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Prasetyo DB, Fiorenzano JM, Nop D, Noch N, Huot B, Mom S, Prum S, Chhe V, Dul S, Heang V, Prom S, Jiang J, Richards AL, Farris CM, Hertz JC. Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in ectoparasites collected from two southern provinces of Cambodia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012544. [PMID: 39348408 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 09/17/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Arthropod-borne rickettsioses comprise a wide variety of subtypes that are endemic in Cambodia, but there remains very little data on the geographic distribution of the pathogens or their vectors. Surveys were conducted in Koh Kong and Preah Sihanouk Provinces between September 2017 and June 2018 to collect ectoparasites from peridomestic animals and the environment using dragging and flagging methods. Collected ectoparasites were sorted and identified morphologically, then pooled by species, host, and location for molecular detection using Rickettsia genus- and species-specific qPCR and/or multilocus sequence typing (MLST) assays. A total of 14,254 ectoparasites were collected including seven new locality records. Rickettsia species were detected in 35.5% (174/505) of the pools screened representing 3,149 randomly selected ectoparasites from the total collected. Rickettsia asembonensis was detected in 89.6% (147/164) of Rickettsia-positive flea pools and 3.6% (6/164) of the flea pools were positive for both R. asembonensis and Rickettsia felis. Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis from Ctenocephalides orientis fleas and Rickettsia sp. close to Rickettsia japonica and Rickettsia heilongjiangensis from Haemaphysalis ticks were identified by MLST. This appears to be the first report of these new ectoparasite records and rickettsial species in southern Cambodia, suggesting a potential health risk to military and civilians in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daliya Nop
- Vysnova Partners, LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Nin Noch
- AC Investment Co., Ltd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Boren Huot
- AC Investment Co., Ltd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Sokly Mom
- AC Investment Co., Ltd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Sitha Prum
- AC Investment Co., Ltd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Visal Chhe
- AC Investment Co., Ltd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Sokha Dul
- AC Investment Co., Ltd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Vireak Heang
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit INDO PACIFIC, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Satharath Prom
- Department of Health, Ministry of National Defence, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Ju Jiang
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Allen L Richards
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christina M Farris
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey C Hertz
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit INDO PACIFIC, Sembawang, Singapore
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Loyola S, Palacios-Salvatierra R, Cáceres-Rey O, Richards AL. Rickettsia asembonensis Isolated from Four Human Cases with Acute Undifferentiated Febrile Illness in Peru. Pathogens 2024; 13:489. [PMID: 38921787 PMCID: PMC11206278 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060489] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Rickettsioses, often underreported, pose public health challenges. Rickettsia asembonensis is a potential emerging pathogen that was previously detected in humans, animals, and a variety of arthropods. While its pathogenicity in humans remains unclear, it poses a potential public health threat. Here, we present an extended epidemiological, diagnostic, and genetic analysis of the information provided in a preliminary report on the investigation of rickettsiae in Peru. In particular, we report the detection of R. asembonensis in blood specimens collected from four human patients with an acute undifferentiated fever of a seven- to nine-day duration, all of whom tested negative for other vector-borne pathogens. Additionally, we describe the replicative capacity of the R. asembonensis isolates in cell cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steev Loyola
- School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru
- Doctorado en Medicina Tropical, School of Medicine, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias 130014, Colombia
| | - Rosa Palacios-Salvatierra
- Postgraduate Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima 15081, Peru
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima 15081, Peru
| | - Omar Cáceres-Rey
- Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima 15072, Peru
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
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Candasamy S, Ayyanar E, Devaraju P, Kumar A, Zaman K, Bhaskar Mishra B, Srinivasan L, Purushothaman J. Evidence on the prevalence of emerging and re-emerging tick- and flea-borne rickettsial agents in acute encephalitis syndrome endemic areas of northeast Uttar Pradesh, India. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2024; 38:23-37. [PMID: 37736686 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Outbreaks of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) with unknown aetiology are reported every year in Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India, and Orientia tsutsugamushi, the rickettsial pathogen, responsible for scrub typhus has been attributed as the primary cause of AES problem. However, information on the prevalence of other rickettsial infections is lacking. Hence, this study was carried out to assess any occurrence of tick- and flea-borne rickettsial agents in villages reporting AES cases in this district. In total, 825 peridomestic small mammals were trapped, by setting 9254 Sherman traps in four villages with a trap success rate of 8.9%. The Asian house shrew, Suncus murinus, constituted the predominant animal species (56.2%) and contributed to the maximum number (87.37%) of ectoparasites. In total, 1552 ectoparasites comprising two species of ticks and one species each of flea and louse were retrieved from the trapped rodents/shrews. Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick, was the predominant species retrieved from the trapped rodents/shrews, and the overall infestation rate was 1.75 per animal. In total, 4428 ectoparasites comprising five tick species, three louse species and one flea species were collected from 1798 domestic animals screened. Rhipicephalus microplus was the predominant tick species collected from the domestic animals. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, constituted 1.5% of the total ectoparasites. Of all the ectoparasite samples (5980) from domestic animals and rodents, tested as 1211 pools through real-time PCR assays, 64 pools were positive for 23S rRNA gene of rickettsial agents. The PCR-positive samples were subjected to multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). In BLAST and phylogenetic analysis, the ectoparasites were found to harbour Rickettsia asembonensis (n = 9), Rickettsia conorii (n = 3), Rickettsia massiliae (n = 29) and Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis (n = 1). A total of 22 pools were detected to have multiple rickettsial agents. The prevalence of fleas and high abundance of tick vectors with natural infections of rickettsial agents indicates the risk of transmission of tick- and flea-borne rickettsial diseases in rural villages of Gorakhpur. Further epidemiological studies are required to confirm the transmission of these agents to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elango Ayyanar
- ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Puducherry, India
| | - Panneer Devaraju
- ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Puducherry, India
| | - Ashwani Kumar
- ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Puducherry, India
| | - Kamran Zaman
- ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre (ICMR-RMRC), Gorakhpur, India
- ICMR-National Institute of Traditional Medicine Belagavi (ICMR-NITM Belagavi), Belagavi, India
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Hoang MTT, Ngo VP, Stenos J, Ng-Nguyen D. The presence of Rickettsia felis in communities in the central highlands of Vietnam. Acta Trop 2023; 248:107034. [PMID: 37793492 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Rickettsia felis is an emerging flea-borne spotted fever pathogen that causes febrile illness in humans. In Vietnam, R. felis was detected in hospitalized patients, but there is no information on its presence in the Vietnamese community. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the presence of R. felis in humans of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. A total of 158 blood and 213 serum samples were subjected to PCR and IFAT, respectively, to detect the presence of R. felis DNA and antibodies against R. felis. PCR assays detected R. felis DNA in four out of 158 blood samples, accounting for a prevalence of 2.53 % (95 % CI: 0.81 %-6.76 %). Phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of R. felis and R. felis genotype RF2125 in the communities in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The result of IFAT identified seven out of 213 serum samples (3.29 %, 95 % CI: 1.45 %-6.93 %) positive for antibodies against R. felis. This study was the first to demonstrate the presence of active R. felis infections in the communities in the Central Highlands of Vietnam utilizing both molecular and serological methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh-Trang Thi Hoang
- Faculty of Medicine, Buon Ma Thuot Medical University, 298 Ha Huy Tap St., Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam
| | - Van-Phuong Ngo
- Faculty of Medicine, Buon Ma Thuot Medical University, 298 Ha Huy Tap St., Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam
| | - John Stenos
- Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Dinh Ng-Nguyen
- Faculty of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Tay Nguyen University, 567 Le Duan St., Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam.
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Krawczak FDS, Binder LC, Sobotyk C, Costa FB, Gregori F, Martins TF, Pádua GT, Sponchiado J, Melo GL, Polo G, Labruna MB. Rickettsial infection in ticks from a natural area of Atlantic Forest biome in southern Brazil. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2022; 88:371-386. [PMID: 36344862 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-022-00754-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
From June 2013 to January 2014, blood sera samples and ticks were collected from domestic dogs and wild small mammals, and ticks from the vegetation in a preservation area of the Atlantic Forest biome (Turvo State Park), and the rural area surrounding the Park in Derrubadas municipality, state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Dogs were infested by Amblyomma ovale and Amblyomma aureolatum adult ticks, whereas small mammals were infested by immature stages of A. ovale, Amblyomma yucumense, Amblyomma brasiliense, Ixodes loricatus, and adults of I. loricatus. Ticks collected on vegetation were A. brasiliense, A. ovale, A. yucumense, Amblyomma incisum, and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi. Three Rickettsia species were molecularly detected in ticks: Rickettsia bellii in I. loricatus (also isolated through cell culture inoculation), Rickettsia amblyommatis in A. brasiliense, and Rickettsia rhipicephali in A. yucumense. The latter two are tick-rickettsia associations reported for the first time. Seroreactivity to Rickettsia antigens were detected in 33.5% (55/164) small mammals and 8.3% (3/36) canine sera. The present study reveals a richness of ticks and associated-rickettsiae in the largest Atlantic Forest Reserve of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which is characterized by a rich fauna of wild mammals, typical of more preserved areas of this biome. Noteworthy, none of the detected Rickettsia species have been associated to human or animal diseases. This result contrasts to other areas of this biome in Brazil, which are endemic for tick-borne spotted fever caused by Rickettsia rickettsii or Rickettsia parkeri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe da Silva Krawczak
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Rod. Goiânia - Nova Veneza, km8, Campus Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Lina C Binder
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Caroline Sobotyk
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Francisco B Costa
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Fábio Gregori
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Thiago F Martins
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gracielle T Pádua
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Rod. Goiânia - Nova Veneza, km8, Campus Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Jonas Sponchiado
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Farroupilha, Campus Alegrete, Alegrete, RS, Brazil
| | - Geruza L Melo
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Farroupilha, Campus Alegrete, Alegrete, RS, Brazil
| | - Gina Polo
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia. Fundación Universitaria San Martin, Bogotá DC, Colombia
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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6
