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Paskey AC, Schully KL, Voegtly LJ, Arnold CE, Cer RZ, Frey KG, Blair PW, Clark DV, Ge H, Richards AL, Farris CM, Bishop-Lilly KA. A proof of concept for a targeted enrichment approach to the simultaneous detection and characterization of rickettsial pathogens from clinical specimens. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1387208. [PMID: 38659991 PMCID: PMC11039911 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1387208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Infection with either Rickettsia prowazekii or Orientia tsutsugamushi is common, yet diagnostic capabilities are limited due to the short window for positive identification. Until now, although targeted enrichment had been applied to increase sensitivity of sequencing-based detection for various microorganisms, it had not been applied to sequencing of R. prowazekii in clinical samples. Additionally, hybridization-based targeted enrichment strategies had only scarcely been applied to qPCR of any pathogens in clinical samples. Therefore, we tested a targeted enrichment technique as a proof of concept and found that it dramatically reduced the limits of detection of these organisms by both qPCR and high throughput sequencing. The enrichment methodology was first tested in contrived clinical samples with known spiked-in concentrations of R. prowazekii and O. tsutsugamushi DNA. This method was also evaluated using clinical samples, resulting in the simultaneous identification and characterization of O. tsutsugamushi directly from clinical specimens taken from sepsis patients. We demonstrated that the targeted enrichment technique is helpful by lowering the limit of detection, not only when applied to sequencing, but also when applied to qPCR, suggesting the technique could be applied more broadly to include other assays and/or microbes for which there are limited diagnostic or detection modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian C. Paskey
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, MD, United States
- Leidos, Reston, VA, United States
| | - Kevin L. Schully
- Austere Environments Consortium for Enhanced Sepsis Outcomes (ACESO), Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Logan J. Voegtly
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, MD, United States
- Leidos, Reston, VA, United States
| | - Catherine E. Arnold
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, MD, United States
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA, United States
| | - Regina Z. Cer
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Kenneth G. Frey
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Paul W. Blair
- Austere Environments Consortium for Enhanced Sepsis Outcomes (ACESO), Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, MD, United States
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Danielle V. Clark
- Austere Environments Consortium for Enhanced Sepsis Outcomes (ACESO), Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, MD, United States
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hong Ge
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Christina M. Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Kimberly A. Bishop-Lilly
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, MD, United States
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Tagoe JA, Addo SO, Mosore MT, Bentil RE, Agbodzi B, Behene E, Ladzekpo D, Addae CA, Nimo-Painstil S, Fox AT, Bimi L, Dafeamekpor C, Richards AL, Letizia AG, Diclaro JW, Dadzie SK. First Molecular Identification of Rickettsia aeschlimannii and Rickettsia africae in Ticks from Ghana. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2024; 110:491-496. [PMID: 38295420 PMCID: PMC10919190 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The threats from vector-borne pathogens transmitted by ticks place people (including deployed troops) at increased risk for infection, frequently contributing to undifferentiated febrile illness syndromes. Wild and domesticated animals are critical to the transmission cycle of many tick-borne diseases. Livestock can be infected by ticks, and serve as hosts to tick-borne diseases such as rickettsiosis. Thus, it is necessary to identify the tick species and determine their potential to transmit pathogens. A total of 1,493 adult ticks from three genera-Amblyomma, Hyalomma, and Rhipicephalus-were identified using available morphological keys and were pooled (n = 541) by sex and species. Rickettsia species were detected in 308 of 541 (56.9%) pools by genus-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay (Rick17b). Furthermore, sequencing of the outer membrane protein A and B genes (ompA and ompB) of random samples of Rickettsia-positive samples led to the identification of Rickettsia aeschlimannii and Rickettsia africae with most R. africae DNA (80.2%) detected in pools of Amblyomma variegatum. We report the first molecular detection and identification of the rickettsial pathogens R. africae and R. aeschlimannii in ticks from Ghana. Our findings suggest there is a need to use control measures to prevent infections from occurring among human populations in endemic areas in Ghana. This study underscores the importance of determining which vector-borne pathogens are in circulation in Ghana. Further clinical and prevalence studies are needed to understand more comprehensively the clinical impact of these rickettsial pathogens contributing to human disease and morbidity in Ghana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice A. Tagoe
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Seth O. Addo
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Mba-tihssommah Mosore
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Ronald E. Bentil
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Bright Agbodzi
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Eric Behene
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Danielle Ladzekpo
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Charlotte A. Addae
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Anne T. Fox
- U.S Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Ghana Detachment, Accra, Ghana
| | - Langbong Bimi
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
- Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Andrew G. Letizia
- Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | | | - Samuel K. Dadzie
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
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Inthawong M, Sunyakumthorn P, Wongwairot S, Anantatat T, Dunachie SJ, Im-Erbsin R, Jones JW, Mason CJ, Lugo LA, Blacksell SD, Day NPJ, Sonthayanon P, Richards AL, Paris DH. Correction: A time-course comparative clinical and immune response evaluation study between the human pathogenic Orientia tsutsugamushi strains: Karp and Gilliam in a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) model. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011277. [PMID: 37043432 PMCID: PMC10096177 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010611.].
