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Purushothaman S, Azhahianambi P, Dharman M, Gokula Kannan R, Tirumurugaan KG, Soundararajan C, Aravindh Babu RP, Devaraju P, Prakash JAJ. A cross sectional study on molecular prevalence of Orientia tsutsugamushi in household rat population of South India. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 111:102212. [PMID: 38880051 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2024.102212] [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: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the molecular prevalence of mite-borne zoonotic pathogen O. tsutsugamushi in household rats of South India through nested polymerase chain reaction amplification of O. tsutsugamushi 47-kDa htrA gene and to determine the most suitable sample type for screening of O. tsutsugamushi in rats. Out of 85 rats trapped in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Puducherry regions, 47 rats were found positive for the O. tsutsugamushi genome with prevalence of 55.29 %. Among different sample types screened, faecal samples exhibited the highest positivity rate, followed by liver, spleen, kidney, and blood samples. Agreement between faecal and spleen samples of rats for the presence of O. tsutsugamushi was the highest. Principal component analysis revealed a positive correlation between the spleen, liver, and faeces and a negative correlation between blood and faeces for the presence of O. tsutsugamushi genome. These findings underscore the varied distribution of O. tsutsugamushi among different samples and indicate that the faecal and liver samples of rats are an ideal choice of samples for epidemiological studies. This is the first study to report a high level of presence of O. tsutsugamushi in faecal samples of rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Purushothaman
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600051, India
| | - P Azhahianambi
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600051, India.
| | - M Dharman
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600051, India
| | - R Gokula Kannan
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600051, India
| | - K G Tirumurugaan
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600051, India
| | - C Soundararajan
- Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600051, India
| | - R P Aravindh Babu
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600051, India
| | | | - John A J Prakash
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632004, India
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Choi KS, Hwang S, Kim MC, Cho HC, Park YJ, Ji MJ, Han SW, Chae JS. Molecular surveillance of zoonotic pathogens from wild rodents in the Republic of Korea. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012306. [PMID: 38976750 PMCID: PMC11257403 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rodents are recognized as major reservoirs of numerous zoonotic pathogens and are involved in the transmission and maintenance of infectious diseases. Furthermore, despite their importance, diseases transmitted by rodents have been neglected. To date, there have been limited epidemiological studies on rodents, and information regarding their involvement in infectious diseases in the Republic of Korea (ROK) is still scarce. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We investigated rodent-borne pathogens using nested PCR/RT-PCR from 156 rodents including 151 Apodemus agrarius and 5 Rattus norvegicus from 27 regions in eight provinces across the ROK between March 2019 and November 2020. Spleen, kidney, and blood samples were used to detect Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group, Coxiella burnetii, Leptospira interrogans, and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV). Of the 156 rodents, 73 (46.8%) were infected with Bartonella spp., 25 (16.0%) with C. burnetii, 24 (15.4%) with L. interrogans, 21 (13.5%) with A. phagocytophilum, 9 (5.8%) with SFTSV, and 5 (3.2%) with Borrelia afzelii. Co-infections with two and three pathogens were detected in 33 (21.1%) and 11 rodents (7.1%), respectively. A. phagocytophilum was detected in all regions, showing a widespread occurrence in the ROK. The infection rates of Bartonella spp. were 83.3% for B. grahamii and 16.7% for B. taylorii. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of C. burnetii and SFTSV infections in rodents in the ROK. This study also provides the first description of various rodent-borne pathogens through an extensive epidemiological survey in the ROK. These results suggest that rodents harbor various pathogens that pose a potential threat to public health in the ROK. Our findings provide useful information on the occurrence and distribution of zoonotic pathogens disseminated among rodents and emphasize the urgent need for rapid diagnosis, prevention, and control strategies for these zoonotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoung-Seong Choi
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunwoo Hwang
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Cheol Kim
- Department of Ecological Science, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Chul Cho
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Jin Park
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Jeong Ji
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Woo Han
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 FOUR Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education and Research Centre, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon-Seok Chae
