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Meta-analysis: A useful tool to assess infection prevalence and disease ecology of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in nymphal ticks in North-Western Europe with recommendations for a standardised approach to future studies. Parasite Epidemiol Control 2022; 18:e00254. [PMID: 35677189 PMCID: PMC9167692 DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2022.e00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis is a vector-borne disease of concern in Europe. While neuroborreliosis data are reportable at EU level, it can nevertheless be difficult to make comparisons of disease risk between neighbouring countries. This study used proportion meta-analyses to compare environmental markers of disease risk between woodland sites in two countries in North-Western Europe (Ireland, Scotland). 73 site-visits from 12 publications were analysed, resulting in a significantly higher pooled nymphal infection prevalence (NIP) in Ireland (8.2% (95% CI: 5.9–11.4%)) than Scotland (1.7%(95% CI 1.1–2.5%)). All other analysed parameters of disease risk were also higher in Ireland than Scotland. Subgroup-meta-analyses and meta-regressions were used to assess the influence of environmental variables on NIP. NIP increased significantly with increasing woodland size in Ireland, but not Scotland, which may be accounted for by Ireland's highly fragmented landscape. Assuming the application of strict inclusion/exclusion criteria and control of variables, proportion meta-analysis can provide useful insights in disease ecology, as it allows for the achievement of high study powers incorporating samples collected across multiple sites, which is otherwise often a prohibitively difficult and resource-heavy feat in environmental studies in disease ecology. A standardised approach to data collection is recommended to achieve more robust meta-analyses in future in conjunction with additional research on environmental factors affecting Lyme borreliosis risk in Europe, particularly pertaining to the impact of host species on NIP.
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Beasley EA, Pessôa-Pereira D, Scorza BM, Petersen CA. Epidemiologic, Clinical and Immunological Consequences of Co-Infections during Canine Leishmaniosis. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113206. [PMID: 34827938 PMCID: PMC8614518 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Canine leishmaniosis (CanL), the most severe, visceralizing form of disease caused by Leishmania infantum transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies. CanL is frequently diagnosed in the Mediterranean basin and South America, although it is also found in other regions, including the United States (U.S.). Dogs in these regions are at risk for co-infections, prominently tick-borne diseases. Our review examines epidemiologic, clinical, and immunologic mechanisms found during the most common eight CanL co-infections reported in published literature. Co-infections alter immunologic processes and disease progression impacting CanL diagnosis, therapeutic responses, and prognosis. Abstract Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is a vector-borne, parasitic disease. CanL is endemic in the Mediterranean basin and South America but also found in Northern Africa, Asia, and the U.S. Regions with both competent sand fly vectors and L. infantum parasites are also endemic for additional infectious diseases that could cause co-infections in dogs. Growing evidence indicates that co-infections can impact immunologic responses and thus the clinical course of both CanL and the comorbid disease(s). The aim for this review is to summarize epidemiologic, clinical, and immunologic factors contributing to eight primary co-infections reported with CanL: Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Borrelia spp., Babesia spp., Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii, Dirofilaria immitis, Paracoccidioides braziliensis. Co-infection causes mechanistic differences in immunity which can alter diagnostics, therapeutic management, and prognosis of dogs with CanL. More research is needed to further explore immunomodulation during CanL co-infection(s) and their clinical impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A. Beasley
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (E.A.B.); (D.P.-P.); (B.M.S.)
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Danielle Pessôa-Pereira
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (E.A.B.); (D.P.-P.); (B.M.S.)
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Breanna M. Scorza
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (E.A.B.); (D.P.-P.); (B.M.S.)
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Christine A. Petersen
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (E.A.B.); (D.P.-P.); (B.M.S.)
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Correspondence:
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Gandy S, Kilbride E, Biek R, Millins C, Gilbert L. Experimental evidence for opposing effects of high deer density on tick-borne pathogen prevalence and hazard. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:509. [PMID: 34593023 PMCID: PMC8485466 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05000-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying the mechanisms driving disease risk is challenging for multi-host pathogens, such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the tick-borne bacteria causing Lyme disease. Deer are tick reproduction hosts but do not transmit B. burgdorferi s.l., whereas rodents and birds are competent transmission hosts. Here, we use a long-term deer exclosure experiment to test three mechanisms for how high deer density might shape B. burgdorferi s.l. prevalence in ticks: increased prevalence due to higher larval tick densities facilitating high transmission on rodents (M1); alternatively, reduced B. burgdorferi s.l. prevalence because more larval ticks feed on deer rather than transmission-competent rodents (dilution effect) (M2), potentially due to ecological cascades, whereby higher deer grazing pressure shortens vegetation which decreases rodent abundance thus reducing transmission (M3). METHODS In a large enclosure where red deer stags were kept at high density (35.5 deer km-2), we used an experimental design consisting of eight plots of 0.23 ha, four of which were fenced to simulate the absence of deer and four that were accessible to deer. In each plot we measured the density of questing nymphs and nymphal infection prevalence in spring, summer and autumn, and quantified vegetation height and density, and small mammal abundance. RESULTS Prevalence tended to be lower, though not conclusively so, in high deer density plots compared to exclosures (predicted prevalence of 1.0% vs 2.2%), suggesting that the dilution and cascade mechanisms might outweigh the increased opportunities for transmission mechanism. Presence of deer at high density led to shorter vegetation and fewer rodents, consistent with an ecological cascade. However, Lyme disease hazard (density of infected I. ricinus nymphs) was five times higher in high deer density plots due to tick density being 18 times higher. CONCLUSIONS High densities of tick reproduction hosts such as deer can drive up vector-borne disease hazard, despite the potential to simultaneously reduce pathogen prevalence. This has implications for environmental pathogen management and for deer management, although the impact of intermediate deer densities now needs testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Gandy
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. .,The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, UK.