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Mullins K, Canal E, Ouch P, Prasetyo D, Tagoe J, Attram N, Yeboah C, Kumordjie S, Fox A, Letizia AG, Rachlin A, Nguyen HM, Robinson MT, Vongsouvath M, Davong V, Maxay M, Simons MP, Caranci A, Newton PN, Richards AL, Farris CM. Bartonella Species in Cambodia, Ghana, Laos, and Peru: Results from Vector and Serosurveys. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2023; 23:9-17. [PMID: 36633562 PMCID: PMC7614129 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Bartonella species are fastidious gram-negative vector-borne bacteria with a wide range of mammalian reservoirs. While it is understood that some species of Bartonella are human pathogens, the extent of human exposure to Bartonella species (both pathogenic and nonpathogenic) is yet to be fully understood. Materials and Methods: To this end, residual sera from participants enrolled in undifferentiated fever studies in Cambodia, Ghana, Laos, and Peru were screened for the presence of IgG antibodies against Bartonella quintana and Bartonella henselae, using the FOCUS diagnostics Dual Spot- Bartonella IgG Immunofluorescence assay. Forty-eight patients with suspected or confirmed Bartonella bacilliformis exposure or infection in Peru were screened to assess cross-reactivity of the FOCUS assay for IgG against other Bartonella species. Results: Ten of 13 patients with confirmed B. bacilliformis infection were Bartonella-specific IgG positive, and overall, 36/48 of the samples were positive. In addition, 79/206, 44/200, 101/180, and 57/100 of the samples from Peru, Laos, Cambodia, and Ghana, respectively, were Bartonella-specific IgG positive. Furthermore, ectoparasite pools from Cambodia, Laos, and Peru were tested using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for the presence of Bartonella DNA. Of the sand fly pools collected in Peru, 0/196 were qPCR positive; 15/140 flea pools collected in Cambodia were qPCR positive; while 0/105 ticks, 0/22 fleas, and 0/3 louse pools collected in Laos tested positive for Bartonella DNA. Conclusion: Evidence of Bartonella in fleas from Cambodia supports the possibility that humans are exposed to Bartonella through this traditional vector. However, Bartonella species were not found in fleas, ticks, or lice from Laos, or sand flies from Peru. This could account for the lower positive serology among the population in Laos and the strictly localized nature of B. bacilliformis infections in Peru. Human exposure to the Bartonella species and Bartonella as a human pathogen warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Mullins
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Pidor Ouch
- Naval Medical Research Unit-2, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | | | - Janice Tagoe
- Naval Medical Research Unit-3 Ghana Detachment, Accra, Ghana
| | - Naiki Attram
- Naval Medical Research Unit-3 Ghana Detachment, Accra, Ghana
| | - Clara Yeboah
- Naval Medical Research Unit-3 Ghana Detachment, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Anne Fox
- Naval Medical Research Unit-3 Ghana Detachment, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Audrey Rachlin
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos
| | - Hung Manh Nguyen
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos
| | - Matthew T Robinson
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos
- Center for Tropical Medicine & Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Manivanh Vongsouvath
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos
- Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Qua Fa Ngum, Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Viengmon Davong
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos
- Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Qua Fa Ngum, Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Mayfong Maxay
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos
- Center for Tropical Medicine & Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Institute of Research and Education Development, University of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Mark P Simons
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Angela Caranci
- Northwest Mosquito and Vector Control District, Corona, California, USA
| | - Paul N Newton
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos
- Center for Tropical Medicine & Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Allen L Richards
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Newton PN, Fournier PE, Tappe D, Richards AL. Renewed Risk for Epidemic Typhus Related to War and Massive Population Displacement, Ukraine. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:2125-2126. [PMID: 36007931 PMCID: PMC9514335 DOI: 10.3201/eid2810.220776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemic typhus, caused by Rickettsia prowazekii bacteria and transmitted through body lice (Pediculus humanus corporis), was a major public health threat in Eastern Europe as a consequence of World War II. In 2022, war and the resulting population displacement in Ukraine risks the return of this serious disease.
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Inthawong M, Sunyakumthorn P, Wongwairot S, Anantatat T, Dunachie SJ, Im-Erbsin R, Jones JW, Mason CJ, Lugo LA, Blacksell SD, Day NPJ, Sonthayanon P, Richards AL, Paris DH. A time-course comparative clinical and immune response evaluation study between the human pathogenic Orientia tsutsugamushi strains: Karp and Gilliam in a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) model. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010611. [PMID: 35925895 PMCID: PMC9352090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Scrub typhus is a vector-borne febrile illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi transmitted by the bite of Trombiculid mites. O. tsutsugamushi has a high genetic diversity and is increasingly recognized to have a wider global distribution than previously assumed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS We evaluated the clinical outcomes and host immune responses of the two most relevant human pathogenic strains of O. tsutsugamushi; Karp (n = 4) and Gilliam (n = 4) in a time-course study over 80 days post infection (dpi) in a standardized scrub typhus non-human primate rhesus macaque model. We observed distinct features in clinical progression and immune response between the two strains; Gilliam-infected macaques developed more pronounced systemic infection characterized by an earlier onset of bacteremia, lymph node enlargement, eschar lesions and higher inflammatory markers during the acute phase of infection, when compared to the Karp strain. C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels, interferon gamma (IFN-γ, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-15 serum concentrations, CRP/IL10- and IFN-γ/IL-10 ratios correlated positively with bacterial load in blood, implying activation of the innate immune response and preferential development of a T helper-type 1 immune response. The O. tsutsugamushi-specific immune memory responses in cells isolated from skin and lymph nodes at 80 dpi were more markedly elevated in the Gilliam-infected macaques than in the Karp-infected group. The comparative cytokine response dynamics of both strains revealed significant up-regulation of IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-15, IL-6, IL-18, regulatory IL-1ra, IL-10, IL-8 and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). These data suggest that the clinical outcomes and host immune responses to scrub typhus could be associated with counter balancing effects of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine-mediated responses. Currently, no data on characterized time-course comparisons of O. tsutsugamushi strains regarding measures of disease severity and immune response is available. Our study provides evidence for the strain-specificity of host responses in scrub typhus, which supports our understanding of processes at the initial inoculation site (eschar), systemic disease progression, protective and/or pathogenic host immune mechanisms and cellular immune memory function. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This study characterised an improved intradermal rhesus macaque challenge model for scrub typhus, whereby the Gilliam strain infection associated with higher disease severity in the rhesus macaque model than the previous Karp strain infection. Difficulties associated with inoculum quantitation for obligate-intracellular bacteria were overcome by using functional inoculum titrations in outbred mice. The Gilliam-based rhesus macaque model provides improved endpoint measurements and contributes towards the identification of correlates of protection for future vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manutsanun Inthawong
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, United States Army Medical Directorate, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Piyanate Sunyakumthorn
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, United States Army Medical Directorate, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sirima Wongwairot
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, United States Army Medical Directorate, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tippawan Anantatat
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Susanna J. Dunachie
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Rawiwan Im-Erbsin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, United States Army Medical Directorate, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - James W. Jones
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, United States Army Medical Directorate, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Carl J. Mason
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, United States Army Medical Directorate, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Luis A. Lugo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, United States Army Medical Directorate, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Stuart D. Blacksell
