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Bai N, Pesapane R, Machtinger ET, Li AY. Aggressive interactions among white-tailed deer (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) at 4-poster devices for host-targeted tick control. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2024; 61:975-983. [PMID: 38726974 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjae059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann (Artiodactyla: Cervidae), are the primary wildlife host for adult stages of blacklegged ticks (Acari: Ixodidae: Ixodes scapularis Say) and an important host for lone star ticks (Acari: Ixodidae: Amblyomma americanum Linnaeus), both of which are vectors of numerous tick-borne pathogens. The 4-poster passive deer treatment device is a topical, host-targeted method to control free-living tick populations and has been proven to successfully reduce tick abundance in several states. Aggressive behavior of white-tailed deer at concentrated feeding stations is hypothesized to interfere with the effective use of 4-poster devices and deer contact with acaricide applicators. We analyzed images collected by camera traps at 4-poster feeding stations deployed at 3 sites in Maryland and found a negative relationship between some aggressive interactions and contact with applicators. Our results emphasize the need for further investigation into whether deer social dynamics can impact 4-poster efficacy for tick control. This study serves as a reminder that intraspecific interactions are important to consider when using host-targeted acaricide approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningzhu Bai
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Risa Pesapane
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Erika T Machtinger
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, 4 Chemical Ecology Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Andrew Y Li
- USDA-ARS Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, BARC-West, Building 007, Room 301, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
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2
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Other bacterial agents (4th section). Transfusion 2024; 64 Suppl 1:S243-S270. [PMID: 38394037 DOI: 10.1111/trf.17695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
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Olafson PU, Poh KC, Evans JR, Skvarla MJ, Machtinger ET. Limited detection of shared zoonotic pathogens in deer keds and blacklegged ticks co-parasitizing white-tailed deer in the eastern United States. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 37:179-188. [PMID: 36286196 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Deer keds, such as Lipoptena cervi Linnaeus (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), are blood-feeding flies from which several human and animal pathogens have been detected, including Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato Johnson (Spirochaetales: Borreliaceae), the causative agent of Lyme disease. Cervids (Artiodactyla: Cervidae), which are the primary hosts of deer keds, are not natural reservoirs of B. burgdorferi sl, and it has been suggested that deer keds may acquire bacterial pathogens via co-feeding near infected ticks. We screened L. cervi (n = 306) and Ixodes scapularis Say (Ixodida: Ixodidae) (n = 315) collected from 38 white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania for the family Anaplasmataceae, Bartonella spp. (Hyphomicrobiales: Bartonellaceae), Borrelia spp., and Rickettsia spp. (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae). Limited similarity in the bacterial DNA detected between these ectoparasites per host suggested that co-feeding may not be a mechanism by which deer keds acquire these bacteria. The feeding biology and life history of deer keds may impact the observed results, as could the season when specimens were collected. We separately screened L. cervi (n = 410), L. mazamae Róndani (n = 13), L. depressa Say (n = 10), and Neolipoptena ferrisi Bequaert (n = 14) collections from locations within the United States and Canada for the same pathogens. These results highlight the need to further study deer ked-host and deer ked-tick relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen C Poh
- Department of Entomology, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Jesse R Evans
- Department of Entomology, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael J Skvarla
- Department of Entomology, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Erika T Machtinger
- Department of Entomology, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Maxwell SP, Brooks C, Kim P, Kim D, McNeely CL, Thomas K. Understanding Habitats and Environmental Conditions of White-Tailed Deer Population Density and Public Health Data to Aid in Assessing Human Tick-Borne Disease Risk. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11040865. [PMID: 37110288 PMCID: PMC10146154 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11040865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The extent of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in the United States is largely unknown and underreported. Equitable diagnostic and treatment options may vary by geographic location. Triangulating multi-modal data sources informed by a One Health approach provides robust proxies for human TBD risk. Using data from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources collected from hunters during the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hunting season and other sources, we employ a mixed-methods approach based on thematic mapping and mixed effects modelling to determine if deer population density aligns with official disease data at the county level from (1) positive canine serological reports for, anaplasmosis, and Lyme Disease (LD); (2) positive human cases of ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, LD, and Spotted Fever rickettsioses; and (3) tick infectivity. We propose the need for multimodal data analysis using a variety of potential proxies to better estimate disease risk and inform public health policy and practice. We find similar spatial distributions between deer population density and human and canine TBDs in northeastern and southern Indiana, which are rural and mixed geographic areas. Overall, LD is more prevalent in the northwest, central-western, and southeastern counties, while ehrlichiosis is more common in the southern counties. These findings hold true across humans, canines, and deer.
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Identification of Bacterial Communities and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Haemaphysalis spp. Collected from Shanghai, China. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7120413. [PMID: 36548668 PMCID: PMC9787663 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7120413] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks can carry and transmit a large number of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and protozoa, posing a huge threat to human health and animal husbandry. Previous investigations have shown that the dominant species of ticks in Shanghai are Haemaphysalis flava and Haemaphysalis longicornis. However, no relevant investigations and research have been carried out in recent decades. Therefore, we investigated the bacterial communities and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in Haemaphysalis spp. from Shanghai, China. Ixodid ticks were collected from 18 sites in Shanghai, China, and identified using morphological and molecular methods. The V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene were amplified from the pooled tick DNA samples and subject to metagenomic analysis. The microbial diversity in the tick samples was estimated using the alpha diversity that includes the observed species index and Shannon index. The Unifrac distance matrix as determined using the QIIME software was used for unweighted Unifrac Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA). Individual tick DNA samples were screened with genus-specific or group-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for these TBPs and combined with a sequencing assay to confirm the results of the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. We found H. flava and H. longicornis to be the dominant species of ticks in Shanghai in this study. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria are the main bacterial communities of Haemaphysalis spp. The total species abundances of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, are 48.8%, 20.8% and 18.1%, respectively. At the level of genus analysis, H. longicornis and H. flava carried at least 946 genera of bacteria. The bacteria with high abundance include Lactobacillus, Coxiella, Rickettsia and Muribaculaceae. Additionally, Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia japonica, Candidatus Rickettsia jingxinensis, Anaplasma bovis, Ehrlichia ewingii, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Coxiella spp. and Coxiella-like endosymbiont were detected in Haemaphysalis spp. from Shanghai, China. This study is the first report of bacterial communities and the prevalence of some main pathogens in Haemaphysalis spp. from Shanghai, China, and may provide insights and evidence for bacterial communities and the prevalence of the main pathogen in ticks. This study also indicates that people and other animals in Shanghai, China, are exposed to several TBPs.
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Jordan RA, Gable S, Egizi A. Relevance of Spatial and Temporal Trends in Nymphal Tick Density and Infection Prevalence for Public Health and Surveillance Practice in Long-Term Endemic Areas: A Case Study in Monmouth County, NJ. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:1451-1466. [PMID: 35662344 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases are a growing public health problem in the United States, and the US northeast has reported consistently high case rates for decades. Monmouth County, New Jersey, was one of the earliest jurisdictions to report Lyme disease cases in 1979 and reports several hundred cases per year nearly 40 yr later. In the time since, however, tick-borne health risks have expanded far beyond Lyme disease to include a variety of other bacterial pathogens and viruses, and additional vectors, necessitating a continually evolving approach to tick surveillance. In 2017, Monmouth County initiated an active surveillance program targeting sites across three ecological regions for collection of Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) and Amblyomma americanum L. (Acari: Ixodidae) as well as testing via qPCR for associated bacterial pathogens. During the first five years of this program (2017-2021), we report high levels of spatiotemporal variability in nymphal density and infection prevalence in both species, limiting the granularity with which human risk can be predicted from acarological data. Nonetheless, broader patterns emerged, including an ongoing trend of A. americanum dominance, risks posed by Borrelia miyamotoi, and the frequency of coinfected ticks. We present some of the first county-level, systematic surveillance of nymphal A. americanum density and infection prevalence in the northeastern US. We also documented a temporary decline in Borrelia burgdorferi that could relate to unmeasured trends in reservoir host populations. We discuss the implications of our findings for tick-borne disease ecology, public health communication, and tick surveillance strategies in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Jordan
- Tick-borne Disease Program, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724, USA
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Sydney Gable
- Tick-borne Disease Program, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724, USA
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Andrea Egizi
- Tick-borne Disease Program, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724, USA
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
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Félix ML, Muñoz-Leal S, Carvalho LA, Queirolo D, Remesar S, Armúa-Fernández MT, Venzal JM. Characterization of " Candidatus Ehrlichia Pampeana" in Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Ticks and Gray Brocket Deer ( Mazama gouazoubira) from Uruguay. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2165. [PMID: 34683486 PMCID: PMC8538733 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human ehrlichiosis are scantily documented in Uruguay. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Ehrlichia spp. in Haemaphysalis juxtakochi and in a gray brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) from Uruguay. The presence of Ehrlichia DNA was investigated in free-living H. juxtakochi in five localities of southeast and northeast Uruguay, as well as blood, spleen, and ticks retrieved from a M. gouazoubira. Ehrlichia spp. DNA was detected in six out of 99 tick pools from vegetation, in the spleen of M. gouazoubira, and in one out of five pools of ticks feeding on this cervid. Bayesian inference analyses for three loci (16S rRNA, dsb, and groEL) revealed the presence of a new rickettsial organism, named herein as "Candidatus Ehrlichia pampeana". This new detected Ehrlichia is phylogenetically related to those found in ticks from Asia, as well as Ehrlichia ewingii from USA and Cameroon. Although the potential pathogenicity of "Ca. E. pampeana" for humans is currently unknown, some eco-epidemiological factors may be relevant to its possible pathogenic role, namely: (i) the phylogenetic closeness with the zoonotic agent E. ewingii, (ii) the evidence of H. juxtakochi parasitizing humans, and (iii) the importance of cervids as reservoirs for zoonotic Ehrlichia spp. The molecular detection of "Ca. E. pampeana" represents the third Ehrlichia genotype described in Uruguay.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Laura Félix
- Laboratorio de Vectores y Enfermedades Transmitidas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte—Salto, Universidad de la República, Rivera 1350, Salto 50000, Uruguay; (M.T.A.-F.); (J.M.V.)