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Polsomboon Nelson S, Bourke BP, Badr R, Tarpey J, Caicedo-Quiroga L, Leiva D, Pott M, Cruz A, Chao CC, Achee NL, Grieco JP, Jiang L, Jiang J, Farris CM, Linton YM. Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and Associated Pathoge Collected From Domestic Animals and Vegetation in Stann Creek District, Southeastern Belize, Central America. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:1749-1755. [PMID: 35904108 PMCID: PMC9473654 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Data on the prevalence and distribution of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Belize are lacking. Ticks (n = 564) collected from dogs, horses, and vegetation in two villages in Stann Creek District in southeastern Belize in 2018, were molecularly identified and screened for tick-borne nonviral human pathogens. The identity of 417 ticks was molecularly confirmed by DNA barcoding as Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (66.43%), Amblyomma ovale Koch (15.59%), Dermacentor nitens Neumann (11.51%), Amblyomma sp. ADB0528 (3.6%), and the remainder being small records (2.87%) of Amblyomma coelebs Neumann, Amblyomma imitator Kohls, Amblyomma tapirellum Dunn, Amblyomma auricularium Conil, and Amblyomma maculatum Koch. Individual tick extracts were screened for the presence of Rickettsia spp., Babesia spp., Babesia microti, Borrelia spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Anaplasma spp. using available conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic Rainforest was identified in five specimens of A. ovale, and one other unidentified tick, all collected from dogs. Another unidentified tick-also collected from a dog-tested positive for an undefined but previously detected Ehrlichia sp. With the exception of D. nitens, all eight other tick species identified in this study were collected on dogs, suggesting that dogs could be usefully employed as sentinel animals for tick surveillance in Belize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suppaluck Polsomboon Nelson
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), One Health Branch, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Brian P Bourke
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, uitland, MD, USA
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), One Health Branch, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Laura Caicedo-Quiroga
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), One Health Branch, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Donovan Leiva
- Belize Vector and Ecology Center (BVEC), Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, Belize
| | - Marie Pott
- Belize Vector and Ecology Center (BVEC), Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, Belize
| | - Alvaro Cruz
- Belize Vector and Ecology Center (BVEC), Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, Belize
| | - Chien-Chung Chao
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Nicole L Achee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Galvin Life Science Center, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - John P Grieco
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Galvin Life Science Center, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Le Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Yvonne-Marie Linton
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), One Health Branch, Silver Spring, MD, USA
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7
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Pollio AR, Jiang J, Lee SS, Gandhi JS, Knott BD, Chunashvili T, Conte MA, Walls SD, Hulseberg CE, Farris CM, Reinbold-Wasson DD, Hang J. Discovery of Rickettsia spp. in mosquitoes collected in Georgia by metagenomics analysis and molecular characterization. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:961090. [PMID: 36160204 PMCID: PMC9493313 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.961090] [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: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthropods have a broad and expanding worldwide presence and can transmit a variety of viral, bacterial, and parasite pathogens. A number of Rickettsia and Orientia species associated with ticks, fleas, lice, and mites have been detected in, or isolated from, patients with febrile illness and/or animal reservoirs throughout the world. Mosquitoes are not currently considered vectors for Rickettsia spp. pathogens to humans or to animals. In this study, we conducted a random metagenome next-generation sequencing (NGS) of 475 pools of Aedes, Culex, and Culiseta species of mosquitoes collected in Georgia from 2018 to 2019, identifying rickettsial gene sequences in 33 pools of mosquitoes. We further confirmed the findings of the Rickettsia by genus-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). The NGS and MLST results indicate that Rickettsia spp. are closely related to Rickettsia bellii, which is not known to be pathogenic in humans. The results, together with other reports of Rickettsia spp. in mosquitoes and the susceptibility and transmissibility experiments, suggest that mosquitoes may play a role in the transmission cycle of Rickettsia spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam R. Pollio
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Ju Jiang
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sam S. Lee
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Jaykumar S. Gandhi
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Brian D. Knott
- U.S. Army Medical Research Directorate - Georgia (USAMRD-G), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Tamar Chunashvili
- U.S. Army Medical Research Directorate - Georgia (USAMRD-G), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Matthew A. Conte
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Shannon D. Walls
- U.S. Army Medical Research Directorate - Georgia (USAMRD-G), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Christine E. Hulseberg
- U.S. Army Medical Research Directorate - Georgia (USAMRD-G), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Drew D. Reinbold-Wasson
- U.S. Army Medical Research Directorate - Georgia (USAMRD-G), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Jun Hang
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
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8
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Loyola S, Torre A, Flores-Mendoza C, Kocher C, Salmon-Mulanovich G, Richards AL, Leguia M. Molecular Characterization by Multilocus Sequence Typing and Diversity Analysis of Rickettsia asembonensis in Peru. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2022; 22:170-177. [PMID: 35319919 PMCID: PMC8971995 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0077] [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] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite several reports worldwide documenting the presence of Rickettsia asembonensis in samples derived from ectoparasites, animals and more recently humans, genomic information of these specimens remains scarce, and when available, is usually limited to small genomic fragments of limited value. We generated complete sequences for two conserved (17-kDa antigen gene and gltA) and three variable (sca4, ompB and ompA) genes in five R. asembonensis DNA samples detected in cat and dog fleas in Peru. Complete gene sequences were used to conduct multi-locus sequence typing and phylogenetic analyses to assess diversity and infer relationships among strains and other reference sequences. The 17-kDa antigen gene was highly conserved across Rickettsia species. Of the variable genes ompB was the most variable, but this diversity was not captured through phylogenetics alone even when efforts were made to maximize potential diversity in terms of flea species, animal host and location. Through a combination of de novo and reference-based genome assembly we identified a 75 bp insertion in ompA that encodes a 25 aa repetitive motif found in other Rickettsia species, but not present in the original prototype strain from Kenya. R. asembonensis has only recently been shown to be a bona-fide human pathogen. As such, and compounded by a lack of available genomic information, it remains understudied. Our work directly addresses the lack of genomic information available worldwide for the study of these novel Rickettsia species and specifically contributes to our understanding of the diversity and molecular epidemiology of R. asembonensis in Peru.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steev Loyola
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru.,Vysnova Partners, Maryland, Washington, USA
| | - Armando Torre
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru.,Genomics Laboratory, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), Lima, Peru
| | - Carmen Flores-Mendoza
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru
| | - Claudine Kocher
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru
| | - Gabriela Salmon-Mulanovich
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru.,Genomics Laboratory, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), Lima, Peru
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mariana Leguia
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru.,Genomics Laboratory, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), Lima, Peru
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9
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Urdapilleta M, Pech-May A, Lamattina D, Burgos EF, Balcazar DE, Ferrari WAO, Lareschi M, Salomón OD. Ecology of fleas and their hosts in the trifinio of north-east Argentina: first detection of Rickettsia asembonensis in Ctenocephalides felis felis in Argentina. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 36:20-29. [PMID: 34455608 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fleas are important in public health due to their role as parasites and vectors of pathogens, including Rickettsia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity, abundance and prevalence of fleas and the presence of Rickettsia in the trifinio of north-east Argentina. Fleas from household and synanthropic animals were obtained from urban and periurban areas. They were taxonomically identified and samples of 227 fleas in 86 pools were analysed by polymerase chain reaction targeting the gltA and ompB genes of Rickettsia spp. The study revealed that Ctenocephalides felis felis was dominant on dogs, cats and opossums, with higher prevalence in the periurban area. The Shannon-Wiener and Morisita-Horn indices expressed differences in the diversity and similarity values of the absolute abundances of the species between the areas compared. DNA amplifications revealed 30.8% C. f. felis pools positive for Rickettsia spp. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the haplotype obtained was identical to Rickettsia asembonensis from Peru and Brazil. This is the first detection in Argentina of R. asembonensis that infects C. f. felis, and we emphasize the importance of conducting research from a 'One Health' perspective on the role of opossums and rodents in the integration of the transmission cycles of rickettsial bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Urdapilleta
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
| | - A Pech-May
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
| | - D Lamattina
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
| | - E F Burgos
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
| | - D E Balcazar
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
- Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE-CONICET-UNLP), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - W A O Ferrari
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
- Instituto de Biotecnología Ambiental y Salud (INBIAS-CONICET-UNRC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - M Lareschi
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
- Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE-CONICET-UNLP), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - O D Salomón
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
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10
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Moonga LC, Hayashida K, Mulunda NR, Nakamura Y, Chipeta J, Moonga HB, Namangala B, Sugimoto C, Mtonga Z, Mutengo M, Yamagishi J. Molecular Detection and Characterization of Rickettsia asembonensis in Human Blood, Zambia. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 27:2237-2239. [PMID: 34287134 PMCID: PMC8314825 DOI: 10.3201/eid2708.203467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia asembonensis is a flea-related Rickettsia with unknown pathogenicity to humans. We detected R. asembonensis DNA in 2 of 1,153 human blood samples in Zambia. Our findings suggest the possibility of R. asembonensis infection in humans despite its unknown pathogenicity.
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11
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Current tools for the diagnosis and detection of spotted fever group Rickettsia. Acta Trop 2021; 218:105887. [PMID: 33713627 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae causes a number of diseases in humans worldwide, which can range from mild to highly lethal. Since the clinical presentations of rickettsioses caused by SFG rickettsiae are variable and may be similar to the diseases caused by other rickettsiae, such as Orientia tsutsugamushi (agent for scrub typhus), Coxiella burnetii (agent for Q fever) and the typhus group rickettsiae (agents for epidemic and murine typhus), the accurate diagnosis of infections caused by SFG Rickettsia remains challenging especially in resource-poor settings in developing countries. This review summarizes the various diagnostic and detection tools that are currently available for the confirmation of infections by SFG rickettsiae. The advantages and challenges pertaining to the different serological and molecular detections methods, as well as new assays in development, are discussed. The utility of the detection tools contributing to the surveillance of SFG rickettsiae in arthropods and animals are reviewed.