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas P. J. Day
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Piengchan Sonthayanon
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Viral & Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daniel H. Paris
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Switzerland
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Johnson CR, Ponnusamy L, Richards AL, Apperson CS. Analyses of Bloodmeal Hosts and Prevalence of Rickettsia parkeri in the Gulf Coast Tick Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) From a Reconstructed Piedmont Prairie Ecosystem, North Carolina. J Med Entomol 2022; 59:1382-1393. [PMID: 35489062 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Host feeding patterns and the prevalence of infection with Rickettsia parkeri were determined for the primary vector, Amblyomma maculatum Koch as well as sympatric tick species A. americanum (Linnaeus) and Dermacentor variabilis (Say) collected from a reconstructed prairie in the Piedmont region of North Carolina during 2011 and 2012. The occurrence of R. parkeri among A. maculatum adults and nymphs was 36.9% (45/122) and 33.3% (2/6), respectively. Rickettsia parkeri was detected in a single male A. americanum 2.3% (1/43). A PCR-reverse line blot hybridization assay of a 12S rDNA fragment amplified from remnant larval and nymphal bloodmeals of host-seeking ticks was used to identify bloodmeal hosts. Of the tick samples tested, bloodmeal host identification was successful for 29.3% (12/41) of adult A. americanum and 39.2% (20/51) of adult D. variabilis. For A. maculatum, bloodmeal host identification was successful for 50% (61/122) of adults collected from vegetation and 100% (4/4) of nymphs removed from cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus Say and Ord). The cotton rat was the most common bloodmeal host with 59.0% (36/61) identified for adult A. maculatum. No statistically significant association was observed, however, between bloodmeal host and pathogen prevalence for any tick species. While the cotton rat was an important bloodmeal host for A. maculatum nymphs, this vertebrate did not appear to be the primary source of R. parkeri infection for A. maculatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie R Johnson
- Department of Entomology and Plath Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology and Plath Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Charles S Apperson
- Department of Entomology and Plath Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695USA
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Jiang J, Martínez-Valdebenito C, Weitzel T, Farris CM, Acosta-Jamett G, Abarca K, Richards AL. Development of a New Genus-Specific Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assay for the Diagnosis of Scrub Typhus in South America. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:831045. [PMID: 35573006 PMCID: PMC9095740 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.831045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus is a potentially severe rickettsiosis, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi in the Asia-Pacific region. Recently, however, two distinct pathogens, “Candidatus Orientia chuto” and “Candidatus Orientia chiloensis”, have been discovered in the Middle East and South America, respectively. Since the novel pathogens differ significantly from O. tsutsugamushi, many established diagnostic methods are unreliable. This work describes the development and validation of a new quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay (Orien16S) for the detection of all known Orientia species. Based on a 94 bp sequence of the 16S rRNA gene (rrs), Orien16S recognized DNA samples from O. tsutsugamushi (n = 41), Ca. O. chiloensis (n = 5), and Ca. O. chuto (n = 1), but was negative for DNA preparations from closely related rickettsiae and other members of the order Rickettsiales (n = 22) as well as unrelated bacterial species (n = 11). After its implementation in Chile, the assay was verified, correctly identifying all tested eschar and buffy coat samples (n = 28) of clinical suspected cases. Furthermore, Orien16S detected Orientia DNA in trombiculid mites collected in endemic regions in southern Chile. The presented novel qPCR assay provides a useful tool for detecting Orientia and diagnosing scrub typhus from all geographical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Jiang
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States.,The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Constanza Martínez-Valdebenito
- Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas e Inmunología Pediátrica, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Thomas Weitzel
- Laboratorio Clínico, Clínica Alemana de Santiago, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.,Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina (ICIM), Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Gerardo Acosta-Jamett
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Programa de Investigación Aplicada en Fauna Silvestre, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Katia Abarca
- Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas e Inmunología Pediátrica, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Allen L Richards
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Loyola S, Torre A, Flores-Mendoza C, Kocher C, Salmon-Mulanovich G, Richards AL, Leguia M. Molecular Characterization by Multilocus Sequence Typing and Diversity Analysis of Rickettsia asembonensis in Peru. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2022; 22:170-177. [PMID: 35319919 PMCID: PMC8971995 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite several reports worldwide documenting the presence of Rickettsia asembonensis in samples derived from ectoparasites, animals and more recently humans, genomic information of these specimens remains scarce, and when available, is usually limited to small genomic fragments of limited value. We generated complete sequences for two conserved (17-kDa antigen gene and gltA) and three variable (sca4, ompB and ompA) genes in five R. asembonensis DNA samples detected in cat and dog fleas in Peru. Complete gene sequences were used to conduct multi-locus sequence typing and phylogenetic analyses to assess diversity and infer relationships among strains and other reference sequences. The 17-kDa antigen gene was highly conserved across Rickettsia species. Of the variable genes ompB was the most variable, but this diversity was not captured through phylogenetics alone even when efforts were made to maximize potential diversity in terms of flea species, animal host and location. Through a combination of de novo and reference-based genome assembly we identified a 75 bp insertion in ompA that encodes a 25 aa repetitive motif found in other Rickettsia species, but not present in the original prototype strain from Kenya. R. asembonensis has only recently been shown to be a bona-fide human pathogen. As such, and compounded by a lack of available genomic information, it remains understudied. Our work directly addresses the lack of genomic information available worldwide for the study of these novel Rickettsia species and specifically contributes to our understanding of the diversity and molecular epidemiology of R. asembonensis in Peru.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steev Loyola
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru.,Vysnova Partners, Maryland, Washington, USA
| | - Armando Torre
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru.,Genomics Laboratory, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), Lima, Peru
| | - Carmen Flores-Mendoza
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru
| | - Claudine Kocher
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru
| | - Gabriela Salmon-Mulanovich
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru.,Genomics Laboratory, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), Lima, Peru
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mariana Leguia
- Virology and Emerging Infections Department, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru.,Genomics Laboratory, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), Lima, Peru
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10
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Richards AL. Available data do not suggest Rickettsia rickettsii has been found in Indonesia. Ecohealth 2022; 19:3-4. [PMID: 34462848 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01551-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Allen L Richards
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
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11
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Nadolny RM, Kennedy AC, Rodgers JM, Vincent ZT, Cornman H, Haynes SA, Casal C, Robbins RG, Richards AL, Jiang J, Farris CM. Carios kelleyi (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae) Infected With Rickettsial Agents Documented Infesting Housing in Kansas, United States. J Med Entomol 2021; 58:2398-2405. [PMID: 34007993 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
During September-December 2018, 25 live ticks were collected on-post at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in a home with a history of bat occupancy. Nine ticks were sent to the Army Public Health Center Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory and were identified as Carios kelleyi (Cooley and Kohls, 1941), a species that seldom bites humans but that may search for other sources of blood meals, including humans, when bats are removed from human dwellings. The ticks were tested for numerous agents of human disease. Rickettsia lusitaniae was identified by multilocus sequence typing to be present in two ticks, marking the first detection of this Rickettsia agent in the United States and in this species of tick. Two other Rickettsia spp. were also detected, including an endosymbiont previously associated with C. kelleyi and a possible novel Rickettsia species. The potential roles of C. kelleyi and bats in peridomestic Rickettsia transmission cycles warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn M Nadolny