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Casilla 537, Chillán 3780000, Chile;
| | - Luis Andrés Carvalho
- AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand;
| | - Diego Queirolo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Vertebrados, CENUR Noreste, Universidad de la República, Ituzaingó 667, Rivera 40000, Uruguay;
| | - Susana Remesar
- INVESAGA Group, Department of Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain;
| | - María Teresa Armúa-Fernández
- Laboratorio de Vectores y Enfermedades Transmitidas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte—Salto, Universidad de la República, Rivera 1350, Salto 50000, Uruguay; (M.T.A.-F.); (J.M.V.)
| | - José Manuel Venzal
- Laboratorio de Vectores y Enfermedades Transmitidas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte—Salto, Universidad de la República, Rivera 1350, Salto 50000, Uruguay; (M.T.A.-F.); (J.M.V.)
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8
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Erickson TA, Mayes B, Murray KO, Gunter SM. The epidemiology of human ehrlichiosis in Texas, 2008-2017. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101788. [PMID: 34325087 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101788] [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] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases in the United States, including ehrlichiosis, represent a growing public health problem. The purpose of this study was to examine the contemporary epidemiology of human ehrlichiosis in Texas by analyzing cases reported to the Texas Department of State Health Services. In Texas, 101 cases of ehrlichiosis were reported during 2008-2017. We observed geographic grouping of cases as well as an increasing trend of reported cases occurring annually from 2009 to 2017. Notably, 27 cases occurred in 2008 in south Texas with unique patient characteristics in that they were younger, less likely to be hospitalized, and presented with disease earlier in the year than typically seen. Our findings highlight the importance of disease awareness and prevention of tick bites as well as further investigation into transmission risk and future disease patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A Erickson
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States; National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Bonny Mayes
- Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Kristy O Murray
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States; National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sarah M Gunter
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States; National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.
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Thompson AT, White SA, Shaw D, Garrett KB, Wyckoff ST, Doub EE, Ruder MG, Yabsley MJ. A multi-seasonal study investigating the phenology, host and habitat associations, and pathogens of Haemaphysalis longicornis in Virginia, U.S.A. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101773. [PMID: 34229999 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the abiotic and biotic variables affecting tick populations is essential for studying the biology and health risks associated with vector species. We conducted a study on the phenology of exotic Haemaphysalis longicornis (Asian longhorned tick) at a site in Albemarle County, Virginia, United States. We also assessed the importance of wildlife hosts, habitats, and microclimate variables such as temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed on this exotic tick's presence and abundance. In addition, we determined the prevalence of infection with selected tick-borne pathogens in host-seeking H. longicornis. We determined that the seasonal activity of H. longicornis in Virginia was slightly different from previous studies in the northeastern United States. We observed nymphal ticks persist year-round but were most active in the spring, followed by a peak in adult activity in the summer and larval activity in the fall. We also observed a lower probability of collecting host-seeking H. longicornis in field habitats and the summer months. In addition, we detected H. longicornis on several wildlife hosts, including coyote (Canis latrans), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), raccoon (Procyon lotor), Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), woodchuck (Marmota monax), and a Peromyscus sp. mouse. This latter record is the first detection of a larval H. longicornis on a North American rodent host important to the enzootic maintenance of tick-borne pathogens of humans and animals. Finally, we continued to detect the exotic piroplasm parasite, Theileria orientalis Ikeda, in H. longicornis as well as other pathogens, including Rickettsia felis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum (AP-1), and a Hepatozoon sp. previously characterized in Amblyomma americanum. These represent some of the first detections of arthropod-borne pathogens native to the United States in host-seeking H. longicornis. These data increase our understanding of H. longicornis biology in the United States and provide valuable information into the future health risks associated with this tick and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec T Thompson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA.
| | - Seth A White
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA
| | - David Shaw
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA
| | - Kayla B Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA
| | - Seth T Wyckoff
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA
| | - Emily E Doub
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA
| | - Mark G Ruder
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens GA, USA.
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Noden BH, Tanner EP, Polo JA, Fuhlendorf SD. Invasive woody plants as foci of tick-borne pathogens: eastern redcedar in the southern Great Plains. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2021; 46:12-18. [PMID: 35229576 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-46.1.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Habitat preference and usage by disease vectors are directly correlated with landscapes often undergoing anthropogenic environmental change. A predominant type of land use change occurring in the United States is the expansion of native and non-native woody plant species in grasslands, but little is known regarding the impact of this expansion on regional vector-borne disease transmission. In this study, we focused on the impact of expanding eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana; ERC) and tested two hypotheses involving relationships between habitat preferences of adult tick species in rural habitats in central Oklahoma. Using CO2 traps, we collected ticks from two densities of ERC and grassland and screened adult ticks for the presence of pathogen DNA. We found support for our first hypothesis with significantly more Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus) and Dermacentor variabilis (Say) collected in ERC habitats than in grassland. Our second hypothesis was also supported, as Ehrlichia- and Rickettsia-infected A. americanum were significantly more likely to be collected from ERC habitats than grassland. As the first evidence that links woody plant encroachment with important tick-borne pathogens in the continental United States, these results have important ramifications involving human and companion animal risk for encountering pathogen-infected ticks in the southern Great Plains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce H Noden
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, U.S.A.
| | - Evan P Tanner
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, U.S.A
- Department of Natural Resource and Ecology Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, U.S.A
| | - John A Polo
- Department of Natural Resource and Ecology Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, U.S.A
| | - Sam D Fuhlendorf
- Department of Natural Resource and Ecology Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, U.S.A
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11
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Tufts DM, Goodman LB, Benedict MC, Davis AD, VanAcker MC, Diuk-Wasser M. Association of the invasive Haemaphysalis longicornis tick with vertebrate hosts, other native tick vectors, and tick-borne pathogens in New York City, USA. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:149-157. [PMID: 33130214 PMCID: PMC10029828 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Haemaphysalis longicornis, the Asian longhorned tick, is an invasive ixodid tick that has rapidly spread across the northeastern and southeastern regions of the United States since first reported in 2017. The emergence of H. longicornis presents a potential threat for livestock, wildlife, and human health as the host associations and vector potential of this invasive pest in the United States are poorly understood. Previous field data from the United States has shown that H. longicornis was not associated with natural populations of small mammals or birds, but they show a preference for medium sized mammals in laboratory experiments. Therefore, medium and large sized mammals were sampled on Staten Island, New York, United States, to determine H. longicornis host associations and vector potential for a range of human and veterinary pathogens. A total of 97 hosts were sampled and five species of tick (Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis, H. longicornis, Ixodes scapularis, Ixodes cookei) were found feeding concurrently on these hosts. Haemaphysalis longicornis was found in the highest proportions compared with other native tick species on raccoons (55.4%), Virginia opossums (28.9%), and white-tailed deer (11.5%). Tissue, blood, and engorged larvae were tested for 17 different pathogens using a nanoscale PCR platform. Infection with five pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., Mycoplasma haemocanis, and Bartonella spp.) was detected in host samples, but no pathogens were found in any larval samples. These results suggest that although large and medium sized mammals feed large numbers of H. longicornis ticks in the environment, there is presently a low potential for H. longicornis to acquire pathogens from these wildlife hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle M Tufts
- Columbia University, Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Department, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Laura B Goodman
- Cornell University, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Meghan C Benedict
- Cornell University, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - April D Davis
- Wadsworth Center, Griffin Laboratory, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY 12159, USA
| | - Meredith C VanAcker
- Columbia University, Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Department, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Maria Diuk-Wasser
- Columbia University, Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Department, New York, NY 10027, USA
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12
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Barradas PF, Lima C, Cardoso L, Amorim I, Gärtner F, Mesquita JR. Molecular Evidence of Hemolivia mauritanica, Ehrlichia spp. and the Endosymbiont Candidatus Midichloria Mitochondrii in Hyalomma aegyptium Infesting Testudo graeca Tortoises from Doha, Qatar. Animals (Basel) 2020; 11:ani11010030. [PMID: 33375268 PMCID: PMC7824506 DOI: 10.3390/ani11010030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Due to the veterinary and medical importance of pathogens transmitted by Hyalomma aegyptium, we tested ticks removed from Testudo graeca tortoises for the presence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Hemolivia, Babesia and Hepatozoon. Forty-three percent of the examined adult ticks were infected with at least one agent. The most prevalent agent identified was Hemolivia mauritanica (28.6%), followed by Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii (9.5%) and Ehrlichia spp. (4.7%). Our study reported for the first time H. mauritanica, Ehrlichia spp. and Candidatus M. mitochondrii in H. aegyptium ticks collected from pet spur-thighed tortoises, in Qatar, providing data that adds to the geographical extension of these agents. Abstract Tick-borne agents constitute a growing concern for human and animal health worldwide. Hyalomma aegyptium is a hard tick with a three-host life cycle, whose main hosts for adults are Palearctic tortoises of genus Testudo. Nevertheless, immature ticks can feed on a variety of hosts, representing an important eco-epidemiological issue regarding H. aegyptium pathogens circulation. Hyalomma aegyptium ticks are vectors and/or reservoirs of various pathogenic agents, such as Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Babesia and Hepatozoon/Hemolivia. Ehrlichia and Anaplasma are emergent tick-borne bacteria with a worldwide distribution and zoonotic potential, responsible for diseases that cause clinical manifestations that grade from acute febrile illness to a fulminant disease characterized by multi-organ system failure, depending on the species. Babesia and Hepatozoon/Hemolivia are tick-borne parasites with increasing importance in multiple species. Testudo graeca tortoises acquired in a large animal market in Doha, Qatar, were screened for a panel of tick-borne pathogens by conventional PCR followed by bidirectional sequencing. The most prevalent agent identified in ticks was Hemolivia mauritanica (28.6%), followed by Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii (9.5%) and Ehrlichia spp. (4.7%). All samples were negative for Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. Overall, 43% of the examined adult ticks were infected with at least one agent. Only 4.7% of the ticks appeared to be simultaneously infected with two agents, i.e., Ehrlichia spp. and H. mauritanica. This is the first detection of H. mauritanica, Ehrlichia spp. and Candidatus M. mitochondrii in H. aegyptium ticks collected from pet spur-thighed tortoises, in Qatar, a fact which adds to the geographical extension of these agents. The international trade of Testudo tortoises carrying ticks infected with pathogens of veterinary and medical importance deserves strict control, in order to reduce potential exotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia F. Barradas
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.F.B.); (I.A.); (F.G.)
