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Narvaez ZE, Rainey T, Puelle R, Khan A, Jordan RA, Egizi AM, Price DC. Detection of multiple tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis from Hunterdon County, NJ, USA. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2023; 4:100140. [PMID: 37680762 PMCID: PMC10481180 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2023.100140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Several human pathogens vectored by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say; Acari: Ixodidae) are endemic in the state of New Jersey. Disease incidence data suggest that these conditions occur disproportionately in the northwestern portion of the state, including in the county of Hunterdon. We conducted active surveillance at three forested sites in Hunterdon County during 2020 and 2021, collecting 662 nymphal and adult I. scapularis. Ticks were tested for five pathogens by qPCR/qRT-PCR: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Powassan virus (POWV) lineage 2. Over 2 years, 25.4% of nymphs and 58.4% of adults were found infected with at least one pathogen, with 10.6% of all ticks infected with more than one pathogen. We report substantial spatial and temporal variability of A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi, with high relative abundance of the human-infective A. phagocytophilum variant Ap-ha. Notably, POWV was detected for the first time in Hunterdon, a county where human cases have not been reported. Based on comparisons with active surveillance initiatives in nearby counties, further investigation of non-entomological factors potentially influencing rates of tick-borne illness in Hunterdon is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe E. Narvaez
- Rutgers University Center for Vector Biology, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Tadhgh Rainey
- Hunterdon County Department of Health, 314 State Route 12, Flemington, NJ, 08822, USA
| | - Rose Puelle
- Hunterdon Healthcare Partners, 114 Broad St, Flemington, NJ, 08822, USA
| | - Arsala Khan
- Rutgers University Center for Vector Biology, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Robert A. Jordan
- Tick-borne Diseases Laboratory, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Rd, Tinton Falls, NJ, 07724, USA
| | - Andrea M. Egizi
- Rutgers University Center for Vector Biology, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Tick-borne Diseases Laboratory, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Rd, Tinton Falls, NJ, 07724, USA
| | - Dana C. Price
- Rutgers University Center for Vector Biology, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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Fitness of mCherry Reporter Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Tick Experimental Models. Viruses 2022; 14:v14122673. [PMID: 36560677 PMCID: PMC9781894 DOI: 10.3390/v14122673] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) causes a most important viral life-threatening illness transmitted by ticks. The interactions between the virus and ticks are largely unexplored, indicating a lack of experimental tools and systematic studies. One such tool is recombinant reporter TBEV, offering antibody-free visualization to facilitate studies of transmission and interactions between a tick vector and a virus. In this paper, we utilized a recently developed recombinant TBEV expressing the reporter gene mCherry to study its fitness in various tick-derived in vitro cell cultures and live unfed nymphal Ixodes ricinus ticks. The reporter virus was successfully replicated in tick cell lines and live ticks as confirmed by the plaque assay and the mCherry-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Although a strong mCherry signal determined by fluorescence microscopy was detected in several tick cell lines, the fluorescence of the reporter was not observed in the live ticks, corroborated also by immunoblotting. Our data indicate that the mCherry reporter TBEV might be an excellent tool for studying TBEV-tick interactions using a tick in vitro model. However, physiological attributes of a live tick, likely contributing to the inactivity of the reporter, warrant further development of reporter-tagged viruses to study TBEV in ticks in vivo.