| | - Elizabeth Kilbride
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Roman Biek
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Caroline Millins
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Lucy Gilbert
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Olsthoorn F, Sprong H, Fonville M, Rocchi M, Medlock J, Gilbert L, Ghazoul J. Occurrence of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks from Wester Ross, Northwest Scotland. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:430. [PMID: 34446082 PMCID: PMC8393815 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04946-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lyme borreliosis and other tick-borne diseases emerge from increased interactions between humans, other animals, and infected ticks. The risk of acquiring a tick-borne infection varies across space and time, so knowledge of the occurrence and prevalence of pathogens in ticks can facilitate disease diagnosis in a specific area and the implementation of mitigation measures and awareness campaigns. Here we identify the occurrence and prevalence of several pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Wester Ross, Northwest Scotland, a region of high tourism and tick exposure, yet data-poor in terms of tick-borne pathogens. Methods Questing I. ricinus nymphs (n = 2828) were collected from 26 sites in 2018 and 2019 and tested for the presence of tick-borne pathogens using PCR-based methods. Prevalence was compared with other regions of Scotland, England, Wales, and the Netherlands. Results Anaplasma phagocytophilum (4.7% prevalence), Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) (2.2%), Babesia from clade X (0.2%), Rickettsia helvetica (0.04%), and Spiroplasma ixodetis (0.4%) were detected, but no Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Borrelia miyamotoi, or Babesia microti. Typing of A. phagocytophilum using a fragment of the GroEL gene identified the presence of both ecotype I and ecotype II. Genospecies identification of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. revealed B. afzelii (53% of infected nymphs), B. garinii (9%), B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (7%), and B. valaisiana (31%). We found similar prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in Wester Ross as in the Netherlands, but higher than in other parts of Great Britain. We found lower B. burgdorferi s.l. prevalence than in England or the Netherlands, and similar to some other Scottish studies. We found higher prevalence of B. valaisiana and lower prevalence of B. garinii than in other Scottish studies. We found S. ixodetis at much lower prevalence than in the Netherlands, and R. helvetica at much lower prevalence than in England and the Netherlands. Conclusions As far as we know, this is the first description of S. ixodetis in Great Britain. The results are relevant for disease surveillance and management for public and veterinary health. The findings can also aid in designing targeted public health campaigns and in raising awareness among outdoor recreationists and professionals. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04946-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Olsthoorn
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Manoj Fonville
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Mara Rocchi
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentland Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Jolyon Medlock
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology Group, Emergency Response Department Science and Technology, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, Wiltshire, UK
| | - Lucy Gilbert
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Jaboury Ghazoul
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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Adelabu OA, Iweriebor BC, Okoh AI, Obi LC. Genomic Profiling for Piroplasms in Feeding Ixodid Ticks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9121061. [PMID: 33353073 PMCID: PMC7767023 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9121061] [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] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Importation of tick-infected animals and the uncontrollable migration of birds and wild animals across borders can lead to geographical expansion and redistribution of ticks and pathogen vectors, thus leading to the emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne diseases in humans and animals. Comparatively, little is known about the occurrence of piroplasms in ixodid ticks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, thus necessitating this study, which is aimed at detecting piroplasms (Theileria and Babesia) from feeding tick samples collected from cattle, sheep, and goats in selected sites in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A total of 1200 feeding ixodid ticks collected from farm animals at selected homesteads were first subjected to molecular identification using mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene by PCR and were further tested for the presence of piroplasms through amplification of the 18S rRNA gene via nested-PCR followed by sequencing of the PCR products. The results indicated that 853 (71.1%) corresponded to the genus Rhipicephalus, 335 (27.9%) corresponded to genus Amblyomma, and 12 (1%) corresponded to genus Haemaphysalis. Amblyomma hebraeum and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus were the most common identified ticks from this study. The 18S rRNA nested-PCR revealed that 44 (3.7%) samples were confirmed positive for Theileria. A homology search for the generated sequences revealed a high percentage identity of 98–98.9% similarity to T. buffeli, T. orientalis, and T. sergenti in the GenBank. Based on the results obtained herein, we conclude that there is a big diversity of Theileria species; therefore, we suggest that this research should cover more geographical areas in order to reveal the true prevalence of this pathogen in the studied area because this will be a great step in the possible prevention of an outbreak that could have devastating effects on livestock production and human health in both the studied areas and South Africa at large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olusesan Adeyemi Adelabu
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa;
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa
- Correspondence:
| | - Benson Chuks Iweriebor
- School of Science and Technology Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria 0204, South Africa; (B.C.I.); (L.C.O.)
| | - Anthony Ifeanyi Okoh
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa;
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa
| | - Larry Chikwelu Obi
- School of Science and Technology Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria 0204, South Africa; (B.C.I.); (L.C.O.)