- U.S. Army Public Health Center, Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
| | - Ashley C Kennedy
- U.S. Army Public Health Center, Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
- Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, Mosquito Control Section, Newark, DE, USA
| | - James M Rodgers
- Munson Army Health Center Public Health (Environmental Health), Fort Leavenworth, KS, USA
| | - Zachary T Vincent
- U.S. Army Public Health Center, Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
| | - Hannah Cornman
- U.S. Army Public Health Center, Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
| | - Scott A Haynes
- U.S. Army Public Health Center, Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
| | - Cory Casal
- U.S. Army Public Health Center, Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
| | - Richard G Robbins
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, MD, USA
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Naval Medical Research Center, Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Ju Jiang
- Naval Medical Research Center, Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christina M Farris
- Naval Medical Research Center, Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Silver Spring, MD, USA
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12
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Yeh KB, Tabynov K, Parekh FK, Maltseva E, Skiba Y, Shapiyeva Z, Sansyzbai A, Frey S, Essbauer S, Hewson R, Richards AL, Hay J. Building Scientific Capability and Reducing Biological Threats: The Effect of Three Cooperative Bio-Research Programs in Kazakhstan. Front Public Health 2021; 9:683192. [PMID: 34712634 PMCID: PMC8545806 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.683192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperative research programs aimed at reducing biological threats have increased scientific capabilities and capacities in Kazakhstan. The German Federal Foreign Office's German Biosecurity Programme, the United Kingdom's International Biological Security Programme and the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Biological Threat Reduction Program provide funding for partner countries, like Kazakhstan. The mutual goals of the programs are to reduce biological threats and enhance global health security. Our investigation examined these cooperative research programs, summarizing major impacts they have made, as well as common successes and challenges. By mapping various projects across the three programs, research networks are highlighted which demonstrate best communication practices to share results and reinforce conclusions. Our team performed a survey to collect results from Kazakhstani partner scientists on their experiences that help gain insights into enhancing day-to-day approaches to conducting cooperative scientific research. This analysis will serve as a basis for a capability maturity model as used in industry, and in addition builds synergy for future collaborations that will be essential for quality and sustainment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kairat Tabynov
- International Center for Vaccinology, Kazakh National Agrarian University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Elina Maltseva
- Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology at Central Reference Laboratory, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Yuriy Skiba
- Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology at Central Reference Laboratory, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Zhanna Shapiyeva
- Scientific Practical Center for Sanitary Epidemiological Expertise and Monitoring, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Ablay Sansyzbai
- International Center for Vaccinology, Kazakh National Agrarian University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Stefan Frey
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany.,Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologies and Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) Protection, Munster, Germany
| | | | - Roger Hewson
- Public Health England, Salisbury, United Kingdom.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - John Hay
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, United States
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13
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Linsuwanon P, Wongwairot S, Auysawasdi N, Monkanna T, Richards AL, Leepitakrat S, Sunyakumthorn P, Im-Erbsin R, Poole-Smith K, McCardle P. Establishment of a Rhesus Macaque Model for Scrub Typhus Transmission: Pilot Study to Evaluate the Minimal Orientia tsutsugamushi Transmission Time by Leptotrombidium chiangraiensis Chiggers. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10081028. [PMID: 34451491 PMCID: PMC8402083 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10081028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, an intradermal inoculation of the rhesus macaque model of scrub typhus has been characterized at our institution. The current project was to establish a rhesus macaque model of scrub typhus using the naturally infected chigger challenge method that faithfully mimics the natural route of pathogen transmission to fully understand the host-pathogen-vector interactions influencing pathogen transmission. Unlike the needle-based inoculation route, Orientia tsutsugamushi-infected chiggers introduce both pathogen and chigger saliva into the host epidermis at the bite site. However, information on the interaction or influence of chigger saliva on pathogenesis and immunity of host has been limited, consequently hindering vaccine development and transmission-blocking studies. To characterize chigger inoculated O. tsutsugamushi in rhesus macaques, we determined the minimum chigger attachment time required to efficiently transmit O. tsutsugamushi to the immunocompetent hosts and preliminary assessed clinical parameters, course of bacterial infection, and host’s immunological response to identifying potential factors influencing pathogen infection. Chigger infestation on hosts resulted in: (i) Rapid transmission of O. tsutsugamushi within 1 h and (ii) antigen-specific type I and II T-cell responses were markedly increased during the acute phase of infection, suggesting that both systems play critical roles in response to the pathogen control during the primary infection. In summary, we demonstrate that O. tsutsugamushi infection in rhesus macaques via chigger challenge recapitulates the time of disease onset and bacteremia observed in scrub typhus patients. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines were positively correlated with bacteremia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piyada Linsuwanon
- Department of Entomology, USAMD-AFRIMS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (S.W.); (N.A.); (T.M.); (S.L.); (K.P.-S.); (P.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Sirima Wongwairot
- Department of Entomology, USAMD-AFRIMS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (S.W.); (N.A.); (T.M.); (S.L.); (K.P.-S.); (P.M.)
| | - Nutthanun Auysawasdi
- Department of Entomology, USAMD-AFRIMS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (S.W.); (N.A.); (T.M.); (S.L.); (K.P.-S.); (P.M.)
| | - Taweesak Monkanna
- Department of Entomology, USAMD-AFRIMS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (S.W.); (N.A.); (T.M.); (S.L.); (K.P.-S.); (P.M.)
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - Surachai Leepitakrat
- Department of Entomology, USAMD-AFRIMS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (S.W.); (N.A.); (T.M.); (S.L.); (K.P.-S.); (P.M.)
| | - Piyanate Sunyakumthorn
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, USAMD-AFRIMS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (P.S.); (R.I.-E.)
| | - Rawiwan Im-Erbsin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, USAMD-AFRIMS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (P.S.); (R.I.-E.)
| | - Katie Poole-Smith
- Department of Entomology, USAMD-AFRIMS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (S.W.); (N.A.); (T.M.); (S.L.); (K.P.-S.); (P.M.)
| | - Patrick McCardle
- Department of Entomology, USAMD-AFRIMS, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (S.W.); (N.A.); (T.M.); (S.L.); (K.P.-S.); (P.M.)
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14
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Abarca K, Martínez-Valdebenito C, Angulo J, Jiang J, Farris CM, Richards AL, Acosta-Jamett G, Weitzel T. Molecular Description of a Novel Orientia Species Causing Scrub Typhus in Chile. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 26:2148-2156. [PMID: 32818400 PMCID: PMC7454112 DOI: 10.3201/eid2609.200918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus is a potentially fatal rickettsiosis caused by Orientia species intracellular bacteria of the genus Orientia. Although considered to be restricted to the Asia Pacific region, scrub typhus has recently been discovered in southern Chile. We analyzed Orientia gene sequences of 16S rRNA (rrs) and 47-kDa (htrA) from 18 scrub typhus patients from Chile. Sequences were ≥99.7% identical among the samples for both amplified genes. Their diversity was 3.1%–3.5% for rrs and 11.2%–11.8% for htrA compared with O. tsusugamushi and 3.0% for rrs and 14.8% for htrA compared with Candidatus Orientia chuto. Phylogenetic analyses of both genes grouped the specimens from Chile in a different clade from other Orientia species. Our results indicate that Orientia isolates from Chile constitute a novel species, which, until they are cultivated and fully characterized, we propose to designate as Candidatus Orientia chiloensis, after the Chiloé Archipelago where the pathogen was identified.
