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Chitimia-Dobler L, Bröker M, Wölfel S, Dobler G, Schaper S, Müller K, Obiegala A, Maas L, Mans BJ, von Buttlar H. Ticks and tick-borne diseases from Mallorca Island, Spain. Parasitology 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38767137 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182024000544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Ixodid ticks are obligate blood-feeding arthropods and important vectors of pathogens. In Mallorca, almost no data on the tick fauna are available. Herein, we investigated ticks and tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected from dogs, a cat and humans in Mallorca as result of a citizen science project. A total of 91 ticks were received from German tourists and residents in Mallorca. Ticks were collected from March to October 2023 from dogs, cat and humans, morphologically and genetically identified and tested for pathogens by PCRs. Six tick species could be identified: Ixodes ricinus (n = 2), Ixodes ventalloi (n = 1), Hyalomma lusitanicum (n = 7), Hyalomma marginatum (n = 1), Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (n = 71) and Rhipicephalus pusillus (n = 9). Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. adults were collected from dogs and four females from a cat and the 16S rDNA sequences identified it as Rh. sanguineus s.s. Hyalomma lusitanicum was collected from 1 human, 1 dog and 5 specimens were collected from the ground in the community of Santanyi, together with one H. marginatum male. This is the first report of Hyalomma marginatum in Mallorca. Both I. ricinus were collected from humans and I. ventalloi female was collected from a dog. All ticks tested negative for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella spp., Francisella spp., and piroplasms. In 32/71 (45%) specimens of Rh. sanguineus s.s., Rickettsia spp. could be detected and in 18/32 (56.2%) sequenced tick DNAs R. massiliae was identified. Ixodes ventalloi female and both I. ricinus tested positive in the screening PCR, but the sequencing for the identification of the Rickettsia sp. failed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Chitimia-Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute of Immunology, Infection and Pandemic Research, Penzberg, Germany
| | | | - Silke Wölfel
- amedes MVZ for Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology, Fuerstenfeldbruck, Germany
| | - Gerhard Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lara Maas
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ben J Mans
- Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Onderstepoort, South Africa
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa
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Backus LH, López-Pérez AM, Marcek J, Shultz L, Zazueta OE, Shooter S, Foley J. Rickettsial antibodies and Rickettsia bellii detection in lagomorphs and their ectoparasites in Northern Baja California, Mexico. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 60:1073-1080. [PMID: 37410023 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Lagomorphs-principally rabbits and hares-have been implicated as hosts for vectors and reservoirs for pathogens associated with multiple rickettsial diseases. Western North America is home to diverse rickettsial pathogens which circulate among multiple wild and domestic hosts and tick and flea vectors. The purpose of this study was to assess lagomorphs and their ectoparasites in 2 locations in northern Baja California, Mexico, for exposure to and infection with rickettsial organisms. In total, 55 desert cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus audubonii) (Baird) and 2 black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) (Gray) were captured. In Mexicali, ticks were collected from 44% (14/32) of individuals, and were exclusively Haemaphysalis leporispalustrisNeumann (Acari: Ixodidae); in Ensenada, ticks were collected from 70% (16/23) individuals, and 95% were Dermacentor parumapertus. Euhoplopsyllus glacialis affinisBaker (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) fleas were collected from 72% of rabbits and 1 jackrabbit from Mexicali, while the few fleas found on hosts in Ensenada were Echidnophaga gallinaceaWestwood (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) and Cediopsylla inaequalis(Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Rickettsia bellii was the only rickettsial organism detected and was identified in 88% of D. parumapertus and 67% of H. leporispalustris ticks from Ensenada. A single tissue sample from a jackrabbit was positive for R. belli (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae). Hosts in Ensenada had a significantly higher prevalence of rickettsial antibodies than hosts in Mexicali (52.3% vs. 21.4%). Although R. bellii is not regarded as pathogenic in humans or other mammals, it may contribute to immunity to other rickettsiae. The marked difference in distribution of ticks, fleas, and rickettsial exposure between the 2 locations suggests that disease transmission risk may vary markedly between communities within the same region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura H Backus
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Andrés M López-Pérez
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., 91073 Xalapa, México
| | - Jacob Marcek
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Laura Shultz
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Oscar E Zazueta
- Dirección de Enseñanza y Vinculación, Instituto de Servicios de Salud Pública del Estado de Baja California, Mexicali, México
| | - Savannah Shooter
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Janet Foley
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Abreu-Yanes E, Abreu-Acosta N, Foronda P. Study of tick-borne zoonotic pathogens in questing and feeding ticks in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2023; 48:59-62. [PMID: 37255360 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-48.1.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are vectors of many zoonotic pathogens of clinical relevance, including Anaplasma and Rickettsia species. Since few data about these tick-borne pathogens are available in the Canary Islands, the aim of the present study was to screen their presence in questing and feeding ticks on the island of Tenerife. A total of 81 ticks was removed from six hedgehogs, and eight ticks were collected from the grass. PCR assays for tick species identification based on the LSU rRNA gene, and detection of Anaplasma spp. and Rickettsia spp. by targeting the 16s rRNA and gltA gene, respectively, were carried out. Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Haemaphysalis formosensis tick species were identified, with Rickettsia hoogstraalii detected in H. formosensis. In addition, Rickettsia helvetica and one unidentified Rickettsia species were detected. The overall prevalence of Rickettsia in ticks was 12.2%, and none harbored Anaplasma sp. This work constitutes the first identification in the Canary Islands of pathogenic R. helvetica and the species of unknown pathogenicity R. hoogstraalii in questing ticks. The clinical relevance of the pathogens identified highlights the need for studies with increased sample size and locations, including potential hosts, as well as warning the population about the relevance of ticks as vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefanía Abreu-Yanes