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Zintl A, Zaid T, McKiernan F, Naranjo-Lucena A, Gray J, Brosnan S, Browne J, O'Connor J, Mee JF, Good B, Gillingham EL, Vaux AGC, Medlock J. Update on the presence of Ixodes ricinus at the western limit of its range and the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101518. [PMID: 32993938 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
It is often suggested that due to climate and environmental policy changes, the risk from tick-borne disease is increasing, particularly at the geographical limits of the vector distribution. Our project aimed to determine whether this was true for the risk of Lyme borreliosis in Ireland which is the western-most limit of Ixodes ricinus, the European vector of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. The availability of a historical data set of tick infection rates compiled in the 1990s represented a unique opportunity as it provided a baseline against which current data could be compared. Following construction of a spatial predictive model for the presence and absence of I. ricinus based on data from 491 GPS locations visited between 2016 and 2019, 1404 questing nymphs from 27 sites were screened for the presence of Borrelia spp. using a TaqMan PCR aimed at the 23S rRNA gene sequence. All positive ticks were further analysed by nested PCR amplification and sequence analysis of the 5 S-23 S intergenic spacer. The model indicated that areas with the highest probability of tick presence were mostly located along the western seaboard and the Shannon and Erne river catchments, coinciding with historical high incidence areas of bovine babesiosis, while the infection rate of questing nymphs with B. burgdorferi s.l. and the prevalence of the various genospecies have remained surprisingly stable over the last 3 decades. Clear communication of the potential disease risk arising from a tick bite is essential in order to allay undue concerns over tick-borne diseases among the general public.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jeremy Gray
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, Ireland
| | | | - John Browne
- UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and University College Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - John F Mee
- Moorepark Research Centres, Teagasc, Ireland
| | | | - Emma L Gillingham
- Medical Entomology Group, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK
| | - Alexander G C Vaux
- Medical Entomology Group, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK
| | - Jolyon Medlock
- Medical Entomology Group, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK
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Okeyo M, Hepner S, Rollins RE, Hartberger C, Straubinger RK, Marosevic D, Bannister SA, Bormane A, Donaghy M, Sing A, Fingerle V, Margos G. Longitudinal study of prevalence and spatio-temporal distribution of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks from three defined habitats in Latvia, 1999-2010. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:5033-5047. [PMID: 32452153 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Members of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) species complex are known to cause human Lyme borreliosis. Because of longevity of some reservoir hosts and the Ixodes tick vectors' life cycle, long-term studies are required to better understand species and population dynamics of these bacteria in their natural habitats. Ticks were collected between 1999 and 2010 in three ecologically different habitats in Latvia. We used multilocus sequence typing utilizing eight chromosomally located housekeeping genes to obtain information about species and population fluctuations and/or stability of B. burgdorferi s.l. in these habitats. The average prevalence over all years was 18.9%. From initial high-infection prevalences of 25.5%, 33.1% and 31.8%, from 2002 onwards the infection rates steadily decreased to 7.3%. Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii were the most commonly found genospecies but striking local differences were obvious. In one habitat, a significant shift from rodent-associated to bird-associated Borrelia species was noted whilst in the other habitats, Borrelia species composition was relatively stable over time. Sequence types (STs) showed a random spatial and temporal distribution. These results demonstrated that there are temporal regional changes and extrapolations from one habitat to the next are not possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercy Okeyo
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Sabrina Hepner
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Robert E Rollins
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Christina Hartberger
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Reinhard K Straubinger
- Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Veterinärstraße 13, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Durdica Marosevic
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | | | - Antra Bormane
- Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Infectious Diseases Surveillance and Immunization Unit, Duntes iela 22-4, Riga, LV-1005, Latvia
| | - Michael Donaghy
- Department of Clinical Neurology, Green Templeton College, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andreas Sing
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Volker Fingerle
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Gabriele Margos
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
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Munro HJ, Ogden NH, Mechai S, Lindsay LR, Robertson GJ, Whitney H, Lang AS. Genetic diversity of Borrelia garinii from Ixodes uriae collected in seabird colonies of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:101255. [PMID: 31280947 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The occurrence of Borrelia garinii in seabird ticks, Ixodes uriae, associated with different species of colonial seabirds has been studied since the early 1990s. Research on the population structure of this bacterium in ticks from seabird colonies in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean has revealed admixture between marine and terrestrial tick populations. We studied B. garinii genetic diversity and population structure in I. uriae collected from seabird colonies in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We applied a multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) scheme to B. garinii found in ticks from four species of seabirds. The B. garinii strains found in this seabird colony ecosystem were diverse. Some were very similar to strains from Asia and Europe, including some obtained from human clinical samples, while others formed a divergent group specific to this region of the Atlantic Ocean. Our findings highlight the genetic complexity of B. garinii circulating in seabird ticks and their avian hosts but also demonstrate surprisingly close connections between B. garinii in this ecosystem and terrestrial sources in Eurasia. Genetic similarities among B. garinii from seabird ticks and humans indicate the possibility that B. garinii circulating within seabird tick-avian host transmission cycles could directly, or indirectly via connectivity with terrestrial transmission cycles, have consequences for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J Munro
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - Nicholas H Ogden
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 2M2, Canada; Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 2M2, Canada.
| | - Samir Mechai
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 2M2, Canada; Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 2M2, Canada.
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 3R2, Canada.
| | - Gregory J Robertson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1N 4T3, Canada.
| | - Hugh Whitney
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - Andrew S Lang
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada.