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal
| | - Clara Lima
- Department of Biological Sciences, Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, and Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal;
| | - Irina Amorim
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.F.B.); (I.A.); (F.G.)
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Fátima Gärtner
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.F.B.); (I.A.); (F.G.)
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - João R. Mesquita
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.F.B.); (I.A.); (F.G.)
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Clinics, ICBAS-UP, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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Olafson PU, Buckmeier BG, May MA, Thomas DB. Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope ( Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2020; 13:252-260. [PMID: 33294364 PMCID: PMC7691163 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A survey of ixodid ticks parasitizing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) was completed during the 2018–2019 public hunt season on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (Cameron County, Texas) and the East Foundation's El Sauz Ranch in nearby Willacy County (Texas). Anocenter nitens was the predominant tick species identified with 5% of these ticks collected from nilgai. All life stages were encountered in high numbers on white-tailed deer, indicating that deer may be a primary host in this region. Amblyomma maculatum and Amblyomma inornatum were identified from both hosts, while Ixodes scapularis was encountered only on white-tailed deer. This is the first published record of A. inornatum on nilgai. A subset of ticks was used in PCR assays to detect Rickettsia spp., family Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia spp., and Theileria-Babesia spp. Borrelia spp. were not detected in any of the ticks analyzed. Rickettsia parkeri was detected in three A. maculatum adult ticks from deer, Rickettsia sp. endosymbiont sequences were present in all I. scapularis ticks, and Rickettsia amblyommatis was detected in three A. inornatum adult ticks from deer. Sequence analysis of Anaplasmataceae-positive amplicons from A. nitens and A. maculatum had low percent identity to published Anaplasma spp. sequences, suggesting a unique Anaplasma sp. may be circulating in the population. Anaplasma platys was detected from A. nitens larvae and an Ehrlichia sp. Delta strain was present in A. maculatum, both of unknown pathogenicity towards deer. Theileria cervi was detected in all stages of A. nitens ticks, and positive ticks originated from 27 of 31 deer and a single nilgai sampled from throughout the survey site. The primary vector for T. cervi is absent from this region, suggesting T. cervi is possibly maintained by a different tick species. Anocenter nitens predominates on white-tailed deer and nilgai in southern Texas. Theileria cervi was detected in Anocenter nitens ticks from deer and a single nilgai. Three Theileria cervi genotypes were detected in this region of southern Texas. Unique Anaplasma sp. detected in A. nitens; low identity to known Anaplasma sp. Amblyomma inornatum ticks were identified on nilgai; a first record on this host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia U Olafson
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA
| | - Beverly Greta Buckmeier
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA
| | - Melinda A May
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA
| | - Donald B Thomas
- USDA-ARS Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory, 22675 N. Moorefield Road, Moore Air Base, Edinburg, TX, 78541, USA
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Kunnumpurath A, Kamoga GR. Ehrlichiosis-Induced Atrial Flutter: An Unusual Cause of Atrial Flutter. J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep 2020; 8:2324709620950128. [PMID: 32787462 PMCID: PMC7427037 DOI: 10.1177/2324709620950128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne illness has been increasingly on the rise, since the first human case was reported in the late 1980s. Ehrlichia chaffeensis is one of the most common reported causes of tick-borne illness, particularly in the southern states of the United States. The clinical picture presents as a paradigm to the clinician, often missing the diagnosis without an appropriate history being taken and sometimes mistreated for other conditions. With the number of cases on the rise, new manifestations and clinical presentations due to E chaffeensis continue to be reported. Our case report is one such case in a 46-year-old male from Arkansas, with known exposure to multiple tick bites who presented with classical symptoms and laboratory values of tick-borne illness leading to atrial flutter. This unusual manifestation of atrial flutter due to tick-borne illness is rare and poorly understood. Further studies on tick-borne illness due to E chaffeensis may be needed to understand the systemic causes of the bacteria. In addition, in our case report, we bring to attention the standard presentation (symptoms, signs, and laboratory values) of tick-borne illness due to E chaffeensis along with the current standard for diagnosis and treatment.
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15
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Yu S, Modarelli J, Tomeček JM, French JT, Hilton C, Esteve-Gasent MD. Prevalence of common tick-borne pathogens in white-tailed deer and coyotes in south Texas. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2020; 11:129-135. [PMID: 32025488 PMCID: PMC6997490 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Determining which wildlife hosts are involved in the enzootic cycles of tick-borne diseases (TBD) enables enhanced surveillance and risk assessment of potential transmission to humans and domestic species. Currently, there is limited data to indicate which tick-borne pathogens (TBP) can infect coyotes. Additionally, limited surveillance data for white-tailed deer (WTD) in south Texas is available. The purpose of this study was to detect current infections of common TBP in coyotes and WTD in south Texas, which represents a transboundary region and common site for animal migrations across the U.S.-Mexico border. A patent pending real-time PCR assay, the TickPath layerplex test, was used to screen whole-blood samples for species from Borrelia, Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Babesia genera. Conventional PCR and subsequent sequencing of positive samples confirmed the pathogen species. Of 122 coyote samples, 11/122 (9.0%) were positive for Babesia vogeli and 1/122 (0.8%) was positive for Borrelia turicatae. Of 245 WTD samples, 1/245 (0.4%) was positive for Anaplasma platys, 4/245 (1.6%) were positive for Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and 18/245 (7.3%) were positive for Theileria cervi. All positive samples from both species, except for one coyote, were collected from counties located in south Texas along the U.S.Mexico border. One coyote positive for B. vogeli originated from a county in northern Texas. The results from this study depicts the first known molecular detection of B. turicatae in a coyote, and demonstrates that coyotes and WTDs can potentially serve as sentinels for several zoonotic TBD as well as TBD that affect domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serene Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Joseph Modarelli
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - John M. Tomeček
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Justin T. French
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Clayton Hilton
- Department of Animal Science and Veterinary Technology, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA
| | - Maria D. Esteve-Gasent
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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Abstract
Increases in tick-borne disease prevalence and transmission are important public health issues. Efforts to control these emerging diseases are frustrated by the struggle to control tick populations and to detect and treat infections caused by the pathogens that they transmit. This review covers tick-borne infectious diseases of nonrickettsial bacterial, parasitic, and viral origins. While tick surveillance and tracking inform our understanding of the importance of the spread and ecology of ticks and help identify areas of risk for disease transmission, the vectors are not the focus of this document. Here, we emphasize the most significant pathogens that infect humans as well as the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases that they cause. Although detection via molecular or immunological methods has improved, tick-borne diseases continue to remain underdiagnosed, making the scope of the problem difficult to assess. Our current understanding of the incidence of tick-borne diseases is discussed in this review. An awareness of the diseases that can be transmitted by ticks in specific locations is key to detection and selection of appropriate treatment. As tick-transmitted pathogens are discovered and emerge in new geographic regions, our ability to detect, describe, and understand the growing public health threat must also grow to meet the challenge.
