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Vikentjeva M, Geller J, Bragina O. Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Popular Recreational Areas in Tallinn, Estonia: The Underestimated Risk of Tick-Borne Diseases. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1918. [PMID: 39338592 PMCID: PMC11434170 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12091918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2024] [Revised: 09/13/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
This study reveals a significant presence of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in urban recreational areas of Tallinn, Estonia. During the period of May-June 2018, 815 Ixodes ticks were collected from an area of 11,200 m2 using the flagging method. Tick density reached up to 18.8 ticks per 100 m2, indicating a high concentration of ticks in these urban green spaces. Pathogen analysis demonstrated that 34% of the collected ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. Specifically, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, was detected in 17.4% of the ticks; Rickettsia spp. was detected in 13.5%; Neoehrlichia mikurensis was detected in 5.5%; Borrelia miyamotoi was detected in 2.6%; and Anaplasma phagocytophilum and tick-borne encephalitis virus were detected in 0.5% each. These findings indicate that the prevalence and abundance of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in these urban environments are comparable to or even exceed those observed in natural endemic areas. Given the increasing incidence of Lyme borreliosis in Central and Northern Europe, the risk of tick bites and subsequent infection in urban recreational sites should not be underestimated. Public health measures, including enhanced awareness and precautionary information, are essential to mitigate the risk of tick-borne diseases in these urban settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vikentjeva
- Department of Communicable Diseases, Health Board, Paldiski mnt 81, 10614 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Julia Geller
- Influenza Centre, Health Board, Paldiski mnt 81, 10614 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Olga Bragina
- Division of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Science, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia
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Hartemink N, Gort G, Krawczyk AI, Fonville M, van Vliet AJ, Takken W, Sprong H. Spatial and temporal variation of five different pathogens and symbionts in Ixodes ricinus nymphs in the Netherlands. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2024; 6:100209. [PMID: 39309546 PMCID: PMC11414485 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
The incidence of diseases caused by pathogens transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus vary over time and space through incompletely understood mechanisms. An important determinant of the disease risk is the density of infected ticks, which is the infection prevalence times the density of questing ticks. We therefore investigated the spatial and temporal variation of four pathogens and one of the most abundant symbionts in Ixodes ricinus in questing nymphs over four years of monthly collections in 12 locations in the Netherlands. The infection prevalence of all microbes showed markedly different patterns with significant spatial variation for Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.), Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Rickettsia helvetica, and Midichloria mitochondrii, significant seasonal variation of B. burgdorferi (s.l.), N. mikurensis, and M. mitochondrii and a significant interannual variation of R. helvetica. Despite its ubiquitous presence, no spatio-temporal variation was observed for the infection prevalence of B. miyamotoi. The variation in infection prevalence was generally smaller than the variation in the density of nymphs, which fluctuated substantially both seasonally and between locations. This means that the variation in the densities of infected nymphs for all pathogens was mostly the result of the variation in densities of nymphs. We also investigated whether there were positive or negative associations between the symbionts, and more specifically whether ticks infected with vertically transmitted symbionts like M. mitochondrii and R. helvetica, have a higher prevalence of horizontally transmitted symbionts, such as B. burgdorferi (s.l.) and N. mikurensis. We indeed found a clear positive association between M. mitochondrii and B. burgdorferi (s.l.). The positive association between R. helvetica and B. burgdorferi (s.l.) was less clear and was only shown in two locations. Additionally, we found a clear positive association between B. burgdorferi (s.l.) and N. mikurensis, which are both transmitted by rodents. Our longitudinal study indicated strong between-location variation, some seasonal patterns and hardly any differences between years for most symbionts. Positive associations between symbionts were observed, suggesting that infection with a (vertically transmitted) symbiont may influence the probability of infection with other symbionts, or that there is a common underlying mechanism (e.g. feeding on rodents).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nienke Hartemink
- Biometris, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Gerrit Gort
- Biometris, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Aleksandra I. Krawczyk
- Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Manoj Fonville
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Arnold J.H. van Vliet
- Earth Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Luo S, Bao F, Wu H, Ma W, Zhu L, Huang X, Yang R, Peng L, Gao L, Wu X, Zhong L, Dong Y, Li B, Ma W, Liu A. Global prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum coinfection in Ixodes tick populations: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e083052. [PMID: 38858141 PMCID: PMC11168166 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ixodes ticks are pivotal in transmitting diseases like Lyme disease and human granulocytic anaplasmosis, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, respectively. These pathogens not only affect humans through single or multiple tick bites but also pose risks to animal hosts, leading to potential coinfections. Despite regional studies indicating significant prevalence, their global coinfection data remain sparse. This study aims to bridge this gap through a systematic review and meta-analysis of B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum coinfections in Ixodes ticks worldwide. Addressing data limitations and study variability, it seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of coinfection patterns, their epidemiological implications and inform targeted prevention strategies. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols 2015 guidelines and PROSPERO registration, this study will undertake a thorough database search without constraints on language or publication date, using standardised screening and data extraction protocols. The quality and bias of studies will be evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. In the statistical analysis phase, conducted in R, we will initially determine the use of fixed or random-effects models based on the assessment of data heterogeneity. This choice will guide the framework for subsequent analyses. Within the selected model's framework, we will perform subgroup analyses and meta-regression to investigate the effects of various factors, ensuring that each step is tailored to the initial model selection to maintain analytical consistency. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION As this study does not involve clinical research or data collection from subjects, ethical approval is not required. We will uphold ethical standards in synthesising and reporting data. Study outcomes will be published in peer-reviewed journals, communicating findings to the scientific community and contributing to the understanding of Ixodes tickborne diseases. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42023449735.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyi Luo
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Fukai Bao
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hanxin Wu
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Weijie Ma
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Liangyu Zhu
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xun Huang
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Rui Yang
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Li Peng
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Li Gao
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xinya Wu
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lei Zhong
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yan Dong
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Bingxue Li
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Weijiang Ma
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Aihua Liu
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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Sormunen JJ, Mänttäri J, Vesterinen EJ, Klemola T. Blood meal analysis reveals sources of tick-borne pathogens and differences in host utilization of juvenile Ixodes ricinus across urban and sylvatic habitats. Zoonoses Public Health 2024; 71:442-450. [PMID: 38485205 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13124] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Urban green spaces are locations of maximal human activity, forming areas of enhanced risk for tick-borne disease (TBD) transmission. Being also limited in spatial scale, green spaces form prime targets for control schemes aiming to reduce TBD risk. However, for effective control, the key species maintaining local tick and tick-borne pathogen (TBP) populations must be identified. To determine how patterns of host utilization vary spatially, we utilized blood meal analysis to study the contributions of voles, shrews, squirrels, leporids and cervids towards blood meals and the acquisition of TBPs of juvenile Ixodes ricinus in urban and sylvatic areas in Finland. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 1084 nymphs were collected from the capital city of Finland, Helsinki and from a sylvatic island in southwestern Finland, and subjected to qPCR analysis to identify DNA remnants of the previous host. We found significant differences in host contributions between urban and sylvatic environments. Specifically, squirrels and leporids were more common hosts in urban habitats, whereas cervids and voles were more common in sylvatic habitats. In addition to providing 18.4% of larval blood meals in urban habitats, red squirrels were identified as the source of 28.6% (n = 48) of Borrelia afzelii detections and 58.1% (n = 18) of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto detections, indicating an important role for local enzootic cycles. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights that the key hosts maintaining tick and TBP populations may be different in urban and sylvatic habitats. Likewise, hosts generally perceived as important for upkeep may have limited importance in urban environments. Consequently, targeting control schemes based on off-site data of host importance may lead to suboptimal results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jesse Mänttäri
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Tero Klemola
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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Quarsten H, Henningsson A, Krogfelt K, Strube C, Wennerås C, Mavin S. Tick-borne diseases under the radar in the North Sea Region. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102185. [PMID: 37116420 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The impact of tick-borne diseases caused by pathogens such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Borrelia miyamotoi, Rickettsia helvetica and Babesia species on public health is largely unknown. Data on the prevalence of these pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks from seven countries within the North Sea Region in Europe as well as the types and availability of diagnostic tests and the main clinical features of their corresponding diseases is reported and discussed. Raised awareness is needed to discover cases of these under-recognized types of tick-borne disease, which should provide valuable insights into these diseases and their clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne Quarsten
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand 4615, Norway.
