorescence. To evaluate protective immunity, another 5 guinea pigs were infected with 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' (IGPs). After 4 weeks, these 5 IGPs and 3 controls (CGPs) were inoculated with pathogenic R. rickettsii. Clinical signs and titers of anti-Rickettsia IgG were determined. IgG titers reached 1:512 at day 13 post-infection with 'Candidatus R. amblyommii'. On day 2 after inoculation, two guinea pigs had enlarged testicles and 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' DNA was detected in testicles. Histopathology confirmed piogranulomatous orchitis with perivascular inflammatory infiltrate in the epididymis. In the protective immunity assay, anti-Rickettsia IgG end titers after R. rickettsii infection were lower in IGPs than in CGPs. IGPs exhibited only transient fever, while CGP showed signs of severe disease and mortality. R. rickettsii was detected in testicles and blood of CGPs. Results show that the strain 9-CC-3-1 of 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' was able to generate pathology and an antibody response in guinea pigs. Moreover, its capacity to generate protective immunity against R. rickettsii may modulate the epidemiology and severity of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in areas where both species circulate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Rivas
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Andrés Moreira-Soto
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Virología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Gilberth Alvarado
- Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Lizeth Taylor
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Virología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Olger Calderón-Arguedas
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Entomología Médica, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Laya Hun
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Virología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Eugenia Corrales-Aguilar
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Virología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Juan Alberto Morales
- Servicio de Patología, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Adriana Troyo
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica; Sección de Entomología Médica, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
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McIntosh D, Bezerra RA, Luz HR, Faccini JLH, Gaiotto FA, Giné GAF, Albuquerque GR. Detection of Rickettsia bellii and Rickettsia amblyommii in Amblyomma longirostre (Acari: Ixodidae) from Bahia state, Northeast Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2015; 46:879-83. [PMID: 26413074 PMCID: PMC4568851 DOI: 10.1590/s1517-838246320140623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies investigating rickettsial infections in ticks parasitizing wild animals in
the Northeast region of Brazil have been confined to the detection of
Rickettsia amblyommii in immature stages of Amblyomma
longirostre collected from birds in the state of Bahia, and in immatures
and females of Amblyomma auriculariumcollected from the striped
hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus semistriatus) and armadillos
(Euphractus sexcinctus) in the state of Pernambuco. The current
study extends the distribution of R. amblyommii (strain Aranha),
which was detected in A. longirostre collected from the thin-spined
porcupine Chaetomys subspinosus and the hairy dwarf porcupine
Coendou insidiosus. In addition, we report the first detection of
Rickettsia bellii in adults of A. longirostre
collected from C. insidiosus in the state of Bahia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas McIntosh
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Alves Bezerra
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
| | - Hermes Ribeiro Luz
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - João Luiz Horacio Faccini
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Amato Gaiotto
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
| | | | - George Rego Albuquerque
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
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Trout Fryxell RT, Steelman CD, Szalanski AL, Billingsley PM, Williamson PC. Molecular Detection of Rickettsia Species Within Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected from Arkansas United States. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 52:500-508. [PMID: 26334827 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), caused by the etiological agent Rickettsia rickettsii, is the most severe and frequently reported rickettsial illness in the United States, and is commonly diagnosed throughout the southeast. With the discoveries of Rickettsia parkeri and other spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) in ticks, it remains inconclusive if the cases reported as RMSF are truly caused by R. rickettsii or other SFGR. Arkansas reports one of the highest incidence rates of RMSF in the country; consequently, to identify the rickettsiae in Arkansas, 1,731 ticks, 250 white-tailed deer, and 189 canines were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the rickettsial genes gltA, rompB, and ompA. None of the white-tailed deer were positive, while two of the canines (1.1%) and 502 (29.0%) of the ticks were PCR positive. Five different tick species were PCR positive: 244 (37%) Amblyomma americanum L., 130 (38%) Ixodes scapularis Say, 65 (39%) Amblyomma maculatum (Koch), 30 (9%) Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille, 7 (4%) Dermacentor variabilis Say, and 26 (44%) unidentified Amblyomma ticks. None of the sequenced products were homologous to R. rickettsii. The most common Rickettsia via rompB amplification was Rickettsia montanensis and nonpathogenic Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii, whereas with ompA amplification the most common Rickettsia was Ca. R. amblyommii. Many tick specimens collected in northwest Arkansas were PCR positive and these were commonly A. americanum harboring Ca. R. amblyommii, a currently nonpathogenic Rickettsia. Data reported here indicate that pathogenic R. rickettsii was absent from these ticks and suggest by extension that other SFGR are likely the causative agents for Arkansas diagnosed RMSF cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- R T Trout Fryxell
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, 370 Plant Biotechnology Bldg., 2505 E J Chapman Dr., Knoxville, TN 37996-4560.