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15
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Kim HC, Jiang J, Hang J, Kim SY, Yun SM, Park CU, Kim M, Chong ST, Farris CM, Richards AL, Klein TA. Detection of Rickettsia lusitaniae Among Ornithodoros sawaii Soft Ticks Collected From Japanese Murrelet Seabird Nest Material From Gugul Island, Republic of Korea. J Med Entomol 2021; 58:1376-1383. [PMID: 33615347 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In a follow-up to the investigations of soft ticks identified from seabird nest soil and litter collected from coastal islands of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Ornithodoros sawaii and Ornithodoros capensis were assessed for the presence and identification of rickettsiae. Ticks collected from samples of 50-100 g of nest litter and soil from seabird nests were identified individually by morphological techniques, and species confirmed by sequencing of the mt-rrs gene. Subsequently, tick DNA preparations were screened for the presence of rickettsiae using a genus-specific nested PCR (nPCR) assay targeting the 17 kDa antigen gene. The amplicons from the 17 kDa assay and two additional nPCR assays targeting the gltA and ompB gene fragments were sequenced and used to identify the rickettsiae. A total of 134 soft ticks belonging to two species, O. sawaii Kitaoka & Suzuki 1973 (n = 125) and O. capensis Neumann 1901 (n = 9), were collected. Rickettsia lusitaniae DNA was detected and identified among O. sawaii ticks (n = 11, 8.8%) collected from nest litter and soil of the Japanese murrelet (Synthliboramphus wumizusume Temminck 1836) at Gugul Island along the western coastal area of the ROK. This study confirmed for the first time the presence of R. lusitaniae associated with O. sawaii collected from migratory seabird nests in the ROK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heung-Chul Kim
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, US Army Medical Activity-Korea, Unit #15281, APO AP, USA
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jun Hang
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Su Yeon Kim
- Pathogen Resource Management TF, National Research Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Min Yun
- Division of Arboviruses, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Uk Park
- Migratory Birds Research Center, Korea National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service, Shinan-gun, Jeonnam Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Miran Kim
- Migratory Birds Research Center, Korea National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service, Shinan-gun, Jeonnam Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, US Army Medical Activity-Korea, Unit #15281, APO AP, USA
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Terry A Klein
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, US Army Medical Activity-Korea, Unit #15281, APO AP, USA
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Lippi CA, Gaff HD, White AL, St. John HK, Richards AL, Ryan SJ. Exploring the Niche of Rickettsia montanensis (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) Infection of the American Dog Tick (Acari: Ixodidae), Using Multiple Species Distribution Model Approaches. J Med Entomol 2021; 58:1083-1092. [PMID: 33274379 PMCID: PMC8122238 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (Acari: Ixodidae), is a vector for several human disease-causing pathogens such as tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and the understudied spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) infection caused by Rickettsia montanensis. It is important for public health planning and intervention to understand the distribution of this tick and pathogen encounter risk. Risk is often described in terms of vector distribution, but greatest risk may be concentrated where more vectors are positive for a given pathogen. When assessing species distributions, the choice of modeling framework and spatial layers used to make predictions are important. We first updated the modeled distribution of D. variabilis and R. montanensis using maximum entropy (MaxEnt), refining bioclimatic data inputs, and including soil variables. We then compared geospatial predictions from five species distribution modeling frameworks. In contrast to previous work, we additionally assessed whether the R. montanensis positive D. variabilis distribution is nested within a larger overall D. variabilis distribution, representing a fitness cost hypothesis. We found that 1) adding soil layers improved the accuracy of the MaxEnt model; 2) the predicted 'infected niche' was smaller than the overall predicted niche across all models; and 3) each model predicted different sizes of suitable niche, at different levels of probability. Importantly, the models were not directly comparable in output style, which could create confusion in interpretation when developing planning tools. The random forest (RF) model had the best measured validity and fit, suggesting it may be most appropriate to these data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Lippi
- Quantitative Disease Ecology and Conservation (QDEC) Lab Group, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Holly D Gaff
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Alexis L White
- Quantitative Disease Ecology and Conservation (QDEC) Lab Group, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Heidi K St. John
- Viral and Rickettsial Disease Program (VRDD) Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, 6720A Rockledge Dr, Bethesda, MD
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Disease Program (VRDD) Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD
| | - Sadie J Ryan
- Quantitative Disease Ecology and Conservation (QDEC) Lab Group, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
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17
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Jiang J, Farris CM, Yeh KB, Richards AL. International Rickettsia Disease Surveillance: An Example of Cooperative Research to Increase Laboratory Capability and Capacity for Risk Assessment of Rickettsial Outbreaks Worldwide. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:622015. [PMID: 33738293 PMCID: PMC7960665 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.622015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cooperative research that addresses infectious disease surveillance and outbreak investigations relies heavily on availability and effective use of appropriate diagnostic tools, including serological and molecular assays, as exemplified by the current COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we stress the importance of using these assays to support collaborative epidemiological studies to assess risk of rickettsial disease outbreaks among international partner countries. Workforce development, mentorship, and training are important components in building laboratory capability and capacity to assess risk of and mitigate emerging disease outbreaks. International partnerships that fund cooperative research through mentoring and on-the-job training are successful examples for enhancing infectious disease surveillance. Cooperative research studies between the Naval Medical Research Center's Rickettsial Diseases Research Program (RDRP) and 17 institutes from nine countries among five continents were conducted to address the presence of and the risk for endemic rickettsial diseases. To establish serological and molecular assays in the collaborative institutes, initial training and continued material, and technical support were provided by RDRP. The laboratory methods used in the research studies to detect and identify the rickettsial infections included (1) group-specific IgM and IgG serological assays and (2) molecular assays. Twenty-six cooperative research projects performed between 2008 and 2020 enhanced the capability and capacity of 17 research institutes to estimate risk of rickettsial diseases. These international collaborative studies have led to the recognition and/or confirmation of rickettsial diseases within each of the partner countries. In addition, with the identification of specific pathogen and non-pathogen Rickettsia species, a more accurate risk assessment could be made in surveillance studies using environmental samples. The discoveries from these projects reinforced international cooperation benefiting not only the partner countries but also the scientific community at large through presentations (n = 40) at international scientific meetings and peer-reviewed publications (n = 18). The cooperative research studies conducted in multiple international institutes led to the incorporation of new SOPs and trainings for laboratory procedures; biosafety, biosurety, and biosecurity methods; performance of rickettsia-specific assays; and the identification of known and unknown rickettsial agents through the introduction of new serologic and molecular assays that complemented traditional microbiology methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Christina M. Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | | | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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18
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St John HK, Masuoka P, Jiang J, Takhampunya R, Klein TA, Kim HC, Chong ST, Song JW, Kim YJ, Farris CM, Richards AL. Geographic distribution and modeling of ticks in the Republic of Korea and the application of tick models towards understanding the distribution of associated pathogenic agents. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101686. [PMID: 33667830 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Encounters with ticks harboring pathogenic agents have demonstrated increasing public health implications. Tick surveillance in the Republic of Korea (ROK) is essential for determining tick distributions and the potential regions where tick-borne pathogens may be found. Extensive tick collections (tick drags and tick flagging) were previously performed by Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine (FHP&PM), Medical Activity-Korea (MEDDAC-K)/65th Medical Brigade (MED BDE) personnel, in collaboration with the Public Health Activity-Korea in the ROK. A total of 144,131 ticks were collected from 2,019 locations during 2004 to 2016. The associated location data (GPS coordinates) for each of the collection sites were incorporated into distribution maps using ArcGIS and combined with environmental data in the Maxent ecological niche modeling program (n = 733 geographical unique locations from 1,429 presence records/collection locations) to produce estimates of tick distributions for each species. The predominant tick species found and modeled were, in order of prevalence: Haemaphysalis longicornis, H. flava, Ixodes nipponensis, H. phasiana, I. turdus, Amblyomma testudinarium, H. japonica, and I. persulcatus. Haemaphysalis longicornis, H. flava, and I. nipponensis were the most widely distributed and most commonly collected species of ticks. The maps and models of suitable habitat regions produced in this study provide a better understanding of where there are potential risks of encountering a particular tick species, and which, as demonstrated herein with rickettsiae, can be used to study tick-pathogen dynamics of diseases. Knowledge of the distribution of ticks is important in the ROK because of the presence of tick-borne diseases, such as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, tick-borne encephalitis, rickettsioses, and borrelioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi K St John
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA; Henry Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA.