| | - Anna Henningsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology in Jönköping, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönköping 55185, Sweden; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping 58183, Sweden
| | - Karen Krogfelt
- Department of Science and Environment, University of Roskilde, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover 30559, Germany
| | - Christine Wennerås
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg 413 46, Sweden
| | - Sally Mavin
- Scottish Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Infections Reference Laboratory, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness IV2 3BW, United Kingdom
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Krawczyk AI, Röttjers S, Coimbra-Dores MJ, Heylen D, Fonville M, Takken W, Faust K, Sprong H. Tick microbial associations at the crossroad of horizontal and vertical transmission pathways. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:380. [PMID: 36271430 PMCID: PMC9585727 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05519-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbial communities can affect disease risk by interfering with the transmission or maintenance of pathogens in blood-feeding arthropods. Here, we investigated whether bacterial communities vary between Ixodes ricinus nymphs which were or were not infected with horizontally transmitted human pathogens. METHODS Ticks from eight forest sites were tested for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Babesia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Neoehrlichia mikurensis by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and their microbiomes were determined by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Tick bacterial communities clustered poorly by pathogen infection status but better by geography. As a second approach, we analysed variation in tick microorganism community structure (in terms of species co-infection) across space using hierarchical modelling of species communities. For that, we analysed almost 14,000 nymphs, which were tested for the presence of horizontally transmitted pathogens B. burgdorferi s.l., A. phagocytophilum, and N. mikurensis, and the vertically transmitted tick symbionts Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsiella spp., Spiroplasma ixodetis, and Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii. RESULTS With the exception of Rickettsiella spp., all microorganisms had either significant negative (R. helvetica and A. phagocytophilum) or positive (S. ixodetis, N. mikurensis, and B. burgdorferi s.l.) associations with M. mitochondrii. Two tick symbionts, R. helvetica and S. ixodetis, were negatively associated with each other. As expected, both B. burgdorferi s.l. and N. mikurensis had a significant positive association with each other and a negative association with A. phagocytophilum. Although these few specific associations do not appear to have a large effect on the entire microbiome composition, they can still be relevant for tick-borne pathogen dynamics. CONCLUSIONS Based on our results, we propose that M. mitochondrii alters the propensity of ticks to acquire or maintain horizontally acquired pathogens. The underlying mechanisms for some of these remarkable interactions are discussed herein and merit further investigation. Positive and negative associations between and within horizontally and vertically transmitted symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Iwona Krawczyk
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. .,Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, 6708PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Sam Röttjers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maria João Coimbra-Dores
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Dieter Heylen
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Ln, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Manoj Fonville
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, 6708PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Karoline Faust
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
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Labbé Sandelin L, Olofsson J, Tolf C, Rohlén L, Brudin L, Tjernberg I, Lindgren PE, Olsen B, Waldenström J. Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis DNA in blood donors in southeastern Sweden. Infect Dis (Lond) 2022; 54:748-759. [PMID: 35724266 DOI: 10.1080/23744235.2022.2087732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tick-borne bacterium Neoehrlichia mikurensis can cause persistent asymptomatic bloodstream infections, but transfusion-mediated transmission has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of N. mikurensis in blood donors, and recipients of blood components from N. mikurensis-positive donors were traced. METHODS In 2019 and 2021, 1007 blood donors were recruited. Participants completed a questionnaire and additional blood samples were collected during blood donation. Detection of N. mikurensis was performed by PCR followed by sequencing. Positive donors were interviewed and retested. Look-back was performed on positive donations and on all subsequent donations. RESULTS N. mikurensis was detected in 7/1006 (0.7%) donors. A total of 380/1005 (38%) donors reported at least one noticed tick bite during the current season. The questionnaire could not detect any differences between negative and positive N. mikurensis-donors. Two of the positive donors were still positive on days 318 and 131 after the index donation, respectively. One donor with persistent N. mikurensis in blood experienced slight fatigue. All other had no symptoms attributable to neoehrlichiosis. Look-back included ten donations and 20 blood components. Eight components were discarded, and 12 recipients of N. mikurensis-positive donations were identified. PCR was negative in seven recipients. Five recipients had died, but their medical records gave no evidence for neoehrlichiosis. CONCLUSIONS Although N. mikurensis was found in 0.7% of blood donors, transfusion-mediated infection was not detected, despite several recipients being at high risk for severe neoehrlichiosis. The results warrant further studies as well as raised clinical awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Labbé Sandelin
- Department of Communicable Diseases and Disease Control, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar, Sweden.,Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jenny Olofsson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Conny Tolf
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Louise Rohlén
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Kalmar County Hospital, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Lars Brudin
- Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Physiology, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Ivar Tjernberg
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar, Sweden.,Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per-Eric Lindgren
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Björn Olsen
- Department of Medical Sciences, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jonas Waldenström
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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Neoehrlichia mikurensis Causing Thrombosis and Relapsing Fever in a Lymphoma Patient Receiving Rituximab. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102138. [PMID: 34683459 PMCID: PMC8537581 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neoehrlichia (N.) mikurensis, an intracellular tick-borne bacterium not detected by routine blood culture, is prevalent in ticks in Scandinavia, Central Europe and Northern Asia, and may cause long-standing fever, nightly sweats, migrating pain, skin rashes and thromboembolism, especially in patients treated with rituximab. The multiple symptoms may raise suspicion of both infection, inflammation and malignancy, and lead in most cases to extensive medical investigations across many medical specialist areas and a delay of diagnosis. We describe a complex, albeit typical, case of neoehrlichiosis in a middle-aged splenectomised male patient with a malignant lymphoma, receiving treatment with rituximab. The multifaceted clinical picture associated with this tick-borne disease is addressed, and longitudinal clinical and laboratory data, as well as imaging, are provided. Longstanding relapsing fever in combination with thrombosis in superficial and deep veins in an immunocompromised patient living in a tick-endemic region should raise the suspicion of the emerging tick-borne disease neoehrlichiosis. Given the varied clinical presentation and the risk of delay in diagnosis and treatment, we believe it is important to raise clinicians' awareness of this emerging infection, which is successfully treated with doxycycline.
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Henningsson AJ, Aase A, Bavelaar H, Flottorp S, Forsberg P, Kirkehei I, Lövmar M, Nilsson K, Nyman D, Ornstein K, Sjöwall J, Skogman BH, Tjernberg I, Aaberge I. Laboratory Methods for Detection of Infectious Agents and Serological Response in Humans With Tick-Borne Infections: A Systematic Review of Evaluations Based on Clinical Patient Samples. Front Public Health 2021; 9:580102. [PMID: 34616701 PMCID: PMC8488432 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.580102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: For the most important and well-known infections spread by Ixodes ticks, Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), there are recommendations for diagnosis and management available from several health authorities and professional medical networks. However, other tick-borne microorganisms with potential to cause human disease are less known and clear recommendations on diagnosis and management are scarce. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of published studies and reviews focusing on evaluation of laboratory methods for clinical diagnosis of human tick-borne diseases (TBDs), other than acute LB and TBE. The specific aim was to evaluate the scientific support for laboratory diagnosis of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, rickettsiosis, neoehrlichiosis, babesiosis, hard tick relapsing fever, tularemia and bartonellosis, as well as tick-borne co-infections and persistent LB in spite of recommended standard antibiotic treatment. Methods: We performed a systematic literature search in 11 databases for research published from 2007 through 2017, and categorized potentially relevant references according to the predefined infections and study design. An expert group assessed the relevance and eligibility and reviewed the articles according to the QUADAS (diagnostic studies) or AMSTAR (systematic reviews) protocols, respectively. Clinical evaluations of one or several diagnostic tests and systematic reviews were included. Case reports, non-human studies and articles published in other languages than English were excluded. Results: A total of 48 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria for evaluation. The majority of these studies were based on small sample sizes. There were no eligible studies for evaluation of tick-borne co-infections or for persistent LB after antibiotic treatment. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for larger evaluations of laboratory tests using clinical samples from well-defined cases taken at different time-points during the course of the diseases. Since the diseases occur at a relatively low frequency, single-center cross-sectional studies are practically not feasible, but multi-center case control studies could be a way forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J. Henningsson
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Laboratory Medicine, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Region Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Audun Aase
- Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Herjan Bavelaar
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Laboratory Medicine, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Signe Flottorp
- Division of Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Pia Forsberg
- Division of Infectious Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Matilda Lövmar
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Kenneth Nilsson
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Clinical Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dag Nyman
- The Åland Group for Borrelia Research, Mariehamn, Finland
| | | | - Johanna Sjöwall
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Region Östergötland, Norrköping, Sweden
| | - Barbro H. Skogman
- Department of Pediatrics and Center for Clinical Research, Dalarna-Uppsala University, Falun, Sweden
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Ivar Tjernberg
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Ingeborg Aaberge
- Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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10
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Presence of Human Pathogens of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato Complex Shifts the Sequence Read Abundances of Tick Microbiomes in Two German Locations. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9091814. [PMID: 34576710 PMCID: PMC8469654 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution of human Lyme borreliosis (LB) is assumed random in Germany, indicating that the human pathogenic species of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex (Bb) are similarly distributed as part of the tick microbiome. The aim of this study was to differentiate if the presence of Bb occurs with a defined tick microbiome composition. Furthermore, the effect of location on tick microbiome composition was addressed for two German locations. Therefore, nucleic acid extracts from 82 Borrelia-positive and 118 Borrelia-negative Ixodes ricinus ticks sampled from human hosts in both districts were selected. Nucleic acid extracts were used for human pathogenic Bb species diagnostics based on qPCR and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing followed by network analyses. As a result, the presence of Bb shifted the sequence read abundances of Candidatus Midichloria, Rickettsia, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and Candidatus Neoehrlichia and their topological roles in the tick microbiome. Moreover, the location was less important in the tick microbiome composition but shifted significantly sequence read abundances of Pseudomonas and Wolbachia as well as the topological role of microbial members. Since the presence of human pathogenic Bb species with other tick-associated pathogens varies regionally, we suggest that a bacterial 16S rRNA gene-based microbiome survey should be implemented in the routine diagnostics for both tick and host if human pathogenic species of Bb were detected. This diagnostic extension will help to optimize therapeutic approaches against Bb infection and co-occurring pathogens.
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Are other tick-borne infections overlooked in patients investigated for Lyme neuroborreliosis? A large retrospective study from South-eastern Sweden. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101759. [PMID: 34161869 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101759] [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] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In Europe, the hard tick Ixodes ricinus is considered the most important vector of human zoonotic diseases. Human pathogenic agents spread by I. ricinus in Sweden include Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia helvetica, the recently described Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Borrelia miyamotoi, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), and Babesia spp. (Babesia microti, Babesia venatorum and Babesia divergens). Since these pathogens share the same vector, co-infections with more than one tick-borne pathogen may occur and thus complicate the diagnosis and clinical management of the patient due to possibly altered symptomatology. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., TBEV and B. miyamotoi are well-known to cause infections of the central nervous system (CNS), whereas the abilities of other tick-borne pathogens to invade the CNS are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and clinical impact of tick-borne pathogens other than B. burgdorferi s.l. in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples of patients who were under investigation for Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) in a tick-endemic region of South-eastern Sweden. CSF and serum samples from 600 patients, recruited from the Regions of Östergötland County, Jönköping County and Kalmar County in South-eastern Sweden and investigated for LNB during the period of 2009-2013, were retrospectively collected for analysis. The samples were analysed by real-time PCR for the presence of nucleic acid from B. burgdorferi s.l., B. miyamotoi, A. phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., N. mikurensis, TBEV and Babesia spp. Serological analyses were conducted in CSF and serum samples for all patients regarding B. burgdorferi s.l., and for the patients with CSF mononuclear pleocytosis, analyses of antibodies to B. miyamotoi, A. phagocytophilum, spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae, TBEV and B. microti in serum were performed. The medical charts of all the patients with CSF mononuclear pleocytosis and patients with positive PCR findings were reviewed. Of the 600 patients, 55 (9%) presented with CSF mononuclear pleocytosis, 13 (2%) of whom had Borrelia-specific antibodies in the CSF. One patient was PCR-positive for N. mikurensis, and another one was PCR-positive for Borrelia spp. in serum. No pathogens were detected by PCR in the CSF samples. Four patients had serum antibodies to B. miyamotoi, four patients to A. phagocytophilum, five patients to SFG rickettsiae, and six patients to TBEV. One patient, with antibodies to SFG rickettsiae, had both clinical and laboratory signs suggestive of a current infection. Nine patients had serum antibodies to more than one pathogen, although none of these was assessed as a current co-infection. We can conclude from this study that tick-borne co-infections are uncommon in patients who are being investigated for suspected LNB in South-eastern Sweden, an area endemic for borreliosis and TBE.