| | - C D Steelman
- Department of Entomology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Arkansas
| | - A L Szalanski
- Department of Entomology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Arkansas
| | - P M Billingsley
- Department of Forensic and Investigative Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Ft. Worth, Texas
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Lugarini C, Martins TF, Ogrzewalska M, de Vasconcelos NCT, Ellis VA, de Oliveira JB, Pinter A, Labruna MB, Silva JCR. Rickettsial agents in avian ixodid ticks in northeast Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:364-75. [PMID: 25800099 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Birds are important in the maintenance and spread of ticks and tick-borne diseases. In this context we screened birds in the Atlantic forest north of the São Francisco River and Caatinga in northeast Brazil. In the Atlantic forest Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma varium and Amblyomma auricularium were identified. A. longirostre was infected by "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" and A. nodosum by a Rickettsia parkeri-like agent. In Caatinga, Amblyomma parvum and A. auricularium were identified. A. auricularium was infected by "Ca. R. amblyommii" and Rickettsia bellii. "Canditatus Rickettsia andenae" was also identified in A. parvum collected from birds in Caatinga. In addition, Rickettsia sp. genotype AL was identified in A. varium collected on the clothes of the field team in one area of Atlantic forest. Here we provide a series of new host records for several Neotropical Amblyomma species and document rickettsial infections of "Ca. R. amblyomii" and a R. parkeri-like agent in Paraíba State, and R. bellii and "Ca. R. andenae" in Bahia State. For the first time we provide information regarding the infection of A. varium by "Ca. R. amblyommii".
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Affiliation(s)
- Camile Lugarini
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Aves Silvestres, Estação Ecológica de Carijós, Rodovia Maurício Sirotski Sobrinho s/n, SC 402 - km 02, trevo Jurerê, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina 88053-700, Brazil; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiro, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil; Instituto Brasileiro para Medicina da Conservação - Tríade, Rua Silveira Lobo, 32, Caixa Postal 48, Casa Forte, Recife, PE 852061-030, Brazil.
| | - Thiago Fernandes Martins
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP 05508 270, Brazil
| | - Maria Ogrzewalska
- Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21045-900, Brazil
| | - Nathália Costa Teixeira de Vasconcelos
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiro, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Vincenzo A Ellis
- University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 8001 Natural Bridge, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
| | - Jaqueline Bianque de Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiro, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Adriano Pinter
- Superintendência de Controle de Endemias (Sucen), Rua Cardeal Arcovere, 2878, São Paulo 05408-003, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP 05508 270, Brazil
| | - Jean Carlos Ramos Silva
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiro, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil; Instituto Brasileiro para Medicina da Conservação - Tríade, Rua Silveira Lobo, 32, Caixa Postal 48, Casa Forte, Recife, PE 852061-030, Brazil
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48
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High prevalence of "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae" and apparent exclusion of Rickettsia parkeri in adult Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) from Kansas and Oklahoma. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:297-302. [PMID: 25773931 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Amblyomma maculatum (the Gulf Coast tick), an aggressive, human-biting, Nearctic and Neotropical tick, is the principal vector of Rickettsia parkeri in the United States. This pathogenic spotted fever group Rickettsia species has been identified in 8-52% of questing adult Gulf Coast ticks in the southeastern United States. To our knowledge, R. parkeri has not been reported previously from adult specimens of A. maculatum collected in Kansas or Oklahoma. A total of 216 adult A. maculatum ticks were collected from 18 counties in Kansas and Oklahoma during 2011-2014 and evaluated by molecular methods for evidence of infection with R. parkeri. No infections with this agent were identified; however, 47% of 94 ticks collected from Kansas and 73% of 122 ticks from Oklahoma were infected with "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae" a spotted fever group Rickettsia species of undetermined pathogenicity. These preliminary data suggest that "Ca. R. andeanae" is well-adapted to survival in populations of A. maculatum in Kansas and Oklahoma, and that its ubiquity in Gulf Coast ticks in these states may effectively exclude R. parkeri from their shared arthropod host, which could diminish markedly or preclude entirely the occurrence of R. parkeri rickettsiosis in this region of the United States.
