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Adelabu OA, Iweriebor BC, Obi CL. Evidence of zoonotic rickettsiae in ixodid ticks of domestic animals in some communal farms in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. J Adv Vet Anim Res 2024; 11:254-263. [PMID: 39101103 PMCID: PMC11296194 DOI: 10.5455/javar.2024.k771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective The abundance of tick populations in South Africa represents a probable risk for both animal and human health. Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia spp. are well-known agents of emerging human tick-borne infectious diseases worldwide. Nevertheless, the epidemiology of their infections has been underreported in South Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to profile zoonotic Rickettsia and Borrelia species from ticks infesting domesticated animals in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Materials and Methods Morphological and molecular identification techniques were conducted on 1,200 tick samples collected from domestic animals before screening for the target bacterial pathogens. The molecular identification of the tick samples was based on the amplification of the 12S rRNA mitochondrial Deoxyribonucleic acid. At the same time, those of Rickettsia and Borrelia species were carried out by amplifying fragments of gltA and ompB genes for Rickettsia and flaB gene for Borrelia spp. Thereafter, the positive amplicons for Rickettsia ompB were sequenced and further analyzed. Borrelia PCRs were negative; therefore, sequencing could not be performed. Results Eight species of ticks belonging to three genera; Rhipicephalus, Amblyomma, and Haemaphysalis, were identified. A total of 27% (320/1,200) samples were confirmed positive for Rickettsia, of which 23% (74/320) were positive for ompB genes. Phylogenetic analysis of ompB revealed a high homology to rickettsial reference strains from GenBank, with no positive result for Borrelia. The generated sequences showed homology with R. africae-KX227790 (100%), R. parkeri-KY113111 (99.8%), R. peacockii (99.3%), and R. slovaca-JX683122 (99.1%) representative sequences in GenBank. Conclusion The findings from this study revealed that ticks harbored Rickettsia species with possible zoonotic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benson Chuks Iweriebor
- School of Science and Technology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa
| | - Chikwelu Larry Obi
- School of Science and Technology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa
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Duan L, Zhang L, Hou X, Bao Z, Zeng Y, He L, Liu Z, Zhou H, Hao Q, Dong A. Surveillance of tick-borne bacteria infection in ticks and forestry populations in Inner Mongolia, China. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1302133. [PMID: 38487180 PMCID: PMC10938913 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1302133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are one of the most important vectors that can transmit pathogens to animals and human beings. This study investigated the dominant tick-borne bacteria carried by ticks and tick-borne infections in forestry populations in Arxan, Inner Mongolia, China. Ticks were collected by flagging from May 2020 to May 2021, and blood samples were collected from individuals at high risk of acquiring tick-borne diseases from March 2022 to August 2023. The pooled DNA samples of ticks were analyzed to reveal the presence of tick-borne bacteria using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rDNA V3-V4 region, and species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) related to sequencing was performed to confirm the presence of pathogenic bacteria in individual ticks and human blood samples. All sera samples were examined for anti-SFGR using ELISA and anti-B. burgdorferi using IFA and WB. A total of 295 ticks (282 Ixodes persulcatus and 13 Dermacentor silvarum) and 245 human blood samples were collected. Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Coxiella endosymbiont were identified in I. persulcatus by high-throughput sequencing, while Candidatus R. tarasevichiae (89.00%, 89/100), B. garinii (17.00%, 17/100), B. afzelii (7.00%, 7/100), and B. miyamotoi (7.00%, 7/100) were detected in I. persulcatus, as well the dual co-infection with Candidatus R. tarasevichiae and B. garinii were detected in 13.00% (13/100) of I. persulcatus. Of the 245 individuals, B. garinii (4.90%, 12/245), R. slovaca (0.82%, 2/245), and C. burnetii (0.41%, 1/245) were detected by PCR, and the sequences of the target genes of B. garinii detected in humans were identical to those detected in I. persulcatus. The seroprevalence of anti-SFGR and anti-B. burgdorferi was 5.71% and 13.47%, respectively. This study demonstrated that Candidatus R. tarasevichiae and B. garinii were the dominant tick-borne bacteria in I. persulcatus from Arxan, and that dual co-infection with Candidatus R. tarasevichiae and B. garinii was frequent. This is the first time that B. miyamotoi has been identified in ticks from Arxan and R. solvaca has been detected in humans from Inner Mongolia. More importantly, this study demonstrated the transmission of B. garinii from ticks to humans in Arxan, suggesting that long-term monitoring of tick-borne pathogens in ticks and humans is important for the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Like Duan
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Xuexia Hou
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Zihao Bao
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zeng
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Lijuan He
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Zeliang Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Haijian Zhou
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Hao
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Aiying Dong
- Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
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Tian J, Liu J, Zhao H, Chen X, Geng X, Lu M, Li K. Molecular surveillance reveals a potential hotspot of tick-borne disease in Yakeshi City, Inner Mongolia. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:359. [PMID: 37986042 PMCID: PMC10662550 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-03110-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A molecular surveillance of tick-borne diseases was performed in Hulunbuir City, Inner Mongolia. A total of 149 ticks including three species (Ixodes persulcatus, Haemaphysalis concinna, and Dermacentor silvarum) were collected. As many as 11 tick-borne bacterial pathogens were identified in them. Some of them have high positive rates. For example, Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae was detected with a high prevalence of 72.48%, while Candidatus Lariskella sp. was detected in 31.54% of ticks. For both Rickettsia raoultii and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, two distinct genotypes were identified based on their phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA, gltA, and groEL sequences. Remarkable genetic diversity was also observed for 16S and flaB genes of Borreliella garinii, an agent of Lyme disease. Rickettsia heilongjiangensis causing Far-Eastern spotted fever (2.68%, 4/149), Ehrlichia muris causing human ehrlichiosis (4.70%, 7/149), Borrelia miyamotoi causing relapsing fever (2.01%, 3/149), and Borreliella afzelii causing Lyme disease (2.01%, 3/149) were also detected. Additionally, a previously uncharacterized Anaplasma species closely related to Anaplasma ovis was identified. Herein we name it "Candidatus Anaplasma mongolica". Based on these results, we propose that Yakeshi City might be a potential hotspot of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Tian
- Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430024, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430024, China
| | - Hongqing Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping District, Beijing City, 102206, China
| | - Xiaomin Chen
- Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430024, China
| | - Xueqin Geng
- Caidian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430100, China
| | - Miao Lu
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping District, Beijing City, 102206, China.
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping Liuzi 5, Beijing, 102206, China.
| | - Kun Li
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping District, Beijing City, 102206, China.
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping Liuzi 5, Beijing, 102206, China.