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12
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Moniuszko-Malinowska A, Dunaj J, Andersson MO, Chmielewski T, Czupryna P, Groth M, Grygorczuk S, Zajkowska J, Kondrusik M, Kruszewska E, Pancewicz S. Anaplasmosis in Poland - analysis of 120 patients. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101763. [PMID: 34161867 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The aim of our study was to clarify the clinical picture of anaplasmosis through analysis of the symptoms and clinical signs presented by infected patients in a cohort of tick-bitten individuals. The study included 1375 patients with suspicion of tick-borne disease. Finally, 120 patients (8.7%) were diagnosed with anaplasmosis (HGA). Blood samples were examined by PCR for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Babesia spp., and Bartonella spp.. Based on analysis of 120 patients with HGA we concluded that anaplasmosis is not as rare in Europe, as it is thought to be and often appears as a co-infection with other tick-borne pathogens. The co-infection rate of patients with A. phagocytophilum infection in tick endemic areas is high. Co-infection of A. phagocytophilum with B. burgdorferi s.l. or tick-borne encephalitis virus may influence symptom frequency. PCR together with medical history, clinical picture and basic laboratory tests is a sufficient method for the diagnosis of anaplasmosis. Doxycycline is an effective drug leading to complete recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia, 14 15-540 Bialystok, Poland.
| | - Justyna Dunaj
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia, 14 15-540 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Martin O Andersson
- Center for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Tomasz Chmielewski
- National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Chocimska 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Czupryna
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia, 14 15-540 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Monika Groth
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia, 14 15-540 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Sambor Grygorczuk
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia, 14 15-540 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Joanna Zajkowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia, 14 15-540 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Maciej Kondrusik
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia, 14 15-540 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Ewelina Kruszewska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia, 14 15-540 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Sławomir Pancewicz
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia, 14 15-540 Bialystok, Poland
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13
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Kjær LJ, Klitgaard K, Soleng A, Edgar KS, Lindstedt HEH, Paulsen KM, Andreassen ÅK, Korslund L, Kjelland V, Slettan A, Stuen S, Kjellander P, Christensson M, Teräväinen M, Baum A, Jensen LM, Bødker R. Spatial patterns of pathogen prevalence in questing Ixodes ricinus nymphs in southern Scandinavia, 2016. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19376. [PMID: 33168841 PMCID: PMC7652892 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76334-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne pathogens cause diseases in animals and humans, and tick-borne disease incidence is increasing in many parts of the world. There is a need to assess the distribution of tick-borne pathogens and identify potential risk areas. We collected 29,440 tick nymphs from 50 sites in Scandinavia from August to September, 2016. We tested ticks in a real-time PCR chip, screening for 19 vector-associated pathogens. We analysed spatial patterns, mapped the prevalence of each pathogen and used machine learning algorithms and environmental variables to develop predictive prevalence models. All 50 sites had a pool prevalence of at least 33% for one or more pathogens, the most prevalent being Borrelia afzelii, B. garinii, Rickettsia helvetica, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Neoehrlichia mikurensis. There were large differences in pathogen prevalence between sites, but we identified only limited geographical clustering. The prevalence models performed poorly, with only models for R. helvetica and N. mikurensis having moderate predictive power (normalized RMSE from 0.74-0.75, R2 from 0.43-0.48). The poor performance of the majority of our prevalence models suggest that the used environmental and climatic variables alone do not explain pathogen prevalence patterns in Scandinavia, although previously the same variables successfully predicted spatial patterns of ticks in the same area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lene Jung Kjær
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
| | - Kirstine Klitgaard
- Department for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Vivian Kjelland
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
- Research Unit, Sørlandet Hospital Health Enterprise, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Audun Slettan
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Petter Kjellander
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Madeleine Christensson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Malin Teräväinen
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Andreas Baum
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Laura Mark Jensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - René Bødker
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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14
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Schmuck HM, Chitimia-Dobler L, Król N, Kacza J, Pfeffer M. Collection of immature Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794) ticks from vegetation and detection of Rickettsia raoultii in them. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101543. [PMID: 32993950 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
It is commonly assumed that Dermacentor reticulatus immature life stages are nidicolous and therefore cannot be collected from vegetation. However, in June and July of 2018 and 2019, a total of 47 questing D. reticulatus larvae and two nymphs were collected by the flagging method in two different sites close to the city of Leipzig, Germany. To confirm their role in the transmission of tick-borne pathogens, 45 larvae (pooled by 2 in 21 pools and 1 pool with three individuals) and one nymph were tested either by conventional or real-time PCR for the presence of Bartonella spp., Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Rickettsia spp., and Babesia spp. All samples tested negative for Bartonella spp., N. mikurensis, and Babesia spp.; while the minimal infection rate of larvae for Rickettsia spp. was 42%, and the one tested nymph was also positive. Sequencing partial ompB genes revealed the presence of Rickettsia raoultii in larvae and nymph. Further research needs to be done to determine under which circumstances immature D. reticulatus ticks are found outside the burrows of their hosts and can be collected from vegetation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Schmuck
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Nina Król
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Johannes Kacza
- BioImaging Core Facility, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, University of Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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15
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Zhong X, Lundberg M, Råberg L. Comparison of spleen transcriptomes of two wild rodent species reveals differences in the immune response against Borrelia afzelii. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6421-6434. [PMID: 32724523 PMCID: PMC7381583 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Different host species often differ considerably in susceptibility to a given pathogen, but the causes of such differences are rarely known. The natural hosts of the tick-transmitted bacterium Borrelia afzelii, which is one of causative agents of Lyme borreliosis in humans, include a variety of small mammals like voles and mice. Previous studies have shown that B. afzelii-infected bank voles (Myodes glareolus) have about ten times higher bacterial load than infected yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis), indicating that these two species differ in resistance. In this study, we compared the immune response to B. afzelii infection in these host species by using RNA sequencing to quantify gene expression in spleen. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that several immune pathways were down-regulated in infected animals in both bank voles and yellow-necked mice. Moreover, IFNα response was up-regulated in B. afzelii-infected yellow-necked mice, while IL6 signaling and the complement pathway were down-regulated in infected bank voles; differences in regulation of these three pathways between bank voles and yellow-necked mice could thus contribute to the difference in resistance to B. afzelii between the species. This study provides knowledge of gene expression induced by a zoonotic pathogen in its natural host, and possible species-specific regulation of immune responses associated with resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lars Råberg
- Department of BiologyLund UniversityLundSweden
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16
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Monitoring of ticks and tick-borne pathogens through a nationwide research station network in Finland. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101449. [PMID: 32723639 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In 2015 a long-term, nationwide tick and tick-borne pathogen (TBP) monitoring project was started by the Finnish Tick Project and the Finnish Research Station network (RESTAT), with the goal of producing temporally and geographically extensive data regarding exophilic ticks in Finland. In the current study, we present results from the first four years of this collaboration. Ticks were collected by cloth dragging from 11 research stations across Finland in May-September 2015-2018 (2012-2018 in Seili). Collected ticks were screened for twelve different pathogens by qPCR: Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia valaisiana, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia miyamotoi, Babesia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Francisella tularensis, Bartonella spp. and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Altogether 15 067 Ixodes ricinus and 46 Ixodes persulcatus were collected during 68 km of dragging. Field collections revealed different seasonal activity patterns for the two species. The activity of I. persulcatus adults (only one nymph detected) was unimodal, with activity only in May-July, whereas Ixodes ricinus was active from May to September, with activity peaks in September (nymphs) or July-August (adults). Overall, tick densities were higher during the latter years of the study. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato were the most common pathogens detected, with 48.9 ± 8.4% (95% Cl) of adults and 25.3 ± 4.4% of nymphs carrying the bacteria. No samples positive for F. tularensis, Bartonella or TBEV were detected. This collaboration project involving the extensive Finnish Research Station network has ensured enduring and spatially extensive, long-term tick data collection to the foreseeable future.
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17
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Moniuszko-Malinowska A, Dunaj J, Andersson MO, Czupryna P, Zajkowska J, Guziejko K, Garkowski A, Grygorczuk S, Kondrusik M, Pancewicz S. Assessment of Anaplasma phagocytophilum presence in early Lyme borreliosis manifested by erythema migrans skin lesions. Travel Med Infect Dis 2020; 36:101648. [PMID: 32247015 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2018] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To investigate to what extent early Lyme borreliosis patients with erythema migrans are infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. METHODS Three hundred ten patients from Poland with erythema migrans were included in the study. One hundred and eighty-three patients (59%) agreed to have both skin biopsy and blood samples analysed for Borrelia burgdorferi, A. phagocytophilum and 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis', with PCR. Positive samples were confirmed with sequencing. RESULTS B. burgdorferi DNA was detected in 49.7% of the skin samples and in 1.1% of the blood samples. A. phagocytophilum DNA was found in 7.1% blood samples, and in 8.2% of the skin biopsies. In four patients, A. phagocytophilum DNA was detected only in blood; in one case A. phagocytophilum DNA was found simultaneously in blood and skin, and additionally in this patients' blood Borrelia DNA was detected. In four skin samples B. burgdorferi DNA was detected simultaneously with A. phagocytophilum DNA, indicative of a co-infection. CONCLUSIONS A. phagocytophilum may be present in early Lyme borreliosis characterized by erythema migrans and should always be considered as a differential diagnostic following a tick bite and considered in treatment schemes, as these differs (in early stage of Lyme borreliosis doxycycline, amoxicillin, cefuroxime axetil and azithromycin are recommended, while in anaplasmosis the most effective courses of treatment are doxycycline, rifampin and levofloxacin). Consequently, the role of A. phagocytophilum in erythema migrans should be further studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland.
| | - Justyna Dunaj
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland
| | - Martin O Andersson
- Center for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Piotr Czupryna
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland
| | - Joanna Zajkowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Guziejko
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland
| | - Adam Garkowski
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland
| | - Sambor Grygorczuk
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland
| | - Maciej Kondrusik
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland
| | - Sławomir Pancewicz
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland
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18
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Azagi T, Hoornstra D, Kremer K, Hovius JWR, Sprong H. Evaluation of Disease Causality of Rare Ixodes ricinus-Borne Infections in Europe. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9020150. [PMID: 32102367 PMCID: PMC7168666 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9020150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In Europe, Ixodes ricinus ticks transmit pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). In addition, there is evidence for transmission to humans from I. ricinus of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia divergens, Babesia microti, Babesia venatorum, Borrelia miyamotoi, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Rickettsia helvetica and Rickettsia monacensis. However, whether infection with these potential tick-borne pathogens results in human disease has not been fully demonstrated for all of these tick-borne microorganisms. To evaluate the available evidence for a causative relation between infection and disease, the current study analyses European case reports published from 2008 to 2018, supplemented with information derived from epidemiological and experimental studies. The evidence for human disease causality in Europe found in this review appeared to be strongest for A. phagocytophilum and B. divergens. Nonetheless, some knowledge gaps still exist. Importantly, comprehensive evidence for pathogenicity is lacking for the remaining tick-borne microorganisms. Such evidence could be gathered best through prospective studies, for example, studies enrolling patients with a fever after a tick bite, the development of specific new serological tools, isolation of these microorganisms from ticks and patients and propagation in vitro, and through experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Azagi
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, Bilthoven 3720 BA, The Netherlands; (K.K.); (H.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Dieuwertje Hoornstra
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands; (D.H.); (J.W.R.H.)
| | - Kristin Kremer
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, Bilthoven 3720 BA, The Netherlands; (K.K.); (H.S.)
| | - Joppe W. R. Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands; (D.H.); (J.W.R.H.)
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, Bilthoven 3720 BA, The Netherlands; (K.K.); (H.S.)