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Millins C, Dickinson ER, Isakovic P, Gilbert L, Wojciechowska A, Paterson V, Tao F, Jahn M, Kilbride E, Birtles R, Johnson P, Biek R. Landscape structure affects the prevalence and distribution of a tick-borne zoonotic pathogen. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:621. [PMID: 30514350 PMCID: PMC6278045 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3200-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Landscape structure can affect pathogen prevalence and persistence with consequences for human and animal health. Few studies have examined how reservoir host species traits may interact with landscape structure to alter pathogen communities and dynamics. Using a landscape of islands and mainland sites we investigated how natural landscape fragmentation affects the prevalence and persistence of the zoonotic tick-borne pathogen complex Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), which causes Lyme borreliosis. We hypothesized that the prevalence of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) would be lower on islands compared to the mainland and B. afzelii, a small mammal specialist genospecies, would be more affected by isolation than bird-associated B. garinii and B. valaisiana and the generalist B. burgdorferi (sensu stricto). Methods Questing (host-seeking) nymphal I. ricinus ticks (n = 6567) were collected from 12 island and 6 mainland sites in 2011, 2013 and 2015 and tested for B. burgdorferi (s.l.). Deer abundance was estimated using dung transects. Results The prevalence of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) was significantly higher on the mainland (2.5%, 47/1891) compared to island sites (0.9%, 44/4673) (P < 0.01). While all four genospecies of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) were detected on the mainland, bird-associated species B. garinii and B. valaisiana and the generalist genospecies B. burgdorferi (s.s.) predominated on islands. Conclusion We found that landscape structure influenced the prevalence of a zoonotic pathogen, with a lower prevalence detected among island sites compared to the mainland. This was mainly due to the significantly lower prevalence of small mammal-associated B. afzelii. Deer abundance was not related to pathogen prevalence, suggesting that the structure and dynamics of the reservoir host community underpins the observed prevalence patterns, with the higher mobility of bird hosts compared to small mammal hosts leading to a relative predominance of the bird-associated genospecies B. garinii and generalist genospecies B. burgdorferi (s.s.) on islands. In contrast, the lower prevalence of B. afzelii on islands may be due to small mammal populations there exhibiting lower densities, less immigration and stronger population fluctuations. This study suggests that landscape fragmentation can influence the prevalence of a zoonotic pathogen, dependent on the biology of the reservoir host. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3200-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Millins
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. .,The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. .,School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
| | - Eleanor R Dickinson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Petra Isakovic
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.,, Present address: Zakot 43, 8250, Brezice, Slovenia
| | - Lucy Gilbert
- James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Agnieszka Wojciechowska
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.,Present address: Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Victoria Paterson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Feng Tao
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.,Present address: Wayne State University, 42 W. Warren Ave, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Martin Jahn
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.,Present address: GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, D-24105, Kiel, Germany
| | - Elizabeth Kilbride
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Richard Birtles
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, England, UK
| | - Paul Johnson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.,The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Roman Biek
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.,The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
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10
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Geurden T, Becskei C, Six RH, Maeder S, Latrofa MS, Otranto D, Farkas R. Detection of tick-borne pathogens in ticks from dogs and cats in different European countries. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1431-1436. [PMID: 29983263 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are known to transmit pathogens which threaten the health and welfare of companion animals and man globally. In the present study, mainly adult ticks were collected from dogs and cats presented at their local veterinary practice in Hungary, France, Italy, Belgium (dogs only) and Germany (cats only), and identified based on tick morphology. If more than one tick was collected from a host animal, ticks were pooled by tick species for DNA extraction and subsequent PCR examination for the presence of tick-borne pathogens. Out of 448 tick samples, 247 (95 from dogs and 152 from cats) were Ixodes ricinus, 26 (12 from dogs and 14 from cats) were I. hexagonus, 59 (43 from dogs and 16 from cats) were Dermacentor reticulatus and 116 (74 from dogs and 42 from cats) were Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.). In 17% of the I. ricinus samples Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found. Borrelia spp. were mainly identified in I. ricinus collected from cats (18%) and to a lesser extent in dog-sourced ticks (1%), with Borrelia afzelii (n = 11), B. garinii (n = 7), B. valaisiana (n = 5), B. lusitaniae (n = 3) and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (n = 3) being identified. One I. hexagonus sample collected from a cat in France tested positive for B. afzelii. Babesia canis was detected in 20% of the D. reticulatus samples, mainly from Hungary. Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. was found positive for Hepatozoon canis (3%), A. platys (5%) and three Rickettsia species (7%; R. massiliae; R. raoultii and R. rhipicephali). Furthermore, a total of 66 R. sanguineus s.l. ticks were subjected to molecular analysis and were identified as R. sanguineus sp. II-temperate lineage, with seven haplotypes recorded. Amongst them, the most prevalent sequence types were haplotype XIII (n = 24; 69%) and haplotype XIV (n = 16; 52%) in France and in Italy, respectively, found both in cats and dogs. Although differences related to both country and host, were observed, the results of this study indicate that cats and dogs are exposed to tick-borne pathogen infected ticks, which may represent a medical risk to these host animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Geurden
- Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Hoge Wei 10, B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium.
