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Hoornstra D, Kuleshov KV, Fingerle V, Hepner S, Wagemakers A, Strube C, Castillo-Ramírez S, Bockenstedt LK, Telford SR, Sprong H, Platonov AE, Margos G, Hovius JW. Combining short- and long-read sequencing unveils geographically structured diversity in Borrelia miyamotoi. iScience 2024; 27:110616. [PMID: 39262806 PMCID: PMC11388275 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110616] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging Ixodes tick-borne human pathogen in the Northern hemisphere. The aim of the current study was to compare whole genome sequences of B. miyamotoi isolates from different continents. Using a combination of Illumina and PacBio platforms and a novel genome assembly and plasmid typing pipeline, we reveal that the 21 sequenced B. miyamotoi isolates and publically available B. miyamotoi genomes from North America, Asia, and Europe form genetically distinct populations and cluster according to their geographical origin, where distinct Ixodes species are endemic. We identified 20 linear and 17 circular plasmid types and the presence of specific plasmids for isolates originating from different continents. Linear plasmids lp12, lp23, lp41, and lp72 were core plasmids found in all isolates, with lp41 consistently containing the vmp expression site. Our data provide insights into the genetic basis of vector competence, virulence, and pathogenesis of B. miyamotoi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieuwertje Hoornstra
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Volker Fingerle
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Sabrina Hepner
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Alex Wagemakers
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Sam R Telford
- Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Grafton, MA, USA
| | - Hein Sprong
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | | | - Gabriele Margos
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Joppe W Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Immunology & Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Schwartz T, Hoornstra D, Øie E, Hovius J, Quarsten H. Case report: First case of Borrelia miyamotoi meningitis in an immunocompromised patient in Norway. IDCases 2023; 33:e01867. [PMID: 37577049 PMCID: PMC10412827 DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2023.e01867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tick-borne disease caused by B. miyamotoi (BMD) usually manifest as a febrile illness in humans. Complications include relapsing fever and in rare occasions involvement of the central nervous system. Only a few cases of meningoencephalitis have been described, mostly in immunosuppressed patients. Case presentation A 70-year-old female receiving immunosuppressive rituximab therapy presented with frontal headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and chills. Clinical laboratory blood analyses were normal. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was translucent and analysis showed increased leucocyte count (187 106/L) and elevated level of protein (1056 mg/L). Empiric antibiotic treatment was initiated. The patient showed an early symptomatic relief and 24 h after admission she was discharged from the hospital and antibiotic treatment was discontinued. Two weeks after hospitalisation the B. miyamotoi specific PCR turned out positive in both CSF and serum. At the time, the patient was recovered with mild residual headache. She was treated with high dose doxycycline and her subtle symptoms disappeared. Conclusions To our knowledge, we present the first patient with BMD-associated meningitis in Norway, one of eight cases reported worldwide. The patient had mild symptoms and received an early diagnosis. A more severe progression or relapse of disease may have been prevented by antibiotic treatment. BMD should be considered as causes of aseptic meningitis, especially in immunosuppressed patients living in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Schwartz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Oslo New University College, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dieuwertje Hoornstra
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Erik Øie
- Department of Internal Medicine, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Joppe Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hanne Quarsten
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand, Norway
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Hepner S, Kuleshov K, Tooming-Kunderud A, Alig N, Gofton A, Casjens S, Rollins RE, Dangel A, Mourkas E, Sheppard SK, Wieser A, Hübner J, Sing A, Fingerle V, Margos G. A high fidelity approach to assembling the complex Borrelia genome. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:401. [PMID: 37460975 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09500-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex can cause Lyme borreliosis. Different B. burgdorferi s.l. genospecies vary in their host and vector associations and human pathogenicity but the genetic basis for these adaptations is unresolved and requires completed and reliable genomes for comparative analyses. The de novo assembly of a complete Borrelia genome is challenging due to the high levels of complexity, represented by a high number of circular and linear plasmids that are dynamic, showing mosaic structure and sequence homology. Previous work demonstrated that even advanced approaches, such as a combination of short-read and long-read data, might lead to incomplete plasmid reconstruction. Here, using recently developed high-fidelity (HiFi) PacBio sequencing, we explored strategies to obtain gap-free, complete and high quality Borrelia genome assemblies. Optimizing genome assembly, quality control and refinement steps, we critically appraised existing techniques to create a workflow that lead to improved genome reconstruction. RESULTS Despite the latest available technologies, stand-alone sequencing and assembly methods are insufficient for the generation of complete and high quality Borrelia genome assemblies. We developed a workflow pipeline for the de novo genome assembly for Borrelia using several types of sequence data and incorporating multiple assemblers to recover the complete genome including both circular and linear plasmid sequences. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that, with HiFi data and an ensemble reconstruction pipeline with refinement steps, chromosomal and plasmid sequences can be fully resolved, even for complex genomes such as Borrelia. The presented pipeline may be of interest for the assembly of further complex microbial genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Hepner
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
| | | | - Ave Tooming-Kunderud
- Department of Biosciences, Norwegian Sequencing Centre at Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nikolas Alig
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | | | - Sherwood Casjens
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology Department, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Robert E Rollins
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Alexandra Dangel
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | | | | | - Andreas Wieser
- Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Max von Pettenkofer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany
- Imunology, Infectious Disease and Pandemic Research IIP, Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Hübner
- Dr. Von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Sing
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Volker Fingerle
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Gabriele Margos
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
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Hoornstra D, Stukolova OA, Karan LS, Sarksyan DS, Kolyasnikova NM, Markelov ML, Cherkashina AS, Dolgova AS, Sudina AE, Sokolova MI, Platonov AE, Hovius JW. Development and Validation of a Protein Array for Detection of Antibodies against the Tick-Borne Pathogen Borrelia miyamotoi. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0203622. [PMID: 36314925 PMCID: PMC9769530 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02036-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Current serological tests for the emerging tick-borne pathogen Borrelia miyamotoi lack diagnostic accuracy. To improve serodiagnosis, we investigated a protein array simultaneously screening for IgM and IgG reactivity against multiple recombinant B. miyamotoi antigens. The array included six B. miyamotoi antigens: glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (GlpQ), multiple variable major proteins (Vmps), and flagellin. Sera included samples from cases of PCR-proven Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD), multiple potentially cross-reactive control groups (including patients with culture-proven Lyme borreliosis, confirmed Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, or other spirochetal infections), and several healthy control groups from regions where Ixodes is endemic and regions where it is nonendemic. Based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, the cutoff for reactivity per antigen was set at 5 μg/mL for IgM and IgG. The individual antigens demonstrated high sensitivity but relatively low specificity for both IgM and IgG. The best-performing single antigen (GlpQ) showed a sensitivity of 88.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 78.9 to 93.5) and a specificity of 94.2% (95% CI, 92.7 to 95.6) for IgM/IgG. Applying the previous published diagnostic algorithm-defining seroreactivity as reactivity against GlpQ and any Vmp-revealed a significantly higher specificity of 98.5% (95% CI, 97.6 to 99.2) but a significantly lower sensitivity of 79.5% (95% CI, 69.3 to 87.0) for IgM/IgG compared to GlpQ alone. Therefore, we propose to define seroreactivity as reactivity against GlpQ and any Vmp or flagellin which resulted in a comparable sensitivity of 84.3% (95% CI, 74.7 to 90.8) and a significantly higher specificity of 97.9% (95% CI, 96.9 to 98.7) for IgM/IgG compared to GlpQ alone. In conclusion, we have developed and validated a novel serological tool to diagnose BMD that could be implemented in clinical practice and epidemiological studies. IMPORTANCE This paper describes the protein array as a novel serological test for the diagnosis of Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD), by reporting the methodology, the development of a diagnostic algorithm, and its extensive validation. With rising numbers of ticks and tick bites, tick-borne diseases, such as BMD, urgently deserve further societal and medical attention. B. miyamotoi is prevalent in Ixodes ticks across the northern hemisphere. Humans are exposed to, and infected by, B. miyamotoi and develop BMD in Asia, in North America, and to a lesser extent in Europe. However, the burden of infection and disease remains largely unknown, due to the noncharacteristic clinical presentation, together with the lack of awareness and availability of diagnostic tools. With this paper, we offer a novel diagnostic tool which will assist in assessing the burden of disease and could be implemented in clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieuwertje Hoornstra
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Nadezhda M. Kolyasnikova
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Moscow, Russia
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Anna S. Dolgova
- St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna E. Sudina