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12
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Kim HC, Jiang J, Hang J, Kim SY, Yun SM, Park CU, Kim M, Chong ST, Farris CM, Richards AL, Klein TA. Detection of Rickettsia lusitaniae Among Ornithodoros sawaii Soft Ticks Collected From Japanese Murrelet Seabird Nest Material From Gugul Island, Republic of Korea. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:1376-1383. [PMID: 33615347 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In a follow-up to the investigations of soft ticks identified from seabird nest soil and litter collected from coastal islands of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Ornithodoros sawaii and Ornithodoros capensis were assessed for the presence and identification of rickettsiae. Ticks collected from samples of 50-100 g of nest litter and soil from seabird nests were identified individually by morphological techniques, and species confirmed by sequencing of the mt-rrs gene. Subsequently, tick DNA preparations were screened for the presence of rickettsiae using a genus-specific nested PCR (nPCR) assay targeting the 17 kDa antigen gene. The amplicons from the 17 kDa assay and two additional nPCR assays targeting the gltA and ompB gene fragments were sequenced and used to identify the rickettsiae. A total of 134 soft ticks belonging to two species, O. sawaii Kitaoka & Suzuki 1973 (n = 125) and O. capensis Neumann 1901 (n = 9), were collected. Rickettsia lusitaniae DNA was detected and identified among O. sawaii ticks (n = 11, 8.8%) collected from nest litter and soil of the Japanese murrelet (Synthliboramphus wumizusume Temminck 1836) at Gugul Island along the western coastal area of the ROK. This study confirmed for the first time the presence of R. lusitaniae associated with O. sawaii collected from migratory seabird nests in the ROK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heung-Chul Kim
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, US Army Medical Activity-Korea, Unit #15281, APO AP, USA
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jun Hang
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Su Yeon Kim
- Pathogen Resource Management TF, National Research Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Min Yun
- Division of Arboviruses, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Uk Park
- Migratory Birds Research Center, Korea National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service, Shinan-gun, Jeonnam Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Miran Kim
- Migratory Birds Research Center, Korea National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service, Shinan-gun, Jeonnam Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, US Army Medical Activity-Korea, Unit #15281, APO AP, USA
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Terry A Klein
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, US Army Medical Activity-Korea, Unit #15281, APO AP, USA
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13
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Bezerra-Santos MA, Sgroi G, Mendoza-Roldan JA, Khedri J, Camarda A, Iatta R, Sazmand A, Otranto D. Ectoparasites of hedgehogs: From flea mite phoresy to their role as vectors of pathogens. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2021; 15:95-104. [PMID: 33996441 PMCID: PMC8102208 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Hedgehogs are synanthropic mammals, reservoirs of several vector-borne pathogens and hosts of ectoparasites. Arthropod-borne pathogens (i.e., Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., and Anaplasmataceae) were molecularly investigated in ectoparasites collected on hedgehogs (n = 213) from Iran (161 Hemiechinus auritus, 5 Erinaceus concolor) and Italy (47 Erinaceus europaeus). In Iran, most animals examined (n = 153; 92.2%) were infested by ticks (Rhipicephalus turanicus, Hyalomma dromedarii), and 7 (4.2%) by fleas (Archeopsylla erinacei, Ctenocephalides felis). Of the hedgehogs infested by arthropods in Italy (i.e., 44.7%), 18 (38.3%) were infested by fleas (Ar. erinacei), 7 (14.9%) by ticks (Haemaphysalis erinacei, Rh. turanicus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato), and 6 (12.8%) by mites (Caparinia tripilis, Acarus nidicolous, Ornithonyssus spp.). Phoretic behavior of C. tripilis on Ar. erinacei was detected in two flea specimens from Italy. At the molecular analysis Rickettsia spp. was detected in 93.3% of the fleas of Italy. In Iran, Rickettsia spp. was detected in 8.0% out of 212 Rh. turanicus ticks, and in 85.7% of the Ar. erinacei fleas examined. The 16S rRNA gene for Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp. was amplified in 4.2% of the 212 Rh. turanicus ticks. All sequences of Rickettsia spp. from fleas presented 100% nucleotide identity with Rickettsia asembonensis, whereas Rickettsia spp. from Rh. turanicus presented 99.84%–100% nucleotide identity with Rickettsia slovaca, except for one sequence, identical to Rickettsia massiliae. The sequences of the 16S rRNA gene revealed 99.57%–100% nucleotide identity with Anaplasma spp., except for one, identical to Ehrlichia spp. A new phoretic association between C. tripilis mites and Ar. erinacei fleas has been herein reported, which could be an important route for the spreading of this mite through hedgehog populations. Additionally, spotted fever group rickettsiae were herein detected in ticks and fleas, and Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp. in ticks, suggesting that hedgehogs play a role as reservoirs for these vector-borne pathogens. New phoretic association of Caparinia tripilis mites on Archaeopsylla erinacei fleas. Occurrence of spotted fever group rickettsiae in Rhipicephalus turanicus from hedgehogs. Occurrence of Anaplasmataceae in Rhipicephalus turanicus from hedgehogs. High Prevalence of Rickettsia asembonensis in Archaeopsylla erinacei fleas from hedgehogs. Hedgehogs are suggested as reservoirs of vector-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giovanni Sgroi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, 70010, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Javad Khedri
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Antonio Camarda
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, 70010, Bari, Italy.,Osservatorio Faunistico Regionale - Wildlife Rescue Center of Apulia, Bitetto, 70020, Bari, Italy
| | - Roberta Iatta
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, 70010, Bari, Italy
| | - Alireza Sazmand
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, 6517658978, Hamedan, Iran.,Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, 8915173160, Yazd, Iran
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, 70010, Bari, Italy.,Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, 6517658978, Hamedan, Iran
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14
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Didelphis spp. opossums and their parasites in the Americas: A One Health perspective. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:4091-4111. [PMID: 33788021 PMCID: PMC8599228 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07072-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Medium sized opossums (Didelphis spp.) are among the most fascinating mammals of the Americas, playing important ecological roles (e.g., dispersal of seeds and control of insect populations) in the environment they inhabit. Nevertheless, as synanthropic animals, they are well adapted to human dwellings, occupying shelters within the cities, peripheral areas, and rural settings. These marsupials can harbor numerous pathogens, which may affect people, pets, and livestock. Among those, some protozoa (e.g., Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii), helminths (e.g., Ancylostoma caninum, Trichinella spiralis, Alaria marcianae, Paragonimus spp.) and arthropods (e.g., ticks, fleas) present substantial public health and veterinary importance, due to their capacity to cause disease in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Here, we reviewed the role played by opossums on the spreading of zoonotic parasites, vectors, and vector-borne pathogens, highlighting the risks of pathogens transmission due to the direct and indirect interaction of humans and domestic animals with Didelphis spp. in the Americas.
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15
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Danchenko M, Laukaitis HJ, Macaluso KR. Dynamic gene expression in salivary glands of the cat flea during Rickettsia felis infection. Pathog Dis 2021; 79:6189691. [PMID: 33770162 PMCID: PMC8062234 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftab020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is an arthropod vector capable of transmitting several human pathogens including Rickettsia species. Earlier studies identified Rickettsia felis in the salivary glands of the cat flea and transmission of rickettsiae during arthropod feeding. The saliva of hematophagous insects contains multiple biomolecules with anticlotting, vasodilatory and immunomodulatory activities. Notably, the exact role of salivary factors in the molecular interaction between flea-borne rickettsiae and their insect host is still largely unknown. To determine if R. felis modulates gene expression in the cat flea salivary glands, cat fleas were infected with R. felis and transcription patterns of selected salivary gland-derived factors, including antimicrobial peptides and flea-specific antigens, were assessed. Salivary glands were microdissected from infected and control cat fleas at different time points after exposure and total RNA was extracted and subjected to reverse-transcriptase quantitative PCR for gene expression analysis. During the experimental 10-day feeding period, a dynamic change in gene expression of immunity-related transcripts and salivary antigens between the two experimental groups was detected. The data indicated that defensin-2 (Cf-726), glycine-rich antimicrobial peptide (Cf-83), salivary antigens (Cf-169 and Cf-65) and deorphanized peptide (Cf-75) are flea-derived factors responsive to rickettsial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Danchenko
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, 610 Clinic Drive, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - Hanna J Laukaitis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, 610 Clinic Drive, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - Kevin R Macaluso
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, 610 Clinic Drive, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
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16
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Jiang J, Farris CM, Yeh KB, Richards AL. International Rickettsia Disease Surveillance: An Example of Cooperative Research to Increase Laboratory Capability and Capacity for Risk Assessment of Rickettsial Outbreaks Worldwide. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:622015. [PMID: 33738293 PMCID: PMC7960665 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.622015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cooperative research that addresses infectious disease surveillance and outbreak investigations relies heavily on availability and effective use of appropriate diagnostic tools, including serological and molecular assays, as exemplified by the current COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we stress the importance of using these assays to support collaborative epidemiological studies to assess risk of rickettsial disease outbreaks among international partner countries. Workforce development, mentorship, and training are important components in building laboratory capability and capacity to assess risk of and mitigate emerging disease outbreaks. International partnerships that fund cooperative research through mentoring and on-the-job training are successful examples for enhancing infectious disease surveillance. Cooperative research studies between the Naval Medical Research Center's Rickettsial Diseases Research Program (RDRP) and 17 institutes from nine countries among five continents were conducted to address the presence of and the risk for endemic rickettsial diseases. To establish serological and molecular assays in the collaborative institutes, initial training and continued material, and technical support were provided by RDRP. The laboratory methods used in the research studies to detect and identify the rickettsial infections included (1) group-specific IgM and IgG serological assays and (2) molecular assays. Twenty-six cooperative research projects performed between 2008 and 2020 enhanced the capability and capacity of 17 research institutes to estimate risk of rickettsial diseases. These international collaborative studies have led to the recognition and/or confirmation of rickettsial diseases within each of the partner countries. In addition, with the identification of specific pathogen and non-pathogen Rickettsia species, a more accurate risk assessment could be made in surveillance studies using environmental samples. The discoveries from these projects reinforced international cooperation benefiting not only the partner countries but also the scientific community at large through presentations (n = 40) at international scientific meetings and peer-reviewed publications (n = 18). The cooperative research studies conducted in multiple international institutes led to the incorporation of new SOPs and trainings for laboratory procedures; biosafety, biosurety, and biosecurity methods; performance of rickettsia-specific assays; and the identification of known and unknown rickettsial agents through the introduction of new serologic and molecular assays that complemented traditional microbiology methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Christina M. Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | | | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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17
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Barradas PF, Mesquita JR, Mateus TL, Ferreira P, Amorim I, Gärtner F, de Sousa R. Molecular detection of Rickettsia spp. in ticks and fleas collected from rescued hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in Portugal. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 83:449-460. [PMID: 33655451 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00600-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Hedgehogs (e.g., Erinaceus europaeus, E. roumanicus) are wild mammals that frequently are observed near residential areas. The aim of this study was to investigate ticks and fleas collected from European hedgehogs in Portugal and to evaluate the prevalence of Rickettsia in those ectoparasites. Ticks and fleas were identified by morphological and molecular methods, and molecular detection by PCR and genotypic characterization of Rickettsia spp. was performed targeting ompB, ompA and gltA gene fragments. In total, 1892 ticks and 213 fleas were collected from 33 rescued European hedgehogs captured in seven districts of the north and centre of Portugal. Two tick species were identified - Rhipicephalus sanguineus accounted for 91 % (n = 1719) of the total ticks collected and 9 % (n = 173) were Ixodes hexagonus. All fleas were identified as Archaeopsylla erinacei. Regarding pathogen detection, Rickettsia massiliae DNA was found in 22 of the 212 tested Rh. sanguineus. None of the 48 I. hexagonus tested showed to be positive for rickettsiae. Rickettsia asembonensis DNA was identified in 55 A. erinacei fleas tested (n = 117). These results show that European hedgehogs are exposed to R. massiliae transmitted by ticks and to R. asembonensis via fleas suggesting that these mammals might be involved in the natural transmission cycle of these Rickettsia species. This study is the first report of R. asembonensis in fleas in Portugal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia F Barradas
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology (IPATIMUP), University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - João R Mesquita
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Teresa L Mateus
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Escola Superior Agrária, CISAS Center for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Viana Do Castelo, Portugal
| | - Paula Ferreira
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Irina Amorim
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology (IPATIMUP), University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, R. Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Fátima Gärtner
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology (IPATIMUP), University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, R. Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita de Sousa
- National Institute of Health, Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Av. Da Liberdade n 5, 2965-575, Águas de Moura, Portugal.