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19
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Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis is widespread in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Czech Republic. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101371. [PMID: 32057703 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, the causative agent of tick-borne "neoehrlichiosis" has recently been reported in humans, mammals and ticks in Europe. The aim of this study was to map the distribution of this bacterium in questing ticks in the Czech Republic. A total of 13,325 Ixodes ricinus including 445 larvae, 5270 nymphs and 7610 adults were collected from vegetation by flagging in 140 Czech towns and villages from every region of the Czech Republic. The ticks were pooled into 2665 groups of 5 individuals respecting life stage or sex and tested for the presence of Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis by conventional PCR targeting of the groEL gene. The bacterium was detected in 533/2665 pools and 125/140 areas screened, showing an overall estimated prevalence of 4.4 % in ticks of all life stages. Phylogenetic analysis revealed only small genetic diversity among the strains found. Two pools of questing larvae tested positive, suggesting transovarial transmission. According to this study, Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis is another tick-borne pathogen widespread in I. ricinus ticks in the Czech Republic.
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20
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Lejal E, Marsot M, Chalvet-Monfray K, Cosson JF, Moutailler S, Vayssier-Taussat M, Pollet T. A three-years assessment of Ixodes ricinus-borne pathogens in a French peri-urban forest. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:551. [PMID: 31752997 PMCID: PMC6873405 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3799-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ixodes ricinus is the predominant tick species in Europe and the primary pathogen vector for both humans and animals. These ticks are frequently involved in the transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis. While much more is known about I. ricinus tick-borne pathogen composition, information about temporal tick-borne pathogen patterns remain scarce. These data are crucial for predicting seasonal/annual patterns which could improve understanding and prevent tick-borne diseases. METHODS We examined tick-borne pathogen (TBP) dynamics in I. ricinus collected monthly in a peri-urban forest over three consecutive years. In total, 998 nymphs were screened for 31 pathogenic species using high-throughput microfluidic real-time PCR. RESULTS We detected DNA from Anaplasma phagocytophilum (5.3%), Rickettsia helvetica (4.5%), Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) (3.7%), Borrelia miyamotoi (1.2%), Babesia venatorum (1.5%) and Rickettsia felis (0.1%). Among all analysed ticks, 15.9% were infected by at least one of these microorganisms, and 1.3% were co-infected. Co-infections with B. afzeli/B. garinii and B. garinii/B. spielmanii were significantly over-represented. Moreover, significant variations in seasonal and/or inter-annual prevalence were observed for several pathogens (R. helvetica, B. burgdorferi (s.l.), B. miyamotoi and A. phagocytophilum). CONCLUSIONS Analysing TBP prevalence in monthly sampled tick over three years allowed us to assess seasonal and inter-annual fluctuations of the prevalence of TBPs known to circulate in the sampled area, but also to detect less common species. All these data emphasize that sporadic tick samplings are not sufficient to determine TBP prevalence and that regular monitoring is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Lejal
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Maud Marsot
- Laboratory for Animal Health, Epidemiology Unit, ANSES, University Paris Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Karine Chalvet-Monfray
- UMR EPIA, VetAgro Sup, INRA, Université de Lyon, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
| | - Jean-François Cosson
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sara Moutailler
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Thomas Pollet
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
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21
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Pedersen BN, Jenkins A, Paulsen KM, Okbaldet YB, Edgar KS, Lamsal A, Soleng A, Andreassen ÅK. Distribution of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in Ixodes ricinus ticks along the coast of Norway: The western seaboard is a low-prevalence region. Zoonoses Public Health 2019; 67:130-137. [PMID: 31705635 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Neoehrlichia mikurensis is a tick-borne pathogen widespread among ticks and rodents in Europe and Asia. A previous study on Ixodes ricinus ticks in Norway suggested that N. mikurensis was scarce or absent on the south-west coast of Norway, but abundant elsewhere. The aim of this study was to further investigate the prevalence and distribution of N. mikurensis along the western seaboard of Norway in comparison with more eastern and northern areas. The second aim of the study was to examine seasonal variation of the bacterium in one specific location in the south-eastern part of Norway. Questing I. ricinus were collected from 13 locations along the coast of Norway, from Brønnøysund in Nordland County to Spjaerøy in Østfold County. In total, 11,113 nymphs in 1,113 pools and 718 individual adult ticks were analysed for N. mikurensis by real-time PCR. The mean prevalence of N. mikurensis in adult ticks was 7.9% while the estimated pooled prevalence in nymphs was 3.5%. The prevalence ranged from 0% to 25.5%, with the highest prevalence in the southernmost and the northernmost locations. The pathogen was absent, or present only at low prevalence (<5%), at eight locations, all located in the west, from 58.9°N to 64.9°N. The prevalence of N. mikurensis was significantly different between counties (p < .0001). No significant seasonal variation of N. mikurensis prevalence was observed in the period May to October 2015. Our results confirm earlier findings of a low prevalence of N. mikurensis in the western seaboard of Norway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikte N Pedersen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Andrew Jenkins
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.,Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Yohannes B Okbaldet
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin S Edgar
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alaka Lamsal
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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22
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Ocias LF, Wilhelmsson P, Sjöwall J, Henningsson AJ, Nordberg M, Jørgensen CS, Krogfelt KA, Forsberg P, Lindgren PE. Emerging tick-borne pathogens in the Nordic countries: A clinical and laboratory follow-up study of high-risk tick-bitten individuals. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 11:101303. [PMID: 31631052 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Despite the presence of several microorganisms, other than Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) and TBE virus, in Ixodes ricinus ticks from the Nordic countries, data is lacking on their pathogenic potential in humans. In this study, we wanted to investigate the aetiology and clinical manifestations of tick-transmitted infections in individuals seeking medical care following a tick-bite. The sampling frame was participants of a large-scale, prospective, multi-centre, follow-up study of tick-bitten volunteers recruited in Sweden, Finland and Norway in the years 2007-2015. Participants who sought medical care during the three-month follow-up period and from whom blood samples were collected during this healthcare visit (n = 92) were tested, using PCR, for exposure to spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. Moreover, 86 of these individuals had two serum samples, collected three months apart, tested serologically for six tick-borne microorganisms. The selected organisms - Bbsl, SFG rickettsiae, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, TBE virus, Babesia microti and Bartonella henselae - have all been detected in field-collected ticks from the Nordic countries. Medical records were reviewed and questionnaires were completed to determine clinical manifestations. We found Lyme borreliosis to be the most common tick-transmitted infection as seen in 46 (54%) of the 86 participants with available medical records. Among the 86 participants with paired sera, serological or molecular evidence of recent exposure to other microorganisms than Bbsl could be demonstrated in eight (9%). Five participants (6%) exhibited serological evidence of recent concomitant exposure to more than one tick-borne microorganism. Clinical presentations were mild with one exception (TBE). In conclusion, our data suggest a low risk of infection with tick-borne microorganisms, other than Bbsl, in immunocompetent tick-bitten persons from the examined regions, a low occurrence of co-infection and mostly mild or no overt clinical signs of infection in immunocompetent persons exposed to the studied agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Frans Ocias
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Peter Wilhelmsson
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Microbiology, County Hospital Ryhov, Sjukhusgatan, 55305 Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Johanna Sjöwall
- Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Linköping University Hospital, 58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anna Jonsson Henningsson
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Microbiology, County Hospital Ryhov, Sjukhusgatan, 55305 Jönköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Microbiology, Linköping University Hospital, 58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Marika Nordberg
- The Åland Group for Borrelia Research, Åland Central Hospital, Doktorsvägen 2, 22110 Mariehamn, Åland, Finland
| | - Charlotte Sværke Jørgensen
- Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karen Angeliki Krogfelt
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Pia Forsberg
- Division of Infectious Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per-Eric Lindgren
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Microbiology, County Hospital Ryhov, Sjukhusgatan, 55305 Jönköping, Sweden
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23
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Jenkins A, Raasok C, Pedersen BN, Jensen K, Andreassen Å, Soleng A, Edgar KS, Lindstedt HH, Kjelland V, Stuen S, Hvidsten D, Kristiansen BE. Detection of Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis in Norway up to the northern limit of Ixodes ricinus distribution using a novel real time PCR test targeting the groEL gene. BMC Microbiol 2019; 19:199. [PMID: 31462211 PMCID: PMC6714093 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1502-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis is an emerging tick-borne pathogen. It is widely distributed in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Europe, but knowledge of its distribution in Norway, where I. ricinus reaches its northern limit, is limited. In this study we have developed a real time PCR test for Ca. N. mikurensis and used it to investigate the distribution of Ca. N. mikurensis in Norway. RESULTS Real time PCR targeting the groEL gene was developed and shown to be highly sensitive. It was used to detect Ca. N. mikurensis in 1651 I. ricinus nymphs and adults collected from twelve locations in Norway, from the eastern Oslo Fjord in the south to near the Arctic Circle in the north. The overall prevalence was 6.5% and varied locally between 0 and 16%. Prevalence in adults and nymphs was similar, suggesting that ticks acquire Ca. N. mikurensis predominantly during their first blood meal. In addition, 123 larvae were investigated; Ca. N. mikurensis was not found in larvae, suggesting that transovarial transmission is rare or absent. Sequence analysis suggests that a single variant dominates in Norway. CONCLUSIONS Ca. N. mikurensis is widespread and common in ticks in Norway and reaches up to their northern limit near the Arctic Circle. Ticks appear to acquire Ca. N. mikurensis during their first blood meal. No evidence for transovarial transmission was found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Jenkins
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.
| | - Cecilie Raasok
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Present address: Nittedal Municipal Water and Drainage Authority, Nittedal, Norway
| | - Benedikte N Pedersen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Kristine Jensen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Present address: Telemark Trust Hospital, Section for Pathology, Skien, Norway
| | - Åshild Andreassen
- Department of Natural Science and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Department of Virology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Vivian Kjelland
- Department of Engineering and Science, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.,Sørlandet Trust Hospital Research Unit, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Dag Hvidsten
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bjørn-Erik Kristiansen
- Department of Process, Energy, and Environmental Technology, University of South-Eastern Norway, Porsgrunn, Norway
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Klemola T, Sormunen JJ, Mojzer J, Mäkelä S, Vesterinen EJ. High tick abundance and diversity of tick-borne pathogens in a Finnish city. Urban Ecosyst 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-019-00854-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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25
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Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and spotted fever group rickettsiae in small rodents and attached ticks in the Northern Apennines, Italy. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:862-867. [PMID: 31014939 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Ticks and ear biopsies were collected from wild small rodents in 2011 and 2012 in the northern Apennines (Italy), up to 1650 m above sea level. Apodemus spp. (n = 83) and Myodes glareolus (n = 22) were infested by Ixodes ricinus (192 larvae and two nymphs), Dermacentor marginatus (179 larvae and 29 nymphs), and Ixodes trianguliceps (three larvae and two nymphs). We detected several Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) genospecies (B. afzelii, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii, B. lusitaniae, B. valaisiana) in I. ricinus and skin biopsies. The most common genospecies found in I. ricinus was B. valaisiana, while it was B. lusitaniae in tissues. Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae (Rickettsia monacensis, R. slovaca and R. raoultii) infected I. ricinus, D. marginatus and rodent tissues. Rickettsia slovaca was the Rickettsia species most frequently found in our samples. Coinfections by B. burgdorferi s.l. and SFG rickettsiae indicate an overlap of transmission cycles and potential risk for humans to be infected by multiple pathogens, resulting in more severe symptoms. The findings of B. lusitaniae and R. slovaca in bank voles, and of B. valaisiana in small rodents, open new questions about host-pathogen interactions. In addition, our results highlight the importance of small rodents as data sources for studying tick-borne pathogens.