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Joppe W. Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Gilmore RD, Kneubehl AR, Lopez JE, Armstrong BA, Brandt KS, Van Gundy TJ. Modification of the multiplex plasmid PCR assay for Borrelia miyamotoi strain LB-2001 based on the complete genome sequence reflecting genomic rearrangements differing from strain CT13-2396. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 13:101843. [PMID: 34656944 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101843] [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: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The genome of Borrelia spp. consists of an approximate 1 megabase chromosome and multiple linear and circular plasmids. We previously described a multiplex PCR assay to detect plasmids in the North American Borrelia miyamotoi strains LB-2001 and CT13-2396. The primer pair sets specific for each plasmid were derived from the genome sequence for B. miyamotoi strain CT13-2396, because the LB-2001 complete sequence had not been generated. The recent completion of the LB-2001 genome sequence revealed a distinct number of plasmids (n = 12) that differed from CT13-2396 (n = 14). Notable was a 97-kilobase plasmid in LB-2001, not present in CT13-2396, that appeared to be a rearrangement of the circular plasmids of strain CT13-2396. Strain LB-2001 contained two plasmids, cp30-2 and cp24, that were not annotated for strain CT13-2396. Therefore, we re-evaluated the original CT13-2396-derived multiplex PCR primer pairs and determined their location in the LB-2001 plasmids. We modified the original multiplex plasmid PCR assay for strain LB-2001 to include cp30-2 and cp24. We also determined which LB-2001 plasmids corresponded to the amplicons generated from the original CT13-2396 primer sets. These observations provide a more precise plasmid profile based on the multiplex PCR assay and reflect the complexity of gene rearrangements that occur in B. miyamotoi strains isolated from the same geographic region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D Gilmore
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO United States.
| | - Alexander R Kneubehl
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Job E Lopez
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Brittany A Armstrong
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO United States
| | - Kevin S Brandt
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO United States
| | - Taylor J Van Gundy
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO United States
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Are other tick-borne infections overlooked in patients investigated for Lyme neuroborreliosis? A large retrospective study from South-eastern Sweden. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101759. [PMID: 34161869 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In Europe, the hard tick Ixodes ricinus is considered the most important vector of human zoonotic diseases. Human pathogenic agents spread by I. ricinus in Sweden include Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia helvetica, the recently described Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Borrelia miyamotoi, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), and Babesia spp. (Babesia microti, Babesia venatorum and Babesia divergens). Since these pathogens share the same vector, co-infections with more than one tick-borne pathogen may occur and thus complicate the diagnosis and clinical management of the patient due to possibly altered symptomatology. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., TBEV and B. miyamotoi are well-known to cause infections of the central nervous system (CNS), whereas the abilities of other tick-borne pathogens to invade the CNS are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and clinical impact of tick-borne pathogens other than B. burgdorferi s.l. in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples of patients who were under investigation for Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) in a tick-endemic region of South-eastern Sweden. CSF and serum samples from 600 patients, recruited from the Regions of Östergötland County, Jönköping County and Kalmar County in South-eastern Sweden and investigated for LNB during the period of 2009-2013, were retrospectively collected for analysis. The samples were analysed by real-time PCR for the presence of nucleic acid from B. burgdorferi s.l., B. miyamotoi, A. phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., N. mikurensis, TBEV and Babesia spp. Serological analyses were conducted in CSF and serum samples for all patients regarding B. burgdorferi s.l., and for the patients with CSF mononuclear pleocytosis, analyses of antibodies to B. miyamotoi, A. phagocytophilum, spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae, TBEV and B. microti in serum were performed. The medical charts of all the patients with CSF mononuclear pleocytosis and patients with positive PCR findings were reviewed. Of the 600 patients, 55 (9%) presented with CSF mononuclear pleocytosis, 13 (2%) of whom had Borrelia-specific antibodies in the CSF. One patient was PCR-positive for N. mikurensis, and another one was PCR-positive for Borrelia spp. in serum. No pathogens were detected by PCR in the CSF samples. Four patients had serum antibodies to B. miyamotoi, four patients to A. phagocytophilum, five patients to SFG rickettsiae, and six patients to TBEV. One patient, with antibodies to SFG rickettsiae, had both clinical and laboratory signs suggestive of a current infection. Nine patients had serum antibodies to more than one pathogen, although none of these was assessed as a current co-infection. We can conclude from this study that tick-borne co-infections are uncommon in patients who are being investigated for suspected LNB in South-eastern Sweden, an area endemic for borreliosis and TBE.