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna. Avda. Astrofísico F. Sánchez, s/n, 38203 La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
- Nertalab S.L. José Rodríguez Mouré, 38008 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Néstor Abreu-Acosta
- Nertalab S.L. José Rodríguez Mouré, 38008 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Pilar Foronda
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna. Avda. Astrofísico F. Sánchez, s/n, 38203 La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain,
- Departament Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna. Avda. Astrofísico F. Sánchez, s/n, 38203 La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
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Remesar S, Castro-Scholten S, Cano-Terriza D, Díaz P, Morrondo P, Jiménez-Martín D, Rouco C, García-Bocanegra I. Molecular identification of zoonotic Rickettsia species in Ixodidae parasitizing wild lagomorphs from Mediterranean ecosystems. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:e992-e1004. [PMID: 34738325 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A survey study was carried out to identify tick species parasitizing wild lagomorphs in Mediterranean ecosystems in southern Spain and to determine the occurrence of Rickettsia species present in these ticks in this region. A total of 1304 European wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and 58 Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) were individually examined for the presence of ticks. Ticks were found in 42.9% and 50% of the wild rabbits and hares sampled, respectively. A total of 1122 ticks were collected and five species, including Rhipicephalus pusillus, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Haemaphysalis hispanica, Ixodes ventalloi and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.), were microscopically and molecularly identified at the 16S rRNA gene. This is the first study on Ixodidae parasitizing Iberian hares. The presence of Rickettsia DNA was assessed in 254 tick pools (according to hunting states, lagomorph species, tick species and tick development stage) using PCR assays targeting the rOmpA, rOmpB and gltA. Twenty-seven pools (10.6%) were positive to Rickettsia DNA. Five zoonotic Rickettsia species were identified, being Rickettsia massiliae the most frequent (4.7%), followed by Rickettsia sibirica subsp. mongolitimonae (2.8%), Rickettsia slovaca (2.0%), Rickettsia aeschlimannii (0.8%) and Rickettsia africae (0.4%). The results suggest that wild rabbits and Iberian hares are parasitized by a wide range of tick species and that these lagomorphs may play an important role in the sylvatic cycle of some zoonotic Rickettsia species in Mediterranean ecosystems. Our data represent the first report of R. massiliae, R. aeschlimannii, R. slovaca and R africae in ticks collected in wild lagomorphs in Europe, and the first report of not imported R. africae in this continent. Since R. slovaca and R. africae DNA was detected in tick species different to their main vectors, further studies are warranted to unravel the role of wild lagomorphs in the epidemiology of these vector-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Remesar
- Investigación en Sanidad Animal: Galicia (Grupo INVESAGA), Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Sabrina Castro-Scholten
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - David Cano-Terriza
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Pablo Díaz
- Investigación en Sanidad Animal: Galicia (Grupo INVESAGA), Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Patrocinio Morrondo
- Investigación en Sanidad Animal: Galicia (Grupo INVESAGA), Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Débora Jiménez-Martín
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Carlos Rouco
- Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
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Atelerix algirus, the North African Hedgehog: Suitable Wild Host for Infected Ticks and Fleas and Reservoir of Vector-Borne Pathogens in Tunisia. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10080953. [PMID: 34451417 PMCID: PMC8399139 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10080953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Small wild mammals are an important element in the emergence and transmission of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs). Among these species, hedgehogs have been found to be a reservoir of VBPs and host of arthropod vectors. Surveillance of VBPs in wildlife and their arthropods are crucial in a one health context. We conducted an exploratory study to screen Atelerix algirus hedgehogs and their infesting ticks and fleas for VBPs using a high throughput microfluidic real-time PCR system. Tested biopsies from hedgehogs were found to be naturally infected by Theileria youngi, Hepatozoon sp., Ehrlichia ewingii, Coxiella burnetii, and Candidatus Ehrlichia shimanensis. Similarly, Haemaphysalis erinacei and Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick species were infected by Ehrlichia ewingii, Rickettsia spp., Rickettsia massiliae, Borrelia sp., Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia lusitaniae and Anaplasma sp. Archaeopsylla erinacei fleas were infected by Rickettsia asembonensis, Coxiella burnetii, and Rickettsia massiliae. Co-infections by two and three pathogens were detected in hedgehogs and infesting ticks and fleas. The microfluidic real-time PCR system enabled us not only to detect new and unexpected pathogens, but also to identify co-infections in hedgehogs, ticks, and fleas. We suggest that hedgehogs may play a reservoir role for VBPs in Tunisia and contribute to maintaining enzootic pathogen cycles via arthropod vectors.