| | - Penny Masuoka
- Henry Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA; Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics Department, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA; Henry Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA
| | - Ratree Takhampunya
- Department of Entomology, United States Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Terry A Klein
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, MEDDAC-K/65(th) Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
| | - Heung-Chul Kim
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, MEDDAC-K/65(th) Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, MEDDAC-K/65(th) Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
| | - Jin-Won Song
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Jin Kim
- Armed Forces Medical Command, Seongnam, 13590, Republic of Korea
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA; Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics Department, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
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19
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Flores-Mendoza C, Loyola S, Jiang J, Farris CM, Mullins K, Estep AS, Fisher ML, Richards AL. Molecular Characterization of Bartonella Species Discovered in Ectoparasites Collected from Domestic Animals, Cuzco, Peru. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:330-341. [PMID: 33567236 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsiae and bartonellae are Gram-negative bacteria that can cause zoonotic and human diseases and are vectored by hematophagous arthropods. In the Americas, rickettsioses and bartonelloses have reemerged as significant public health threats. Bartonella species have been identified as causing zoonotic infections responsible for a variety of clinical syndromes in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution, prevalence, and molecular heterogeneity of Rickettsia spp. and Bartonella spp. among ectoparasites collected from domestic animals in 14 farming communities in the Andes Mountains of Cuzco, Peru. A total of 222 domestic animals representing 8 different species (sheep, donkeys, goats, cattle, pigs, llamas, guinea pigs, and horses) were sampled. Nine species of ectoparasites (n = 1,697) collected from 122 animals were identified resulting in 1,657 chewing lice, 39 ticks, and 1 flea. DNA was individually extracted from a random sample of 600 (35.4%) considering variability of ectoparasite species, hosts, and sample location elevation. All 600 samples were negative for rickettsial DNA by a genus-specific molecular assay. A subset of 173 (28.8%) samples were selected based on variability of arthropods species, host, and location for Bartonella testing. Ninety-one (52.6%) of these samples including Melophagus ovinus (90/110) and Bovicola bovis (1/7) were positive for Bartonella by a genus-specific molecular assay. Five Bartonella genes of seven DNA samples from M. ovinus were analyzed by the multilocus sequence typing for characterization. We identified five identical Bartonella melophagi specimens and two specimens with Bartonella species related to B. melophagi from the seven M. ovinus. The Bartonella agents detected were widely distributed and frequent in multiple studied locations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Steev Loyola
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru
| | - Ju Jiang
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Kristin Mullins
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alden S Estep
- United States Department of Agriculture, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Navy Entomology Center of Excellence, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | | | - Allen L Richards
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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20
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Otiang E, Chen D, Jiang J, Maina AN, Farris CM, Luce-Fedrow A, Richards AL. Pathogen Carriage by Peri-Domestic Fleas in Western Kenya. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:256-263. [PMID: 33481673 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fleas are carriers for many largely understudied zoonotic, endemic, emerging, and re-emerging infectious disease agents, but little is known about their prevalence and role as a vector in Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of fleas and the prevalence of infectious agents in them collected from human dwellings in western Kenya. A total of 306 fleas were collected using light traps from 33 human dwellings; 170 (55.56%) were identified as Ctenocephalides spp., 121 (39.54%) as Echidnophaga gallinacea, 13 (4.25%) as Pulex irritans, and 2 (0.65%) as Xenopsylla cheopis. Of the 306 individual fleas tested, 168 (54.9%) tested positive for rickettsial DNA by a genus-specific quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay based on the 17-kDa antigen gene. Species-specific qPCR assays and sequencing revealed presence of Rickettsia asembonensis in 166 (54.2%) and Rickettsia felis in 2 (0.7%) fleas. Borrelia burgdorferi, normally known to be carried by ticks, was detected in four (1.3%) flea DNA preparations. We found no evidence of Yersinia pestis, Bartonella spp., or Orientia spp. Not only were Ctenocephalides spp. the most predominant flea species in the human dwellings, but also almost all of them were harboring R. asembonensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elkanah Otiang
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Daniel Chen
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Alice N Maina
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Alison Luce-Fedrow
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Biology, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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21
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Wangrangsimakul T, Phuklia W, Newton PN, Richards AL, Day NPJ. Scrub Typhus and the Misconception of Doxycycline Resistance. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 70:2444-2449. [PMID: 31570937 PMCID: PMC7245148 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus, a neglected infectious disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, is a major cause of fever across the Asia Pacific region with more than a billion people at risk. Treatment with antibiotics such as doxycycline or chloramphenicol is effective for the majority of patients. In the 1990s, reports from northern Thailand raised a troubling observation; some scrub typhus patients responded poorly to doxycycline, which investigators attributed to doxycycline resistance. Despite the controversial nature of these reports, independent verification was neglected, with subsequent studies speculating on the role of doxycycline resistance in contributing to failure of treatment or prophylaxis. In this review, we have outlined the evidence for drug-resistant Orientia tsutsugamushi, assessed the evidence for doxycycline resistance, and highlight more recent findings unsupportive of doxycycline resistance. We conclude that doxycycline resistance is a misconception, with treatment outcome likely to be determined by other bacterial, host, and pharmacological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tri Wangrangsimakul
- Mahidol -Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Weerawat Phuklia
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Paul N Newton
- Mahidol -Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Nicholas P J Day
- Mahidol -Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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22
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Paris DH, Kelly DJ, Fuerst PA, Day NPJ, Richards AL. A Brief History of the Major Rickettsioses in the Asia-Australia-Pacific Region: A Capstone Review for the Special Issue of TMID. Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 5:tropicalmed5040165. [PMID: 33121158 PMCID: PMC7709643 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5040165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The rickettsioses of the "Far East" or Asia-Australia-Pacific region include but are not limited to endemic typhus, scrub typhus, and more recently, tick typhus or spotted fever. These diseases embody the diversity of rickettsial disease worldwide and allow us to interconnect the various contributions to this special issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease. The impact of rickettsial diseases-particularly of scrub typhus-was substantial during the wars and "police actions" of the last 80 years. However, the post-World War II arrival of effective antibiotics reduced their impact, when recognized and adequately treated (chloramphenicol and tetracyclines). Presently, however, scrub typhus appears to be emerging and spreading into regions not previously reported. Better diagnostics, or higher population mobility, change in antimicrobial policies, even global warming, have been proposed as possible culprits of this phenomenon. Further, sporadic reports of possible antibiotic resistance have received the attention of clinicians and epidemiologists, raising interest in developing and testing novel diagnostics to facilitate medical diagnosis. We present a brief history of rickettsial diseases, their relative importance within the region, focusing on the so-called "tsutsugamushi triangle", the past and present impact of these diseases within the region, and indicate how historically, these often-confused diseases were ingeniously distinguished from each another. Moreover, we will discuss the importance of DNA-sequencing efforts for Orientia tsutsugamushi, obtained from patient blood, vector chiggers, and rodent reservoirs, particularly for the dominant 56-kD type-specific antigen gene (tsa56), and whole-genome sequences, which are increasing our knowledge of the diversity of this unique agent. We explore and discuss the potential of sequencing and other effective tools to geographically trace rickettsial disease agents, and develop control strategies to better mitigate the rickettsioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H. Paris
- Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-61-284-8111
| | - Daryl J. Kelly
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (D.J.K.); (P.A.F.)