| | - Csilla Becskei
- Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Hoge Wei 10, B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium
| | - Robert H Six
- Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, 333 Portage St. Kalamazoo, MI 49007 USA
| | - Steven Maeder
- Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, 333 Portage St. Kalamazoo, MI 49007 USA
| | - Maria Stefania Latrofa
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Str.prov. per Casamassima km 3 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Str.prov. per Casamassima km 3 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Robert Farkas
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István u. 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary
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11
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Abdullah S, Helps C, Tasker S, Newbury H, Wall R. Prevalence and distribution of Borrelia and Babesia species in ticks feeding on dogs in the U.K. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 32:14-22. [PMID: 28846148 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Ticks were collected during March-July 2015 from dogs by veterinarians throughout the U.K. and used to estimate current prevalences and distributions of pathogens. DNA was extracted from 4750 ticks and subjected to polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis to identify Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) and Babesia (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) species. Of 4737 ticks [predominantly Ixodes ricinus Linneaus (Ixodida: Ixodidae)], B. burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 94 (2.0%). Four Borrelia genospecies were identified: Borrelia garinii (41.5%); Borrelia afzelli (31.9%); Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (25.5%), and Borrelia spielmanii (1.1%). One Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille (Ixodida: Ixodidae), collected from a dog with a history of travel outside the U.K., was positive for B. garinii. Seventy ticks (1.5%) were positive for Babesia spp. Of these, 84.3% were positive for Babesia venatorum, 10.0% for Babesia vulpes sp. nov., 2.9% for Babesia divergens/Babesia capreoli and 1.4% for Babesia microti. One isolate of Babesia canis was detected in a Dermacentor reticulatus (Ixodida: Ixodidae) tick collected from a dog that had recently travelled to France. Prevalences of B. burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia spp. did not differ significantly between different regions of the U.K. The results map the widespread distribution of B. burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia spp. in ticks in the U.K. and highlight the potential for the introduction and establishment of exotic ticks and tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Abdullah
- Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, U.K
| | - C Helps
- Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Langford Vets and School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, U.K
| | - S Tasker
- Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Langford Vets and School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, U.K
| | - H Newbury
- MSD Animal Health, Milton Keynes, U.K
| | - R Wall
- Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, U.K
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12
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Millins C, Gilbert L, Medlock J, Hansford K, Thompson DB, Biek R. Effects of conservation management of landscapes and vertebrate communities on Lyme borreliosis risk in the United Kingdom. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0123. [PMID: 28438912 PMCID: PMC5413871 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Landscape change and altered host abundance are major drivers of zoonotic pathogen emergence. Conservation and biodiversity management of landscapes and vertebrate communities can have secondary effects on vector-borne pathogen transmission that are important to assess. Here we review the potential implications of these activities on the risk of Lyme borreliosis in the United Kingdom. Conservation management activities include woodland expansion, management and restoration, deer management, urban greening and the release and culling of non-native species. Available evidence suggests that increasing woodland extent, implementing biodiversity policies that encourage ecotonal habitat and urban greening can increase the risk of Lyme borreliosis by increasing suitable habitat for hosts and the tick vectors. However, this can depend on whether deer population management is carried out as part of these conservation activities. Exclusion fencing or culling deer to low densities can decrease tick abundance and Lyme borreliosis risk. As management actions often constitute large-scale perturbation experiments, these hold great potential to understand underlying drivers of tick and pathogen dynamics. We recommend integrating monitoring of ticks and the risk of tick-borne pathogens with conservation management activities. This would help fill knowledge gaps and the production of best practice guidelines to reduce risks. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Conservation, biodiversity and infectious disease: scientific evidence and policy implications’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Millins
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK .,The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.,School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Lucy Gilbert
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Jolyon Medlock
- Medical Entomology Group, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK.,Health Protection Research Unit in Environment and Health, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Kayleigh Hansford
- Medical Entomology Group, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Des Ba Thompson
- Scottish Natural Heritage, 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT, UK
| | - Roman Biek
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.,The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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13
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Margos G, Notter I, Fingerle V. Species Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Using Molecular Biological Methods. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1690:13-33. [PMID: 29032533 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7383-5_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial species identification is required in different disciplines and-depending on the purpose-levels of specificity or resolution of typing may vary. Nowadays, molecular methods are the mainstay for bacterial identification and sequence-based analyses are of ever-growing importance. For diagnostics, immediate results are needed and often real-time PCR of one or two loci is the method of choice while for epidemiological or evolutionary studies sequence data of several loci improve phylogenetic resolution to required levels. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and multilocus sequence analyses (MLSA) utilize sequences information of several housekeeping loci (eight for Borrelia) to distinguish between species. This method has been widely used for bacterial species and strain identification and will be described in this chapter.As more and more diversity is being detected in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex, the importance of accurate species and strain typing has come to the fore. This is particularly significant with a view of differentiating human pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains or species and understanding the epidemiology, ecology, population structure, and evolution of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Margos
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, National Reference Center for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
| | - Isabell Notter
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, National Reference Center for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Volker Fingerle
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, National Reference Center for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
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14
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Europe-Wide Meta-Analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Prevalence in Questing Ixodes ricinus Ticks. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:AEM.00609-17. [PMID: 28550059 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00609-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis is the most common zoonotic disease transmitted by ticks in Europe and North America. Despite having multiple tick vectors, the causative agent, Borrelia burgdorferisensu lato, is vectored mainly by Ixodes ricinus in Europe. In the present study, we aimed to review and summarize the existing data published from 2010 to 2016 concerning the prevalence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes in questing I. ricinus ticks. The primary focus was to evaluate the infection rate of these bacteria in ticks, accounting for tick stage, adult tick gender, region, and detection method, as well as to investigate any changes in prevalence over time. The data obtained were compared to the findings of a previous metastudy. The literature search identified data from 23 countries, with 115,028 ticks, in total, inspected for infection with B. burgdorferi sensu lato We showed that the infection rate was significantly higher in adults than in nymphs and in females than in males. We found significant differences between European regions, with the highest infection rates in Central Europe. The most common genospecies were B. afzelii and B. garinii, despite a negative correlation of their prevalence rates. No statistically significant differences were found among the prevalence rates determined by conventional PCR, nested PCR, and real-time PCR.IMPORTANCEBorrelia burgdorferisensu lato is a pathogenic bacterium whose clinical manifestations are associated with Lyme borreliosis. This vector-borne disease is a major public health concern in Europe and North America and may lead to severe arthritic, cardiovascular, and neurological complications if left untreated. Although pathogen prevalence is considered an important predictor of infection risk, solitary isolated data have only limited value. Here we provide summarized information about the prevalence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes among host-seeking Ixodes ricinus ticks, the principal tick vector of borreliae in Europe. We compare the new results with previously published data in order to evaluate any changing trends in tick infection.