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Malonis RJ, Georgiev GI, Haslwanter D, VanBlargan LA, Fallon G, Vergnolle O, Cahill SM, Harris R, Cowburn D, Chandran K, Diamond MS, Lai JR. A Powassan virus domain III nanoparticle immunogen elicits neutralizing and protective antibodies in mice. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010573. [PMID: 35679349 PMCID: PMC9216602 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Powassan virus (POWV) is an emerging tick borne flavivirus (TBFV) that causes severe neuroinvasive disease. Currently, there are no approved treatments or vaccines to combat POWV infection. Here, we generated and characterized a nanoparticle immunogen displaying domain III (EDIII) of the POWV E glycoprotein. Immunization with POWV EDIII presented on nanoparticles resulted in significantly higher serum neutralizing titers against POWV than immunization with monomeric POWV EDIII. Furthermore, passive transfer of EDIII-reactive sera protected against POWV challenge in vivo. We isolated and characterized a panel of EDIII-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and identified several that potently inhibit POWV infection and engage distinct epitopes within the lateral ridge and C-C' loop of the EDIII. By creating a subunit-based nanoparticle immunogen with vaccine potential that elicits antibodies with protective activity against POWV infection, our findings enhance our understanding of the molecular determinants of antibody-mediated neutralization of TBFVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J. Malonis
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - George I. Georgiev
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Denise Haslwanter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Laura A. VanBlargan
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Georgia Fallon
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Olivia Vergnolle
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Sean M. Cahill
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Richard Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - David Cowburn
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Kartik Chandran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Michael S. Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Jonathan R. Lai
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
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Cumbie AN, Whitlow AM, Eastwood G. First Evidence of Powassan Virus (Flaviviridae) in Ixodes scapularis in Appalachian Virginia, USA. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 106:905-908. [PMID: 34929670 PMCID: PMC8922523 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we report the first detection and confirmation of Powassan virus (POWV) (family: Flaviridae) in Ixodes scapularis ticks collected from Appalachian Virginia. Ixodes scapularis ticks were collected from vegetation across field sites in eight counties of western Virginia from June 2019 to April 2021. From these collections, one nymph and one adult male I. scapularis were determined to be positive for POWV using real-time RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. Both positive ticks were collected from Floyd county, VA, at residential sites; the nymph in June 2020 and the adult male in April 2021. The presence of POWV in Virginia in its natural tick vector is crucial knowledge in beginning to understand the movement and transmission of this pathogen into new geographical areas and the risk it poses to medical and veterinary health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra N. Cumbie
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Amanda M. Whitlow
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Gillian Eastwood
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Blacksburg, Virginia;,Virginia Tech Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens (CeZAP), Blacksburg, Virginia;,Virginia Tech Global Change Center, Blacksburg, Virginia,Address correspondence to Gillian Eastwood, Virginia State University and Polytechnic Institute, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Latham Hall Room 309, Blacksburg, VA 24061. E-mail:
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Salata C, Moutailler S, Attoui H, Zweygarth E, Decker L, Bell-Sakyi L. How relevant are in vitro culture models for study of tick-pathogen interactions? Pathog Glob Health 2021; 115:437-455. [PMID: 34190676 PMCID: PMC8635668 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2021.1944539] [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] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although tick-borne infectious diseases threaten human and animal health worldwide, with constantly increasing incidence, little knowledge is available regarding vector-pathogen interactions and pathogen transmission. In vivo laboratory study of these subjects using live, intact ticks is expensive, labor-intensive, and challenging from the points of view of biosafety and ethics. Several in vitro models have been developed, including over 70 continuous cell lines derived from multiple tick species and a variety of tick organ culture systems, facilitating many research activities. However, some limitations have to be considered in the translation of the results from the in vitro environment to the in vivo situation of live, intact ticks, and vertebrate hosts. In this review, we describe the available in vitro models and selected results from their application to the study of tick-borne viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, where possible comparing these results to studies in live, intact ticks. Finally, we highlight the strengths and weaknesses of in vitro tick culture models and their essential role in tick-borne pathogen research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano Salata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sara Moutailler
- Laboratoire De Santé Animale, Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Houssam Attoui
- Department of Animal Health, UMR1161 Virologie, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Erich Zweygarth
- The Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lygia Decker
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Tick extracellular vesicles enable arthropod feeding and promote distinct outcomes of bacterial infection. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3696. [PMID: 34140472 PMCID: PMC8211691 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23900-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles are thought to facilitate pathogen transmission from arthropods to humans and other animals. Here, we reveal that pathogen spreading from arthropods to the mammalian host is multifaceted. Extracellular vesicles from Ixodes scapularis enable tick feeding and promote infection of the mildly virulent rickettsial agent Anaplasma phagocytophilum through the SNARE proteins Vamp33 and Synaptobrevin 2 and dendritic epidermal T cells. However, extracellular vesicles from the tick Dermacentor andersoni mitigate microbial spreading caused by the lethal pathogen Francisella tularensis. Collectively, we establish that tick extracellular vesicles foster distinct outcomes of bacterial infection and assist in vector feeding by acting on skin immunity. Thus, the biology of arthropods should be taken into consideration when developing strategies to control vector-borne diseases.
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