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Belkahia H, Selmi R, Zamiti S, Daaloul-Jedidi M, Messadi L, Ben Said M. Zoonotic Rickettsia Species in Small Ruminant Ticks From Tunisia. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:676896. [PMID: 34124229 PMCID: PMC8187766 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.676896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne rickettsioses present a significant public health threat among emerging tick-borne diseases. In Tunisia, little is known about tick-borne Rickettsia pathogens. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Rickettsia species in small ruminant ticks from Tunisia. Adult ticks (n = 694) were collected from goats and sheep in northern Tunisia. Obtained ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus turanicus (n = 434) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (n = 260). Selected ticks (n = 666) were screened for the presence of Rickettsia spp. by PCR targeting a partial sequence of the ompB gene followed by sequence analysis. Rickettsial DNA was detected in 122 (18.3%) tested tick samples. The infection rates in Rh. turanicus and Rh. sanguineus s.l. ticks were 23.4 and 9.5%, respectively. The overall prevalence of rickettsial DNA was markedly higher in ticks collected from goats (23.2%) compared to those infesting sheep (7.9%). The detection of rickettsial DNA was significantly higher in ticks from the governorate of Beja (39.0%) than those from the governorate of Bizerte (13.9%). Two additional genes, the outer membrane protein A gene (ompA) and the citrate synthase gene (gltA), were also targeted for further characterization of the detected Rickettsia species. Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis based on partial sequences (n = 106) of the three different genes revealed that positive ticks are infected with different isolates of two Spotted Fever Group (SFG) Rickettsia, namely, Rickettsia massiliae and Rickettsia monacensis, closely related to those infecting camels and associated ticks from Tunisia, and humans and small ruminant ticks from neighboring countries like Italy, France, and Spain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanène Belkahia
- Service de Microbiologie et Immunologie, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, University of Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Rachid Selmi
- Service de Microbiologie et Immunologie, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, University of Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.,Ministère de la Défense Nationale, Direction Générale de la Santé Militaire, Service Vétérinaire, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Sayed Zamiti
- Service de Microbiologie et Immunologie, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, University of Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Monia Daaloul-Jedidi
- Service de Microbiologie et Immunologie, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, University of Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Lilia Messadi
- Service de Microbiologie et Immunologie, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, University of Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Mourad Ben Said
- Service de Microbiologie et Immunologie, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, University of Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.,Département des Sciences Fondamentales, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
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Epidemiology, Clinical Aspects, Laboratory Diagnosis and Treatment of Rickettsial Diseases in the Mediterranean Area During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of the Literature. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis 2020; 12:e2020056. [PMID: 32952967 PMCID: PMC7485464 DOI: 10.4084/mjhid.2020.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the present review is to give an update regarding the classification, epidemiology, clinical manifestation, diagnoses, and treatment of the Rickettsial diseases present in the Mediterranean area. We performed a comprehensive search, through electronic databases (Pubmed – MEDLINE) and search engines (Google Scholar), of peer-reviewed publications (articles, reviews, and books). The availability of new diagnostic tools, including Polymerase Chain Reaction and nucleotide sequencing has significantly modified the classification of intracellular bacteria, including the order Rickettsiales with more and more new Rickettsia species recognized as human pathogens. Furthermore, emerging Rickettsia species have been found in several countries and are often associated with unique clinical pictures that may challenge the physician in the early detection of the diseases. Rickettsial infections include a wide spectrum of clinical presentations ranging from a benign to a potentially life treating disease that requires prompt recognition and proper management. Recently, due to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the differential diagnosis with COVID-19 is of crucial importance. The correct understanding of the clinical features, diagnostic tools, and proper treatment can assist clinicians in the management of Rickettsioses in the Mediterranean area.