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15
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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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16
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Hansford KM, Fonville M, Gillingham EL, Coipan EC, Pietzsch ME, Krawczyk AI, Vaux AG, Cull B, Sprong H, Medlock JM. Ticks and Borrelia in urban and peri-urban green space habitats in a city in southern England. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2017; 8:353-361. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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17
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Mavin S, Watson EJ, Evans R. Distribution and presentation of Lyme borreliosis in Scotland - analysis of data from a national testing laboratory. J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2016; 45:196-200. [PMID: 26517097 DOI: 10.4997/jrcpe.2015.304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examines the distribution of laboratory-confirmed cases of Lyme borreliosis in Scotland and the clinical spectrum of presentations within NHS Highland. Methods General demographic data (age/sex/referring Health Board) from all cases of Lyme borreliosis serologically confirmed by the National Lyme Borreliosis Testing Laboratory from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013 were analysed. Clinical features of confirmed cases were ascertained from questionnaires sent to referring clinicians within NHS Highland during the study period. Results The number of laboratory-confirmed cases of Lyme borreliosis in Scotland peaked at 440 in 2010. From 2008 to 2013 the estimated average annual incidence was 6.8 per 100,000 (44.1 per 100,000 in NHS Highland). Of 594 questionnaires from NHS Highland patients: 76% had clinically confirmed Lyme borreliosis; 48% erythema migrans; 17% rash, 25% joint, 15% neurological and 1% cardiac symptoms. Only 61% could recall a tick bite. Conclusion The incidence of Lyme borreliosis may be stabilising in Scotland but NHS Highland remains an area of high incidence. Lyme borreliosis should be considered in symptomatic patients that have had exposure to ticks and not just those with a definite tick bite.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mavin
- S Mavin, National Lyme Borreliosis Testing Laboratory, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness IV2 3UJ, UK. Email
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18
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Li S, Gilbert L, Harrison PA, Rounsevell MDA. Modelling the seasonality of Lyme disease risk and the potential impacts of a warming climate within the heterogeneous landscapes of Scotland. J R Soc Interface 2016; 13:rsif.2016.0140. [PMID: 27030039 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The abundance of infected nymphal ticks is commonly used as a Lyme disease risk indicator. Temperature can influence the dynamics of disease by shaping the activity and development of ticks and, hence, altering the contact pattern and pathogen transmission between ticks and their host animals. A mechanistic, agent-based model was developed to study the temperature-driven seasonality of Ixodes ricinus ticks and transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato across mainland Scotland. Based on 12-year averaged temperature surfaces, our model predicted that Lyme disease risk currently peaks in autumn, approximately six weeks after the temperature peak. The risk was predicted to decrease with increasing altitude. Increases in temperature were predicted to prolong the duration of the tick questing season and expand the risk area to higher altitudinal and latitudinal regions. These predicted impacts on tick population ecology may be expected to lead to greater tick-host contacts under climate warming and, hence, greater risks of pathogen transmission. The model is useful in improving understanding of the spatial determinants and system mechanisms of Lyme disease pathogen transmission and its sensitivity to temperature changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Li
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Lucy Gilbert
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Paula A Harrison
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - Mark D A Rounsevell
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK
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19
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Millins C, Gilbert L, Johnson P, James M, Kilbride E, Birtles R, Biek R. Heterogeneity in the abundance and distribution of Ixodes ricinus and Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) in Scotland: implications for risk prediction. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:595. [PMID: 27876087 PMCID: PMC5120507 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1875-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cases of Lyme borreliosis, a vector-borne zoonosis caused by bacteria in the Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) species group, have increased in recent years in Europe. Knowledge of environmental factors associated with abundance of the tick vector Ixodes ricinus and the pathogen B. burgdorferi (s.l.) is of interest to understand responses to environmental changes, predict variation in risk and to inform management interventions. METHODS Nineteen woodland sites across Scotland were surveyed in 2012 for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) infection in questing I. ricinus nymphs (n = 200 per site), deer abundance and vegetation. Climatic factors were extracted for each site. Six additional sites were surveyed for questing nymphs in both 2012 and 2013 (n = 200 per site and year) to test for variation in B. burgdorferi (s.l.) prevalence between years. RESULTS The mean prevalence of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) across 19 sites was 1.7% (95% CI: 1.4-2.2%; range 0-6%), all four genospecies known to be present in the UK were detected: B. garinii, B. afzelii, B. burgdorferi (sensu stricto) and B. valaisiana. A higher prevalence of B. burgdorferi (s.l.), higher densities of nymphs and higher densities of infected nymphs were found at sites with warmer climates, estimated with growing degree-days. No association between infection prevalence in nymphs and woodland type (semi-natural mixed vs coniferous) or deer density was found. At six sites sampled in 2012 and 2013, there was a significant increase in B. afzelli prevalence at two sites and a decrease in B. garinii prevalence at one site. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights challenges for the prediction of risk of Lyme borreliosis, reflecting the sensitivity of both pathogen and vector ecology to habitat, host and climatic factors. Significant changes in the prevalence of individual genospecies at sites monitored across time are likely to be due to variability in the host community composition between years. Our results indicate the importance of monitoring dynamic variables such as reservoir host populations as well as climate and habitat factors over multiple years, to identify environmental factors associated with Lyme borreliosis risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Millins
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. .,The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland.