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26
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Lejal E, Moutailler S, Šimo L, Vayssier-Taussat M, Pollet T. Tick-borne pathogen detection in midgut and salivary glands of adult Ixodes ricinus. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:152. [PMID: 30940200 PMCID: PMC6444572 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3418-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tick midgut and salivary glands represent the primary organs for pathogen acquisition and transmission, respectively. Specifically, the midgut is the first organ to have contact with pathogens during the blood meal uptake, while salivary glands along with their secretions play a crucial role in pathogen transmission to the host. Currently there is little data about pathogen composition and prevalence in Ixodes ricinus midgut and salivary glands. The present study investigated the presence of 32 pathogen species in the midgut and salivary glands of unfed I. ricinus males and females using high-throughput microfluidic real-time PCR. Such an approach is important for enriching the knowledge about pathogen distribution in distinct tick organs which should lead to a better understanding I. ricinus-borne disease epidemiology. RESULTS Borrelia lusitaniae, Borrelia spielmanii and Borrelia garinii, were detected in both midgut and salivary glands suggesting that the migration of these pathogens between these two organs might not be triggered by the blood meal. In contrast, Borrelia afzelii was detected only in the tick midgut. Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia helvetica were the most frequently detected in ticks and were found in both males and females in the midgut and salivary glands. In contrast, Rickettsia felis was only detected in salivary glands. Finally, Borrelia miyamotoi and Babesia venatorum were detected only in males in both midguts and salivary glands. Among all collected ticks, between 10-21% of organs were co-infected. The most common bacterial co-infections in male and female midgut and salivary glands were Rickettsia helvetica + Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia helvetica + Borrelia lusitaniae, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Analysing tick-borne pathogen (TBP) presence in specific tick organs enabled us to (i) highlight contrasting results with well-established transmission mechanism postulates; (ii) venture new hypotheses concerning pathogen location and migration from midgut to salivary glands; and (iii) suggest other potential associations between pathogens not previously detected at the scale of the whole tick. This work highlights the importance of considering all tick scales (i.e. whole ticks vs organs) to study TBP ecology and represents another step towards improved understanding of TBP transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Lejal
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sara Moutailler
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Ladislav Šimo
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Thomas Pollet
- UMR BIPAR, Animal Health Laboratory, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France.
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27
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Galfsky D, Król N, Pfeffer M, Obiegala A. Long-term trends of tick-borne pathogens in regard to small mammal and tick populations from Saxony, Germany. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:131. [PMID: 30909955 PMCID: PMC6434846 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3382-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rodents are important in the life-cycle of ticks as hosts for immature developmental stages. Both rodents and ticks are of public health interest as they are reservoirs and vectors for different tick-borne pathogens (TBP). The aim of this study was to reassess the prevalence of TBP in previously studied areas of the city of Leipzig (Saxony, Germany). METHODS In the years 2015-2017 rodents and ticks were collected in parks and forest areas in Saxony. DNA was extracted from the rodents, attached and questing ticks. Samples were screened for the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.), "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" (CNM), Bartonella spp., Hepatozoon spp. and Rickettsia spp. using PCR methods. Rodent, attached nymph and questing tick (nymph and adult) samples were tested individually, while attached larvae were further processed in pools. RESULTS A total of 165 rodents (Apodemus agrarius, n = 1; A. flavicollis, n = 59; Arvicola terrestris, n = 1; Myodes glareolus, n = 104), 1256 attached ticks (Ixodes ricinus, n = 1164; Dermacentor reticulatus, n = 92) and 577 questing ticks (I. ricinus, n = 547; D. reticulatus, n = 30) were collected. The prevalence levels in rodents were 78.2% for Bartonella spp., 58.2% for CNM, 49.1% for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) 29.1% for Rickettsia spp. and 24.2% for Hepatozoon spp. The minimal infection rates (MIR) in attached larvae ticks were 39.8% for Rickettsia spp., 32.7% for Bartonella spp., 7.1% for CNM and 8.8% for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) and the prevalence rates in attached nymphs were 33.7% for Bartonella spp., 52.9% for Rickettsia spp., 13.5% for CNM and 11.3% for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) Both rodents and attached ticks were negative for Babesia spp. The prevalence in questing ticks was 18.2% for Rickettsia spp., 7.3% for CNM, 6.4% for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) and 1.4% for Babesia spp. All tested samples were Anaplasma-negative. Sequencing revealed the occurrence of 14 identified species. CONCLUSIONS This research is the first evaluation of the prevalence for Hepatozoon spp. in rodents from Germany. In comparison to earlier studies, detected pathogens species remained the same; however, the prevalence for particular pathogens differed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Galfsky
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nina Król
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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28
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Larsson C, Hvidsten D, Stuen S, Henningsson AJ, Wilhelmsson P. "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected near the Arctic Circle in Norway. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:620. [PMID: 30514355 PMCID: PMC6278014 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3168-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" is a gram-negative bacterium belonging to the family Anaplasmataceae that, in Europe, is transmitted by Ixodes ricinus ticks. "Candidatus N. mikurensis" can cause a severe systemic inflammatory syndrome, neoehrlichiosis, mostly in persons with other underlying diseases. To date, "Ca. N. mikurensis" has been found in ticks in different countries in Asia and Europe, but never as far north as at the Arctic Circle. METHODS A total of 1104 I. ricinus ticks collected from vegetation and from animals in northern Norway (64-68°N) were analysed for the prevalence of "Ca. N. mikurensis". Of them, 495 ticks were collected from vegetation by flagging and 609 ticks were collected from dogs and cats. Total nucleic acid extracted from the ticks were converted to cDNA and analyzed with real-time PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene of "Ca. N. mikurensis". Positive samples were further analysed by nested PCR and sequencing. RESULTS "Candidatus N. mikurensis" was detected in 11.2% of all collected I. ricinus ticks in northern Norway. The prevalence differed between ticks collected from vegetation (18.2%; 90/495) compared to ticks collected from dogs and cats (5.6%; 34/609). The ticks from dogs and cats were collected in Brønnøy area and seven additional districts further north. The prevalence of "Ca. N. mikurensis" in these ticks differed between geographical localities, with the highest prevalence in the Brønnøy area. CONCLUSIONS The detection of "Ca. N. mikurensis" in I. ricinus ticks from the Arctic Circle in northern Norway indicates potential risk for tick-bitten humans at this latitude to be infected with "Ca. N. mikurensis".
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarinda Larsson
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Dag Hvidsten
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Anna J Henningsson
- Clinical Microbiology, Laboratory Medicine, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönköping, Sweden.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Peter Wilhelmsson
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. .,Department of Medical Microbiology, Laboratory Medicine, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönkoping, Sweden.
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29
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Sormunen JJ, Klemola T, Hänninen J, Mäkelä S, Vuorinen I, Penttinen R, Sääksjärvi IE, Vesterinen EJ. The importance of study duration and spatial scale in pathogen detection-evidence from a tick-infested island. Emerg Microbes Infect 2018; 7:189. [PMID: 30482899 PMCID: PMC6258729 DOI: 10.1038/s41426-018-0188-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Ticks (Acari: Ixodoidea) are among the most common vectors of zoonotic pathogens worldwide. While research on tick-borne pathogens is abundant, few studies have thoroughly investigated small-scale spatial differences in their occurrence. Here, we used long-term cloth-dragging data of Ixodes ricinus and its associated, known and putative pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Bartonella spp., Babesia spp., and tick-borne encephalitis virus, TBEV) from a small, well-studied island in southwestern Finland to analyze potential temporal and spatial differences in pathogen prevalence and diversity between and within different biotopes. We found robust evidence indicating significant dissimilarities in B. burgdorferi s.l., A. phagocytophilum, Rickettsia, and Ca. N. mikurensis prevalence, even between proximal study areas on the island. Moreover, during the 6 years of the ongoing study, we witnessed the possible emergence of TBEV and Ca. N. mikurensis on the island. Finally, the stable occurrence of a protozoan pathogen that has not been previously reported in Finland, Babesia venatorum, was observed on the island. Our study underlines the importance of detailed, long-term tick surveys for public health. We propose that by more precisely identifying different environmental factors associated with the emergence and upkeep of enzootic pathogen populations through rigorous longitudinal surveys, we may be able to create more accurate models for both current and future pathogen distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jani Jukka Sormunen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland. .,Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Tero Klemola
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Jari Hänninen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu Mäkelä
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Ilppo Vuorinen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Ritva Penttinen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Eero Juhani Vesterinen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.,Deparment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
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Tick-borne pathogens in Finland: comparison of Ixodes ricinus and I. persulcatus in sympatric and parapatric areas. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:556. [PMID: 30355331 PMCID: PMC6201636 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3131-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Almost 3500 tick samples, originally collected via a nationwide citizen science campaign in 2015, were screened to reveal the prevalence and distribution of a wide spectrum of established and putative tick-borne pathogens vectored by Ixodes ricinus and I. persulcatus in Finland. The unique geographical distribution of these two tick species in Finland allowed us to compare pathogen occurrence between an I. ricinus-dominated area (southern Finland), an I. persulcatus-dominated area (northern Finland), and a sympatric area (central Finland). RESULTS Of the analysed ticks, almost 30% carried at least one pathogen and 2% carried more than one pathogen. A higher overall prevalence of tick-borne pathogens was observed in I. ricinus than in I. persulcatus: 30.0% (604/2014) versus 24.0% (348/1451), respectively. In addition, I. ricinus were more frequently co-infected than I. persulcatus: 2.4% (49/2014) versus 0.8% (12/1451), respectively. Causative agents of Lyme borreliosis, i.e. bacterial genospecies in Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) group, were the most prevalent pathogens (overall 17%). "Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae" was found for the first time in I. ricinus ticks and in Finnish ticks in general. Moreover, Babesia divergens, B. venatorum and "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" were reported for the first time from the Finnish mainland. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides valuable information on the prevalence and geographical distribution of various tick-borne pathogens in I. ricinus and I. persulcatus ticks in Finland. Moreover, this comprehensive subset of ticks revealed the presence of rare and potentially dangerous pathogens. The highest prevalence of infected ticks was in the I. ricinus-dominated area in southern Finland, while the prevalence was essentially equal in sympatric and I. persulcatus-dominated areas. However, the highest infection rates for both species were in areas of their dominance, either in south or north Finland.