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Ghafar A, Cabezas-Cruz A, Galon C, Obregon D, Gasser RB, Moutailler S, Jabbar A. Bovine ticks harbour a diverse array of microorganisms in Pakistan. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:1. [PMID: 31900233 PMCID: PMC6942265 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3862-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TTBP) are a major constraint to livestock production in Pakistan; despite a high prevalence of TTBPs, knowledge on the capacity of Pakistani ticks to carry pathogens and endosymbionts is limited. Furthermore, mixed infections with multiple microorganisms further complicate and limit the detection potential of traditional diagnostic methods. The present study investigated the tick-borne microorganisms in bovine ticks in Pakistan, employing a high-throughput microfluidic real-time PCR based technique. METHODS Ticks were collected from clinically healthy cattle (n = 116) and water buffaloes (n = 88) from 30 villages across six districts located in five agro-ecological zones (AEZs) of Pakistan from September to November 2017. The microfluidic real-time PCR was used to test the genomic DNA of individual ticks for the presence of 27 bacterial and eight parasitic microorganisms. Phylogenetic methods were used to assess the genetic relationship of DNA sequences determined herein. RESULTS PCR detected DNA of at least one microorganism in each of 221 ticks tested (94.4%, 221/234). DNA-based detection inferred that single pathogens/endosymbionts were the most common (43.4%, 96/221) followed by double (38.9%, 86/221), triple (14.5%, 32/221), quadruple (2.3%, 5/221) and quintuple (0.9%, 2/221) mixed infections. Piroplasms (Babesia/Theileria spp.) were the most prevalent (31.6%, 74/234), followed by Ehrlichia spp. (20%, 47/234) and Anaplasma marginale (7.7%, 18/234). Anaplasma phagocytophilum, A. ovis, A. centrale, Babesia ovis, Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., R. massiliae, Bartonella spp. and Hepatozoon spp. were also detected. Endosymbionts such as Francisella-like (91.5%, 214/234) and Coxiella-like (1.3%, 3/234) organisms were also detected in ticks. The highest diversity of microorganisms was detected in Hyalomma anatolicum ticks (test-positive for 14/14 microorganisms), followed by Rhipicephalus microplus (4/14), Hy. hussaini (3/14) and Rh. annulatus (2/14). Ticks collected from cattle carried significantly more frequently piroplasms (41.2%, 54/131; P < 0.05) than those from buffaloes (19.4%, 20/103). However, the overall prevalence of microorganisms did not vary significantly among ticks from the two host species as well as across different AEZs. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate a wide range of tick-borne microorganisms in bovine ticks using a high-throughput diagnostic method from different AEZs in Pakistan. These findings will aid in establishing the distribution patterns and the control of tick-borne pathogens of bovines in Pakistan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Ghafar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, 3030, Australia
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR BIPAR, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Clemence Galon
- UMR BIPAR, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Dasiel Obregon
- Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba, 13400-970, Brazil.,School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, 3030, Australia
| | - Sara Moutailler
- UMR BIPAR, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, 3030, Australia.
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Moraga-Fernández A, Chaligiannis Ι, Cabezas-Cruz A, Papa A, Sotiraki S, de la Fuente J, G Fernández de Mera I. Molecular identification of spotted fever group Rickettsia in ticks collected from dogs and small ruminants in Greece. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2019; 78:421-430. [PMID: 31175472 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-019-00392-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are zoonotic and emerging pathogens with considerable impact in public and animal health. Greece is an endemic country of diseases caused by SFG Rickettsia. This work aims to evaluate the prevalence of SFG Rickettsia in ticks collected from domestic hosts including sheep, goats and dogs. Several genetic markers for bacterial genes, such as 16S rRNA, ompA, ompB, atpA, gltA, recA, dnaA and dnaK, were amplified and sequenced to accurately classified the rickettsial pathogens in the ticks. Taxonomy and species classification of the Rickettsia was achieved by combining phylogenetic and in silico digestion analysis of the gene sequences obtained. A total of 187 ticks were collected and classified at the species level as Ixodes gibosus, Dermacentor marginatus, Haemaphysalis parva, H. sulcata, H. punctata, Hyalomma scavatum, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. bursa and Rhipicephalus sp. The results showed that 7.5% of ticks were infected with at least one SFG Rickettsia including R. massiliae (n = 3), R. slovaca (n = 5), R. raoultii (n = 1) and R. hoogstraalii (n = 5), collected from sheep (n = 4), goats (n = 5) and dogs (n = 3). Molecular analysis revealed the presence of novel genetic variants of R. hoogstraalii (in H. sulcata and H. parva from goat and sheep) and R. raoultii (in D. marginatus from goat). These results proof the presence of SFG Rickettsia in domestic hosts in Greece, and support the need for continued monitoring, surveillance and further analyses of other hosts and study areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Moraga-Fernández
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo, 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Ιlias Chaligiannis
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thermi, 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Anna Papa
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Smaragda Sotiraki
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thermi, 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo, 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - Isabel G Fernández de Mera
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo, 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
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10