| | - Paul A. Fuerst
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (D.J.K.); (P.A.F.)
| | - Nicholas P. J. Day
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Programme, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithee Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand;
- Center for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UK
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
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23
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Affiliation(s)
- Tri Wangrangsimakul
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Weerawat Phuklia
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital–Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic
| | - Paul N Newton
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital–Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Nicholas P J Day
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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24
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Wu X, Angkititrakul S, L. Richards A, Pulsrikarn C, Khaengair S, Keosengthong A, Siriwong S, Suksawat F. Risk of Antimicrobial Resistant Non-Typhoidal Salmonella during Asymptomatic Infection Passage between Pet Dogs and Their Human Caregivers in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9080477. [PMID: 32759641 PMCID: PMC7460017 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9080477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
To explore the risk of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) non-typhoidal Salmonella during asymptomatic infection passage between pet dogs and human caregivers in Khon Kaen, Thailand, one hundred forty paired fecal samples (n = 280) were obtained from companion dogs and their human caregivers, interviewed from 140 households during 2019-2020. The purified Salmonella isolates were serotype-identified and tested for antimicrobial resistance against ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and tetracycline. The homologous Salmonella isolate pairs (suggesting Salmonella infections may have been due to passage between each one of the pair, or derived from the same source) were subsequently characterized by serotype screening, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and Synchrotron Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (SR-FTIR). The Salmonella prevalence observed in dogs, 12.86% (18/140), was not significantly different from that observed in humans, 17.86% (25/140) using McNemar's test. The AMR patterns (the patterns among the isolates of pet dogs and caregivers) and the serotypes (thirteen serotypes with 18 isolates from pet dogs plus thirteen serotypes with 25 isolates from humans) between pet dogs and humans were not significantly different using Pearson's chi-squared test. The homologous Salmonella isolates from the Salmonella-present households was 5.13% (2/39). This study demonstrated that the hypothesis that there is a high risk of Salmonella infection passage between dogs and humans with close contact in Khon Kaen is doubtful. Only 5.13% of homologous Salmonella isolates from Salmonella-present households were found in Khon Kaen, Thailand, although the prevalence of Salmonella-positive samples, serotypes, and antimicrobial resistance patterns were quite similar among the two populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wu
- Ecotoxicology, Natural Resources and Environment Project, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (X.W.); (S.A.); (S.K.)
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650051, China
| | - Sunpetch Angkititrakul
- Ecotoxicology, Natural Resources and Environment Project, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (X.W.); (S.A.); (S.K.)
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - Chaiwat Pulsrikarn
- National Institute of Health, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand;
| | - Seri Khaengair
- Ecotoxicology, Natural Resources and Environment Project, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (X.W.); (S.A.); (S.K.)
| | - Amphone Keosengthong
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Vientiane 7322, Lao People’s Democratic Republic;
| | - Supatcharee Siriwong
- Synchrotron Light Research Institute (Public Organization), Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
| | - Fanan Suksawat
- Ecotoxicology, Natural Resources and Environment Project, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (X.W.); (S.A.); (S.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +66-62-915-9366
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25
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Weitzel T, Acosta-Jamett G, Jiang J, Martínez-Valdebenito C, Farris CM, Richards AL, Abarca K. Human seroepidemiology of Rickettsia and Orientia species in Chile - A cross-sectional study in five regions. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101503. [PMID: 32993924 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the spectrum and epidemiology of human rickettsioses has become an emerging topic in Chile. This survey aimed to assess the seroprevalence of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR), typhus group rickettsiae (TGR), and scrub typhus group orientiae (STGO) in northern, central, and southern Chile. We performed a cross-sectional study of healthy adults in rural and urban settings of five regions. Participants were chosen by double stratified random sampling in urban and by convenience in rural locations (n = 1302). Serum specimens were analyzed for group-specific IgG antibodies against SFGR, TGR, and STGO by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Overall seroprevalences to SFGR, TGR, and STGO were 5.3 %, 1.2 %, and 0.4 %, respectively. Prevalences showed geographical differences. Statistical analyses revealed an association of older age with seropositivity to SFGR and to TGR and of rural setting and male gender with seropositivity to SFGR. The study indicates that SFGR, TGR, and STGO are endemic in Chile. The very low STGO seroprevalence might indicate an insufficient sensitivity of serological tests using Asian O. tsutsugamushi strains as ELISA antigens for the detection of antibodies against Chilean Orientia species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Weitzel
- Laboratorio Clínico, Clínica Alemana, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina (ICIM) Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile.