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Jaenson TGT, Petersson EH, Jaenson DGE, Kindberg J, Pettersson JHO, Hjertqvist M, Medlock JM, Bengtsson H. The importance of wildlife in the ecology and epidemiology of the TBE virus in Sweden: incidence of human TBE correlates with abundance of deer and hares. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:477. [PMID: 30153856 PMCID: PMC6114827 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3057-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is one tick-transmitted disease where the human incidence has increased in some European regions during the last two decades. We aim to find the most important factors causing the increasing incidence of human TBE in Sweden. Based on a review of published data we presume that certain temperature-related variables and the population densities of transmission hosts, i.e. small mammals, and of primary tick maintenance hosts, i.e. cervids and lagomorphs, of the TBE virus vector Ixodes ricinus, are among the potentially most important factors affecting the TBE incidence. Therefore, we compare hunting data of the major tick maintenance hosts and two of their important predators, and four climatic variables with the annual numbers of human cases of neuroinvasive TBE. Data for six Swedish regions where human TBE incidence is high or has recently increased are examined by a time-series analysis. Results from the six regions are combined using a meta-analytical method. Results With a one-year time lag, the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), mountain hare (Lepus timidus) and European hare (Lepus europaeus) showed positive covariance; the Eurasian elk (moose, Alces alces) and fallow deer (Dama dama) negative covariance; whereas the wild boar (Sus scrofa), lynx (Lynx lynx), red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the four climate parameters showed no significant covariance with TBE incidence. All game species combined showed positive covariance. Conclusions The epidemiology of TBE varies with time and geography and depends on numerous factors, i.a. climate, virus genotypes, and densities of vectors, tick maintenance hosts and transmission hosts. This study suggests that the increased availability of deer to I. ricinus over large areas of potential tick habitats in southern Sweden increased the density and range of I. ricinus and created new TBEV foci, which resulted in increased incidence of human TBE. New foci may be established by TBE virus-infected birds, or by birds or migrating mammals infested with TBEV-infected ticks. Generally, persistence of TBE virus foci appears to require presence of transmission-competent small mammals, especially mice (Apodemus spp.) or bank voles (Myodes glareolus). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3057-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G T Jaenson
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18d, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Erik H Petersson
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Division of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Stångholmsvägen 2, SE-178 93, Drottningholm, Sweden
| | - David G E Jaenson
- Department of Automatic Control, Lund University, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jonas Kindberg
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - John H-O Pettersson
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Modelling, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Lovisenberggata 8, N-0456, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology (IMBIM), Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.,Public Health Agency of Sweden, Nobels väg 18, SE-171 82, Solna, Sweden
| | - Marika Hjertqvist
- Public Health Agency of Sweden, Nobels väg 18, SE-171 82, Solna, Sweden
| | - Jolyon M Medlock
- Medical Entomology Group, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK.,Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging Infections & Zoonoses, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK
| | - Hans Bengtsson
- Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Gothenburg, Sweden
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Kjelland V, Paulsen KM, Rollum R, Jenkins A, Stuen S, Soleng A, Edgar KS, Lindstedt HH, Vaino K, Gibory M, Andreassen ÅK. Tick-borne encephalitis virus, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from recreational islands in southern Norway. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1098-1102. [PMID: 29678403 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of tick-borne pathogens of medical importance in questing ticks collected from five recreationally used islands along the Norwegian coastline. Furthermore, since coinfection may affect the disease severity, this study aimed to determine the extent of coinfection in individual ticks or co-localization of tick-borne pathogens. In all, 4158 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks were analyzed. For detection of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), nymphs (3690) were analyzed in pools of ten. To detect Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, B. miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, 468 nymphs were analyzed individually. A total of five nymph pools was infected with TBEV, giving an overall prevalence of 0.14%. In the individually analyzed ticks, B. burgdorferi s. l. (15.6%), Candidatus N. mikurensis (11%), A. phagocytophilum (1.4%) and B. miyamotoi (0.9%) were detected. Coinfection was found in 3.3% of the ticks, and the only dual infection observed was with B. afzelii and Candidatus N. mikurensis. This association was significantly higher than what would occur by random chance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Kjelland
- University of Agder, Faculty of Engineering Science, Department of Natural Sciences, Gimlemoen 25, NO-4630 Kristiansand, Norway; Sørlandet Hospital Health Enterprise, Research Unit, P. O. Box 416, NO-4604 Kristiansand, Norway.
| | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway; University College of Southeast Norway, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Gullbringveien 38, NO-3800 Boe, Norway
| | - Rikke Rollum
- University of Agder, Faculty of Engineering Science, Department of Natural Sciences, Gimlemoen 25, NO-4630 Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Andrew Jenkins
- University College of Southeast Norway, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Gullbringveien 38, NO-3800 Boe, Norway
| | - Snorre Stuen
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Small Ruminant Research and Herd Health, Kyrkjeveien 332/334, NO-4325 Sandnes, Norway
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin S Edgar
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Heidi H Lindstedt
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Pest Control, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kirsti Vaino
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Moustafa Gibory
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Virology, P. O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway; University College of Southeast Norway, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Gullbringveien 38, NO-3800 Boe, Norway
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Obiegala A, Silaghi C. Candidatus Neoehrlichia Mikurensis—Recent Insights and Future Perspectives on Clinical Cases, Vectors, and Reservoirs in Europe. CURRENT CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s40588-018-0085-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Portillo A, Santibáñez P, Palomar AM, Santibáñez S, Oteo JA. ' Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' in Europe. New Microbes New Infect 2018; 22:30-36. [PMID: 29556406 PMCID: PMC5857181 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2017.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' is an uncultured emerging bacterium that is provisionally included in the family Anaplasmataceae. In Europe, it is transmitted by Ixodes ricinus ticks. Rodents are the reservoirs. It is widely distributed in mammals (both wild and domestic) and birds. It causes an inflammatory disease in humans with underlying diseases, but the microorganism also affects immunocompetent individuals in which asymptomatic infection has been recognized. A high degree of suspicion and the use of molecular tools are needed for the correct diagnosis. Efforts to cultivate it and to investigate its pathogenesis should be a priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Portillo
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital San Pedro-Center of Biomedical Research from La Rioja (CIBIR), La Rioja, Spain
| | - P Santibáñez
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital San Pedro-Center of Biomedical Research from La Rioja (CIBIR), La Rioja, Spain
| | - A M Palomar
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital San Pedro-Center of Biomedical Research from La Rioja (CIBIR), La Rioja, Spain
| | - S Santibáñez
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital San Pedro-Center of Biomedical Research from La Rioja (CIBIR), La Rioja, Spain
| | - J A Oteo
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital San Pedro-Center of Biomedical Research from La Rioja (CIBIR), La Rioja, Spain
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Andersson MO, Tolf C, Tamba P, Stefanache M, Waldenström J, Dobler G, Chițimia-Dobler L. Canine tick-borne diseases in pet dogs from Romania. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:155. [PMID: 28335825 PMCID: PMC5364683 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2092-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tick-borne diseases are of substantial concern worldwide for animals as well as humans. Dogs have been a human companion for millennia, and their significant impact on human life renders disease in dogs to be of great concern. Tick-borne diseases in dogs represent a substantial diagnostic challenge for veterinarians in that clinical signs are often diffuse and overlapping. In addition, co-infections with two or more pathogens enhance this problem further. Molecular methods are useful to disentangle co-infections and to accurately describe prevalence and geographical distribution of tick-borne diseases. At this point, this information is lacking in many areas worldwide. Romania is one such area, where prevalence and distribution of several important pathogens need to be further investigated. To address this, we screened blood samples from 96 sick dogs with molecular methods for eight different pathogens including Babesia spp., Theileria spp., Hepatozoon spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis", Mycoplasma spp., and Borrelia spp. RESULTS As many as 45% (43/96) of the dogs in the study were infected with protozoan parasites. Babesia canis was the most frequent of these (28 infected dogs), whereas Hepatozoon canis was detected in 15% (14/96) and Babesia gibsoni was found in a single sample. Bacterial infection with Mycoplasma spp. occurred in 18% (17/96) of the sampled dogs. Obtained bacterial sequences revealed the occurrence of two species: Mycoplasma canis and "Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum". In several cases co-infection with protozoan parasites and Mycoplasma sp. were detected. All dogs were negative for Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., "Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis", and for Borrelia spp. CONCLUSIONS The results from the present study reinforce the notion that Babesia canis is an important pathogen in the Romanian dog population. However, more surprisingly, another protozoan species, H. canis, seems to be infecting dogs to a larger extent than previously recognized in Romania. Well-known tick-borne bacterial disease agents such as Anaplasma spp. and Borrelia spp. were not detected. In contrast, less well-studied bacteria such as hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. were detected frequently. Moreover, co-infection might aggravate disease and complicate diagnosis and should be further studied in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin O Andersson
- Center for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, SE-391 82, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Conny Tolf
- Center for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, SE-391 82, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Paula Tamba
- Institute for Diagnosis and Animal Health, Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Jonas Waldenström
- Center for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, SE-391 82, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Gerhard Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, German Center of Infection Research (DZIF) Partner, Neuherbergstrasse 11, D-80937, Munich, Germany.