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Yu P, Liu Z, Niu Q, Yang J, Abdallah MO, Chen Z, Liu G, Luo J, Yin H. Molecular evidence of tick-borne pathogens in Hyalomma anatolicum ticks infesting cattle in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Northwestern China. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 73:269-281. [PMID: 28875270 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-017-0162-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Although tick-borne pathogens have been widely reported in ticks in China, there is little information available on the prevalence of information in Hyalomma ticks from cattle. This study aims to determine the occurrence of pathogens in Hyalomma anatolicum collected from cattle in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, by PCR, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Borrelia burgdorferi s.s., Rickettsia massiliae and Anaplasma bovis were identified, whereas DNA of Ehrlichia species and an Anaplasma platys-like pathogen were also detected. Our findings highlight the risk of infection of animals and humans with these pathogens in north-western China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peifa Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingli Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jifei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Mirza Omar Abdallah
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Ze Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianxun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Obiegala A, Król N, Oltersdorf C, Nader J, Pfeffer M. The enzootic life-cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) and tick-borne rickettsiae: an epidemiological study on wild-living small mammals and their ticks from Saxony, Germany. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:115. [PMID: 28285593 PMCID: PMC5346851 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2053-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) and rickettsiae of the spotted fever group are zoonotic tick-borne pathogens. While small mammals are confirmed reservoirs for certain Borrelia spp., little is known about the reservoirs for tick-borne rickettsiae. Between 2012 and 2014, ticks were collected from the vegetation and small mammals which were trapped in Saxony, Germany. DNA extracted from ticks and the small mammals' skin was analyzed for the presence of Rickettsia spp. and B. burgdorferi (s.l.) by qPCR targeting the gltA and p41 genes, respectively. Partial sequencing of the rickettsial ompB gene and an MLST of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) were conducted for species determination. RESULTS In total, 673 small mammals belonging to eight species (Apodemus agrarius, n = 7; A. flavicollis, n = 214; Microtus arvalis, n = 8; Microtus agrestis, n = 1; Mustela nivalis, n = 2; Myodes glareolus, n = 435; Sorex araneus, n = 5; and Talpa europaea, n = 1) were collected and examined. In total, 916 questing ticks belonging to three species (Ixodes ricinus, n = 741; Dermacentor reticulatus, n = 174; and I. trianguliceps, n = 1) were collected. Of these, 474 ticks were further investigated. The prevalence for Rickettsia spp. and B. burgdorferi (s.l.) in the investigated small mammals was 25.3 and 31.2%, respectively. The chance of encountering Rickettsia spp. in M. glareolus was seven times higher for specimens infested with D. reticulatus than for those which were free of D. reticulatus (OR: 7.0; 95% CI: 3.3-14.7; P < 0.001). In total, 11.4% of questing I. ricinus and 70.5% of D. reticulatus were positive for Rickettsia spp. DNA of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) was detected only in I. ricinus (5.5%). Sequence analysis revealed 9 R. helvetica, 5 R. raoultii, and 1 R. felis obtained from 15 small mammal samples. CONCLUSION Small mammals may serve as reservoirs for Rickettsia spp. and B. burgdorferi (s.l.). While the prevalence for Rickettsia spp. in M. glareolus is most likely depending on the abundance of attached D. reticulatus, the prevalence for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) in small mammals is independent of tick abundance. Dermacentor reticulatus may be the main vector of certain Rickettsia spp. but not for Borrelia spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nina Król
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Microbial Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Carolin Oltersdorf
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julian Nader
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Guo LP, Jiang SH, Liu D, Wang SW, Chen CF, Wang YZ. Emerging spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks, northwestern China. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:1146-1150. [PMID: 27554852 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We report Rickettsia conorii subsp. indica, Candidatus R. barbariae and R. massiliae in Rhipicephalus turanicus from sheep around the Taklamakan desert, northwestern China. The topology of the phylogenetic trees produced from the maximum likelihood (ML) analyses of the ompA-gltA-rrs-geneD-ompB concatenated sequence data was very similar to that of the neighbor joining (NJ) tree, and with total support of 69%-100% bootstrap values for the inclusion of the rickettsiae in Rh. turanicus within the clade that contained R. conorii subsp. indica; Candidatus R. barbariae and Rickettsia sp. Tselentii; R. massiliae str. AZT80; and R. massiliae MTU5, respectively. Studies suggest that the co-existence of these spotted fever group rickettsiae is a threat to public health in China. Work is important in exploring novel and emerging pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Ping Guo
- School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.
| | - Su-Hua Jiang
- School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China; Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030 Hubei, China.
| | - Dan Liu
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China.
| | - Shi-Wei Wang
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Aral 843300, Xinjiang, China.
| | - Chuang-Fu Chen
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China.
| | - Yuan-Zhi Wang
- School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.