| | - Lucy Gilbert
- James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Scotland
| | - Paul Johnson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland.,The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Marianne James
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.,Division of Applied Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.,Present Address: Food Standards Scotland, Aberdeen, Scotland
| | - Elizabeth Kilbride
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Richard Birtles
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Roman Biek
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland.,The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
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20
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Wodecka B, Michalik J, Lane RS, Nowak-Chmura M, Wierzbicka A. Differential associations of Borrelia species with European badgers (Meles meles) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in western Poland. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:1010-1016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Revised: 03/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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21
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Castillo-Ramírez S, Fingerle V, Jungnick S, Straubinger RK, Krebs S, Blum H, Meinel DM, Hofmann H, Guertler P, Sing A, Margos G. Trans-Atlantic exchanges have shaped the population structure of the Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. Sci Rep 2016; 6:22794. [PMID: 26955886 PMCID: PMC4783777 DOI: 10.1038/srep22794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin and population structure of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), the agent of Lyme disease, remain obscure. This tick-transmitted bacterial species occurs in both North America and Europe. We sequenced 17 European isolates (representing the most frequently found sequence types in Europe) and compared these with 17 North American strains. We show that trans-Atlantic exchanges have occurred in the evolutionary history of this species and that a European origin of B. burgdorferi s.s. is marginally more likely than a USA origin. The data further suggest that some European human patients may have acquired their infection in North America. We found three distinct genetically differentiated groups: i) the outgroup species Borrelia bissettii, ii) two divergent strains from Europe, and iii) a group composed of strains from both the USA and Europe. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that different genotypes were likely to have been introduced several times into the same area. Our results demonstrate that irrespective of whether B. burgdorferi s.s. originated in Europe or the USA, later trans-Atlantic exchange(s) have occurred and have shaped the population structure of this genospecies. This study clearly shows the utility of next generation sequencing to obtain a better understanding of the phylogeography of this bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Castillo-Ramírez
- Programa de Genómica Evolutiva, Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 565-A, CP 62210, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - V. Fingerle
- National Reference Center for Borreliosis at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - S. Jungnick
- National Reference Center for Borreliosis at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - R. K. Straubinger
- LMU Munich, Department of Infection and Zoonoses, Veterinärstr. 13, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - S. Krebs
- LMU Munich, Gene Centre, Lafuga, Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 25, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - H. Blum
- LMU Munich, Gene Centre, Lafuga, Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 25, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - D. M. Meinel
- National Reference Center for Borreliosis at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - H. Hofmann
- TU Munich, Klinik für Dermatologie and Allergologie, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - P. Guertler
- National Reference Center for Borreliosis at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - A. Sing
- National Reference Center for Borreliosis at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - G. Margos
- National Reference Center for Borreliosis at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
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Wójcik-Fatla A, Zając V, Sawczyn A, Sroka J, Cisak E, Dutkiewicz J. Infections and mixed infections with the selected species of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in eastern Poland: a significant increase in the course of 5 years. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2016; 68:197-212. [PMID: 26590929 PMCID: PMC4689766 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-015-9990-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/31/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
In the years 2008-2009 and 2013-2014, 1620 and 1500 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks, respectively, were examined on the territory of the Lublin province (eastern Poland). The presence of three pathogenic species causing Lyme disease was investigated: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii and B. garinii. The proportion of I. ricinus ticks infected with B. burgdorferi sensu lato showed a highly significant increase between 2008-2009 and 2013-2014, from 6.0 to 15.3%. A significant increase was noted with regard to all types of infections with individual species: single (4.7-7.8%), dual (1.2-6.6%), and triple (0.1-0.9%). When expressed as the percent of all infections, the frequency of mixed infections increased from 21.4 to 49.2%. Statistical analysis performed with two methods (by calculating of odds ratios and by Fisher's exact test) showed that the frequencies of mixed infections in most cases proved to be significantly greater than expected. The strongest associations were found between B. burgdorferi s. s. and B. afzelii, and between B. burgdorferi s. s. and B. garinii. They appeared to be highly significant (P < 0.0001) when assessed by two methods for 2013-2014, and for the sum of findings for both time periods. The proportions of the individual species detected in the mixed infections in 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 revealed highly significant increases for B. burgdorferi s. s. and B. garinii (from 33.9 to 71.1% and from 18.2 to 82.9%, respectively), and an insignificant decrease for B. afzelii (from 51.4 to 41.6%). The proportions of the species B. burgdorferi s. s., B. afzelii and B. garinii (with combined single and mixed infections) for 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 were: 51.2/44.0 %, 30.6/24.9% and 18.2/31.1%, respectively. In conclusion, our results seem to indicate the detrimental trend of the increasing infection rate of I. ricinus ticks with B. burgdorferi s. l. in eastern Poland, and dramatic enhancement of mixed infections with individual species, which may result in mixed infections of humans and exacerbation of the clinical course of Lyme disease cases on the studied area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina Wójcik-Fatla
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Violetta Zając