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18
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Azrizal-Wahid N, Sofian-Azirun M, Low VL. Flea-borne pathogens in the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis and their association with mtDNA diversity of the flea host. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2021; 75:101621. [PMID: 33609991 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Flea-borne pathogens were screened from 100 individual cat fleas using a PCR approach, of which 38 % were infected with at least one bacterium. Overall, 28 % of the flea samples were positive for Bartonella as inferred from ITS DNA region. Of these, 25 % (7/28) were identified as Bartonella clarridgeiae, 42.9 % (12/28) as Bartonella henselae consisted of two different strains, and 32.1 % (9/28) as Bartonella koehlerae, which was detected for the first time in Malaysia. Sequencing of gltA amplicons detected Rickettsia DNA in 14 % of cat flea samples, all of them identified as Rickettsia asembonensis (100 %). None of the flea samples were positive for Mycoplasma DNA in 16S rRNA gene detection. Four fleas were co-infected with Bartonella and Rickettsia DNAs. Statistical analyses reveal no significant association between bacterial infection and mtDNA diversity of the cat flea. Nevertheless, in all types of pathogen infections, infected populations demonstrated lower nucleotide and haplotype diversities compared to uninfected populations. Moreover, lower haplotype numbers were observed in infected populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noor Azrizal-Wahid
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute for Advanced Studies, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Sofian-Azirun
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Van Lun Low
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Caravedo Martinez MA, Ramírez-Hernández A, Blanton LS. Manifestations and Management of Flea-Borne Rickettsioses. Res Rep Trop Med 2021; 12:1-14. [PMID: 33574726 PMCID: PMC7873028 DOI: 10.2147/rrtm.s274724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Murine typhus and flea-borne spotted fever are undifferentiated febrile illnesses caused by Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis, respectively. These organisms are small obligately intracellular bacteria and are transmitted to humans by fleas. Murine typhus is endemic to coastal areas of the tropics and subtropics (especially port cities), where rats are the primary mammalian host and rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) are the vector. In the United States, a cycle of transmission involving opossums and cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are the presumed reservoir and vector, respectively. The incidence and distribution of murine typhus appear to be increasing in endemic areas of the US. Rickettsia felis has also been reported throughout the world and is found within the ubiquitous cat flea. Flea-borne rickettsioses manifest as an undifferentiated febrile illness. Headache, malaise, and myalgia are frequent symptoms that accompany fever. The incidence of rash is variable, so its absence should not dissuade the clinician to consider a rickettsial illness as part of the differential diagnosis. When present, the rash is usually macular or papular. Although not a feature of murine typhus, eschar has been found in 12% of those with flea-borne spotted fever. Confirmatory laboratory diagnosis is usually obtained by serology; the indirect immunofluorescence assay is the serologic test of choice. Antibodies are seldom present during the first few days of illness. Thus, the diagnosis requires acute- and convalescent-phase specimens to document seroconversion or a four-fold increase in antibody titer. Since laboratory diagnosis is usually retrospective, when a flea-borne rickettsiosis is considered, empiric treatment should be initiated. The treatment of choice for both children and adults is doxycycline, which results in a swift and effective response. The following review is aimed to summarize the key clinical, epidemiological, ecological, diagnostic, and treatment aspects of flea-borne rickettsioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Caravedo Martinez
- Department of Internal Medicine – Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - Lucas S Blanton
- Department of Internal Medicine – Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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20
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Otiang E, Chen D, Jiang J, Maina AN, Farris CM, Luce-Fedrow A, Richards AL. Pathogen Carriage by Peri-Domestic Fleas in Western Kenya. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:256-263. [PMID: 33481673 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fleas are carriers for many largely understudied zoonotic, endemic, emerging, and re-emerging infectious disease agents, but little is known about their prevalence and role as a vector in Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of fleas and the prevalence of infectious agents in them collected from human dwellings in western Kenya. A total of 306 fleas were collected using light traps from 33 human dwellings; 170 (55.56%) were identified as Ctenocephalides spp., 121 (39.54%) as Echidnophaga gallinacea, 13 (4.25%) as Pulex irritans, and 2 (0.65%) as Xenopsylla cheopis. Of the 306 individual fleas tested, 168 (54.9%) tested positive for rickettsial DNA by a genus-specific quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay based on the 17-kDa antigen gene. Species-specific qPCR assays and sequencing revealed presence of Rickettsia asembonensis in 166 (54.2%) and Rickettsia felis in 2 (0.7%) fleas. Borrelia burgdorferi, normally known to be carried by ticks, was detected in four (1.3%) flea DNA preparations. We found no evidence of Yersinia pestis, Bartonella spp., or Orientia spp. Not only were Ctenocephalides spp. the most predominant flea species in the human dwellings, but also almost all of them were harboring R. asembonensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elkanah Otiang
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Daniel Chen
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Alice N Maina
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Alison Luce-Fedrow
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Biology, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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21
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Chiuya T, Masiga DK, Falzon LC, Bastos ADS, Fèvre EM, Villinger J. Tick-borne pathogens, including Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, at livestock markets and slaughterhouses in western Kenya. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:2429-2445. [PMID: 33142046 PMCID: PMC8359211 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Vectors of emerging infectious diseases have expanded their distributional ranges in recent decades due to increased global travel, trade connectivity and climate change. Transboundary range shifts, arising from the continuous movement of humans and livestock across borders, are of particular disease control concern. Several tick-borne diseases are known to circulate between eastern Uganda and the western counties of Kenya, with one fatal case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) reported in 2000 in western Kenya. Recent reports of CCHF in Uganda have highlighted the risk of cross-border disease translocation and the importance of establishing inter-epidemic, early warning systems to detect possible outbreaks. We therefore carried out surveillance of tick-borne zoonotic pathogens at livestock markets and slaughterhouses in three counties of western Kenya that neighbour Uganda. Ticks and other ectoparasites were collected from livestock and identified using morphological keys. The two most frequently sampled tick species were Rhipicephalus decoloratus (35%) and Amblyomma variegatum (30%); Ctenocephalides felis fleas and Haematopinus suis lice were also present. In total, 486 ticks, lice and fleas were screened for pathogen presence using established molecular workflows incorporating high-resolution melting analysis and identified through sequencing of PCR products. We detected CCHF virus in Rh. decoloratus and Rhipicephalus sp. cattle ticks, and 82 of 96 pools of Am. variegatum were positive for Rickettsia africae. Apicomplexan protozoa and bacteria of veterinary importance, such as Theileria parva, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale, were primarily detected in rhipicephaline ticks. Our findings show the presence of several pathogens of public health and veterinary importance in ticks from livestock at livestock markets and slaughterhouses in western Kenya. Confirmation of CCHF virus, a Nairovirus that causes haemorrhagic fever with a high case fatality rate in humans, highlights the risk of under-diagnosed zoonotic diseases and calls for continuous surveillance and the development of preventative measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatenda Chiuya
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya.,Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Daniel K Masiga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Laura C Falzon
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Neston, UK.,International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Armanda D S Bastos
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Eric M Fèvre
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Neston, UK.,International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jandouwe Villinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
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Nataraj N, Muthuraman K, Sundaram D, Ayyanar E, Ashokkumar M, Kasinathan G, Devaraju P. Molecular detection of Candidatus Rickettsia asembonensis in fleas collected from pets and domestic animals in Puducherry, India. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 34:498-502. [PMID: 32432803 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Rickettsia are obligate intracellular pathogens transmitted by arthropod vectors. The re-emergence of several rickettsioses imposes severe global health burden. In addition to the well-established rickettsial pathogens, newer rickettsial species and their pathogenic potentials are being uncovered. There are many reports of spotted and typhus fever caused by rickettsiae in India. Hence, in this study we screened the ectoparasites of pet and domestic animals for the presence of rickettsia using polymerase chain reaction. Nine cat flea samples (Ctenocephalides felis felis), that tested positive for the presence of rickettsia were subjected to Multi Locus Sequence Typing. Nucleotide sequencing and Phylogenetic analysis of gltA, ompB and 16rrs genes revealed that the rickettsiae detected in cat fleas was Rickettsia asembonensis. Further studies are required to assess Rickettsia asembonensis pathogenic potential to human and its enzootic maintenance of in various hosts and vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Nataraj
- Division of Vector Biology and Control, ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India
| | - K Muthuraman
- Division of Vector Biology and Control, ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India
| | - D Sundaram
- Division of Vector Biology and Control, ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India
| | - E Ayyanar
- Division of Vector Biology and Control, ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India
| | - M Ashokkumar
- Division of Microbiology & Molecular Biology, ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India
| | - G Kasinathan
- Division of Vector Biology and Control, ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India
| | - P Devaraju
- Division of Vector Biology and Control, ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India
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Hamzaoui BE, Zurita A, Cutillas C, Parola P. Fleas and flea-borne diseases of North Africa. Acta Trop 2020; 211:105627. [PMID: 32652054 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
North Africa has an interesting and rich wildlife including hematophagous arthropods, and specifically fleas, which constitute a large part of the North African fauna, and are recognised vectors of several zoonotic bacteria. Flea-borne organisms are widely distributed throughout the world in endemic disease foci, where components of the enzootic cycle are present. Furthermore, flea-borne diseases could re-emerge in epidemic form because of changes in the vector-host ecology due to environmental and human behaviour modifications. We need to know the real incidences of flea-borne diseases in the world due to this incidence could be much greater than are generally recognized by physicians and health authorities. As a result, diagnosis and treatment are often delayed by health care professionals who are unaware of the presence of these infections and thus do not take them into consideration when attempting to determine the cause of a patient's illness. In this context, this bibliographic review aims to summarise the main species of fleas present in North Africa, their geographical distribution, flea-borne diseases, and their possible re-emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basma El Hamzaoui
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME; IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
| | - Antonio Zurita
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Profesor García González 2, 41012 Seville, Spain.
| | - Cristina Cutillas
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Profesor García González 2, 41012 Seville, Spain.
| | - Philippe Parola
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME; IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
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24
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Moreno-Salas L, Espinoza-Carniglia M, Lizama-Schmeisser N, Torres-Fuentes LG, Silva-de La Fuente MC, Lareschi M, González-Acuña D. Molecular detection of Rickettsia in fleas from micromammals in Chile. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:523. [PMID: 33069260 PMCID: PMC7568392 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04388-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rickettsial diseases are considered important in public health due to their dispersal capacity determined by the particular characteristics of their reservoirs and/or vectors. Among the latter, fleas play an important role, since the vast majority of species parasitize wild and invasive rodents, so their detection is relevant to be able to monitor potential emerging diseases. The aim of this study was to detect, characterize, and compare Rickettsia spp. from the fleas of micromammals in areas with different human population densities in Chile. Methods The presence of Rickettsia spp. was evaluated by standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing in 1315 fleas collected from 1512 micromammals in 29 locations, with different human population densities in Chile. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used to identify the variables that may explain Rickettsia prevalence in fleas. Results DNA of Rickettsia spp. was identified in 13.2% (174 of 1315) of fleas tested. Fifteen flea species were found to be Rickettsia-positive. The prevalence of Rickettsia spp. was higher in winter, semi-arid region and natural areas, and the infection levels in fleas varied between species of flea. The prevalence of Rickettsia among flea species ranged between 0–35.1%. Areas of lower human density showed the highest prevalence of Rickettsia. The phylogenetic tree showed two well-differentiated clades with Rickettsia bellii positioned as basal in one clade. The second clade was subdivided into two subclades of species related to Rickettsia of the spotted fever group. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence and molecular characterization of Rickettsia spp. in 15 flea species of micromammals in Chile. In this study, fleas were detected carrying Rickettsia DNA with zoonotic potential, mainly in villages and natural areas of Chile. Considering that there are differences in the prevalence of Rickettsia in fleas associated with different factors, more investigations are needed to further understand the ecology of Rickettsia in fleas and their implications for human health.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucila Moreno-Salas
- Universidad de Concepción, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Mario Espinoza-Carniglia
- Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores CEPAVE (CONICET CCT-La Plata-UNLP), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Nicol Lizama-Schmeisser
- Universidad de Concepción, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Concepción, Chile
| | | | - María Carolina Silva-de La Fuente
- Universidad de Concepción, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Chillán, Chile.,Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Marcela Lareschi
- Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores CEPAVE (CONICET CCT-La Plata-UNLP), La Plata, Argentina
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25
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Ferreira FC, Fonseca DM, Hamilton G, Price D. Metagenomic analysis of human-biting cat fleas in urban northeastern United States of America reveals an emerging zoonotic pathogen. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15611. [PMID: 32973327 PMCID: PMC7519146 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72956-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
An infestation of cat fleas in a research center led to the detection of two genotypes of Ctenocephalides felis biting humans in New Jersey, USA. The rarer flea genotype had an 83% incidence of Rickettsia asembonensis, a recently described bacterium closely related to R. felis, a known human pathogen. A metagenomics analysis developed in under a week recovered the entire R. asembonensis genome at high coverage and matched it to identical or almost identical (> 99% similarity) strains reported worldwide. Our study exposes the potential of cat fleas as vectors of human pathogens in crowded northeastern U.S, cities and suburbs where free-ranging cats are abundant. Furthermore, it demonstrates the power of metagenomics to glean large amounts of comparative data regarding both emerging vectors and their pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco C Ferreira
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, 20008, USA.