| | - Lidia Chițimia-Dobler
- Institute for Diagnosis and Animal Health, Bucharest, Romania.,Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, German Center of Infection Research (DZIF) Partner, Neuherbergstrasse 11, D-80937, Munich, Germany
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Raileanu C, Moutailler S, Pavel I, Porea D, Mihalca AD, Savuta G, Vayssier-Taussat M. Borrelia Diversity and Co-infection with Other Tick Borne Pathogens in Ticks. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:36. [PMID: 28261565 PMCID: PMC5306127 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying Borrelia burgdorferi as the causative agent of Lyme disease in 1981 was a watershed moment in understanding the major impact that tick-borne zoonoses can have on public health worldwide, particularly in Europe and the USA. The medical importance of tick-borne diseases has long since been acknowledged, yet little is known regarding the occurrence of emerging tick-borne pathogens such as Borrelia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis”, and tick-borne encephalitis virus in questing ticks in Romania, a gateway into Europe. The objective of our study was to identify the infection and co-infection rates of different Borrelia genospecies along with other tick-borne pathogens in questing ticks collected from three geographically distinct areas in eastern Romania. We collected 557 questing adult and nymph ticks of three different species (534 Ixodes ricinus, 19 Haemaphysalis punctata, and 4 Dermacentor reticulatus) from three areas in Romania. We analyzed ticks individually for the presence of eight different Borrelia genospecies with high-throughput real-time PCR. Ticks with Borrelia were then tested for possible co-infections with A. phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis”, and tick-borne encephalitis virus. Borrelia spp. was detected in I. ricinus ticks from all sampling areas, with global prevalence rates of 25.8%. All eight Borrelia genospecies were detected in I. ricinus ticks: Borrelia garinii (14.8%), B. afzelii (8.8%), B. valaisiana (5.1%), B. lusitaniae (4.9%), B. miyamotoi (0.9%), B. burgdorferi s.s (0.4%), and B. bissettii (0.2%). Regarding pathogen co-infection 64.5% of infected I. ricinus were positive for more than one pathogen. Associations between different Borrelia genospecies were detected in 9.7% of ticks, and 6.9% of I. ricinus ticks tested positive for co-infection of Borrelia spp. with other tick-borne pathogens. The most common association was between B. garinii and B. afzelii (4.3%), followed by B. garinii and B. lusitaniae (3.0%). The most frequent dual co-infections were between Borrelia spp. and Rickettsia spp., (1.3%), and between Borrelia spp. and “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis” (1.3%). The diversity of tick-borne pathogens detected in this study and the frequency of co-infections should influence all infection risk evaluations following a tick bite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Raileanu
- INRA, UMR Bipar, INRA, Anses, ENVAMaisons-Alfort, France; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineIaşi, Romania
| | | | - Ionuţ Pavel
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iaşi, Romania
| | - Daniela Porea
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iaşi, Romania
| | - Andrei D Mihalca
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Gheorghe Savuta
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iaşi, Romania
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Sormunen JJ, Penttinen R, Klemola T, Hänninen J, Vuorinen I, Laaksonen M, Sääksjärvi IE, Ruohomäki K, Vesterinen EJ. Tick-borne bacterial pathogens in southwestern Finland. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:168. [PMID: 27004834 PMCID: PMC4802833 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1449-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus are the main vectors of Lyme borreliosis spirochetes and several other zoonotic bacteria in northern Europe and Russia. However, few studies screening bacterial pathogens in Finnish ticks have been conducted. Therefore, reports on the occurrence and prevalence of several bacterial pathogens detected from ticks elsewhere in Europe and Russia are altogether missing from Finland. The main aim of the current study was to produce novel data on the occurrence and prevalence of several tick-borne bacterial pathogens in ticks collected from southwestern Finland. Methods Ticks were collected in 2013–2014 by blanket dragging from 25 localities around southwestern Finland, and additionally from a dog in Lempäälä. Collected ticks were molecularly identified and screened for Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Borrelia miyamotoi, Rickettsia, Bartonella and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis using quantitative PCR. Furthermore, detected Rickettsia spp. were sequenced using conventional PCR to determine species. Results A total of 3169 ticks in 1174 DNA samples were screened for the listed pathogens. The most common bacteria detected was B. burgdorferi (s.l.) (18.5 % nymphal and 23.5 % adult ticks), followed by Rickettsia spp. (1.1 %; 5.1 %) and B. miyamotoi (0.51 %; 1.02 %). B. miyamotoi and Rickettsia spp. were also detected in larval samples (minimum infection rates 0.31 % and 0.21 %, respectively). Detected Rickettsia spp. were identified by sequencing as R. helvetica and R. monacensis. All screened samples were negative for Bartonella spp. and Ca. N. mikurensis. Conclusions In the current study we report for the first time the presence of Rickettsia in Finnish ticks. Furthermore, Rickettsia spp. and B. miyamotoi were found from larval tick samples, emphasizing the importance they may have as vectors of these pathogens. Comparisons of tick density estimates and B. burgdorferi (s.l.) prevalence made between the current study and a previous study conducted in 2000 in ten out of the 25 study localities suggest that an increase in tick abundance and B. burgdorferi (s.l.) prevalence has occurred in at least some of the study localities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jani J Sormunen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.,Archipelago Research Institute, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Ritva Penttinen
- Zoological Museum, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Tero Klemola
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Jari Hänninen
- Archipelago Research Institute, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Ilppo Vuorinen
- Archipelago Research Institute, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Maija Laaksonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Ilari E Sääksjärvi
- Zoological Museum, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Kai Ruohomäki
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Eero J Vesterinen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland. .,Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
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Moutailler S, Valiente Moro C, Vaumourin E, Michelet L, Tran FH, Devillers E, Cosson JF, Gasqui P, Van VT, Mavingui P, Vourc’h G, Vayssier-Taussat M. Co-infection of Ticks: The Rule Rather Than the Exception. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004539. [PMID: 26986203 PMCID: PMC4795628 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Ticks are the most common arthropod vectors of both human and animal diseases in Europe, and the Ixodes ricinus tick species is able to transmit a large number of bacteria, viruses and parasites. Ticks may also be co-infected with several pathogens, with a subsequent high likelihood of co-transmission to humans or animals. However few data exist regarding co-infection prevalences, and these studies only focus on certain well-known pathogens. In addition to pathogens, ticks also carry symbionts that may play important roles in tick biology, and could interfere with pathogen maintenance and transmission. In this study we evaluated the prevalence of 38 pathogens and four symbionts and their co-infection levels as well as possible interactions between pathogens, or between pathogens and symbionts. Methodology/principal findings A total of 267 Ixodes ricinus female specimens were collected in the French Ardennes and analyzed by high-throughput real-time PCR for the presence of 37 pathogens (bacteria and parasites), by rRT-PCR to detect the presence of Tick-Borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and by nested PCR to detect four symbionts. Possible multipartite interactions between pathogens, or between pathogens and symbionts were statistically evaluated. Among the infected ticks, 45% were co-infected, and carried up to five different pathogens. When adding symbiont prevalences, all ticks were infected by at least one microorganism, and up to eight microorganisms were identified in the same tick. When considering possible interactions between pathogens, the results suggested a strong association between Borrelia garinii and B. afzelii, whereas there were no significant interactions between symbionts and pathogens. Conclusion/significance Our study reveals high pathogen co-infection rates in ticks, raising questions about possible co-transmission of these agents to humans or animals, and their consequences to human and animal health. We also demonstrated high prevalence rates of symbionts co-existing with pathogens, opening new avenues of enquiry regarding their effects on pathogen transmission and vector competence. Ticks transmit more pathogens than any other arthropod, and one single species can transmit a large variety of bacteria and parasites. Because co-infection might be much more common than previously thought, we evaluated the prevalence of 38 known or neglected tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks. Our results demonstrated that co-infection occurred in almost half of the infected ticks, and that ticks could be infected with up to five pathogens. Moreover, as it is well established that symbionts can affect pathogen transmission in arthropods, we also evaluated the prevalence of four symbiont species and demonstrated that all ticks were infected by at least one microorganism. This work highlights the co-infection phenomenon in ticks, which may have important implications for human and animal health, emphasizing the need for new diagnostic tests better adapted to tick-borne diseases. Finally, the high co-occurrence of symbionts and pathogens in ticks, reveals the necessity to also account for these interactions in the development of new alternative strategies to control ticks and tick-borne disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Moutailler
- UMR Bipar, Anses, INRA, ENVA 14 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Claire Valiente Moro
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France; Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France; CNRS, UMR5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France; INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Lorraine Michelet
- UMR Bipar, Anses, INRA, ENVA 14 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Florence Hélène Tran
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France; Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France; CNRS, UMR5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France; INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Elodie Devillers
- UMR Bipar, Anses, INRA, ENVA 14 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Jean-François Cosson
- UMR Bipar, Anses, INRA, ENVA 14 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort, France
- CBGP, INRA, Vetagrosup, IRD F-34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez, France
| | | | - Van Tran Van
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France; Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France; CNRS, UMR5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France; INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Patrick Mavingui
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France; Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France; CNRS, UMR5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France; INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT, INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France
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Gofton AW, Doggett S, Ratchford A, Oskam CL, Paparini A, Ryan U, Irwin P. Bacterial Profiling Reveals Novel "Ca. Neoehrlichia", Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma Species in Australian Human-Biting Ticks. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0145449. [PMID: 26709826 PMCID: PMC4692421 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In Australia, a conclusive aetiology of Lyme disease-like illness in human patients remains elusive, despite growing numbers of people presenting with symptoms attributed to tick bites. In the present study, we surveyed the microbial communities harboured by human-biting ticks from across Australia to identify bacteria that may contribute to this syndrome. Universal PCR primers were used to amplify the V1-2 hyper-variable region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes in DNA samples from individual Ixodes holocyclus (n = 279), Amblyomma triguttatum (n = 167), Haemaphysalis bancrofti (n = 7), and H. longicornis (n = 7) ticks. The 16S amplicons were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform and analysed in USEARCH, QIIME, and BLAST to assign genus and species-level taxonomies. Nested PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to confirm the NGS data and further analyse novel findings. All 460 ticks were negative for Borrelia spp. by both NGS and nested PCR analysis. Two novel "Candidatus Neoehrlichia" spp. were identified in 12.9% of I. holocyclus ticks. A novel Anaplasma sp. was identified in 1.8% of A. triguttatum ticks, and a novel Ehrlichia sp. was identified in both A. triguttatum (1.2%) ticks and a single I. holocyclus (0.6%) tick. Further phylogenetic analysis of novel "Ca. Neoehrlichia", Anaplasma and Ehrlichia based on 1,265 bp 16S rRNA gene sequences suggests that these are new species. Determining whether these newly discovered organisms cause disease in humans and animals, like closely related bacteria do abroad, is of public health importance and requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander W. Gofton
- Vector and Water-borne Pathogen Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Stephen Doggett
- Department of Medical Entomology, Pathology West and Institute for Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew Ratchford
- Emergency Department, Mona Vale Hospital, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Charlotte L. Oskam
- Vector and Water-borne Pathogen Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Andrea Paparini
- Vector and Water-borne Pathogen Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Una Ryan
- Vector and Water-borne Pathogen Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Peter Irwin
- Vector and Water-borne Pathogen Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Cross-reactive acquired immunity influences transmission success of the Lyme disease pathogen, Borrelia afzelii. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2015; 36:131-140. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 09/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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41
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Guillemi EC, Tomassone L, Farber MD. Tick-borne Rickettsiales: Molecular tools for the study of an emergent group of pathogens. J Microbiol Methods 2015; 119:87-97. [PMID: 26471201 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2015.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of molecular techniques in recent years has enhanced the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis of Rickettsiales, a bacterial order which includes significant emerging and re-emerging pathogens of humans and animals. Molecular detection enables the accurate identification at the species level, providing additional information on the epidemiology and course of the clinical cases. Moreover, PCR and enzyme restriction analysis of the vector blood meal can be employed to study the tick feeding source and possibly identify pathogen's reservoir. Here, we review the molecular tools available for the identification and characterization of tick-borne bacteria from the genera Rickettsia, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma and for the study of ticks feeding behavior. We summarize the significant criteria for taxonomic identification of Rickettsiales species and propose a procedure algorithm for the classification of bacterial isolates as members of this order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana C Guillemi
- Inst. de Biotecnología, INTA Castelar. Los Reseros y N. Repetto, 1686 Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Laura Tomassone
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Torino, Italy
| | - Marisa D Farber
- Inst. de Biotecnología, INTA Castelar. Los Reseros y N. Repetto, 1686 Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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42
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Grankvist A, Sandelin LL, Andersson J, Fryland L, Wilhelmsson P, Lindgren PE, Forsberg P, Wennerås C. Infections with Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Cytokine Responses in 2 Persons Bitten by Ticks, Sweden. Emerg Infect Dis 2015; 21:1462-5. [PMID: 26197035 PMCID: PMC4517700 DOI: 10.3201/eid2108.150060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis infection was determined in 102 persons bitten by ticks in Sweden. Two infected women had erythematous rashes; 1 was co-infected with a Borrelia sp., and the other showed seroconversion for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Both patients had increased levels of Neoehrlichia DNA and serum cytokines for several months.