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13
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Bolaños-Rivero M, Carranza-Rodríguez C, Hernández-Cabrera M, Pisos-Álamo E, Jaén-Sánchez N, Pérez-Arellano JL. Usefulness of the early molecular diagnosis of Q fever and rickettsial diseases in patients with fever of intermediate duration. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2016; 35:655-658. [PMID: 27026285 DOI: 10.1016/j.eimc.2016.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Revised: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Most cases of fever of intermediate duration (FDI) in Spain are associated with infectious diseases (mainly Q fever and rickettsia infections). In clinical practice, the causal diagnosis of these entities is based on immunodiagnostic techniques, which are of little help in the early stages. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of molecular techniques for the early diagnosis of Q fever and rickettsia diseases in patients with FDI. A PCR method was used to detect the presence of genetic material of Coxiella burnetii and Rickettsia spp. in blood specimens from 271 patients with FDI. The specificity of both techniques is high, allowing diagnosis in cases undiagnosed by specific antibodies detection. These data suggest that the use of molecular techniques, with proper selection of the study specimen, and using appropriate primers is a useful tool in the early diagnosis of the main causes of FDI, especially if serology is negative or inconclusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Bolaños-Rivero
- Servicio de Microbiología y Parasitología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular-Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España
| | - Cristina Carranza-Rodríguez
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Medicina Tropical, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular-Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España; Departamento de Ciencias Médicas y Quirúrgicas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España
| | - Michele Hernández-Cabrera
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Medicina Tropical, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular-Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España; Departamento de Ciencias Médicas y Quirúrgicas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España
| | - Elena Pisos-Álamo
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Medicina Tropical, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular-Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España; Departamento de Ciencias Médicas y Quirúrgicas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España
| | - Nieves Jaén-Sánchez
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Medicina Tropical, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular-Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España; Departamento de Ciencias Médicas y Quirúrgicas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España
| | - José-Luis Pérez-Arellano
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Medicina Tropical, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular-Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España; Departamento de Ciencias Médicas y Quirúrgicas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
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14
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Wei QQ, Guo LP, Wang AD, Mu LM, Zhang K, Chen CF, Zhang WJ, Wang YZ. The first detection of Rickettsia aeschlimannii and Rickettsia massiliae in Rhipicephalus turanicus ticks, in northwest China. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:631. [PMID: 26652857 PMCID: PMC4675064 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1242-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rickettsia spp. belonging to the spotted fever group (SFG) cause infections in humans, domestic animals and wildlife. At least five SFG rickettsial species have been reported in China, but the occurrence of Rickettsia aeschlimannii and R. massiliae in ticks has not been characterized to date. Findings A total of 114 adult ticks were collected from sheep in Yining County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in northwest China. The ticks were identified from morphological and molecular characteristics. All samples were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and six genetic markers were used to determine the Rickettsia spp. in the ticks. The ticks collected were identified as Rhipicephalus turanicus. Three different lineages of Rh. turanicus from Yining County were discovered on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA and cox1. Twenty-one of the 114 samples (18.42%) were positive for rickettsial agents. Phylogenetic analysis based on six genetic sequences showed that three rickettsial species were present, namely: R. aeschlimannii (19.05%, 4/21), R. massiliae (19.05%, 4/21) and R. sibirica variant (61.90%, 13/21), which is clustered in the clade of R. sibirica subsp. sibirica. Conclusions This is the first description of R. aeschlimannii and R. massiliae in China. R. massiliae, R. aeschlimannii and R. sibirica variant co-circulate in the region of the China-Kazakhstan border, in northwest China. Rickettsial agents in ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus from migrant birds, transported livestock, wildlife and human beings should be investigated further in the region of the China–Central Asian border. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1242-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Qing Wei
- School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 832000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Li-Ping Guo
- School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 832000, People's Republic of China.
| | - An-Dong Wang
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 832000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Lu-Meng Mu
- School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 832000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ke Zhang
- Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, Henan, 467000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chuang-Fu Chen
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 832000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wan-Jiang Zhang
- School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 832000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yuan-Zhi Wang
- School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 832000, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Zhuang L, Wang CY, Tong YG, Tang F, Yang H, Liu W, Cao WC. Discovery of Rickettsia species in Dermacentor niveus Neumann ticks by investigating the diversity of bacterial communities. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:564-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2013] [Revised: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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16
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Milhano N, Popov V, Vilhena M, Bouyer DH, de Sousa R, Walker DH. Quantitative study of Rickettsia massiliae in Rhipicephalus sanguineus organs. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:709-14. [PMID: 25108779 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2014] [Revised: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Rickettsia massiliae, belonging to the spotted fever group of Rickettsia, is a human pathogen causing a similar course of disease to that caused by R. conorii, the originally recognized etiologic agent of Mediterranean spotted fever. In view of this similarity, we performed an ultrastructural study of R. massiliae in organs of Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks, in order to advance knowledge of the complex dynamics at the tick-pathogen interface in rickettsioses. Adult R. massiliae-infected Rh. sanguineus ticks were fed on uninfected Hartley strain guinea pigs, and five females were collected daily throughout their feeding period up to day 6, and analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and electron microscopy. An increase in rickettsial content was observed in the salivary glands, particularly in the first two days of feeding, and a plateau was observed between days 3 and 6. Rickettsial organisms were observed in all tick organs analyzed, in higher numbers in the fed state, and statistically significant differences were observed in measurements of the periplasmic layer of R. massiliae in salivary glands of fed and unfed Rh. sanguineus ticks, with increased thickness in the former case. This study provides insight into the interface between R. massiliae and Rh. sanguineus ticks, highlighting the need for analysis of R. massiliae to fully ascertain its place as an important pathogenic agent of a spotted fever rickettsiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natacha Milhano
- National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Águas de Moura, Portugal.