| | - Dina M Fonseca
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - George Hamilton
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Dana Price
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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26
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Nguyen VL, Colella V, Greco G, Fang F, Nurcahyo W, Hadi UK, Venturina V, Tong KBY, Tsai YL, Taweethavonsawat P, Tiwananthagorn S, Tangtrongsup S, Le TQ, Bui KL, Do T, Watanabe M, Rani PAMA, Dantas-Torres F, Halos L, Beugnet F, Otranto D. Molecular detection of pathogens in ticks and fleas collected from companion dogs and cats in East and Southeast Asia. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:420. [PMID: 32799914 PMCID: PMC7429691 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04288-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks and fleas are considered amongst the most important arthropod vectors of medical and veterinary concern due to their ability to transmit pathogens to a range of animal species including dogs, cats and humans. By sharing a common environment with humans, companion animal-associated parasitic arthropods may potentially transmit zoonotic vector-borne pathogens (VBPs). This study aimed to molecularly detect pathogens from ticks and fleas from companion dogs and cats in East and Southeast Asia. Methods A total of 392 ticks and 248 fleas were collected from 401 infested animals (i.e. 271 dogs and 130 cats) from China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, and molecularly screened for the presence of pathogens. Ticks were tested for Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. while fleas were screened for the presence of Rickettsia spp. and Bartonella spp. Result Of the 392 ticks tested, 37 (9.4%) scored positive for at least one pathogen with Hepatozoon canis being the most prevalent (5.4%), followed by Ehrlichia canis (1.8%), Babesia vogeli (1%), Anaplasma platys (0.8%) and Rickettsia spp. (1%) [including Rickettsia sp. (0.5%), Rickettsia asembonensis (0.3%) and Rickettsia felis (0.3%)]. Out of 248 fleas tested, 106 (42.7%) were harboring at least one pathogen with R. felis being the most common (19.4%), followed by Bartonella spp. (16.5%), Rickettsia asembonensis (10.9%) and “Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis” (0.4%). Furthermore, 35 Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were subjected to phylogenetic analysis, of which 34 ticks belonged to the tropical and only one belonged to the temperate lineage (Rh. sanguineus (sensu stricto)). Conclusion Our data reveals the circulation of different VBPs in ticks and fleas of dogs and cats from Asia, including zoonotic agents, which may represent a potential risk to animal and human health.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Viet-Linh Nguyen
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Vito Colella
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy.,Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Grazia Greco
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Fang Fang
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Wisnu Nurcahyo
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakata, Indonesia
| | | | - Virginia Venturina
- College of Veterinary Science & Medicine, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
| | | | - Yi-Lun Tsai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | - Thong Quang Le
- Faculty of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam
| | - Khanh Linh Bui
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Thom Do
- Biodiversity Conservation and Tropical Disease Research Institute, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Malaika Watanabe
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | | | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy.,Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Recife, Brazil
| | - Lenaig Halos
- Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, Lyon, France
| | | | - Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy. .,Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
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Al-Khafaji AM, Bell-Sakyi L, Fracasso G, Luu L, Heylen D, Matthysen E, Oteo JA, Palomar AM. Isolation of Candidatus Rickettsia vini from Belgian Ixodes arboricola ticks and propagation in tick cell lines. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101511. [PMID: 32993931 PMCID: PMC7545694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Candidatus Rickettsia vini was originally detected in Ixodes arboricola ticks from Spain, and subsequently reported from several other Western Palearctic countries including Belgium. Recently, the bacterium was isolated in mammalian (Vero) cell culture from macerated male I. arboricola from Czech Republic, but there have been no reports of propagation in tick cells. Here we report isolation in a tick cell line of three strains of Ca. R. vini from I. arboricola collected from nests of great tits (Parus major) in Belgium. Internal organs of one male and two engorged female ticks were dissected aseptically, added to cultures of the Rhipicephalus microplus cell line BME/CTVM23 and incubated at 28 °C. Rickettsia-like bacteria were first seen in Giemsa-stained cytocentrifuge smears between 2 and 15 weeks later. Two of the isolates grew rapidly, destroying the tick cells within 2–4 weeks of onward passage in BME/CTVM23 cells, while the third isolate grew much more slowly, only requiring subculture at 4−5-month intervals. PCR amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA and Rickettsia gltA, sca4, ompB, ompA and 17-kDa genes revealed that all three isolates were Ca. R. vini, with 100 % identity to each other and to published Ca. R. vini sequences from other geographical locations. Transmission electron microscopy revealed typical single Rickettsia bacteria in the cytoplasm of BME/CTVM23 cells. The Ca. R. vini strain isolated from the male I. arboricola tick, designated Boshoek1, was tested for ability to grow in a panel of Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes scapularis and R. microplus cell lines and in Vero cells. The Boshoek1 strain grew rapidly, causing severe cytopathic effect, in the R. microplus line BME26, the I. ricinus line IRE11 and Vero cells, more slowly in the I. ricinus line IRE/CTVM19, possibly established a low-level infection in the I. ricinus line IRE/CTVM20, and failed to infect cells of any of four I. scapularis lines over a 12-week observation period. This study confirmed the applicability of the simple tick organ-cell line co-cultivation technique for isolation of tick-borne Rickettsia spp. using BME/CTVM23 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa M Al-Khafaji
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK; College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Qadisiyah Province, Iraq.
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.
| | - Gerardo Fracasso
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Lisa Luu
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.
| | - Dieter Heylen
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, M26 Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA; Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - José A Oteo
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, C/ Piqueras, 98, Logroño, 26006, La Rioja, Spain.
| | - Ana M Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, C/ Piqueras, 98, Logroño, 26006, La Rioja, Spain.
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28
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Oren A, Garrity GM, Parker CT, Chuvochina M, Trujillo ME. Lists of names of prokaryotic Candidatus taxa. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020; 70:3956-4042. [DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.003789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 782] [Impact Index Per Article: 195.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We here present annotated lists of names of Candidatus taxa of prokaryotes with ranks between subspecies and class, proposed between the mid-1990s, when the provisional status of Candidatus taxa was first established, and the end of 2018. Where necessary, corrected names are proposed that comply with the current provisions of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes and its Orthography appendix. These lists, as well as updated lists of newly published names of Candidatus taxa with additions and corrections to the current lists to be published periodically in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, may serve as the basis for the valid publication of the Candidatus names if and when the current proposals to expand the type material for naming of prokaryotes to also include gene sequences of yet-uncultivated taxa is accepted by the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aharon Oren
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Edmond J. Safra Campus, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - George M. Garrity
- NamesforLife, LLC, PO Box 769, Okemos MI 48805-0769, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Biomedical Physical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-4320, USA
| | | | - Maria Chuvochina
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, University of Queensland, St. Lucia QLD 4072, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Martha E. Trujillo
- Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
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Abdullah S, Lait P, Helps C, Newbury H, Wall R. The prevalence of Rickettsia felis DNA in fleas collected from cats and dogs in the UK. Vet Parasitol 2020; 282:109143. [PMID: 32480031 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In a large-scale survey in the UK, recruited veterinary practices were asked to inspect client-ownedcats and dogs, selected at random between April and June 2018, following a standardised flea inspection protocol. A total of 326 veterinary practices participated and 812 cats and 662 dogs were examined during the 3-month period. Fleas were collected, identified to species level and fleas of the same species collected from a single animal were pooled together and treated as a single sample. A total of 470 pooled flea samples were screened by PCR and DNA sequence analysis for a subset of Rickettsia species including R. felis and R. typhi. On analysis, 27 (5.7%) of the pooled flea samples were positive for R. felis DNA; these were predominantly in the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, but one dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis was also positive for this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swaid Abdullah
- Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Phillipa Lait
- Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Langford Vets, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Chris Helps
- Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Langford Vets, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Hannah Newbury
- MSD Animal Health, Walton Manor, Walton, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Richard Wall
- Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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Two novel Rickettsia species of soft ticks in North Africa: ‘Candidatus Rickettsia africaseptentrionalis’ and ‘Candidatus Rickettsia mauretanica’. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101376. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Ehlers J, Krüger A, Rakotondranary SJ, Ratovonamana RY, Poppert S, Ganzhorn JU, Tappe D. Molecular detection of Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., Bartonella spp. and Yersinia pestis in ectoparasites of endemic and domestic animals in southwest Madagascar. Acta Trop 2020; 205:105339. [PMID: 31935354 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the presence of vector-borne bacteria in southwest Madagascar. Anthropogenic alteration of natural habitats represents an important driver for the emergence of new diseases. Especially the involvement of livestock and the involuntary maintaining of invasive synanthropic animals (particularly rats) facilitate disease transmission from wildlife to humans and associated animals and vice versa. The dissemination or acquisition of ectoparasites is most likely in regions where human/wildlife contact is increasing. Little is known about the presence of vector-borne bacteria in southwest Madagascar. In 2016 and 2017, ectoparasites were collected from various introduced (cattle and goats, cats, dogs and chicken, rats and mice) and native animal species (mouse lemurs [Microcebus griseorufus], Grandidier's mongooses [Galidictis grandidieri], bastard big-footed mice [Macrotarsomys bastardi], greater hedgehog tenrecs [Setifer setosus] and lesser hedgehog tenrecs [Echinops telfairi]) in the northern portion of Tsimanampetsotsa National Park and the adjacent littoral region. Thirteen species of blood-feeding ectoparasites (235 individuals of ticks [5 species], 414 lice [4 spp.] and 389 fleas [4 spp.]) were investigated for the presence and identity of rickettsiae, borreliae, bartonellae and Yersinia pestis using PCR techniques. Rickettsia spp. were detected in every single ectoparasite species (Amblyomma variegatum, A. chabaudi, Rhipicephalus microplus, Haemaphysalis simplex, Argas echinops, Ctenocephalides felis, Echidnophaga gallinacea, Pulex irritans, Xenopsylla cheopis, Haematopinus quadripertusus, Linognathus africanus, L. vituli, Lemurpediculus verruculosus). Lice and ticks were found harboring rickettsiae identified as Rickettsia africae, while Rickettsia felis-like bacteria were associated with fleas. Borrelia spp. were detected in 5% of H. simplex and 1% of R. microplus ticks. Bartonella spp. were detected in 40% of H. quadripertusus pools and in 5% of L. verruculosus pools. Y. pestis was detected in X. cheopis and E. gallinacea fleas collected from a rat. This study presents the detection of a broad spectrum of vector-borne bacteria including potential pathogens, and an unexpected finding of Y. pestis far off the known plague foci in Madagascar.