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Sawczyn
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | - Jacek Sroka
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland
| | - Ewa Cisak
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | - Jacek Dutkiewicz
- Department of Health Biohazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
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Mierzejewska EJ, Alsarraf M, Behnke JM, Bajer A. The effect of changes in agricultural practices on the density of Dermacentor reticulatus ticks. Vet Parasitol 2015; 211:259-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Revised: 05/24/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Bueno-Marí R, Almeida APG, Navarro JC. Editorial: Emerging Zoonoses: Eco-Epidemiology, Involved Mechanisms, and Public Health Implications. Front Public Health 2015; 3:157. [PMID: 26106592 PMCID: PMC4459090 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2015.00157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Bueno-Marí
- Entomology and Pest Control Laboratory, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology (ICBiBE), University of Valencia , Valencia , Spain
| | - A Paulo Gouveia Almeida
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa , Lisbon , Portugal ; University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa
| | - Juan Carlos Navarro
- Instituto de Zoología y Ecología Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela , Caracas , Venezuela
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An Invasive Mammal (the Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis) Commonly Hosts Diverse and Atypical Genotypes of the Zoonotic Pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato. Appl Environ Microbiol 2015; 81:4236-45. [PMID: 25888168 PMCID: PMC4475893 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00109-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive vertebrate species can act as hosts for endemic pathogens and may alter pathogen community composition and dynamics. For the zoonotic pathogen Borrelia burgdorferisensu lato, the agent of Lyme borreliosis, recent work shows invasive rodent species can be of high epidemiological importance and may support host-specific strains. This study examined the role of gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) (n = 679), an invasive species in the United Kingdom, as B. burgdorferi sensu lato hosts. We found that gray squirrels were frequently infested with Ixodes ricinus, the main vector of B. burgdorferi sensu lato in the United Kingdom, and 11.9% were infected with B. burgdorferi sensu lato. All four genospecies that occur in the United Kingdom were detected in gray squirrels, and unexpectedly, the bird-associated genospecies Borrelia garinii was most common. The second most frequent infection was with Borrelia afzelii. Genotyping of B. garinii and B. afzelii produced no evidence for strains associated with gray squirrels. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) identified tick infestation and date of capture as significant factors associated with B. burgdorferi sensu lato infection in gray squirrels, with infection elevated in early summer in squirrels infested with ticks. Invasive gray squirrels appear to become infected with locally circulating strains of B. burgdorferi sensu lato, and further studies are required to determine their role in community disease dynamics. Our findings highlight the fact that the role of introduced host species in B. burgdorferi sensu lato epidemiology can be highly variable and thus difficult to predict.
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Medlock JM, Leach SA. Effect of climate change on vector-borne disease risk in the UK. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2015; 15:721-30. [PMID: 25808458 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(15)70091-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
During the early part of the 21st century, an unprecedented change in the status of vector-borne disease in Europe has occurred. Invasive mosquitoes have become widely established across Europe, with subsequent transmission and outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya virus. Malaria has re-emerged in Greece, and West Nile virus has emerged throughout parts of eastern Europe. Tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, continue to increase, or, in the case of tick-borne encephalitis and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever viruses, have changed their geographical distribution. From a veterinary perspective, the emergence of Bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses show that northern Europe is equally susceptible to transmission of vector-borne disease. These changes are in part due to increased globalisation, with intercontinental air travel and global shipping transport creating new opportunities for invasive vectors and pathogens. However, changes in vector distributions are being driven by climatic changes and changes in land use, infrastructure, and the environment. In this Review, we summarise the risks posed by vector-borne diseases in the present and the future from a UK perspective, and assess the likely effects of climate change and, where appropriate, climate-change adaptation strategies on vector-borne disease risk in the UK. Lessons from the outbreaks of West Nile virus in North America and chikungunya in the Caribbean emphasise the need to assess future vector-borne disease risks and prepare contingencies for future outbreaks. Ensuring that adaptation strategies for climate change do not inadvertently exacerbate risks should be a primary focus for decision makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolyon M Medlock
- Medical Entomology Group, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change and Health, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK.
| | - Steve A Leach
- Medical Entomology Group, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK
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27
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[Epidemiology of Lyme disease in a healthcare area in north-west Spain]. GACETA SANITARIA 2015; 29:213-6. [PMID: 25726250 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2015.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Revised: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of some risk factors on the incidence rate of Lyme disease and the main clinical manifestations. METHODS A retrospective study of Lyme disease (2006-2013) was performed in north-west Spain; we included only patients who fulfilled the epidemiological surveillance criteria defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS The incidence rate varied between 2.64 and 11.61/100,000 inhabitants/year. Significant differences were found in relation to habitat, age and area of residence. Patients showed neurological (67.59%), dermatological (47.22%), rheumatological (15.74%) and cardiac (13.88%) manifestations, alone or combined. CONCLUSIONS Due to the increase of the disease in north-west Spain and the differences observed between the different areas, epidemiological studies are needed that increase the index of diagnostic suspicion and lead to the implementation of effective prevention measures.
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