| | - Vsevolod Popov
- Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Manuela Vilhena
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Donald H Bouyer
- Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rita de Sousa
- National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - David H Walker
- Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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Maia C, Ferreira A, Nunes M, Vieira ML, Campino L, Cardoso L. Molecular detection of bacterial and parasitic pathogens in hard ticks from Portugal. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:409-14. [PMID: 24745731 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Revised: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are important vector arthropods of human and animal pathogens. As information about agents of disease circulating in vectors in Portugal is limited, the aim of the present study was to detect bacteria and parasites with veterinary and zoonotic importance in ticks collected from dogs, cats, and field vegetation. A total of 925 ticks, comprising 888 (96.0%) adults, 8 (0.9%) nymphs, and 29 (3.1%) larvae, were collected in 4 geographic areas (districts) of Portugal. Among those, 620 (67.0%) were removed from naturally infested dogs, 42 (4.5%) from cats, and 263 (28.4%) were questing ticks obtained from field vegetation. Rhipicephalus sanguineus was the predominant tick species, and the only one collected from dogs and vegetation, while all Ixodes ricinus specimens (n=6) were recovered from cats. Rickettsia massiliae and Rickettsia conorii were identified in 35 ticks collected from cats and dogs and in 3 ticks collected from dogs. Among ticks collected from cats or dogs, 4 Rh. sanguineus specimens were detected with Hepatozoon felis, 3 with Anaplasma platys, 2 with Hepatozoon canis, one with Anaplasma phagocytophilum, one with Babesia vogeli, one with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and one with Cercopithifilaria spp. Rickettsia helvetica was detected in one I. ricinus tick collected from a cat. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time that Cercopithifilaria spp., Ba. vogeli, H. canis, and H. felis have been detected in ticks from Portugal. The wide range of tick-borne pathogens identified, some of zoonotic concern, suggests a risk for the emergence of tick-borne diseases in domestic animals and humans in Portugal. Further studies on these and other tick-borne agents should be performed to better understand their epidemiological and clinical importance, and to support the implementation of effective control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Maia
- Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal; Centro de Malária e outras Doenças Tropicais, IHMT-UNL, Lisboa, Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Andreia Ferreira
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mónica Nunes
- Unidade de Microbiologia Médica, IHMT-UNL, Lisboa, Portugal; Centro de Recursos Microbiológicos, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, UNL, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Maria Luísa Vieira
- Unidade de Microbiologia Médica, IHMT-UNL, Lisboa, Portugal; Centro de Recursos Microbiológicos, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, UNL, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Lenea Campino
- Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal; Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Departamento de Ciências Veterinárias, Escola de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal; Parasite Disease Group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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18
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Villar M, Popara M, Ayllón N, Fernández de Mera IG, Mateos-Hernández L, Galindo RC, Manrique M, Tobes R, de la Fuente J. A systems biology approach to the characterization of stress response in Dermacentor reticulatus tick unfed larvae. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89564. [PMID: 24586875 PMCID: PMC3931811 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794) is distributed in Europe and Asia where it infests and transmits disease-causing pathogens to humans, pets and other domestic and wild animals. However, despite its role as a vector of emerging or re-emerging diseases, very little information is available on the genome, transcriptome and proteome of D. reticulatus. Tick larvae are the first developmental stage to infest hosts, acquire infection and transmit pathogens that are transovarially transmitted and are exposed to extremely stressing conditions. In this study, we used a systems biology approach to get an insight into the mechanisms active in D. reticulatus unfed larvae, with special emphasis on stress response. Principal Findings The results support the use of paired end RNA sequencing and proteomics informed by transcriptomics (PIT) for the analysis of transcriptomics and proteomics data, particularly for organisms such as D. reticulatus with little sequence information available. The results showed that metabolic and cellular processes involved in protein synthesis were the most active in D. reticulatus unfed larvae, suggesting that ticks are very active during this life stage. The stress response was activated in D. reticulatus unfed larvae and a Rickettsia sp. similar to R. raoultii was identified in these ticks. Significance The activation of stress responses in D. reticulatus unfed larvae likely counteracts the negative effect of temperature and other stress conditions such as Rickettsia infection and favors tick adaptation to environmental conditions to increase tick survival. These results show mechanisms that have evolved in D. reticulatus ticks to survive under stress conditions and suggest that these mechanisms are conserved across hard tick species. Targeting some of these proteins by vaccination may increase tick susceptibility to natural stress conditions, which in turn reduce tick survival and reproduction, thus reducing tick populations and vector capacity for tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Villar