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Phomjareet S, Chaveerach P, Suksawat F, Jiang J, Richards AL. Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Infection of Cats and Cat Fleas in Northeast Thailand. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:566-571. [PMID: 32744925 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia species cause rickettsioses, which are zoonotic diseases found worldwide, and are transmitted by arthropods such as lice, fleas, ticks, and mites. In Thailand, flea infestations are common among cats and dogs. This study aimed at determining the exposure to spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) of cats in surrounding areas of Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University, Muang district, Maha Sarakham province and rickettsial infection among cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, collected from dogs of the surrounding area of Waeng Noi district, Khon Kaen province. Forty-two cat sera were assessed for IgG antibody titers against SFGR by a group-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The prevalence of seroreactive cats was 4.76% (2/42). DNA preparations from 23 individual cat fleas from three dogs were assessed by Rickettsia genus-specific, group-specific, and species-specific quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays. Positive results were confirmed by ompB gene fragment sequencing. Twenty-one of 23 cat fleas were positive for Rickettsia asembonensis, and the other two DNA preparations were negative for rickettsial DNA. This study's finding indicates that companion cats and dogs in Northeast Thailand are exposed to SFGR and that exposure may be due to infection with R. asembonensis, an organism known to infect humans, monkeys, and dogs. Clinicians for humans and animals in Northeast Thailand should be aware of rickettsial infections among their patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirirat Phomjareet
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Prapansak Chaveerach
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Fanan Suksawat
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Ju Jiang
- Rickettsial Diseases Research Program, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Rickettsial Diseases Research Program, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,International Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
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Mawuntu AHP, Johar E, Anggraeni R, Feliana F, Bernadus JBB, Safari D, Yudhaputri FA, Dhenni R, Dewi YP, Kato C, Powers AM, Rosenberg R, Soebandrio A, Myint KSA. Rickettsia felis identified in two fatal cases of acute meningoencephalitis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007893. [PMID: 32069292 PMCID: PMC7048312 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rickettsia felis has recently emerged worldwide as a cause of human illness. Typically causing mild, undifferentiated fever, it has been implicated in several cases of non-fatal neurological disease in Mexico and Sweden. Its distribution and pathogenicity in Southeast Asia is poorly understood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We retroactively tested cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or sera from 64 adult patients admitted to hospital in North Sulawesi, Indonesia with acute neurological disease. Rickettsia felis DNA was identified in the CSF of two fatal cases of meningoencephalitis using multi-locus sequence typing semi-nested PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. DNA from both cases had 100% sequence homologies to the R. felis reference strain URRWXCal2 for the 17-kDa and ompB genes, and 99.91% to gltA. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE The identification of R. felis in the CSF of two fatal cases of meningoencephalitis in Indonesia suggests the distribution and pathogenicity of this emerging vector-borne bacteria might be greater than generally recognized. Typically Rickettsia are susceptible to the tetracyclines and greater knowledge of R. felis endemicity in Indonesia should lead to better management of some acute neurological cases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edison Johar
- Emerging Virus Research Unit, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Riane Anggraeni
- Faculty of Medicine, Sam Ratulangi University, Manado, Indonesia
| | - Feliana Feliana
- Faculty of Medicine, Sam Ratulangi University, Manado, Indonesia
| | | | - Dodi Safari
- Emerging Virus Research Unit, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Rama Dhenni
- Emerging Virus Research Unit, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Yora P. Dewi
- Emerging Virus Research Unit, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Cecilia Kato
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Ann M. Powers
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Ronald Rosenberg
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Amin Soebandrio
- Emerging Virus Research Unit, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Khin S. A. Myint
- Emerging Virus Research Unit, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta, Indonesia
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Salmon-Mulanovich G, Simons MP, Flores-Mendoza C, Loyola S, Silva M, Kasper M, Rázuri HR, Canal LE, Leguia M, Bausch DG, Richards AL. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Rickettsia and Leptospira Infection in Four Ecologically Distinct Regions of Peru. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 100:1391-1400. [PMID: 30938281 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia and Leptospira spp. are under-recognized causes of acute febrile disease worldwide. Rickettsia species are often placed into the spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) and typhus group rickettsiae (TGR). We explored the antibody prevalence among humans for these two groups of rickettsiae in four regions of Peru (Lima, Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, and Tumbes) and for Leptospira spp. in Puerto Maldonado and Tumbes. We also assessed risk factors for seropositivity and collected serum samples and ectoparasites from peri-domestic animals from households in sites with high human seroprevalence. In total, we tested 2,165 human sera for antibodies (IgG) against SFGR and TGR by ELISA and for antibodies against Leptospira by a microscopic agglutination test. Overall, human antibody prevalence across the four sites was 10.6% for SFGR (ranging from 6.2% to 14.0%, highest in Tumbes) and 3.3% for TGR (ranging from 2.6% to 6.4%, highest in Puerto Maldonado). Factors associated with seroreactivity against SFGR were male gender, older age, contact with backyard birds, and working in agriculture or with livestock. However, exposure to any kind of animal within the household decreased the odds ratio by half. Age was the only variable associated with higher TGR seroprevalence. The prevalence of Leptospira was 11.3% in Puerto Maldonado and 5.8% in Tumbes, with a borderline association with keeping animals in the household. We tested animal sera for Leptospira and conducted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Rickettsia species among ectoparasites collected from domestic animals in 63 households of seropositive participants and controls. We did not find any association between animal infection and human serostatus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark P Simons
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru
| | | | - Steev Loyola
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru
| | - María Silva
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru
| | - Matthew Kasper
- Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Hugo R Rázuri
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru
| | | | | | - Daniel G Bausch
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru.,Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
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35
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Abstract
Spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFG) are a neglected group of bacteria, belonging to the genus Rickettsia, that represent a large number of new and emerging infectious diseases with a worldwide distribution. The diseases are zoonotic and are transmitted by arthropod vectors, mainly ticks, fleas and mites, to hosts such as wild animals. Domesticated animals and humans are accidental hosts. In Asia, local people in endemic areas as well as travellers to these regions are at high risk of infection. In this review we compare SFG molecular and serological diagnostic methods and discuss their limitations. While there is a large range of molecular diagnostics and serological assays, both approaches have limitations and a positive result is dependent on the timing of sample collection. There is an increasing need for less expensive and easy-to-use diagnostic tests. However, despite many tests being available, their lack of suitability for use in resource-limited regions is of concern, as many require technical expertise, expensive equipment and reagents. In addition, many existing diagnostic tests still require rigorous validation in the regions and populations where these tests may be used, in particular to establish coherent and worthwhile cut-offs. It is likely that the best strategy is to use a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunofluorescence assay in tandem. If the specimen is collected early enough in the infection there will be no antibodies but there will be a greater chance of a PCR positive result. Conversely, when there are detectable antibodies it is less likely that there will be a positive PCR result. It is therefore extremely important that a complete medical history is provided especially the number of days of fever prior to sample collection. More effort is required to develop and validate SFG diagnostics and those of other rickettsial infections.
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36
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Sanprick A, Yooyen T, Rodkvamtook W. Survey of Rickettsia spp. and Orientia tsutsugamushi Pathogens Found in Animal Vectors (Ticks, Fleas, Chiggers) in Bangkaew District, Phatthalung Province, Thailand. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2019; 57:167-173. [PMID: 31104409 PMCID: PMC6526216 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.2.167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Rickettsial infections (Rickettsioses) are the causes of acute fever found in Thailand. It is classified as acute febrile illnesses transmitted by bloodsucking arthropod vectors (tick, flea, and chigger). This research investigated pathogens of scrub typhus in vectors from Bangkaew District, Phatthalung Province. A total of 303 pools of vector samples were ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. microplus, and Haemaphysalis sp.), fleas (Ctenocephalides felis orientis, C. f. felis, and C. canis), and chiggers (Leptotrombidium deliense, Aschoschoengastia indica, Blankaartia acuscutellaris and Walchia disparunguis pingue) collected from reservoir hosts (dogs and rodents). The 17 and 56 kDa gene of Rickettsia causing scrub typhus were found in 29% of ticks and 98% of flea. DNA sequence analysis reveeled the detected strains were R. asembonensis and Rickettsia sp. cf1 and 5.The chiggers, 1%, were infected with Rickettsia strain TA763, a pathogen of scrub typhus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amornrat Sanprick
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Pa Phayom District, Phatthalung 93210, Thailand
| | - Thanapon Yooyen
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Pa Phayom District, Phatthalung 93210, Thailand
| | - Wuttikon Rodkvamtook
- Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Science, Royal Thai Army, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
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Blanton LS, Quade BR, Bouyer DH. Differentiation of Rickettsia felis and Rickettsia felis-Like Organisms via Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019; 19:637-639. [PMID: 31021302 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2428] [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] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis are flea-borne pathogens, which cause murine typhus and flea-borne spotted fever, respectively. Recently, two other flea-borne rickettsiae (phylogenetically similar to R. felis) have been discovered-Rickettsia asembonensis and Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis. Currently, species-specific identification of detected organisms requires sequencing- or probe-based PCR assays. Our aim was to develop an efficient and inexpensive method to differentiate R. felis and R. felis-like organisms through restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Outer membrane protein B sequences of the aforementioned flea-borne rickettsiae were analyzed using DNASTAR Lasergene Core software to focus on the region amplified by the primers 120.2788 and 120.3599. Restriction enzyme digestion sites were identified, and in silico digestions of each species were compared through simulated agarose gels. The enzyme NlaIV was determined to be the most effective at creating a unique banding pattern within the area of interest. To confirm the predicted performance of NlaIV digestion, we tested the DNA of known PCR positive Ctenocephalides felis fleas collected from cats and opossums within Galveston, Texas. DNA from these fleas was amplified using the sca5 primer set 120.2788 and 120.3599. The PCR products were then digested with NlaIV, subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and visualized through ethidium bromide staining. The banding patterns were then compared with the computer-generated digestion patterns. All samples demonstrated a banding pattern consistent with the predicted pattern for the known species, as confirmed by previous sequencing. This RFLP assay was developed to be an efficient and cost-effective method to screen samples for R. felis, R. asembonensis, and Candidatus R. senegalensis. We believe this assay can aid in the epidemiological and ecological studies of flea-borne rickettsiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas S Blanton
- 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Bethany R Quade
- 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Donald H Bouyer
- 2Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
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Moonga LC, Hayashida K, Nakao R, Lisulo M, Kaneko C, Nakamura I, Eshita Y, Mweene AS, Namangala B, Sugimoto C, Yamagishi J. Molecular detection of Rickettsia felis in dogs, rodents and cat fleas in Zambia. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:168. [PMID: 30975188 PMCID: PMC6460736 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3435-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Flea-borne spotted fever is a zoonosis caused by Rickettsia felis, a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium. The disease has a worldwide distribution including western and eastern sub-Saharan Africa where it is associated with febrile illness in humans. However, epidemiology and the public health risks it poses remain neglected especially in developing countries including Zambia. While Ctenocephalides felis (cat fleas) has been suggested to be the main vector, other arthropods including mosquitoes have been implicated in transmission and maintenance of the pathogen; however, their role in the epidemiological cycle remains to be elucidated. Thus, the aim of this study was to detect and characterize R. felis from animal hosts and blood-sucking arthropod vectors in Zambia. Methods Dog blood and rodent tissue samples as well as cat fleas and mosquitoes were collected from various areas in Zambia. DNA was extracted and screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting genus Rickettsia and amplicons subjected to sequence analysis. Positive samples were further subjected to R. felis-specific real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactions. Results Rickettsia felis was detected in 4.7% (7/150) of dog blood samples and in 11.3% (12/106) of rodent tissue samples tested by PCR; this species was also detected in 3.7% (2/53) of cat fleas infesting dogs, co-infected with Rickettsia asembonensis. Furthermore, 37.7% (20/53) of cat flea samples tested positive for R. asembonensis, a member of spotted fever group rickettsiae of unknown pathogenicity. All the mosquitoes tested (n = 190 pools) were negative for Rickettsia spp. Conclusions These observations suggest that R. felis is circulating among domestic dogs and cat fleas as well as rodents in Zambia, posing a potential public health risk to humans. This is because R. felis, a known human pathogen is present in hosts and vectors sharing habitat with humans. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-019-3435-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lavel Chinyama Moonga