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Nakao R, Kasama K, Boldbaatar B, Ogura Y, Kawabata H, Toyoda A, Hayashi T, Takano A, Maeda K. The evolution of hard tick-borne relapsing fever borreliae is correlated with vector species rather than geographical distance. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:105. [PMID: 34058972 PMCID: PMC8166147 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01838-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Relapsing fever (RF) borreliae are arthropod-borne spirochetes and some of them cause human diseases, which are characterized by relapsing or recurring episodes of fever. Recently, it has been classified into two groups: soft tick-borne RF (STRF) borreliae and hard tick-borne RF (HTRF) borreliae. STRF borreliae include classical RF agents and HTRF borreliae, the latter of which include B. miyamotoi, a human pathogen recently identified in Eurasia and North America. Results In this study, we determined the genome sequences of 16 HTRF borreliae strains: 15 B. miyamotoi strains (9 from Hokkaido Island, Japan, 3 from Honshu Island, Japan, and 3 from Mongolia) and a Borrelia sp. tHM16w. Chromosomal gene synteny was highly conserved among the HTRF strains sequenced in this study, even though they were isolated from different geographic regions and different tick species. Phylogenetic analysis based on core gene sequences revealed that HTRF and STRF borreliae are clearly distinguishable, with each forming a monophyletic group in the RF borreliae lineage. Moreover, the evolutionary relationships of RF borreliae are consistent with the biological and ecological features of each RF borreliae sublineage and can explain the unique characteristics of Borrelia anserina. In addition, the pairwise genetic distances between HTRF borreliae strains were well correlated with those of vector species rather than with the geographical distances between strain isolation sites. This result suggests that the genetic diversification of HTRF borreliae is attributed to the speciation of vector ticks and that this relationship might be required for efficient transmission of HTRF borreliae within vector ticks. Conclusions The results of the present study, together with those from previous investigations, support the hypothesis that the common ancestor of borreliae was transmitted by hard-bodied ticks and that only STRF borreliae switched to using soft-bodied ticks as a vector, which was followed by the emergence of Borrelia recurrentis, lice-borne RF borreliae. Our study clarifies the phylogenetic relationships between RF borreliae, and the data obtained will contribute to a better understanding of the evolutionary history of RF borreliae. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-021-01838-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranna Nakao
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi, 753-8515, Japan
| | - Kentaro Kasama
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Bazartseren Boldbaatar
- Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Zaisan, 17024, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Yoshitoshi Ogura
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Infectious Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume City, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kawabata
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Disease, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
| | - Atsushi Toyoda
- Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, 1111 Yata, Mishima City, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Ai Takano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi, 753-8515, Japan. .,Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi, 753-8515, Japan.
| | - Ken Maeda
- Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi, 753-8515, Japan.,Department of Veterinary Science, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
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8
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Schmidt FL, Sürth V, Berg TK, Lin YP, Hovius JW, Kraiczy P. Interaction between Borrelia miyamotoi variable major proteins Vlp15/16 and Vlp18 with plasminogen and complement. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4964. [PMID: 33654183 PMCID: PMC7925540 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84533-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi, a relapsing fever spirochete transmitted by Ixodid ticks causes B. miyamotoi disease (BMD). To evade the human host´s immune response, relapsing fever borreliae, including B. miyamotoi, produce distinct variable major proteins. Here, we investigated Vsp1, Vlp15/16, and Vlp18 all of which are currently being evaluated as antigens for the serodiagnosis of BMD. Comparative analyses identified Vlp15/16 but not Vsp1 and Vlp18 as a plasminogen-interacting protein of B. miyamotoi. Furthermore, Vlp15/16 bound plasminogen in a dose-dependent fashion with high affinity. Binding of plasminogen to Vlp15/16 was significantly inhibited by the lysine analog tranexamic acid suggesting that the protein–protein interaction is mediated by lysine residues. By contrast, ionic strength did not have an effect on binding of plasminogen to Vlp15/16. Of relevance, plasminogen bound to the borrelial protein cleaved the chromogenic substrate S-2251 upon conversion by urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPa), demonstrating it retained its physiological activity. Interestingly, further analyses revealed a complement inhibitory activity of Vlp15/16 and Vlp18 on the alternative pathway by a Factor H-independent mechanism. More importantly, both borrelial proteins protect serum sensitive Borrelia garinii cells from complement-mediated lysis suggesting multiple roles of these two variable major proteins in immune evasion of B. miyamotoi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederik L Schmidt
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Valerie Sürth
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Tim K Berg
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Yi-Pin Lin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA.,Department of Biomedical Science, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Joppe W Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.