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17
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Adelabu OA, Iweriebor BC, Okoh AI, Obi LC. Phylogenetic profiling for zoonotic Ehrlichia spp. from ixodid ticks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 67:1247-1256. [PMID: 31880098 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate hematophagous parasite of vertebrate that transmit a range of pathogenic microorganisms that can cause diseases in livestock and humans. The range of tick-borne disease causative agents infecting domestic animals and humans has recently increased. Several significant zoonotic tick-borne diseases such as ehrlichiosis among others are on the increase worldwide. This study was designed to investigate the occurrence of zoonotic Ehrlichia spp. from samples collected from livestock in selected communities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Tick samples were manually collected from domesticated animals in selected homesteads. The ticks were morphologically identified to species and tested for Ehrlichia infection via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using genus-specific disulphide bond formation protein (dsbA) gene primers. This was followed by sequence analysis of amplicons and phylogeny. Of the 1,200 ticks collected, Amblyomma hebraeum was most prevalent (n = 335; 27.9%), followed by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (n = 274; 22.8%), Rhipicephalus decoloratus; (n = 224; 18.7%) and Rhipicephalus eversti eversti (n = 200, 16.7%). Ehrlichia DNA was detected in 19/1,200 (1.6%) of the screened DNA samples. A homology search of the generated sequences revealed a high percentage of identity between 95% and 98% with other homologous dsbA gene sequences of other Ehrlichia species in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the obtained sequences clustered unambiguously with other Ehrlichia sequences from different geographical regions of the world. We concluded that Ehrlichial pathogens are vectored by the ticks collected from domesticated animals in the study areas, thus suggesting concern for public health, as some of the recovered pathogens are zoonotic in nature and could pose serious public health risk through human exposure to tick bites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olusesan Adeyemi Adelabu
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
| | | | - Anthony Ifeanyi Okoh
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
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Seasonality and trends in incidence of human ehrlichiosis in two Missouri ecoregions. Epidemiol Infect 2019; 147:e123. [PMID: 30868997 PMCID: PMC6518481 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268818003448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ehrlichiosis is a zoonotic illness caused by Ehrlichia pathogens transmitted by ticks. Case data from 1999 to 2015, provided by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), were used to compare the seasonality and the change in incidence over time of ehrlichiosis infection in two Missouri ecoregions, Eastern Temperate Forest (ETF) and Great Plains (GP). Although the number of cases has increased over time in both ecoregions, the rate of change was significantly faster in ETF region. There was no significant difference in seasonality of ehrlichiosis between ecoregions. In Missouri, the estimated ehrlichiosis season begins, on average, in mid-March, peaks in June, and concludes in mid-October. Our results show that the exposure and risk season for ehrlichiosis in Missouri is at least 7 months long.
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Taira M, Ando S, Kawabata H, Fujita H, Kadosaka T, Sato H, Monma N, Ohashi N, Saijo M. Isolation and molecular detection of Ehrlichia species from ticks in western, central, and eastern Japan. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 10:344-351. [PMID: 30501980 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne bacterial disease caused by pathogens of the Ehrlichia genus. Although human ehrlichiosis has not been reported in Japan, Ehrlichia spp., which are closely related to Ehrlichia chaffeensis, were detected in several species of ixodid ticks. In this study, the presence of Ehrlichia spp. in ticks in Japan was studied by using isolation and molecular detection methods. In total, 1237 ticks were collected from vegetation in western, central, and eastern parts of Japan. The ticks were tested for detection of ehrlichial DNA with a nested polymerase chain reaction and/or isolation by inoculation of mice with the homogenate. Ehrlichial DNA was detected in 29 of these ticks. The ehrlichial DNAs, groEL and 16S rRNA genes, detected in Ixodes turdus showed a high similarity to those of E. chaffeensis with 94.7% and 99.2% identity, respectively. Ehrlichia sp. HF and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis were also detected in I. ovatus. Furthermore, Ehrlichia sp. HF was isolated from laboratory mice that were intraperitoneal inoculated with I. ovatus tick homogenate. Some ehrlichial agents detected in Ixodes ticks might be a previously unknown Ehrlichia species. In this study, Candidatus N. mikurensis was detected in I. ovatus ticks. Because I. ovatus is distributed widely and cases of its tick bite in humans are ubiquitously reported in Japan, there is a potential for ehrlichiosis to be endemic to Japan, necessitating intensive surveillance of this infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masakatsu Taira
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Science, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan; Division of Virology and Medical Zoology, Chiba Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Chiba, Japan; Department of Virology 1, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Shuji Ando
- Department of Virology 1, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kawabata
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Science, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan; Department of Bacteriology 1, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiromi Fujita
- Mahara Institute of Medical Acarology, Tokushima, Japan
| | | | - Hiroko Sato
- Akita Prefectural Research Center for Public Health and Environment, Akita, Japan
| | - Naoto Monma
- Fukushima Prefectural Institute for Public Health, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Norio Ohashi
- Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Masayuki Saijo
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Science, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan; Department of Virology 1, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
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Eisen RJ, Kugeler KJ, Eisen L, Beard CB, Paddock CD. Tick-Borne Zoonoses in the United States: Persistent and Emerging Threats to Human Health. ILAR J 2017; 58:319-335. [PMID: 28369515 PMCID: PMC5610605 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilx005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In the United States, ticks transmit the greatest diversity of arthropod-borne pathogens and are responsible for the most cases of all vector-borne diseases. In recent decades, the number of reported cases of notifiable tick-borne diseases has steadily increased, geographic distributions of many ticks and tick-borne diseases have expanded, and new tick-borne disease agents have been recognized. In this review, we (1) describe the known disease agents associated with the most commonly human-biting ixodid ticks, (2) review the natural histories of these ticks and their associated pathogens, (3) highlight spatial and temporal changes in vector tick distributions and tick-borne disease occurrence in recent decades, and (4) identify knowledge gaps and barriers to more effective prevention of tick-borne diseases. We describe 12 major tick-borne diseases caused by 15 distinct disease agents that are transmitted by the 8 most commonly human-biting ixodid ticks in the United States. Notably, 40% of these pathogens were described within the last two decades. Our assessment highlights the importance of animal studies to elucidate how tick-borne pathogens are maintained in nature, as well as advances in molecular detection of pathogens which has led to the discovery of several new tick-borne disease agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Eisen
- Rebecca J. Eisen, PhD, is a Research Biologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Kiersten J. Kugeler, PhD, is an Epidemiologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Lars Eisen, PhD, is a Research Entomologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Charles B. Beard, PhD, is a Branch Chief in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Christopher D. Paddock, MD, is a Medical Officer/Pathologist in the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kiersten J Kugeler
- Rebecca J. Eisen, PhD, is a Research Biologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Kiersten J. Kugeler, PhD, is an Epidemiologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Lars Eisen, PhD, is a Research Entomologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Charles B. Beard, PhD, is a Branch Chief in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Christopher D. Paddock, MD, is a Medical Officer/Pathologist in the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lars Eisen
- Rebecca J. Eisen, PhD, is a Research Biologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Kiersten J. Kugeler, PhD, is an Epidemiologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Lars Eisen, PhD, is a Research Entomologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Charles B. Beard, PhD, is a Branch Chief in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Christopher D. Paddock, MD, is a Medical Officer/Pathologist in the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Charles B Beard
- Rebecca J. Eisen, PhD, is a Research Biologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Kiersten J. Kugeler, PhD, is an Epidemiologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Lars Eisen, PhD, is a Research Entomologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Charles B. Beard, PhD, is a Branch Chief in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Christopher D. Paddock, MD, is a Medical Officer/Pathologist in the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christopher D Paddock
- Rebecca J. Eisen, PhD, is a Research Biologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Kiersten J. Kugeler, PhD, is an Epidemiologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Lars Eisen, PhD, is a Research Entomologist in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Charles B. Beard, PhD, is a Branch Chief in the Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado. Christopher D. Paddock, MD, is a Medical Officer/Pathologist in the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia
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Palmer MV, Cox RJ, Waters WR, Thacker TC, Whipple DL. Using White-tailed Deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) in Infectious Disease Research. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2017; 56:350-360. [PMID: 28724483 PMCID: PMC5517323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Between 1940 and 2004, more than 335 emerging infectious disease events were reported in the scientific literature. The majority (60%) of these events involved zoonoses, most of which (72%) were of wildlife origin or had an epidemiologically important wildlife host. Because this trend of increasing emerging diseases likely will continue, understanding the pathogenesis, transmission, and diagnosis of these diseases in the relevant wildlife host is paramount. Achieving this goal often requires using wild animals as research subjects, which are vastly different from the traditional livestock or laboratory animals used by most universities and institutions. Using wildlife in infectious disease research presents many challenges but also provides opportunities to answer questions impossible to address by using traditional models. Cervid species, especially white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), elk (Cervus canadensis), and red deer (Cervus elaphus), are hosts or sentinels for several important pathogens, some of which are zoonotic. The long history of infectious disease research using white-tailed deer, conducted at ever-increasing levels of sophisticated biosecurity, demonstrates that this type of research can be conducted safely and that valuable insights can be gained. The greatest challenges to using wildlife in infectious disease research include animal source, facility design, nutrition, animal handling, and enrichment and other practices that both facilitate animal care and enhance animal wellbeing. The study of Mycobacterium bovis infection in white-tailed deer at the USDA's National Animal Disease Center serves to illustrate one approach to address these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell V Palmer
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa;,
| | - Rebecca J Cox
- Animal Resources Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
| | - W Ray Waters
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
| | - Tyler C Thacker
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
| | - Diana L Whipple
- Deputy Director Office, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
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22
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Liu Y, Lund RB, Nordone SK, Yabsley MJ, McMahan CS. A Bayesian spatio-temporal model for forecasting the prevalence of antibodies to Ehrlichia species in domestic dogs within the contiguous United States. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:138. [PMID: 28274248 PMCID: PMC5343545 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2068-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dogs in the United States are hosts to a diverse range of vector-borne pathogens, several of which are important zoonoses. This paper describes factors deemed to be significantly related to the prevalence of antibodies to Ehrlichia spp. in domestic dogs, including climatic conditions, geographical factors, and societal factors. These factors are used in concert with a spatio-temporal model to construct an annual seroprevalence forecast. The proposed method of forecasting and an assessment of its fidelity are described. Methods Approximately twelve million serological test results for canine exposure to Ehrlichia spp. were used in the development of a Bayesian approach to forecast canine infection. Data used were collected on the county level across the contiguous United States from routine veterinary diagnostic tests between 2011–2015. Maps depicting the spatial baseline Ehrlichia spp. prevalence were constructed using Kriging and head-banging smoothing methods. Data were statistically analyzed to identify factors related to antibody prevalence via a Bayesian spatio-temporal conditional autoregressive (CAR) model. Finally, a forecast of future Ehrlichia seroprevalence was constructed based on the proposed model using county-level data on five predictive factors identified at a workshop hosted by the Companion Animal Parasite Council and published in 2014: annual temperature, percentage forest coverage, percentage surface water coverage, population density and median household income. Data were statistically analyzed to identify factors related to disease prevalence via a Bayesian spatio-temporal model. The fitted model and factor extrapolations were then used to forecast the regional seroprevalence for 2016. Results The correlation between the observed and model-estimated county-by-county Ehrlichia seroprevalence for the five-year period 2011–2015 is 0.842, demonstrating reasonable model accuracy. The weighted correlation (acknowledging unequal sample sizes) between 2015 observed and forecasted county-by-county Ehrlichia seroprevalence is 0.970, demonstrating that Ehrlichia seroprevalence can be forecasted accurately. Conclusions The forecast presented herein can be an a priori alert to veterinarians regarding areas expected to see expansion of Ehrlichia beyond the accepted endemic range, or in some regions a dynamic change from historical average prevalence. Moreover, this forecast could potentially serve as a surveillance tool for human health and prove useful for forecasting other vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Robert B Lund