- Division of Collaboration and Education, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0020, Japan
| | - Kyoko Hayashida
- Division of Collaboration and Education, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0020, Japan
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Malimba Lisulo
- The University of Edinburgh, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Chiho Kaneko
- Project for Zoonoses Education and Research, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1, Gakuen-kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki, 889-2192, Japan
| | - Ichiro Nakamura
- Unit of International Cooperation, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0020, Japan
| | - Yuki Eshita
- Division of Collaboration and Education, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0020, Japan
| | - Aaron S Mweene
- Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P. O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.,African Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Human and Animals, University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Boniface Namangala
- Department of Paraclinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.,African Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Human and Animals, University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Chihiro Sugimoto
- Division of Collaboration and Education, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0020, Japan.,Global Station for Zoonosis Control, GI-CoRE, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Junya Yamagishi
- Division of Collaboration and Education, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0020, Japan. .,Global Station for Zoonosis Control, GI-CoRE, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
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Berrian AM, Martínez-López B, Quan V, Conrad PA, van Rooyen J, Simpson GJG, Frean J, Weyer J, Rossouw J, Knobel D, Blumberg L. Risk factors for bacterial zoonotic pathogens in acutely febrile patients in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Zoonoses Public Health 2019; 66:458-469. [PMID: 30859717 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Endemic zoonoses, such as Q fever and spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiosis, are prevalent in South Africa, yet often undiagnosed. In this study, we reviewed the demographics and animal exposure history of patients presenting with acute febrile illness to community health clinics in Mpumalanga Province to identify trends and risk factors associated with exposure to Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, and infection by SFG Rickettsia spp. Clinical and serological data and questionnaires elucidating exposure to animals and their products were obtained from 141 acutely febrile patients between 2012 and 2016. Exposure or infection status to C. burnetii and SFG Rickettsia spp. was determined by presence of IgG or IgM antibodies. Logistic regression models were built for risk factor analysis. Clinical presentation of patients infected by SFG rickettsiosis was described. There were 37/139 (27%) patients with a positive C. burnetii serology, indicative of Q fever exposure. Patients who had reported attending cattle inspection facilities ("dip tanks") were 9.39 times more likely to be exposed to Q fever (95% CI: 2.9-30.4). Exposure risk also increased with age (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.002-1.06). Twenty-one per cent of febrile patients (24/118) had evidence of acute infection by SFG Rickettsia spp. Similarly, attending cattle inspection facilities was the most significant risk factor (OR: 8.48, 95% CI: 1.58-45.60). Seropositivity of females showed a significant OR of 8.0 when compared to males (95% CI: 1.49-43.0), and consumption of livestock was associated with a decreased risk (OR: 0.02, 95% CI: 0.001-0.54). A trend between domestic cat contact and SFG rickettsiosis was also noted, albeit borderline non-significant. In this endemic region of South Africa, an understanding of risk factors for zoonotic pathogens, including exposure to domestic animals, can help clinic staff with diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic management of acutely febrile patients as well as identify target areas for education and prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Berrian
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California.,Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Beatriz Martínez-López
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Vanessa Quan
- Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Jacques van Rooyen
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.,Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station, University of Pretoria, Kruger National Park, South Africa
| | - Gregory J G Simpson
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station, University of Pretoria, Kruger National Park, South Africa
| | - John Frean
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline Weyer
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jennifer Rossouw
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Darryn Knobel
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.,Center for Conservation Medicine and Ecosystem Health, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Lucille Blumberg
- Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Nziza J, Tumushime JC, Cranfield M, Ntwari AE, Modrý D, Mudakikwa A, Gilardi K, Šlapeta J. Fleas from domestic dogs and rodents in Rwanda carry Rickettsia asembonensis and Bartonella tribocorum. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 33:177-184. [PMID: 30390316 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Fleas (Siphonaptera) are ubiquitous blood-sucking parasites that transmit a range of vector-borne pathogens. The present study examined rodents (n = 29) and domestic dogs (n = 7) living in the vicinity of the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, for fleas, identified flea species from these hosts, and detected Bartonella (Rhizobiales: Bartonellaceae) and Rickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) DNA. The most frequently encountered flea on rodents was Xenopsylla brasiliensis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). In addition, Ctenophthalmus (Ethioctenophthalmus) calceatus cabirus (Siphonaptera: Hystrichopsyllidae) and Ctenocephalides felis strongylus (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) were determined using morphology and sequencing of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II genes (cox1 and cox2, respectively). Bartonella tribocorum DNA was detected in X. brasiliensis and Rickettsia asembonensis DNA (a Rickettsia felis-like organism) was detected in C. felis strongylus. The present work complements studies that clarify the distributions of flea-borne pathogens and potential role of fleas in disease transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. In the context of high-density housing in central sub-Saharan Africa, the detection of B. tribocorum and R. asembonensis highlights the need for surveillance in both rural and urban areas to identify likely reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Nziza
- Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Regional Headquarters, Musanze, Rwanda
| | - J C Tumushime
- Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Regional Headquarters, Musanze, Rwanda
| | - M Cranfield
- Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Regional Headquarters, Musanze, Rwanda
| | - A E Ntwari
- Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Regional Headquarters, Musanze, Rwanda
| | - D Modrý
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - K Gilardi
- One Health Institute and Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - J Šlapeta
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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41
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Loyola S, Flores-Mendoza C, Torre A, Kocher C, Melendrez M, Luce-Fedrow A, Maina AN, Richards AL, Leguia M. Rickettsia asembonensis Characterization by Multilocus Sequence Typing of Complete Genes, Peru. Emerg Infect Dis 2019; 24:931-933. [PMID: 29664376 PMCID: PMC5938772 DOI: 10.3201/eid2405.170323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
While studying rickettsial infections in Peru, we detected Rickettsia asembonensis in fleas from domestic animals. We characterized 5 complete genomic regions (17kDa, gltA, ompA, ompB, and sca4) and conducted multilocus sequence typing and phylogenetic analyses. The molecular isolate from Peru is distinct from the original R. asembonensis strain from Kenya.
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Maina AN, Jiang J, Luce-Fedrow A, St John HK, Farris CM, Richards AL. Worldwide Presence and Features of Flea-Borne Rickettsia asembonensis. Front Vet Sci 2019; 5:334. [PMID: 30687724 PMCID: PMC6338025 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia asembonensis, the most well-characterized rickettsia of the Rickettsia felis-like organisms (RFLO), is relatively unknown within the vector-borne diseases research community. The agent was initially identified in peri-domestic fleas from Asembo, Kenya in an area in which R. felis was associated with fever patients. Local fleas collected from domestic animals and within homes were predominately infected with R. asembonensis with < 10% infected with R. felis. Since the identification of R. asembonensis in Kenya, it has been reported in other locations within Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and South America. With the description of R. asembonensis-like genotypes across the globe, a need exists to isolate these R. asembonensis genotypes in cell culture, conduct microscopic, and biological analysis, as well as whole genome sequencing to ascertain whether they are the same species. Additionally, interest has been building on the potential of R. asembonensis in infecting vertebrate hosts including humans, non-human primates, dogs, and other animals. The current knowledge of the presence, prevalence, and distribution of R. asembonensis worldwide, as well as its arthropod hosts and potential as a pathogen are discussed in this manuscript.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice N Maina
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Alison Luce-Fedrow
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States.,Department of Biology, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA, United States
| | - Heidi K St John
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States.,Department of Preventative Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Cevidanes A, Di Cataldo S, Vera F, Lillo P, Millán J. Molecular Detection of Vector-Borne Pathogens in Rural Dogs and Associated Ctenocephalides felis Fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) in Easter Island (Chile). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 55:1659-1663. [PMID: 30165658 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjy141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The presence of vector-borne pathogens of veterinary and public health interest have received little attention in Chile. In Easter Island, in particular, a Chilean territory in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, no information is available. To fill this gap, 153 rural dogs were inspected for ectoparasites during a sterilization campaign carried out in 2016. Fleas were observed in 46% of the dogs, and Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché, 1835) was the only species present. Morphological identification of fleas was genetically confirmed using conventional polymerase chain reaction targeting the cox2 gene. No tick was observed in any dog. The presence of DNA of Rickettsia sp. (gltA and ompA fragment genes), Anaplasmataceae (16S rRNA), and Bartonella sp. (16S-23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer) was investigated in blood samples of 70 of the dogs and in 126 fleas analyzed in 68 pools that included 1-5 fleas. Rickettsial DNA was detected in 97% (n = 66) of the flea pools. Of these, 57 showed between 99 and 100% identity for both genes with published sequences of Candidatus Rickettsia asemboensis (CRa), six with Rickettsia felis, and one with Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis. For two pools, gltA amplicons were identical to CRa but ompB amplicions showed 99-100% identity with R. felis. Anaplasmataceae DNA was detected in 16% (n = 11) pools. Sequenced amplicons showed highest identity with the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis. Bartonella DNA, showing 99% identity to Bartonella clarridgeiae, was detected in one pool (1.4%). No positive reaction was observed for any dog. This is the first detection of members of the 'R. felis-like' group other than R. felis in Chile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitor Cevidanes
- PhD Program in Conservation Medicine, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, República, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sophia Di Cataldo
- PhD Program in Conservation Medicine, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, República, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernanda Vera
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, República, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Lillo
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Andres Bello, República, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javier Millán
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, República, Santiago, Chile
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44
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Jiang J, An H, Lee JS, O’Guinn ML, Kim HC, Chong ST, Zhang Y, Song D, Burrus RG, Bao Y, Klein TA, Richards AL. Molecular characterization of Haemaphysalis longicornis-borne rickettsiae, Republic of Korea and China. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1606-1613. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Abstract
In this paper, we present a historical review of rickettsiosis in Central America and also the most recent findings of Rickettsia in ectoparasites. All countries of Central America have records of rickettsiosis. Regarding the typhus group rickettsioses, there is clinical or serological evidence of Rickettsia prowazekii in Guatemala, Rickettsia typhi in Panama, Guatemala, and Costa Rica and unidentified species of the typhus group in El Salvador. Concerning spotted fever group rickettsiosis, there is serological evidence of infection by Rickettsia akari in Costa Rica and confirmed cases involving Rickettsia rickettsii in Panama and Costa Rica. There are also reports of spotted fever group rickettsiosis in acute patients from Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Serological studies in Central America show reactivity of Rickettsia ambyommatis, Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia rhipicephali, and R. rickettsii in domestic and wild mammals. Eight species of Rickettsia have been detected in ectoparasites from Central America: R. africae (or very similar), R. amblyommatis, R. asembonensis, R. bellii, R. felis, R. parkeri, R. rhipicephali, and R. rickettsii, in addition to undescribed strains such as Atlantic Rainforest, Colombianensi, IbR/CRC, Barva, Aragaoi, and Candidatus "Rickettsia nicoyana;" the latter being the only one associated with Argasidae (Ornithodoros knoxjonesi). R. amblyommatis is the most common species in Central America, seeing as it has been reported in 10 species of ticks and one of fleas in five of the seven countries of the region. In this study, we demonstrate that the genus Rickettsia is widely distributed in Central America and that rickettsiosis could be an underestimated problem in the absence of greater diagnostic efforts in undetermined febrile cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sergio E Bermúdez
- Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Research, Panamá,
| | - Adriana Troyo
- Vector Research Laboratory, Tropical Diseases Research Center, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica
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46
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Mullins KE, Maina AN, Krueger L, Jiang J, Cummings R, Drusys A, Williams G, Dhillon M, Richards AL. Rickettsial Infections among Cats and Cat Fleas in Riverside County, California. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018; 99:291-296. [PMID: 29869607 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Presently, few studies have investigated the role of domestic cats (Felis catus) in the recrudescence of flea-borne rickettsioses in California and the southern United States. In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence of Rickettsia typhi or Rickettisa felis in domestic cats (F. catus) and the fleas (primarily Ctenocephalides felis, the cat flea) associated with these cats in Riverside County, California. Thirty cats and 64 pools of fleas collected from these cats were investigated for rickettsial infections. Three cats and 17 flea pools (from 10 cats) tested positive for rickettsial infections. polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing indicated that one of the cats was positive for R. felis infections, whereas two were positive for Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis infection. In addition, 12 of the flea pools were positive for R. felis, whereas five were positive for Ca. R. senegalensis. By contrast, no cats or their associated fleas tested positive for R. typhi. Finally, eight sera from these cats contained spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) antibodies. The detection of R. felis and SFGR antibodies and the lack of R. typhi and TGR antibodies support R. felis as the main rickettsial species infecting cat fleas. The detection of Ca. R. senegalensis in both fleas and cats also provides additional evidence that cats and their associated fleas are infected with other R. felis-like organisms highlighting the potential risk for human infections with R. felis or R. felis-like organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin E Mullins
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland.,University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alice N Maina
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Laura Krueger
- Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District, Garden Grove, California
| | - Ju Jiang
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Robert Cummings
- Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District, Garden Grove, California
| | - Allan Drusys
- Riverside County Department of Animal Services, Riverside, California
| | - Greg Williams
- Northwest Mosquito and Vector Control District, Corona, California
| | - Major Dhillon
- Northwest Mosquito and Vector Control District, Corona, California
| | - Allen L Richards
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland.,Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
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Nelson K, Maina AN, Brisco A, Foo C, Croker C, Ngo V, Civen R, Richards AL, Fujioka K, Wekesa JW. A 2015 outbreak of flea-borne rickettsiosis in San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles County, California. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006385. [PMID: 29677221 PMCID: PMC5931684 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although flea-borne rickettsiosis is endemic in Los Angeles County, outbreaks are rare. In the spring of 2015 three human cases of flea-borne rickettsiosis among residents of a mobile home community (MHC) prompted an investigation. Fleas were ubiquitous in common areas due to presence of flea-infested opossums and overabundant outdoor cats and dogs. The MHC was summarily abated in June 2015, and within five months, flea control and removal of animals significantly reduced the flea population. Two additional epidemiologically-linked human cases of flea-borne rickettsiosis detected at the MHC were suspected to have occurred before control efforts began. Molecular testing of 106 individual and 85 pooled cat fleas, blood and ear tissue samples from three opossums and thirteen feral cats using PCR amplification and DNA sequencing detected rickettsial DNA in 18.8% of the fleas. Seventeen percent of these cat fleas tested positive for R. felis-specific DNA compared to under two (<2) percent for Candidatus R. senegalensis-specific DNA. In addition, serological testing of 13 cats using a group-specific IgG-ELISA detected antibodies against typhus group rickettsiae and spotted fever group rickettsiae in six (46.2%) and one (7.7%) cat, respectively. These results indicate that cats and their fleas may have played an active role in the epidemiology of the typhus group and/or spotted fever group rickettsial disease(s) in this outbreak. Outbreaks of flea-borne rickettsiosis are rare despite the endemic status in Los Angeles County. In the spring of 2015 three human cases of flea-borne rickettsiosis among residents of a mobile home community (MHC) prompted an investigation. Fleas were found in all common areas at the MHC due to presence of flea-infested opossums and overabundant outdoor cats and dogs. The MHC was summarily abated in June 2015, and within five months, flea control and removal of animals significantly reduced the flea population. Two additional epidemiologically-linked human cases detected at the MHC were considered to have occurred before control efforts began. Molecular testing of cat fleas, immunological testing of opossums and feral cats collected at the site indicated active transmission of flea-borne rickettsiosis. This study represents the first flea-borne rickettsial outbreak that summary abatement approach was used to reduce its intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Nelson
- San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, West Covina, California, United States of America
| | - Alice N. Maina
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Angela Brisco
- San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, West Covina, California, United States of America
| | - Chelsea Foo
- Acute Communicable Disease Control, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Curtis Croker
- Acute Communicable Disease Control, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Van Ngo
- Acute Communicable Disease Control, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Rachel Civen
- Acute Communicable Disease Control, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Community Health Services Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kenn Fujioka
- San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, West Covina, California, United States of America
| | - J. Wakoli Wekesa
- San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, West Covina, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Comparison of Zoonotic Bacterial Agents in Fleas Collected from Small Mammals or Host-Seeking Fleas from a Ugandan Region Where Plague Is Endemic. mSphere 2017; 2:mSphere00402-17. [PMID: 29276773 PMCID: PMC5737051 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00402-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fleas play critical roles in transmitting some infections among animals and from animals to humans. Detection of pathogens in fleas is important to determine human risks for flea-borne diseases and can help guide diagnosis and treatment. Our findings of high prevalence rates of B. elizabethae and R. felis in fleas in the Arua and Zombo districts of Uganda implicate these agents as potential causative agents of undiagnosed febrile illnesses in this area. Fleas (n = 407) were collected from small mammals trapped inside huts and surroundings of homesteads in five villages within the Arua and Zombo districts of Uganda. The most common flea species were Dinopsyllus lypusus (26%) and Xenopsylla cheopis (50%). Off-host fleas (n = 225) were collected inside huts by using Kilonzo flea traps. The majority of the off-host fleas were Ctenocephalides felis (80%). All fleas were examined for the presence of Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., and Yersinia spp. Bartonella DNA was detected in 91 fleas, with an overall prevalence of 14%. Bartonella prevalence was significantly higher in rodent or shrew fleas than in off-host fleas (22% versus 1%). The majority of Bartonella-positive fleas were of the species D. lypusus (61%), X. cheopis (20%), and Ctenophthalmus calceatus (14%). Sequencing analysis identified 12 Bartonella genetic variants, 9 of which belonged to the zoonotic pathogen B. elizabethae species complex. Rickettsia DNA was detected in 143 fleas, giving an overall prevalence of 23%, with a significantly higher prevalence in off-host fleas than in rodent or shrew fleas (56% versus 4%). The majority (88%) of Rickettsia-positive fleas were C. felis and were collected from Kilonzo traps, while a small portion (10%) were X. cheopis collected from rodents. Sequencing analysis identified six Rickettsia genogroups that belonged either to zoonotic R. felis or to the closely related “Candidatus Ricksettia asemboensis” and “Candidatus Ricksettia sengalensis.” Yersinia DNA was not detected in the fleas tested. These observations suggested that fleas in northwestern Uganda commonly carry the zoonotic agents B. elizabethae and R. felis and potentially play an important role in transmitting these infections to humans. IMPORTANCE Fleas play critical roles in transmitting some infections among animals and from animals to humans. Detection of pathogens in fleas is important to determine human risks for flea-borne diseases and can help guide diagnosis and treatment. Our findings of high prevalence rates of B. elizabethae and R. felis in fleas in the Arua and Zombo districts of Uganda implicate these agents as potential causative agents of undiagnosed febrile illnesses in this area.
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49
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Maina AN, Klein TA, Kim HC, Chong ST, Yang Y, Mullins K, Jiang J, St. John H, Jarman RG, Hang J, Richards AL. Molecular characterization of novel mosquito-borne Rickettsia spp. from mosquitoes collected at the Demilitarized Zone of the Republic of Korea. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188327. [PMID: 29155880 PMCID: PMC5695765 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsiae are associated with a diverse range of invertebrate hosts. Of these, mosquitoes could emerge as one of the most important vectors because of their ability to transmit significant numbers of pathogens and parasites throughout the world. Recent studies have implicated Anopheles gambiae as a potential vector of Rickettsia felis. Herein we report that a metagenome sequencing study identified rickettsial sequence reads in culicine mosquitoes from the Republic of Korea. The detected rickettsiae were characterized by a genus-specific quantitative real-time PCR assay and sequencing of rrs, gltA, 17kDa, ompB, and sca4 genes. Three novel rickettsial genotypes were detected (Rickettsia sp. A12.2646, Rickettsia sp. A12.2638 and Rickettsia sp. A12.3271), from Mansonia uniformis, Culex pipiens, and Aedes esoensis, respectively. The results underscore the need to determine the Rickettsia species diversity associated with mosquitoes, their evolution, distribution and pathogenic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice N. Maina
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Terry A. Klein
- 65 Medical Brigade, Medical Department Activity-Korea, Unit 15281, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Heung-Chul Kim
- 65 Medical Brigade, Medical Department Activity-Korea, Unit 15247, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- 65 Medical Brigade, Medical Department Activity-Korea, Unit 15247, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yu Yang
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kristin Mullins
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Heidi St. John
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Richard G. Jarman
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jun Hang
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
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Silva AB, Vizzoni VF, Costa AP, Costa FB, Moraes-Filho J, Labruna MB, Gazêta GS, de Maria Seabra Nogueira R. First report of a Rickettsia asembonensis related infecting fleas in Brazil. Acta Trop 2017; 172:44-49. [PMID: 28427962 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The present study was performed in a non-endemic area for spotted fever (SF) in Imperatriz microregion, state of Maranhão, Brazil. Blood samples and ectoparasites were collected from 300 dogs of the Imperatriz microregion. Canine serum samples were tested individually by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), using five Rickettsia isolates from Brazil. Antibodies reactive to at least one of the five species of Rickettsia were detected in 1.6% of the dogs (5/300). These sera were considered reactive to Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia amblyommatis or very closely related species. The ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Latreille), and the fleas, identified as Ctenocephalides felis, were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of rickettsial DNA. More than 78% (83/106) of the C. felis fleas were found to be infected with Rickettsia species using gltA as rickettsial PCR targets, whereas no evidence of Rickettsia spp. was found in R. sanguineus s. l. Genetic analysis based on genes gltA, htrA and ompB showed that the detected strain, is most closely related to Rickettsia asembonensis (formerly Candidatus Rickettsia asemboensis). The present study is the first report of a R. asembonensis related infecting C. felis fleas in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arannadia Barbosa Silva
- Programa de Pós-graduação do Mestrado em Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, MA, Brazil; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/IOC), Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses (LIRN), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Figueiredo Vizzoni
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/IOC), Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses (LIRN), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Andréa Pereira Costa
- Programa de Pós-graduação do Mestrado em Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, MA, Brazil
| | - Francisco Borges Costa
- Programa de Pós-graduação do Mestrado em Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, MA, Brazil
| | - Jonas Moraes-Filho
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Bahia Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gilberto Salles Gazêta
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/IOC), Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses (LIRN), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rita de Maria Seabra Nogueira
- Programa de Pós-graduação do Mestrado em Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, MA, Brazil.
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