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9
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Borrelia miyamotoi-An Emerging Human Tick-Borne Pathogen in Europe. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010154. [PMID: 33445492 PMCID: PMC7827671 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is classified as a relapsing fever spirochete. Although B. miyamotoi is genetically and ecologically distinct from Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, both microorganisms are transmitted by the same Ixodes tick species. B. miyamotoi was detected in I. persulcatus ticks in 1994 in Japan. A phylogenetic analysis based on selected sequences of B. miyamotoi genome revealed genetic differences between isolates from Asia, North America, and Europe, which are clearly separated into three genotypes. Symptomatic human cases of Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD) were first reported in 2011 in Russia and then in North America, Europe, and Asia. The most common clinical manifestation of BMD is fever with flu-like symptoms. Several differences in rare symptoms (thrombocytopenia, monocytosis, cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, or symptoms related to the central nervous system) have been noted among cases caused by Asian, European, and American types of B. miyamotoi. BMD should be considered in the diagnosis of patients after tick bites, particularly with meningoencephalitis, without anti-Borrelia antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid. This review describes the biology, ecology, and potential of B. miyamotoi as a tick-borne pathogen of public health concern, with particular emphasis on Europe.
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Gilmore RD, Mikula S, Harris EK, Van Gundy TJ, Goodrich I, Brandt KS. Borrelia miyamotoi strain LB-2001 retains plasmids and infectious phenotype throughout continuous culture passages as evaluated by multiplex PCR. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101587. [PMID: 33074149 PMCID: PMC10898610 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-borne spirochete of the relapsing fever borrelia group and an emerging pathogen of public health significance. The genomes of relapsing fever borreliae and Lyme disease borreliae consist of multiple linear and circular plasmids in addition to the chromosome. Previous work with B. burgdorferi sensu lato found diminished infectivity upon continuous in vitro culture passage that was attributable to plasmid loss. The effect of long-term culture passage on B. miyamotoi is not known. We generated a series of plasmid-specific primer sets and developed a multiplex PCR assay to detect the 14 known plasmids of B. miyamotoi North American strains LB-2001 and CT13-2396. We assessed the plasmid content of B. miyamotoi LB-2001 over 64 culture passages spanning 15 months and determined that strain LB-2001 retained all plasmids upon prolonged in vitro cultivation and remained infectious in mice. We also found that strain LB-2001 lacks plasmid lp20-1 which is present in strain CT13-2396. These results suggest that B. miyamotoi remains genetically stable when cultured and passaged in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D Gilmore
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
| | - Sierra Mikula
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Emma K Harris
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Taylor J Van Gundy
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Irina Goodrich
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kevin S Brandt
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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11
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Abstract
Relapsing fever (RF) is caused by several species of Borrelia; all, except two species, are transmitted to humans by soft (argasid) ticks. The species B. recurrentis is transmitted from one human to another by the body louse, while B. miyamotoi is vectored by hard-bodied ixodid tick species. RF Borrelia have several pathogenic features that facilitate invasion and dissemination in the infected host. In this article we discuss the dynamics of vector acquisition and subsequent transmission of RF Borrelia to their vertebrate hosts. We also review taxonomic challenges for RF Borrelia as new species have been isolated throughout the globe. Moreover, aspects of pathogenesis including symptomology, neurotropism, erythrocyte and platelet adhesion are discussed. We expound on RF Borrelia evasion strategies for innate and adaptive immunity, focusing on the most fundamental pathogenetic attributes, multiphasic antigenic variation. Lastly, we review new and emerging species of RF Borrelia and discuss future directions for this global disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Job Lopez
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston TX, USA
| | - Joppe W Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Medical centers, location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sven Bergström
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå Center for Microbial Research, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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12