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Shila K Nordone
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Department of Population Health, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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23
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Allerdice MEJ, Hecht JA, Karpathy SE, Paddock CD. Evaluation of Gulf Coast Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) for Ehrlichia and Anaplasma Species. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:481-484. [PMID: 28031351 PMCID: PMC11063997 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Amblyomma maculatum Koch (the Gulf Coast tick) is an aggressive, human-biting ixodid tick distributed throughout much of the southeastern United States and is the primary vector for Rickettsia parkeri, an emerging human pathogen. Amblyomma maculatum has diverse host preferences that include white-tailed deer, a known reservoir for Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species, including the human pathogens E. ewingii and E. chaffeensis. To examine more closely the potential role of A. maculatum in the maintenance of various pathogenic Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species, we screened DNA samples from 493 questing adult A. maculatum collected from six U.S. states using broad-range Anaplasmataceae and Ehrlichia genus-specific PCR assays. Of the samples tested, four (0.8%) were positive for DNA of Ehrlichia ewingii, one (0.2%) was positive for Anaplasma platys, and one (0.2%) was positive for a previously unreported Ehrlichia species closely related to Ehrlichia muris and an uncultivated Ehrlichia species from Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks in Japan. No ticks contained DNA of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia canis, the Panola Mountain Ehrlichia, or Anaplasma phagocytophilum. This is the first identification of E. ewingii, A. platys, and the novel Ehrlichia in questing Gulf Coast ticks; nonetheless the low prevalence of these agents suggests that A. maculatum is not likely an important vector of these zoonotic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle E J Allerdice
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (; ; ; )
| | - Joy A Hecht
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (; ; ; )
| | - Sandor E Karpathy
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (; ; ; )
| | - Christopher D Paddock
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (; ; ; )
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24
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Harris RM, Couturier BA, Sample SC, Coulter KS, Casey KK, Schlaberg R. Expanded Geographic Distribution and Clinical Characteristics of Ehrlichia ewingii Infections, United States. Emerg Infect Dis 2016; 22:862-5. [PMID: 27089171 PMCID: PMC4861533 DOI: 10.3201/eid2205.152009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This bacterium should be considered as an etiologic agent of tickborne illness that might be missed by serologic testing. Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial zoonosis, spread through the bites of infected ticks, that is most commonly caused in the United States by infection with the bacterium Ehrlichia chaffeensis. We retrospectively reviewed samples from an 18-month study of ehrlichiosis in the United States and found that E. ewingii was present in 10 (9.2%) of 109 case-patients with ehrlichiosis, a higher rate of infection with this species than had previously been reported. Two patients resided in New Jersey and Indiana, where cases have not been reported. All patients with available case histories recovered. Our study suggests a higher prevalence and wider geographic distribution of E. ewingii in the United States than previous reports have indicated.
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25
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Ehrlichioses: An Important One Health Opportunity. Vet Sci 2016; 3:vetsci3030020. [PMID: 29056728 PMCID: PMC5606584 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci3030020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ehrlichioses are caused by obligately intracellular bacteria that are maintained subclinically in a persistently infected vertebrate host and a tick vector. The most severe life-threatening illnesses, such as human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis and heartwater, occur in incidental hosts. Ehrlichia have a developmental cycle involving an infectious, nonreplicating, dense core cell and a noninfectious, replicating reticulate cell. Ehrlichiae secrete proteins that bind to host cytoplasmic proteins and nuclear chromatin, manipulating the host cell environment to their advantage. Severe disease in immunocompetent hosts is mediated in large part by immunologic and inflammatory mechanisms, including overproduction of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), which is produced by CD8 T lymphocytes, and interleukin-10 (IL-10). Immune components that contribute to control of ehrlichial infection include CD4 and CD8 T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-12, and antibodies. Some immune components, such as TNF-α, perforin, and CD8 T cells, play both pathogenic and protective roles. In contrast with the immunocompetent host, which may die with few detectable organisms owing to the overly strong immune response, immunodeficient hosts die with overwhelming infection and large quantities of organisms in the tissues. Vaccine development is challenging because of antigenic diversity of E. ruminantium, the necessity of avoiding an immunopathologic response, and incomplete knowledge of the protective antigens.
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26
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Raghavan RK, Goodin DG, Dryden MW, Hroobi A, Gordon DM, Cheng C, Nair AD, Jakkula LUMR, Hanzlicek GA, Anderson GA, Ganta RR. Heterogeneous Associations of Ecological Attributes with Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens in a Periurban Landscape. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:569-76. [PMID: 27454144 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.1975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The variations in prevalence levels of two tick-borne rickettsial pathogens, Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia Ewingii, in a periurban environment were evaluated along with their ecological determinants. Tick life stage and sex, month of tick collection, landscape fragmentation, and ecological covariates specific to pasture and woodland sites were considered as explanatory covariates. Questing lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) were collected by flagging for an hour once every week during mid-April through mid-August in years 2013 and 2014. A total of 4357 adult and nymphal ticks (woodland = 2720 and pasture = 1637) were collected and assessed for pathogen prevalence by molecular methods. Female A. americanum ticks were more infected with E. chaffeensis than males or nymphs in woodland areas [♂ = 6.05%; ♀ = 12.0%; nymphs = 2.09%] and pastures [♂ = 8.05%; ♀ = 12.03%; nymphs = 3.33%], and the prevalence was influenced by edge density in the landscape. Higher E. ewingii infection was noted among female A. americanum ticks within woodland areas [♂ = 1.89%; ♀ = 2.14%; nymphs = 1.57%], but no such difference was evident in pastures [♂ = 1.03%; ♀ = 1.33%; nymphs = 1.12%]. Prevalence of E. ewingii was influenced by edge contrast index, and the percentage of pasture perimeter that was less than 20 meters from woodland areas. This study elucidates the complexity of tick-borne pathogen ecology and points to the need for further studies on the role of reservoir hosts, particularly that played by small vertebrates, which is not fully understood in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram K Raghavan
- 1 Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.,2 Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Douglas G Goodin
- 3 Department of Geography, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Michael W Dryden
- 1 Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.,2 Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Ali Hroobi
- 1 Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.,4 Department of Biology, Pittsburg State University , Pittsburg, Kansas
| | - David M Gordon
- 4 Department of Biology, Pittsburg State University , Pittsburg, Kansas
| | - Chuanmin Cheng
- 2 Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Arathy D Nair
- 2 Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Laxmi U M R Jakkula
- 2 Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Gregg A Hanzlicek
- 1 Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Gary A Anderson
- 1 Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Roman R Ganta
- 2 Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
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27
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Killmaster LF, Levin ML. Isolation and Short-Term Persistence of Ehrlichia ewingii in Cell Culture. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:445-8. [PMID: 27228133 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ehrlichia ewingii is the causative agent of human and canine granulocytic ehrlichiosis. Since its discovery in 1970, little work has been done to characterize the pathogen or study the transmission dynamics due to the inability to grow the agent in vitro. The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of multiple cell lines and media formulations for propagation of E. ewingii in cell culture. In this study, we present an overview of attempts to isolate E. ewingii from the buffy coat of goats naturally infected by Amblyomma americanum ticks, as well as a methodology for maintaining the pathogen for up to 16 weeks in culture. The most promising results were seen with HL-60 cells differentiated by the addition of 1.5% DMSO to the media and supplemented with 8 mM l-glutamine. Cultures were passaged multiple times, and fluorescence and morulae were observed by indirect fluorescent antibody test and Diff-Quik staining. It is our hope that this information will provide a foundation for future attempts to propagate and maintain E. ewingii in cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay F Killmaster
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Michael L Levin
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia
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28
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Luo L, Sun J, Yan J, Wang C, Zhang Z, Zhao L, Han H, Tong Z, Liu M, Wu Y, Wen H, Zhang R, Xue Z, Sun X, Li K, Ma D, Liu J, Huang Y, Ye L, Li W, Jiang J, Yu XJ. Detection of a Novel Ehrlichia Species in Haemaphysalis longicornis Tick from China. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:363-7. [PMID: 27135624 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We collected 2460 Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks from vegetation in Jiaonan County, Shandong Province, in June of 2013 and Daishan County, Zhejiang Province, China, in May of 2015. The tick DNA was subsequently amplified with nested polymerase chain reaction using Ehrlichia common 16S rRNA gene primers and Ehrlichia ewingii species-specific groEL and gltA primers. We found 0.4% (3/780) of the ticks from Zhejiang Province contained Ehrlichia DNA that was different from all known Ehrlichia species, but most closely related to E. ewingii. We concluded that a novel Ehrlichia species exists in H. longicornis ticks in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Limei Luo
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jimin Sun
- 2 Zhejiang Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianbo Yan
- 3 Zhoushan City Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chengwei Wang
- 4 Daishan County Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Daishan, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhentang Zhang
- 5 Huangdao District Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Li Zhao
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Huiju Han
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhendong Tong
- 3 Zhoushan City Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China
| | - Miaomiao Liu
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yuyan Wu
- 2 Zhejiang Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongling Wen
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- 2 Zhejiang Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zaifeng Xue
- 5 Huangdao District Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Xifeng Sun
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Kefeng Li
- 3 Zhoushan City Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dongqiang Ma
- 5 Huangdao District Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jianwei Liu
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yuting Huang
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Ling Ye
- 4 Daishan County Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Daishan, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenqian Li
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jianmin Jiang
- 2 Zhejiang Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xue-Jie Yu
- 1 School of Public Health, Shandong University , Jinan, Shandong, China .,6 Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
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29
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Mays SE, Houston AE, Trout Fryxell RT. Specifying Pathogen Associations of Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) in Western Tennessee. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 53:435-440. [PMID: 26744464 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Amblyomma maculatum Koch (Acari: Ixodidae) is established in western Tennessee, a region with increased risk for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis. This tick transmits Rickettsia parkeri to humans, likely contributing to cases of rickettsiosis in the region. The objective was to determine pathogen associations within questing and host-collected A. maculatum, and identify ecological factors associated with pathogen infection that may increase the effectiveness of surveillance methods. Of 265 ticks tested, 60 (22.6%) were infected with R. parkeri, and 15 (5.7%) with Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae, a Rickettsia of unknown pathogenicity. Two deer-collected ticks tested positive for Ehrlichia ewingii. No ticks were positive for Anaplasma or Borrelia species. None of the ecological factors tested (collection month, collection source, sex, and habitat type) were associated with R. parkeri infection. This project developed baseline prevalence and incidence data for monitoring pathogen prevalence in A. maculatum populations, and identified an inexpensive method for distinguishing R. parkeri from Ca. R. andeanae.