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Barrett AW, Noden BH, Gruntmeir JM, Holland T, Mitcham JR, Martin JE, Johnson EM, Little SE. County Scale Distribution of Amblyomma americanum (Ixodida: Ixodidae) in Oklahoma: Addressing Local Deficits in Tick Maps Based on Passive Reporting. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 52:269-73. [PMID: 26336311 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tju026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/04/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Geographic distribution records for the lone star tick [Amblyomma americanum (L.)] in the peer-reviewed literature are incomplete for Oklahoma, preventing accurate disease risk assessments. To address this issue and document the presence of A. americanum in available habitats throughout the state, county-scale tick records published in U.S. Department of Agriculture-Cooperative Economic Insect Reports and specimens maintained at the K.C. Emerson Entomology Museum, Oklahoma State University, were reviewed. In addition, dry ice traps and tick drags were used to collect adult and nymphal A. americanum from throughout the state. Review of published USDA reports and the local museum collection documented A. americanum in 49 total counties (35 and 35, respectively). Active surveillance efforts confirmed the presence of this tick in 50 counties from which this species had not been previously reported to be established, documenting A. americanum is established in 68 of the 77 (88.3%) counties in Oklahoma. Taken together, these data verify that A. americanum ticks are much more widespread in Oklahoma than reflected in the literature, a phenomenon likely repeated throughout the geographic range of this tick in the eastern half of North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne W Barrett
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078
| | - Bruce H Noden
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078
| | - Jeff M Gruntmeir
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078
| | - Taylor Holland
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078
| | - Jessica R Mitcham
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078
| | - Jaclyn E Martin
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078
| | - Eileen M Johnson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078
| | - Susan E Little
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078
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Lee S, Kakumanu ML, Ponnusamy L, Vaughn M, Funkhouser S, Thornton H, Meshnick SR, Apperson CS. Prevalence of Rickettsiales in ticks removed from the skin of outdoor workers in North Carolina. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:607. [PMID: 25533148 PMCID: PMC4301950 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0607-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tick-transmitted rickettsial diseases, such as ehrlichiosis and spotted fever rickettsiosis, are significant sources of morbidity and mortality in the southern United States. Because of their exposure in tick-infested woodlands, outdoor workers experience an increased risk of infection with tick-borne pathogens. As part of a double blind randomized-controlled field trial of the effectiveness of permethrin-treated clothing in preventing tick bites, we identified tick species removed from the skin of outdoor workers in North Carolina and tested the ticks for Rickettsiales pathogens. Methods Ticks submitted by study participants from April-September 2011 and 2012 were identified to species and life stage, and preliminarily screened for the genus Rickettsia by nested PCR targeting the 17-kDa protein gene. Rickettsia were further identified to species by PCR amplification of 23S-5S intergenic spacer (IGS) fragments combined with reverse line blot hybridization with species-specific probes and through cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of 23S-5S amplicons. Ticks were examined for Ehrlichia and Anaplasma by nested PCR directed at the gltA, antigen-expressing gene containing a variable number of tandem repeats, 16S rRNA, and groESL genes. Results The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) accounted for 95.0 and 92.9% of ticks submitted in 2011 (n = 423) and 2012 (n = 451), respectively. Specimens of American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) and black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) were also identified. In both years of our study, 60.9% of ticks tested positive for 17-kDa. “Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii”, identified in all four tick species, accounted for 90.2% (416/461) of the 23S-5S-positive samples and 52.9% (416/787) of all samples tested. Nucleotide sequence analysis of Rickettsia-specific 23S-5S IGS, ompA and gltA gene fragments indicated that ticks, principally A. americanum, contained novel species of Rickettsia. Other Rickettsiales, including Ehrlichia ewingii, E. chaffeensis, Ehrlichia sp. (Panola Mountain), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, were infrequently identified, principally in A. americanum. Conclusions We conclude that in North Carolina, the most common rickettsial exposure is to R. amblyommii carried by A. americanum. Other Rickettsiales bacteria, including novel species of Rickettsia, were less frequently detected in A. americanum but are relevant to public health nevertheless. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-014-0607-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangmi Lee
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA. .,Present address: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Madhavi L Kakumanu
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA.
| | - Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA.
| | - Meagan Vaughn
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Sheana Funkhouser
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Haley Thornton
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA.
| | - Steven R Meshnick
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Charles S Apperson
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7647, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7647, USA.
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