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Harris EK, Brandt KS, Van Gundy TJ, Goodrich I, Wormser GP, Armstrong BA, Gilmore RD. Characterization of a Borrelia miyamotoi membrane antigen (BmaA) for serodiagnosis of Borrelia miyamotoi disease. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101476. [PMID: 32723629 PMCID: PMC10956739 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-borne pathogen that causes Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD), an emerging infectious disease of increasing public health significance. B. miyamotoi is transmitted by the same tick vector (Ixodes spp.) as B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the causative agent of Lyme disease, therefore laboratory assays to differentiate BMD from Lyme disease are needed to avoid misdiagnoses and for disease confirmation. We previously performed a global immunoproteomic analysis of the murine host antibody response against B. miyamotoi infection to discover antigens that could serologically distinguish the two infections. An initial assessment identified a putative lipoprotein antigen, here termed BmaA, as a promising candidate to augment current research-based serological assays. In this study, we show that BmaA is an outer surface-associated protein by its susceptibility to protease digestion. Synthesis of BmaA in culture was independent of temperature at either 23 °C or 34 °C. The BmaA gene is present in two identical loci harbored on separate plasmids in North American strains LB-2001 and CT13-2396. bmaA-like sequences are present in other B. miyamotoi strains and relapsing fever borrelia as multicopy genes and as paralogous or orthologous gene families. IgM and IgG antibodies in pooled serum from BMD patients reacted with native BmaA fractionated by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified by mass spectrometry. IgG against recombinant BmaA was detected in 4 of 5 BMD patient serum samples as compared with 1 of 23 serum samples collected from patients with various stages of Lyme disease. Human anti-B. turicatae serum did not seroreact with recombinant BmaA suggesting a role as a species-specific diagnostic antigen. These results demonstrated that BmaA elicits a human host antibody response during B. miyamotoi infection but not in a tested group of B. burgdorferi-infected Lyme disease patients, thereby providing a potentially useful addition for developing BMD serodiagnostic tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K Harris
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kevin S Brandt
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Taylor J Van Gundy
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Irina Goodrich
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Gary P Wormser
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Brittany A Armstrong
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Robert D Gilmore
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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13
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Janeček J, Nováková M, Oppelt J, Pospíšilová P, Cunha A, Silva AC, Dantong L, Šmajs D. Complete Chromosomal Sequences of Two Borrelia miyamotoi Samples Obtained from Ixodes ricinus Eggs in Czechia. Microbiol Resour Announc 2020; 9:e01504-19. [PMID: 32241866 PMCID: PMC7118192 DOI: 10.1128/mra.01504-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we present complete chromosome sequences of Borrelia miyamotoi samples CZ-F1E and CZ-F190E, which were obtained from Ixodes ricinus eggs from Czechia. The chromosome sequences, assembled from Illumina and Sanger sequencing data, had average coverage values of 647× and 3,216×, respectively. They belong to the European genotype, distinct from the Asian and American strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Janeček
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Nováková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Oppelt
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Pospíšilová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Anita Cunha
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Li Dantong
- Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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Azagi T, Hoornstra D, Kremer K, Hovius JWR, Sprong H. Evaluation of Disease Causality of Rare Ixodes ricinus-Borne Infections in Europe. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9020150. [PMID: 32102367 PMCID: PMC7168666 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9020150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In Europe, Ixodes ricinus ticks transmit pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). In addition, there is evidence for transmission to humans from I. ricinus of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia divergens, Babesia microti, Babesia venatorum, Borrelia miyamotoi, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Rickettsia helvetica and Rickettsia monacensis. However, whether infection with these potential tick-borne pathogens results in human disease has not been fully demonstrated for all of these tick-borne microorganisms. To evaluate the available evidence for a causative relation between infection and disease, the current study analyses European case reports published from 2008 to 2018, supplemented with information derived from epidemiological and experimental studies. The evidence for human disease causality in Europe found in this review appeared to be strongest for A. phagocytophilum and B. divergens. Nonetheless, some knowledge gaps still exist. Importantly, comprehensive evidence for pathogenicity is lacking for the remaining tick-borne microorganisms. Such evidence could be gathered best through prospective studies, for example, studies enrolling patients with a fever after a tick bite, the development of specific new serological tools, isolation of these microorganisms from ticks and patients and propagation in vitro, and through experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Azagi
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, Bilthoven 3720 BA, The Netherlands; (K.K.); (H.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Dieuwertje Hoornstra
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands; (D.H.); (J.W.R.H.)
| | - Kristin Kremer
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, Bilthoven 3720 BA, The Netherlands; (K.K.); (H.S.)
| | - Joppe W. R. Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers Location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands; (D.H.); (J.W.R.H.)
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, Bilthoven 3720 BA, The Netherlands; (K.K.); (H.S.)
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