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30
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Nichols Heitman K, Dahlgren FS, Drexler NA, Massung RF, Behravesh CB. Increasing Incidence of Ehrlichiosis in the United States: A Summary of National Surveillance of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii Infections in the United States, 2008-2012. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015; 94:52-60. [PMID: 26621561 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human ehrlichiosis is a potentially fatal disease caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii. Cases of ehrlichiosis are reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through two national surveillance systems: Nationally Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) and Case Report Forms. During 2008-2012, 4,613 cases of E. chaffeensis infections were reported through NNDSS. The incidence rate (IR) was 3.2 cases per million person-years (PYs). The hospitalization rate (HR) was 57% and the case fatality rate (CFR) was 1%. Children aged < 5 years had the highest CFR of 4%. During 2008-2012, 55 cases of E. ewingii infection were reported through NNDSS. The national IR was 0.04 cases per million PY. The HR was 77%; no deaths were reported. Immunosuppressive conditions were reported by 26% of cases. The overall rate for ehrlichiosis has increased 4-fold since 2000. Although previous literature suggests E. ewingii primarily affects those who are immunocompromised, this report shows most cases occurred among immunocompetent patients. This is the first report to show children aged < 5 years with ehrlichiosis have an increased CFR, relative to older patients. Ongoing surveillance and reporting of tick-borne diseases are critical to inform public health practice and guide disease treatment and prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Nichols Heitman
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - F Scott Dahlgren
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Naomi A Drexler
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Robert F Massung
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Casey Barton Behravesh
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee
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Mays SE, Hendricks BM, Paulsen DJ, Houston AE, Trout Fryxell RT. Prevalence of five tick-borne bacterial genera in adult Ixodes scapularis removed from white-tailed deer in western Tennessee. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:473. [PMID: 25331818 PMCID: PMC4207311 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0473-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the northeastern and midwestern regions of the United States Ixodes scapularis Say transmits the causal agents of anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum), babesiosis (Babesia microti), and borreliosis (Borrelia burgdorferi and B. miyamotoi). In the southeastern United States, none of those pathogens are considered endemic and two other tick-borne diseases (TBDs) (ehrlicihosis and rickettiosis) are more common. Our objective was to determine baseline presence and absence data for three non-endemic bacterial agents (Anaplasma, Borrelia and Babesia) and two commonly reported bacterial agents (Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia) in southern I. scapularis (n = 47) collected from 15 hunter-harvested white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in western Tennessee. Findings Of the 47 ticks, 27 tested PCR positive for non-pathogenic Rickettsia species, two for Ehrlichia ewingii, one for Ehrlichia sp. “Panola Mountain”, and one for Anaplasma phagocytophilum variant 1 strain. None of these ticks were positive for Babesia or Borrelia (including B. burgdorferi). Conclusions Finding human pathogens in host-fed I. scapularis merits additional studies surveying pathogen prevalence in questing ticks. Collection of questing I. scapularis in their peak activity months should be undertaken to determine the overall encounter rates and relative risk of pathogenic Ehrlichia in southern I. scapularis. Ehrlichia sequences were homologous to previous human isolates, but neither Babesia nor B. burgdorferi were identified in these ticks. With the identification of pathogenic bacteria in this relatively small collection of I. scapularis from western Tennessee, the study of the absence of Lyme disease in the south should be refocused to evaluate the role of pathogenic Ehrlichia in southern I. scapularis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Mays
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, 370 Plant Biotechnology Building 2505 E J Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - Brian M Hendricks
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, 370 Plant Biotechnology Building 2505 E J Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - David J Paulsen
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, 370 Plant Biotechnology Building 2505 E J Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - Allan E Houston
- Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife, University of Tennessee, Tennessee and Ames Plantation, Grand Junction, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
| | - Rebecca T Trout Fryxell
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, 370 Plant Biotechnology Building 2505 E J Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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32
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Tate CM, Howerth EW, Mead DG, Dugan VG, Luttrell MP, Sahora AI, Munderloh UG, Davidson WR, Yabsley MJ. Anaplasma odocoilei sp. nov. (family Anaplasmataceae) from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2012; 4:110-9. [PMID: 23276749 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2012.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2011] [Revised: 09/11/2012] [Accepted: 09/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Recently, an undescribed Anaplasma sp. (also called Ehrlichia-like sp. or WTD agent) was isolated in ISE6 tick cells from captive white-tailed deer. The goal of the current study was to characterize this organism using a combination of experimental infection, morphologic, serologic, and molecular studies. Each of 6 experimentally inoculated white-tailed deer fawns (Odocoileus virginianus) became chronically infected (100+ days) with the Anaplasma sp. by inoculation of either infected whole blood or culture. None of the deer showed evidence of clinical disease, but 3 of the 6 deer evaluated had multiple episodes of transient thrombocytopenia. Light microscopy of Giemsa-stained, thin blood smears revealed tiny, dark, spherical structures in platelets of acutely infected deer. Anaplasma sp. was detected in platelets of inoculated deer by polymerase chain reaction, transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization. Five of 6 deer developed antibodies reactive to Anaplasma sp. antigen, as detected by indirect fluorescent antibody testing. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA, groESL, and gltA sequences confirmed the Anaplasma sp. is related to A. platys. Two attempts to transmit the Anaplasma sp. between deer by feeding Amblyomma americanum, a suspected tick vector, were unsuccessful. Based on its biologic, antigenic, and genetic characteristics, this organism is considered a novel species of Anaplasma, and the name Anaplasma odocoilei sp. nov. is proposed with UMUM76(T) (=CSUR-A1) as the type strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia M Tate
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Folkema AM, Holman RC, Dahlgren FS, Cheek JE, McQuiston JH. Epidemiology of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis among American Indians in the United States, 2000-2007. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2012; 87:529-37. [PMID: 22826495 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.12-0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis infections among American Indians (AIs) have never been specifically examined, despite high rates of other tick-borne rickettsial diseases among AIs. The epidemiology of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis among AIs was analyzed using the National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS), Case Report Forms (CRFs), and Indian Health Service (IHS) inpatient and outpatient visits. The 2000-2007 average annual ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis incidence among AIs reported to NETSS was almost 4-fold lower (4.0/1,000,000) than that using IHS data (14.9). American Indian cases reported from CRFs had a higher proportion of hospitalization (44%) compared with IHS (10%). American Indian incidence of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis was higher and showed a different age and geographical distribution than other races. These results highlight the need to improve collaboration between the ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis surveillance systems for AIs so as to develop interventions that target the unique epidemiology and mitigate the burden of disease among this high-risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianne M Folkema
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States
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Goessling LS, Allan BF, Mandelbaum RS, Thach RE. Development of a mitochondrial 12S rDNA analysis for distinguishing Sciuridae species with potential to transmit Ehrlichia and Borrelia species to feeding Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2012; 49:772-776. [PMID: 22679888 DOI: 10.1603/me11203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Unique oligonucleotide probes were synthesized to distinguish among closely related vertebrate mitochondrial rDNA sequences present in residual bloodmeals in emergent Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) nymph life-stage ticks. Use of these probes enabled the identification of the Eastern gray squirrel as an important bloodmeal source in nymphs harboring Ehrlichia and Borrelia species. These results were confirmed by identifying these same bacterial genera in Eastern gray squirrel tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa S Goessling
- Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 425 Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Sacchi ABV, Duarte JMB, André MR, Machado RZ. Prevalence and molecular characterization of Anaplasmataceae agents in free-ranging Brazilian marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus). Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2012; 35:325-34. [PMID: 22381686 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2012.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2011] [Revised: 01/30/2012] [Accepted: 02/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Anaplasmataceae organisms comprise a group of obligate intracellular gram-negative, tick-borne bacteria that can infect both animals and humans. In the present work we investigate the presence of Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Neorickettsia species in blood samples from Brazilian marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus), using both molecular and serologic techniques. Blood was collected from 143 deer captured along floodplains of the Paraná River, near the Porto Primavera hydroelectric power plant. Before and after flooding, marsh deer were captured for a wide range research program under the financial support of São Paulo State Energy Company (CESP), between 1998 and 2001. Samples were divided into four groups according to time and location of capture and named MS01 (n=99), MS02 (n=18) (Mato Grosso do Sul, before and after flooding, respectively), PX (n=9; Peixe River, after flooding), and AGUA (n=17; Aguapeí River, after flooding). The seroprevalences for Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum were 76.76% and 20.2% in MS01, 88.88% and 5.55% in MS02, 88.88% and 22.22% in PX, and 94.12% and 5.88% in AGUA, respectively. Sixty-one animals (42.65% of the total population) were PCR-positive for E. chaffeensis PCR (100.0% identity based on 16S rRNA, dsb, and groESL genes). Seventy deer (48.95% of the total population) were PCR-positive for Anaplasma spp. (99.0% of identity with A. platys, and in the same clade as A. phagocytophilum, A. bovis, and A. platys based on 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis). Our results demonstrate that Brazilian marsh deer are exposed to E. chaffeensis and Anaplasma spp. and may act as reservoirs for these rickettsial agents, playing a role in disease transmission to humans and other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- A B V Sacchi
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
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Rar V, Golovljova I. Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and “Candidatus Neoehrlichia” bacteria: Pathogenicity, biodiversity, and molecular genetic characteristics, a review. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2011; 11:1842-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2011] [Revised: 09/23/2011] [Accepted: 09/23/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Fritzen CM, Huang J, Westby K, Freye JD, Dunlap B, Yabsley MJ, Schardein M, Dunn JR, Jones TF, Moncayo AC. Infection prevalences of common tick-borne pathogens in adult lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) and American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) in Kentucky. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011; 85:718-23. [PMID: 21976578 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis are tick-borne diseases that are reported annually in Kentucky. We conducted a survey to describe infection prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis ticks collected in Kentucky. During 2007-2008, we collected 287 ticks (179 D. variabilis and 108 A. americanum) from canine, feral hog, horse, raccoon, white-tailed deer, and human hosts in six counties in Kentucky. Ticks were screened for Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., and Ehrlichia spp. by using polymerase chain reaction. Forty-one (14.3%) ticks (31 A. americanum and 10 D. variabilis) were polymerase chain reaction-positive for a Rickettsia spp. Fourteen (4.9%) ticks (6 A. americanum and 8 D. variabilis) were positive for E. chaffeensis, and 4 A. americanum (1.4%) were positive for E. ewingii. One (0.4%) A. americanum was positive for Borrelia lonestari. Although Rocky Mountain spotted fever is diagnosed in Kentucky, no R. rickettsii was found in ticks in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charissa M Fritzen
- Tennessee Department of Health, Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Diseases, Nashville, USA.
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Lobanov VA, Gajadhar AA, Al-Adhami B, Schwantje HM. Molecular study of free-ranging mule deer and white-tailed deer from British Columbia, Canada, for evidence of Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia spp. Transbound Emerg Dis 2011; 59:233-43. [PMID: 21933360 DOI: 10.1111/j.1865-1682.2011.01259.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Twenty-three free-ranging white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) and six mule deer (MD; Odocoileus hemionus) from south-central British Columbia, Canada, were tested for Anaplasma marginale by msp5 gene-specific PCR and Ehrlichia spp. by 16S rRNA or citrate synthase (gltA) gene-specific PCR, as well as by PCR with universal 16S rRNA primers detecting a wide range of bacteria. No deer tested positive for A. marginale. Amplification with universal 16S rRNA primers followed by sequencing of cloned fragments detected an Anaplasma sp. in one of 23 (4.3%) WTD and six of six (100%) MD and Bartonella sp. in four of 23 (17.4%) WTD. The Anaplasma sp. was genetically distinct from A. marginale and all other recognized members of the genus. Four of six (66.7%) MD and 0 of 23 (0%) WTD were Ehrlichia positive by PCR with primers for 16S rRNA and gltA genes. The sequences of gltA PCR fragments were identical to each other and to the respective region of the gltA gene of an Ehrlichia sp. which we detected previously in naturally infected cattle from the same area, suggesting the possibility of biological transmission of this rickettsia between cattle and wild cervids. Antibodies reactive with the MSP5 protein of A. marginale were detected using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in two of six (33.3%) MD, but not in WTD. The two seropositive MD were PCR positive for both the Anaplasma sp. and Ehrlichia sp. detected in this study, suggesting a reaction of antibodies against one or both of these rickettsias with the MSP5 antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- V A Lobanov
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Centre for Food-Borne and Animal Parasitology, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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Dahlgren FS, Mandel EJ, Krebs JW, Massung RF, McQuiston JH. Increasing incidence of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in the United States, 2000-2007. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011; 85:124-31. [PMID: 21734137 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Ehrlichia chaffeensis causes human monocytic ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis. These related tick-borne rickettsial organisms can cause severe and fatal illness. During 2000-2007, the reported incidence rate of E. chaffeensis increased from 0.80 to 3.0 cases/million persons/year. The case-fatality rate was 1.9%, and the hospitalization rate was 49%. During 2000-2007, the reported incidence of A. phagocytophilum increased from 1.4 to 3.0 cases/million persons/year. The case-fatality rate was 0.6%, and the hospitalization rate was 36%. Rates among female patients were lower than among male patients for ehrlichiosis (rate ratio = 0.68) and anaplasmosis (rate ratio = 0.70). Most (80%) ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis cases met only a probable case definition, although, use of a polymerase chain reaction to confirm infections increased during 2000-2007. Heightened reporting of these diseases will likely continue with improving recognition, changing surveillance practices, and appropriate application of diagnostic assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Scott Dahlgren
- Division of Vectorborne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Enteric, Zoonotic, and Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA
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Schulze TL, Jordan RA, White JC, Roegner VE, Healy SP. Geographical distribution and prevalence of selected Borrelia, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia infections in Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) in New Jersey. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2011; 27:236-244. [PMID: 22017087 DOI: 10.2987/11-6111.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We used published accounts to describe the known statewide distribution of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, in New Jersey and field surveys to characterize the geographical range of A. americanum and selected A. americanum-transmitted pathogens in Monmouth County, the hypothesized northern limit of the species distribution. Ticks were collected using standardized methods from 50 widely dispersed public access areas within 18 municipalities to produce estimates of relative abundance among sites. Collected A. americanum adults were stored at -80 degrees C until processed for DNA extraction. Individual ticks were subjected to polymerase chain reaction analyses to detect the presence of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, E. ewingii, Rickettsia amblyommii, and Borrelia lonestari. The range of A. americanum was generally limited to the southern half of New Jersey. Within Monmouth County, we collected A. americanum from 9 of 18 municipalities (50%) and 24 (48%) of the surveyed properties. We found at least 1 pathogen at 17 (70.8%) sites located within 6 of 9 municipalities, while all 4 target pathogens were detected in 5 of those 6 (83.3%) municipalities. The geographical distribution of A. americanum and its associated pathogens appeared to be restricted to the southern portion of the county. Possible factors governing the distribution are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry L Schulze
- Terry L. Schulze, Ph.D., Inc., 9 Evergreen Court, Perrineville, NJ 08535, USA
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Vieira RFDC, Biondo AW, Guimarães AMS, Dos Santos AP, Dos Santos RP, Dutra LH, Diniz PPVDP, de Morais HA, Messick JB, Labruna MB, Vidotto O. Ehrlichiosis in Brazil. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 20:1-12. [PMID: 21439224 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612011000100002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2010] [Accepted: 11/03/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Ehrlichiosis is a disease caused by rickettsial organisms belonging to the genus Ehrlichia. In Brazil, molecular and serological studies have evaluated the occurrence of Ehrlichia species in dogs, cats, wild animals and humans. Ehrlichia canis is the main species found in dogs in Brazil, although E. ewingii infection has been recently suspected in five dogs. Ehrlichia chaffeensis DNA has been detected and characterized in mash deer, whereas E. muris and E. ruminantium have not yet been identified in Brazil. Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis caused by E. canis appears to be highly endemic in several regions of Brazil, however prevalence data are not available for several regions. Ehrlichia canis DNA also has been detected and molecularly characterized in three domestic cats, and antibodies against E. canis were detected in free-ranging Neotropical felids. There is serological evidence suggesting the occurrence of human ehrlichiosis in Brazil but its etiologic agent has not yet been established. Improved molecular diagnostic resources for laboratory testing will allow better identification and characterization of ehrlichial organisms associated with human ehrlichiosis in Brazil.