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43
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Karlsson ME, Andersson MO. Babesia species in questing Ixodes ricinus, Sweden. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 7:10-12. [PMID: 26277447 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2015] [Revised: 07/03/2015] [Accepted: 07/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Babesiosis is an emerging tick-transmitted zoonosis in large parts of the world. In Sweden, the occurrence and diversity of Babesia species is largely unknown. In order to estimate the exposure to Babesia from infected ticks, we collected questing Ixodes ricinus from several sites across southern Sweden during two consecutive field seasons and investigated the occurrence of Babesia species. We report for the first time the occurrence of the zoonotic species Babesia venatorum in Swedish ticks, with a prevalence of 1%. We also detected B. microti (prevalence 3.2%) and B. divergens (prevalence 0.2%). The incidence of Babesia in questing ticks is substantially lower than that of several other tick-borne diseases in Sweden. Nevertheless, babesiosis should not be neglected as a possible diagnosis following tick bites in humans and animals in Sweden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Karlsson
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, SLU, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Martin O Andersson
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Ecology Building, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden.
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44
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Abstract
Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis (CNM; family Anaplasmataceae) was recently recognized as a potential tick-borne human pathogen. The presence of CNM in mammals, in host-seeking Ixodes ticks and in ticks attached to mammals and birds has been reported recently. We investigated the presence of CNM in ornithophagous ticks from migrating birds. A total of 1,150 ticks (582 nymphs, 548 larvae, 18 undetermined ticks and two adult females) collected from 5,365 birds captured in south-eastern Sweden was screened for CNM by molecular methods. The birds represented 65 different species, of which 35 species were infested with one or more ticks. Based on a combination of morphological and molecular species identification, the majority of the ticks were identified as Ixodes ricinus. Samples were initially screened by real-time PCR targeting the CNM 16S rRNA gene, and confirmed by a second real-time PCR targeting the groEL gene. For positive samples, a 1260 base pair fragment of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced. Based upon bacterial gene sequence identification, 2.1% (24/1150) of the analysed samples were CNM-positive. Twenty-two out of 24 CNM-positive ticks were molecularly identified as I. ricinus nymphs, and the remaining two were identified as I. ricinus based on morphology. The overall CNM prevalence in I. ricinus nymphs was 4.2%. None of the 548 tested larvae was positive. CNM-positive ticks were collected from 10 different bird species. The highest CNM-prevalences were recorded in nymphs collected from common redpoll (Carduelis flammea, 3/7), thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia, 2/29) and dunnock (Prunella modularis, 1/17). The 16S rRNA sequences obtained in this study were all identical to each other and to three previously reported European strains, two of which were obtained from humans. It is concluded that ornithophagous ticks may be infected with CNM and that birds most likely can disperse CNM-infected ticks over large geographical areas.
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45
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Wennerås C. Infections with the tick-borne bacterium Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis. Clin Microbiol Infect 2015; 21:621-30. [PMID: 25770773 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2015.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2014] [Revised: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, which has rodents as its natural hosts, is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in Europe and Asia. This intracellular bacterium causes the infectious disease neoehrlichiosis. Immunocompromised patients may contract a severe form of neoehrlichiosis with high fever and vascular/thromboembolic events. As it is not detected with routine culture-based methods, neoehrlichiosis is underdiagnosed.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Wennerås
- Department of Clinical Microbiology at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.
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46
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Abstract
Lyme borreliosis is increasing rapidly in many parts of the world and is the most commonly occurring vector-borne disease in Europe and the USA. The disease is transmitted by ticks of the genus Ixodes. They require a blood meal at each stage of their life cycle and feed on a wide variety of wild and domestic animals as well as birds and reptiles. Transmission to humans is incidental and can occur during visits to a vector habitat, when host mammals and their associated ticks migrate into the urban environment, or when companion animals bring ticks into areas of human habitation. It is frequently stated that the risk of infection is very low if the tick is removed within 24–48 hours, with some claims that there is no risk if an attached tick is removed within 24 hours or 48 hours. A literature review has determined that in animal models, transmission can occur in <16 hours, and the minimum attachment time for transmission of infection has never been established. Mechanisms for early transmission of spirochetes have been proposed based on their presence in different organs of the tick. Studies have found systemic infection and the presence of spirochetes in the tick salivary glands prior to feeding, which could result in cases of rapid transmission. Also, there is evidence that spirochete transmission times and virulence depend upon the tick and Borrelia species. These factors support anecdotal evidence that Borrelia infection can occur in humans within a short time after tick attachment.
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47
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Rizzoli A, Silaghi C, Obiegala A, Rudolf I, Hubálek Z, Földvári G, Plantard O, Vayssier-Taussat M, Bonnet S, Spitalská E, Kazimírová M. Ixodes ricinus and Its Transmitted Pathogens in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas in Europe: New Hazards and Relevance for Public Health. Front Public Health 2014; 2:251. [PMID: 25520947 PMCID: PMC4248671 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2014.00251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 285] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases represent major public and animal health issues worldwide. Ixodes ricinus, primarily associated with deciduous and mixed forests, is the principal vector of causative agents of viral, bacterial, and protozoan zoonotic diseases in Europe. Recently, abundant tick populations have been observed in European urban green areas, which are of public health relevance due to the exposure of humans and domesticated animals to potentially infected ticks. In urban habitats, small and medium-sized mammals, birds, companion animals (dogs and cats), and larger mammals (roe deer and wild boar) play a role in maintenance of tick populations and as reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens. Presence of ticks infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus and high prevalence of ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., causing Lyme borreliosis, have been reported from urbanized areas in Europe. Emerging pathogens, including bacteria of the order Rickettsiales (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis," Rickettsia helvetica, and R. monacensis), Borrelia miyamotoi, and protozoans (Babesia divergens, B. venatorum, and B. microti) have also been detected in urban tick populations. Understanding the ecology of ticks and their associations with hosts in a European urbanized environment is crucial to quantify parameters necessary for risk pre-assessment and identification of public health strategies for control and prevention of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annapaola Rizzoli
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all'Adige , Trento , Italy
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität , Munich , Germany ; Vetsuisse-Faculty, Swiss National Centre for Vector Entomology, Institute for Parasitology, University of Zurich , Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität , Munich , Germany ; Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig , Leipzig , Germany
| | - Ivo Rudolf
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i. , Brno , Czech Republic
| | - Zdeněk Hubálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i. , Brno , Czech Republic
| | - Gábor Földvári
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University , Budapest , Hungary
| | - Olivier Plantard
- INRA, UMR1300 BioEpAR , Nantes , France ; LUNAM Université, Oniris, Ecole nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique, UMR BioEpAR , Nantes , France
| | - Muriel Vayssier-Taussat
- USC BIPAR, INRA, ANSES - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety , Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Sarah Bonnet
- USC BIPAR, INRA, ANSES - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety , Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Eva Spitalská
- Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Mária Kazimírová
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
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48
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Co-infection with 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' and Borrelia afzelii in an Ixodes ricinus tick that has bitten a human in Romania. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:706-8. [PMID: 25127158 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2014] [Revised: 04/28/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Despite the vast importance of ticks as disease vectors, the infectious agents transmitted by ticks are still incompletely known in many areas. Here, we report for the first time the detection of the bacterium 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' in Romania, in an Ixodes ricinus tick obtained from a human. Furthermore, the tick also had a co-infection with Borrelia afzelii. 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' is one of the most recent discoveries of a tick-borne agent, and has been found in human patients in several European countries as well as in China.
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49
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Asymptomatic "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" infections in immunocompetent humans. J Clin Microbiol 2014; 52:3072-4. [PMID: 24899023 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00741-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In Europe, human infections with "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" have mainly been restricted to immunocompromised patients. We report here the first cases of asymptomatic "Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis" infection in immunocompetent humans (5/316 [1.6%] were infected). Due to the potential threats of infections with "Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis" in healthy persons to the safety of the blood supply, further study of this phenomenon is required.
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50
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Rizzoli A, Silaghi C, Obiegala A, Rudolf I, Hubálek Z, Földvári G, Plantard O, Vayssier-Taussat M, Bonnet S, Spitalská E, Kazimírová M. Ixodes ricinus and Its Transmitted Pathogens in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas in Europe: New Hazards and Relevance for Public Health. Front Public Health 2014. [PMID: 25520947 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2014.00251.pmid:25520947;pmcid:pmc4248671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases represent major public and animal health issues worldwide. Ixodes ricinus, primarily associated with deciduous and mixed forests, is the principal vector of causative agents of viral, bacterial, and protozoan zoonotic diseases in Europe. Recently, abundant tick populations have been observed in European urban green areas, which are of public health relevance due to the exposure of humans and domesticated animals to potentially infected ticks. In urban habitats, small and medium-sized mammals, birds, companion animals (dogs and cats), and larger mammals (roe deer and wild boar) play a role in maintenance of tick populations and as reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens. Presence of ticks infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus and high prevalence of ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., causing Lyme borreliosis, have been reported from urbanized areas in Europe. Emerging pathogens, including bacteria of the order Rickettsiales (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis," Rickettsia helvetica, and R. monacensis), Borrelia miyamotoi, and protozoans (Babesia divergens, B. venatorum, and B. microti) have also been detected in urban tick populations. Understanding the ecology of ticks and their associations with hosts in a European urbanized environment is crucial to quantify parameters necessary for risk pre-assessment and identification of public health strategies for control and prevention of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annapaola Rizzoli
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all'Adige , Trento , Italy
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität , Munich , Germany ; Vetsuisse-Faculty, Swiss National Centre for Vector Entomology, Institute for Parasitology, University of Zurich , Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität , Munich , Germany ; Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig , Leipzig , Germany
| | - Ivo Rudolf
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i. , Brno , Czech Republic
| | - Zdeněk Hubálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i. , Brno , Czech Republic
| | - Gábor Földvári
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University , Budapest , Hungary
| | - Olivier Plantard
- INRA, UMR1300 BioEpAR , Nantes , France ; LUNAM Université, Oniris, Ecole nationale vétérinaire, agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique, UMR BioEpAR , Nantes , France
| | - Muriel Vayssier-Taussat
- USC BIPAR, INRA, ANSES - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety , Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Sarah Bonnet
- USC BIPAR, INRA, ANSES - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety , Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Eva Spitalská
- Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Mária Kazimírová
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences , Bratislava , Slovakia
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