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Marina Popara
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Nieves Ayllón
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | | | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Ruth C. Galindo
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Marina Manrique
- Oh no sequences! Research group, Era7 Bioinformatics, Granada, Spain
| | - Raquel Tobes
- Oh no sequences! Research group, Era7 Bioinformatics, Granada, Spain
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Fernández de Mera IG, Ruiz-Fons F, de la Fuente G, Mangold AJ, Gortázar C, de la Fuente J. Spotted fever group rickettsiae in questing ticks, central Spain. Emerg Infect Dis 2014; 19:1163-5. [PMID: 23763913 PMCID: PMC3713984 DOI: 10.3201/eid1907.130005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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Parola P, Paddock CD, Socolovschi C, Labruna MB, Mediannikov O, Kernif T, Abdad MY, Stenos J, Bitam I, Fournier PE, Raoult D. Update on tick-borne rickettsioses around the world: a geographic approach. Clin Microbiol Rev 2013; 26:657-702. [PMID: 24092850 PMCID: PMC3811236 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00032-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 916] [Impact Index Per Article: 83.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne rickettsioses are caused by obligate intracellular bacteria belonging to the spotted fever group of the genus Rickettsia. These zoonoses are among the oldest known vector-borne diseases. However, in the past 25 years, the scope and importance of the recognized tick-associated rickettsial pathogens have increased dramatically, making this complex of diseases an ideal paradigm for the understanding of emerging and reemerging infections. Several species of tick-borne rickettsiae that were considered nonpathogenic for decades are now associated with human infections, and novel Rickettsia species of undetermined pathogenicity continue to be detected in or isolated from ticks around the world. This remarkable expansion of information has been driven largely by the use of molecular techniques that have facilitated the identification of novel and previously recognized rickettsiae in ticks. New approaches, such as swabbing of eschars to obtain material to be tested by PCR, have emerged in recent years and have played a role in describing emerging tick-borne rickettsioses. Here, we present the current knowledge on tick-borne rickettsiae and rickettsioses using a geographic approach toward the epidemiology of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Parola
- Aix Marseille Université, Unité de Recherche en Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes (URMITE), UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, WHO Collaborative Center for Rickettsioses and Other Arthropod-Borne Bacterial Diseases, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France
| | | | - Cristina Socolovschi
- Aix Marseille Université, Unité de Recherche en Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes (URMITE), UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, WHO Collaborative Center for Rickettsioses and Other Arthropod-Borne Bacterial Diseases, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France
| | - Marcelo B. Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Oleg Mediannikov
- Aix Marseille Université, Unité de Recherche en Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes (URMITE), UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, WHO Collaborative Center for Rickettsioses and Other Arthropod-Borne Bacterial Diseases, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France
| | - Tahar Kernif
- Service d'Ecologie des Systèmes Vectoriels, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Mohammad Yazid Abdad
- Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, Murdoch University, Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - John Stenos
- Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, Murdoch University, Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Idir Bitam
- University of Boumerdes, Boumerdes, Algeria
| | - Pierre-Edouard Fournier
- Aix Marseille Université, Unité de Recherche en Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes (URMITE), UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, WHO Collaborative Center for Rickettsioses and Other Arthropod-Borne Bacterial Diseases, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France
| | - Didier Raoult
- Aix Marseille Université, Unité de Recherche en Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes (URMITE), UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, WHO Collaborative Center for Rickettsioses and Other Arthropod-Borne Bacterial Diseases, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France
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Torina A, Fernández de Mera IG, Alongi A, Mangold AJ, Blanda V, Scarlata F, Di Marco V, de la Fuente J. Rickettsia conorii Indian tick typhus strain and R. slovaca in humans, Sicily. Emerg Infect Dis 2012; 18:1008-10. [PMID: 22608066 PMCID: PMC3358144 DOI: 10.3201/eid1806.110966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Wood H, Artsob H. Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae: A Brief Review and a Canadian Perspective. Zoonoses Public Health 2012; 59 Suppl 2:65-79. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01472.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Bolaños-Rivero M, Santana-Rodriguez É, Ángel-Moreno A, Hernández-Cabrera M, Limiñana-Canal JM, Carranza-Rodríguez C, Martín-Sánchez AM, Pérez-Arellano JL. Seroprevalence of Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia conorii infections in the Canary Islands (Spain). Int J Infect Dis 2011; 15:e481-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2011.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2011] [Revised: 03/19/2011] [Accepted: 03/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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