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Matsumoto K, Takeuchi T, Yokoyama N, Katagiri Y, Ooshiro M, Zakimi S, Gaowa, Kawamori F, Ohashi N, Inokuma H. Detection of the new Ehrlichia species closely related to Ehrlichia ewingii from Haemaphysalis longicornis in Yonaguni Island, Okinawa, Japan. J Vet Med Sci 2011; 73:1485-8. [PMID: 21712642 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.11-0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We collected a total of 206 Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks by flagging in pastures in Yonaguni Island, Okinawa, Japan, in April 2008. Four of the 206 tick DNA samples tested were positive in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening for the 16SrRNA gene of Anaplasmataceae. Partial sequences of 4 PCR products were identical to each other. Longer sequences of the 16SrRNA gene were successfully determined in 2 of the 4 tick samples, and the obtained 1,392 bp and 1,300 bp sequences revealed high similarity to the 16SrRNA gene sequences of the validated Ehrlichia species, including Ehrlichia ewingii, E. chaffeensis, and E. canis (98.3-98.6%). We also sequenced 1,304 bp of the groEL gene from the 2 tick samples, and found that these had the highest similarity to sequences of E. ewingii (94.0-94.4%) in the validated ehrlichial species. Based on the 16SrRNA and groEL gene sequences, the ehrlichial agents detected in this study were similar to the Ehrlichia species detected in Asia and may compose a new Ehrlichia species with other Ehrlichia species detected in Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kotaro Matsumoto
- Department of Applied Clinical Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080–8555, Japan
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Yabsley MJ, Adams DS, O'Connor TP, Chandrashekar R, Little SE. Experimental primary and secondary infections of domestic dogs with Ehrlichia ewingii. Vet Microbiol 2011; 150:315-21. [PMID: 21397411 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2010] [Revised: 02/04/2011] [Accepted: 02/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the infection dynamics of Ehrlichia ewingii, causative agent of granulocytotropic ehrlichiosis in dogs and humans, was examined in experimentally infected dogs by using a combination of physical examination, hematologic and biochemical analyses, and molecular and serologic assays. For the experimental trials, blood from an E. ewingii-infected dog was inoculated intravenously into two naïve dogs and two dogs with prior experimental exposure to E. ewingii (both were negative for E. ewingii DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, but seropositive from initial infection 8 and 10 months prior to challenge). A negative control dog was inoculated with blood from a negative dog. The two primary infection dogs were positive for E. ewingii DNA on DPI 4, remained consistently positive until DPI 60, and were intermittently positive until the end of the study (DPI 144). The two primary infection dogs developed antibodies reactive to E. ewingii by DPI 28 and remained seropositive for the duration of the study. Primary infected dogs had intermittent fever, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia and some dogs were hyperphosphatemic and/or had elevated ALP levels. The two challenge dogs were positive for E. ewingii DNA on DPI 4 and 18, which was similar to the primary infection dogs, but the duration of E. ewingii DNA detection was shorter. Also, the two challenged dogs did not develop pyrexia or show any hematologic or biochemical abnormalities. E. ewingii was successfully transmitted between dogs by Amblyomma americanum, but not Rhipicephalus sanguineus. This study provides data on the infection dynamics of E. ewingii in dogs during primary and challenge infections and suggests that prior exposure may lessen clinical disease during subsequent infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Yabsley
- D.B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Abstract
In the time since canine ehrlichiosis due to Ehrlichia canis was first described in 1935 and first recognized in the United States in 1962, many key advances have been made in our understanding of the diversity of the rickettsial organisms responsible for ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis in dogs and, occasionally, cats, the vectors capable of transmitting these agents, and the role these organisms play as both important veterinary pathogens and zoonotic disease agents. Despite considerable progress in the field, much remains to be learned regarding mechanisms contributing to pathogenesis, effective treatment modalities, and prevention strategies that best protect pet health. This article highlights current understanding of the transmission, diagnosis, and management of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis in dogs and cats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan E Little
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078-2007, USA.
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Cohen SB, Yabsley MJ, Freye JD, Dunlap BG, Rowland ME, Huang J, Dunn JR, Jones TF, Moncayo AC. Prevalence of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii in ticks from Tennessee. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 10:435-40. [PMID: 19877819 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2009.0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human ehrlichiosis is the second most common tick-borne disease reported in Tennessee after Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Two closely related ehrlichiae, Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii, are both causative agents of human disease and are transmitted by Amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick. Prevalence rates and distribution patterns of these pathogens among ticks in Tennessee are currently unknown. To understand prevalence and exposure risk of Ehrlichia spp., we tested 616 ticks (309 Amblyomma americanum (L.), 277 Dermacentor variabilis (Say), 17 Ixodes texanus (Banks), 7 Ixodes cookei Packard, 4 Ixodes scapularis (Say), and 2 Amblyomma maculatum Koch) from 46 counties for E. chaffeensis and 324 ticks (238 A. americanum and 86 D. variabilis) from 29 counties for E. ewingii. Overall, E. chaffeensis was detected in 2.6% (8/309) of A. americanum and E. ewingii in 0.8% (2/238). Ehrlichia spp. DNA was not detected in any tick species other than A. americanum. Although sample sizes were low in many counties, all positive ticks were identified in the Interior Plateau and Southeastern Plains ecoregions which is where the majority of human ehrlichiosis cases are reported from Tennessee (e.g., 66.3% of the human cases in 2008 are from the Interior Plateau ecoregion). The data from this pathogen survey combined with frequent human case reports from certain areas indicate potential "hot spots" for ehrlichiosis infection. Targeted vector control interventions in these areas may help decrease human ehrlichiosis transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara B Cohen
- Vector-Borne Diseases Section, Communicable and Environmental Disease Services, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, TN 37216, USA
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Abstract
Established and emerging tickborne infections are significant causes of human illness in the southern United States. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, human ewingii ehrlichiosis and tularemia are known pathogens in this geographic distribution. Rickettsia parkeri and novel ehrlichioses are more recently described tickborne infections reviewed in this article. An understanding of the tick vectors, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment is useful for the clinician treating patients potentially infected with any of these pathogens. Prevention measures, the optimal method for removing an attached tick and current and future vaccine development conclude this review.
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Allan BF, Goessling LS, Storch GA, Thach RE. Blood meal analysis to identify reservoir hosts for Amblyomma americanum ticks. Emerg Infect Dis 2010; 16:433-40. [PMID: 20202418 PMCID: PMC3322017 DOI: 10.3201/eid1603.090911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Efforts to identify wildlife reservoirs for tick-borne pathogens are frequently limited by poor understanding of tick-host interactions and potentially transient infectivity of hosts under natural conditions. To identify reservoir hosts for lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum)-associated pathogens, we used a novel technology. In field-collected ticks, we used PCR to amplify a portion of the 18S rRNA gene in remnant blood meal DNA. Reverse line blot hybridization with host-specific probes was then used to subsequently detect and identify amplified DNA. Although several other taxa of wildlife hosts contribute to tick infection rates, our results confirm that the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a reservoir host for several A. americanum-associated pathogens. Identification of host blood meal frequency and reservoir competence can help in determining human infection rates caused by these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian F Allan
- Washington University in St Louis, Missouri 63025, USA.
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48
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Little SE, O'Connor TP, Hempstead J, Saucier J, Reichard MV, Meinkoth K, Meinkoth JH, Andrews B, Ullom S, Ewing SA, Chandrashekar R. Ehrlichia ewingii infection and exposure rates in dogs from the southcentral United States. Vet Parasitol 2010; 172:355-60. [PMID: 20541322 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2010] [Revised: 04/06/2010] [Accepted: 05/05/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We used PCR and a novel serologic assay to determine infection and exposure rates to Ehrlichia ewingii in dogs from an area of northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas where Amblyomma americanum ticks are abundant. Of 143 dogs assayed, 13 (9.1%) harbored E. ewingii by PCR and 64 (44.8%) had antibodies to E. ewingii detected using a peptide-based microtiter plate ELISA. Dogs were more likely (P=0.001) to be positive by PCR if sampled in August (30.8%) but no association was found between seropositive status and month of collection of sample (P>0.05). Additional testing revealed PCR evidence of Ehrlichia chaffeensis (4/143; 2.8%) and Anaplasma platys (5/143; 3.5%) as well as antibodies reactive to E. chaffeensis (25/143; 17.5%), Ehrlichia canis (2/143; 1.4%), and Anaplasma spp. (8/143; 5.6%). Testing of another 200 dogs from the area revealed additional PCR and/or serologic evidence of E. ewingii, E. canis, E. chaffeensis, and A. platys. None of the 343 dogs evaluated had evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi exposure. These data support the interpretation that E. ewingii may be the primary agent of canine ehrlichiosis in this region, and suggest that diagnostic evaluation of dogs suspected to have a tick-borne disease should include assays targeting this organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan E Little
- Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
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Nicholson WL, Allen KE, McQuiston JH, Breitschwerdt EB, Little SE. The increasing recognition of rickettsial pathogens in dogs and people. Trends Parasitol 2010; 26:205-12. [PMID: 20207197 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2010.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2009] [Revised: 01/16/2010] [Accepted: 01/25/2010] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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50
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Doudier B, Olano J, Parola P, Brouqui P. Factors contributing to emergence of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma spp. as human pathogens. Vet Parasitol 2010; 167:149-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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