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Liu D, Wulantuya, Fan H, Li X, Li F, Gao T, Yin X, Zhang Z, Cao M, Kawabata H, Sato K, Ohashi N, Ando S, Gaowa. Co-infection of tick-borne bacterial pathogens in ticks in Inner Mongolia, China. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011121. [PMID: 36893172 PMCID: PMC10030021 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne infectious diseases pose a serious health threat in certain regions of the world. Emerging infectious diseases caused by novel tick-borne pathogens have been reported that are causing particular concern. Several tick-borne diseases often coexist in the same foci, and a single vector tick can transmit two or more pathogens at the same time, which greatly increases the probability of co-infection in host animals and humans and can lead to an epidemic of tick-borne disease. The lack of epidemiological data and information on the specific clinical symptoms related to co-infection with tick-borne pathogens means that it is not currently possible to accurately and rapidly distinguish between a single pathogen infection and co-infection with multiple pathogens, which can have serious consequences. Inner Mongolia in the north of China is endemic for tick-borne infectious diseases, especially in the eastern forest region. Previous studies have found that more than 10% of co-infections were in host-seeking ticks. However, the lack of data on the specific types of co-infection with pathogens makes clinical treatment difficult. In our study, we present data on the co-infection types and the differences in co-infection among different ecological regions through genetic analysis of tick samples collected throughout Inner Mongolia. Our findings may aid clinicians in the diagnosis of concomitant tick-borne infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Wulantuya
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Hongxia Fan
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xiaona Li
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Fangchao Li
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Ting Gao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xuhong Yin
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Zitong Zhang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Minzhi Cao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Hiroki Kawabata
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kozue Sato
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norio Ohashi
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shuji Ando
- Department of Virology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Gaowa
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Tick-borne Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, College of Hetao, Bayan Nur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
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Cleveland DW, Anderson CC, Brissette CA. Borrelia miyamotoi: A Comprehensive Review. Pathogens 2023; 12:267. [PMID: 36839539 PMCID: PMC9967256 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in the Northern Hemisphere and is the causative agent of Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD). Borrelia miyamotoi is vectored by the same hard-bodied ticks as Lyme disease Borrelia, yet phylogenetically groups with relapsing fever Borrelia, and thus, has been uniquely labeled a hard tick-borne relapsing fever Borrelia. Burgeoning research has uncovered new aspects of B. miyamotoi in human patients, nature, and the lab. Of particular interest are novel findings on disease pathology, prevalence, diagnostic methods, ecological maintenance, transmission, and genetic characteristics. Herein, we review recent literature on B. miyamotoi, discuss how findings adapt to current Borrelia doctrines, and briefly consider what remains unknown about B. miyamotoi.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Catherine A. Brissette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
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Co-infections with multiple pathogens in natural populations of Ixodes persulcatus ticks in Mongolia. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:236. [PMID: 35765092 PMCID: PMC9238073 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05356-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In Mongolia, the taiga tick Ixodes persulcatus is the major vector of tick-borne pathogens. Knowledge about co-infections of these pathogens in ticks is necessary both for understanding their persistence in nature and for diagnosing and treating tick-borne diseases. Methods The prevalence of seven tick-borne infections in 346 I. persulcatus collected from the Selenge and Bulgan provinces of Mongolia was evaluated using real-time PCR. Quantification of Borrelia spp. was performed using multiplex quantitative PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Genetic analysis of Borrelia spp. in 11 ticks infected with Borrelia miyamotoi, including six ticks co-infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), was performed by high-throughput sequencing of the flaB gene fragment. Results Six ticks (1.7%) were infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV); 171 (49.4%), with B. burgdorferi sensu lato; 17 (4.9%), with B. miyamotoi; 47 (13.6%), with Anaplasma phagocytophilum; and 56 (16.2%), with Ehrlichia sp. Neither Rickettsia sibirica nor R. heilongjiangensis were detected. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. occurred as co-infection in 55 (32.2%) of all infected ticks. The other pathogens co-infected ticks in 58.8–70.2% of cases. No pairwise associations between co-infecting pathogens were observed, with the exception of a positive association between A. phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia sp. infections. The spirochete loads of B. miyamotoi were significantly higher than those of B. burgdorferi s.l. (mean: 5.2 vs 4.0 log10 genome copies/tick, respectively). Ten isolates of B. miyamotoi belonged to the Siberian lineage. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l was represented by nine isolates of B. afzelii, B. bavariensis and B. garinii. Conclusions In populations of I. persulcatus inhabiting the Selenge and Bulgan provinces of Mongolia, five vector-borne pathogens, i.e. TBEV, B. burgdorferi s.l., B. miyamotoi, A. phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia sp., persist independently from each other, with the exception of A. phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia sp. which seem to share the circulation mode. The discrepancies in B. burgdorferi s.l. and B. miyamotoi prevalence and spirochete load per tick suggest that different ecological niches are occupied by Lyme disease and relapsing fever agents. High-throughput sequencing allows genetic identification of borreliae species in co-infected ticks. Graphical Abstract ![]()
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