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 FOUR Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education and Research Centre, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Won EJ, Kim SH, Byeon KH, Jeon CH, Kang SJ, Park JH, Kee SJ, Choi HW. Under-diagnosis of vector-borne diseases among individuals suspected of having Scrub Typhus in South Korea. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286631. [PMID: 37267407 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to environmental and ecological changes and suitable habitats, the occurrence of vector-borne diseases is increasing. We investigated the seroprevalence of four major vector-borne pathogens in human patients with febrile illness who were clinically suspected of having Scrub Typhus (ST) caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. A total of 187 samples (182 patient whole blood and sera samples, including 5 follow-up) were collected. Antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Bartonella henselae were tested by using indirect immunofluorescence assays. Molecular diagnoses were performed using real-time PCR. Of the 182 cases, 37 (20.3%) cases were designated as confirmed cases of ST, and the remaining 145 (79.7%) cases as other febrile diseases (OFDs). The seroprevalence of A. phagocytophilum, E. chaffeensis, B. burgdorferi, and B. henselae was 51.4% (19/37), 10.8% (4/37), 86.5% (32/37), and 10.8% (4/37) among the ST group, and 42.8% (62/145), 10.4% (19/145), 57.7% (105/145), and 15.9% (29/145) among the OFD group, respectively. There were no significant differences in the seroprevalence between the ST and the OFD groups. Considering the co-occurrence, 89.0% (162/182) had at least one antibody to tick-borne pathogens, 37.0% (60/162) were positive for two pathogens, 17.3% (28/162) for three pathogens, and 6.2% (10/162) for four pathogens. In real-time PCR, O. tsutsugamushi was positive in 16 cases [15 (40.5%) in ST group and 1 (2.2%) in OFD group], and the four other pathogens were negative in all cases except one confirmed as anaplasmosis. In evaluating the five follow-up samples, the appearance of new antibodies or an increase in the pre-existing antibody titers was detected. Our data highlighted that acute febrile illness and manifestations suggestive of a vector-borne infection must be recognized and further considered for coinfections in clinical practice and the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Jeong Won
- Departments of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, South Korea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seong Hoon Kim
- Departments of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, South Korea
| | - Kyeong Hwan Byeon
- Departments of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, South Korea
| | - Chae-Hyeon Jeon
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Seung-Ji Kang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Chonnam National University Bitgoeul Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Joo-Heon Park
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Seung-Jung Kee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Woo Choi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Bitgoeul Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
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Kim SL, Choi JH, Yi MH, Lee S, Kim M, Oh S, Lee IY, Jeon BY, Yong TS, Kim JY. Metabarcoding of bacteria and parasites in the gut of Apodemus agrarius. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:486. [PMID: 36564849 PMCID: PMC9789561 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05608-w] [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: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius is a wild rodent commonly found in fields in Korea. It is a known carrier of various pathogens. Amplicon-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene is the most common technique used to analyze the bacterial microbiome. Although many bacterial microbiome analyses have been attempted using feces of wild animals, only a few studies have used NGS to screen for parasites. This study aimed to rapidly detect bacterial, fungal and parasitic pathogens in the guts of A. agrarius using NGS-based metabarcoding analysis. METHODS We conducted 18S/16S rDNA-targeted high-throughput sequencing on cecal samples collected from A. agrarius (n = 48) trapped in May and October 2017. Taxa of protozoa, fungi, helminths and bacteria in the cecal content were then identified. RESULTS Among the protozoa identified, the most prevalent was Tritrichomonas sp., found in all of the cecal samples, followed by Monocercomonas sp. (95.8% prevalence; in 46/48 samples) and Giardia sp. (75% prevalence; in 36/48 samples). For helminths, Heligmosomoides sp. was the most common, found in 85.4% (41/48) of samples, followed by Hymenolepis sp. (10.4%; 5/48) and Syphacia sp. (25%; 12/48). The 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that the microbial composition of the cecal samples changed by season (P = 0.005), with the linear discriminant analysis effect size showing that in the spring Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus murinus were more abundant and Helicobacter rodentium was less abundant. Helicobacter japonicus was more abundant and Prevotella_uc was less abundant in males. The microbial composition changed based on the Heligmosomoides sp. infection status (P = 0.019); specifically, Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus intestinalis were more abundant in the Heligmosomoides sp.-positive group than in the Heligmosomoides sp.-negative group. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that bacterial abundance changed based on the season and specific parasitic infection status of the trapped mice. These results highlight the advantages of NGS technology in monitoring zoonotic disease reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo Lim Kim
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Ho Choi
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-hee Yi
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Seogwon Lee
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Myungjun Kim
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Singeun Oh
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - In-Yong Lee
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Bo-Young Jeon
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science, Yonsei University, Wonju, 26493 Republic of Korea
| | - Tai-Soon Yong
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Ju Yeong Kim
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
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Kaura T, Kaur J, Bisht K, Goel S, Lakshmi P, Grover GS, Mewara A, Biswal M. Vector and rodent surveillance for Orientia tsutsugamushi in north India. J Vector Borne Dis 2022; 59:348-355. [PMID: 36751766 DOI: 10.4103/0972-9062.355958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Scrub typhus or chigger borne typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi is an emerging vector-borne disease as large numbers of cases have been reported in various tropical countries. It is transmitted to humans through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites). The knowledge about the vector, its distribution, density and habitat are important so as to understand the epidemiology of scrub typhus in a given area. To control rickettsial infections, regular rodent-vector surveillance should be planned in areas where the disease transmission is occurring and it will also help to strengthen the existing entomological data related to the vector of scrub typhus in northern India. METHODS In the present study, rodent-vector surveillance was planned for one whole year, covering both mite active and non-active seasons (October 2019-December 2020) in selected areas of Chandigarh and Punjab in north India. Rodent tissues and mites were also examined for the presence of O. tsutsugamushi by nested PCR for 56 kDa gene and real-time PCR for 47 kDa outer membrane protein gene. 18S gene PCR was performed for molecular identification of mites. RESULTS In the surveillance, three types of ectoparasite, viz. mites, fleas and ticks were obtained in rodents. All mites found were of Laelapidae family. None of the pooled rodent tissue samples as well as mite samples were found positive for O. tsutsugamushi by nested PCR for rickettsial DNA. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION In the present study, we did not get any evidence of carriage of O. tsutsugamushi in either mites or rodents collected and sampled in selected regions in Chandigarh and Punjab. We need to strengthen the entomological surveillance over a broader region and increase the frequency of trapping rodents to increase clarity on vector-reservoir dynamics in this geographical region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taruna Kaura
- Department of Medical Parasitology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Jasleen Kaur
- Department of Medical Microbiology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Kamlesh Bisht
- Department of Medical Microbiology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shriya Goel
- Department of Medical Microbiology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Pvm Lakshmi
- Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gagandeep Singh Grover
- Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, Parivar Kalyan Bhawan, Chandigarh, India
| | - Abhishek Mewara
- Department of Medical Parasitology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Manisha Biswal
- Department of Medical Microbiology; Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Evaluation of the Diagnostic Accuracy of Antibody Assays for Patients with Scrub Typhus. J Clin Microbiol 2021; 59:e0294220. [PMID: 33883180 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02942-20] [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: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was carried out to evaluate the accuracy of various antibody tests for scrub typhus, namely, the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) and four commercial kits (companies A to D). The test accuracy was based on the diagnosis of scrub typhus, as defined by a positive PCR or culture. In total, serum samples from 97 patients with scrub typhus and 200 non-scrub typhus patients were tested. The respective sensitivity and specificity of each test were as follows. For the KCDC IFA, sensitivity and specificity were 55.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 45.2 to 65.8%) and 94.8% (95% CI, 90.4 to 97.3%) for IgM and 42.3% (95% CI, 32.3 to 52.7%) and 96.3% (95% CI, 92.6 to 98.5%) for IgG, with diagnostic cutoffs of ≥1:16 for IgM and ≥1:256 for IgG. For kit A, the sensitivity and specificity were 70.1% (95% CI, 59.8 to 78.8%) and 74.6% (95% CI, 67.6 to 80.6%) for total immunoglobulins, with a cutoff of ≥1:40. For kit B, the sensitivity and specificity were 64.3% (95% CI, 51.9 to 75.1%) and 94.9% (95% CI, 81.4 to 99.1%) for IgM and 67.1% (95% CI, 54.8 to 77.6%) and 74.4% (95% CI, 57.6 to 86.4%) for IgG. For kit C, the sensitivity and specificity were 53.6% (95% CI, 43.2 to 63.7%) and 99.5% (95% CI, 96.8 to 100%) for IgM and 36.1% (95% CI, 26.8 to 46.5%) and 100% (95% CI, 97.6 to 100%) for IgG. For kit D, the sensitivity and specificity were 73.2% (95% CI, 63.1 to 81.4%) and 89.5% (95% CI, 84.2 to 93.2%) for total immunoglobulins. These results are all unsatisfactory, highlighting an urgent need for the development of more highly sensitive and specific tests.
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