| | - Gerardo Acosta-Jamett
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria y Programa de Investigación Aplicada en Fauna Silvestre, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Constanza Martínez-Valdebenito
- Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas e Inmunología Pediátricas, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Katia Abarca
- Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas e Inmunología Pediátricas, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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26
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Weitzel
- Laboratorio Clínico, Clínica Alemana de Santiago, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina (ICIM), Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Benjamin L. Makepeace
- Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Ivo Elliott
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Kittipong Chaisiri
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Paul N. Newton
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao PDR
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27
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Sukhiashvili R, Zhgenti E, Khmaladze E, Burjanadze I, Imnadze P, Jiang J, St John H, Farris CM, Gallagher T, Obiso RJ, Richards AL. Identification and distribution of nine tick-borne spotted fever group Rickettsiae in the Country of Georgia. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101470. [PMID: 32723640 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Rickettsial pathogens cause diseases that vary in severity and clinical presentation. Rickettsia species transmitted by ticks are mostly classified within the spotted fever group of rickettsiae (SFGR) and are often associated with febrile diseases. Preliminary studies have detected three human-pathogenic SFGR from ticks in Georgia: Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia raoultii, and Rickettsia slovaca. To more broadly assess the presence of tick-borne rickettsiae from Georgia we examined 1594 ticks, representing 18 species from five genera (Ixodes, Hyalomma, Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor, and Rhipicephalus), collected from eight regions of Georgia. A total of 498 tick DNA samples extracted from single ticks or pooled ticks were assessed by molecular methods. Genus-specific Rick17b and species-specific qPCR assays were used to identify six rickettsiae: R. aeschlimannii, R. raoultii, R. slovaca, Rickettsia conorii subsp. conorii, Rickettsia massiliae, and Rickettsia monacensis. Tick samples that were positive for Rickettsia, but not identified by the species-specific assays, were further evaluated by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) using sequences of four protein-coding genes (gltA, ompA,ompB, sca4). Three additional Rickettsia species were identified by MLST: Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae, Rickettsia helvetica, and Rickettsia hoogstraalii. Overall, nine species of Rickettsia (six human pathogens and three species with unknown pathogenicity) were detected from 12 tick species of five different genera. A distribution map for the tick-borne rickettsiae revealed six newly identified endemic regions in Georgia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ekaterine Zhgenti
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Irma Burjanadze
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Paata Imnadze
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Ju Jiang
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Heidi St John
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | - Allen L Richards
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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28
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Phomjareet S, Chaveerach P, Suksawat F, Jiang J, Richards AL. Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Infection of Cats and Cat Fleas in Northeast Thailand. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:566-571. [PMID: 32744925 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia species cause rickettsioses, which are zoonotic diseases found worldwide, and are transmitted by arthropods such as lice, fleas, ticks, and mites. In Thailand, flea infestations are common among cats and dogs. This study aimed at determining the exposure to spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) of cats in surrounding areas of Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University, Muang district, Maha Sarakham province and rickettsial infection among cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, collected from dogs of the surrounding area of Waeng Noi district, Khon Kaen province. Forty-two cat sera were assessed for IgG antibody titers against SFGR by a group-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The prevalence of seroreactive cats was 4.76% (2/42). DNA preparations from 23 individual cat fleas from three dogs were assessed by Rickettsia genus-specific, group-specific, and species-specific quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays. Positive results were confirmed by ompB gene fragment sequencing. Twenty-one of 23 cat fleas were positive for Rickettsia asembonensis, and the other two DNA preparations were negative for rickettsial DNA. This study's finding indicates that companion cats and dogs in Northeast Thailand are exposed to SFGR and that exposure may be due to infection with R. asembonensis, an organism known to infect humans, monkeys, and dogs. Clinicians for humans and animals in Northeast Thailand should be aware of rickettsial infections among their patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirirat Phomjareet
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Prapansak Chaveerach
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Fanan Suksawat
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Ju Jiang
- Rickettsial Diseases Research Program, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Rickettsial Diseases Research Program, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,International Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
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29
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Khan SA, Bora T, Saikia J, Shah A, Richards AL, Chattopadhyay S, Kakati S, Rahi M, Kaur H. Seroprevalence of typhus group rickettsial infections in the north-east region of India. Indian J Med Res 2020; 150:203-205. [PMID: 31670277 PMCID: PMC6829774 DOI: 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_332_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Siraj Ahmed Khan
- Medical Entomology, Arbovirology & Rickettsial Diseases Division, ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh 786 002, Assam, India
| | - Trishna Bora
- Medical Entomology, Arbovirology & Rickettsial Diseases Division, ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh 786 002, Assam, India
| | - Jahnabi Saikia
- Medical Entomology, Arbovirology & Rickettsial Diseases Division, ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh 786 002, Assam, India
| | - Anisha Shah
- Medical Entomology, Arbovirology & Rickettsial Diseases Division, ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh 786 002, Assam, India
| | - Allen L Richards
- Naval Medical Research Centre, Rickettsial Disease Research Unit, Maryland 20910-7500, USA
| | | | - Sanjeeb Kakati
- Department of Medicine, Assam Medical College & Hospital, Dibrugarh 786 002, Assam, India
| | - Manju Rahi
- Division of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi 110 029, India
| | - Harpreet Kaur
- Division of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi 110 029, India
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Affiliation(s)
- Siraj A Khan
- Medical Entomology, Arbovirology and Rickettsial Disease Division, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Northeast Region Assam, India
| | - Trishna Bora
- Medical Entomology, Arbovirology and Rickettsial Disease Division, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Northeast Region Assam, India
| | - Allen L Richards
- Rickettsial Disease Research Unit, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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Richards AL, Jiang J. Scrub Typhus: Historic Perspective and Current Status of the Worldwide Presence of Orientia Species. Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 5:E49. [PMID: 32244598 PMCID: PMC7344502 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5020049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus and its etiological agents, Orientia species, have been around for a very long time. Historical reference to the rickettsial disease scrub typhus was first described in China (313 AD) by Hong Ge in a clinical manual (Zhouhofang) and in Japan (1810 AD) when Hakuju Hashimoto described tsutsuga, a noxious harmful disease in the Niigata prefecture. Other clinicians and scientists in Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Australia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and India reported on diseases most likely to have been scrub typhus in the early 1900s. All of these initial reports about scrub typhus were from an area later designated as the Tsutsugamushi Triangle-an area encompassing Pakistan to the northwest, Japan to the northeast and northern Australia to the south. It was not until the 21st century that endemic scrub typhus occurring outside of the Tsutsugamushi Triangle was considered acceptable. This report describes the early history of scrub typhus, its distribution in and outside the Tsutsugamushi Triangle, and current knowledge of the causative agents, Orientia species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Ju Jiang
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA;
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Phanichkrivalkosil M, Tanganuchitcharnchai A, Jintaworn S, Kantipong P, Laongnualpanich A, Chierakul W, Paris DH, Richards AL, Wangrangsimakul T, Day NPJ, Blacksell SD. Determination of Optimal Diagnostic Cut-Offs for the Naval Medical Research Center Scrub Typhus IgM ELISA in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 100:1134-1140. [PMID: 30860022 PMCID: PMC6493932 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In this diagnostic accuracy study, we evaluated data from 135 febrile patients from Chiang Rai, to determine the optimal optical density (OD) cutoffs for an in-house scrub typhus IgM ELISA. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated using a panel of reference assays, including an IgM immunofluorescence assay (IFA), PCR, in vitro isolation, presence of an eschar, or a combination of these. Altogether, 33 patients (24.4%) were diagnosed as having scrub typhus. Correlation between positivity by IFA and increasing OD values peaked at a cutoff of 2.0, whereas there was little association between positivity by culture or eschar with increasing ELISA cutoffs—cutoffs of 3.0 and 4.0 were demonstrated to be optimal for the total absorbance of the OD at dilutions 1:100, 1:400, 1:1,600, and 1:6,400, for admission and convalescent samples, respectively. The optimal cutoff at a 1:100 dilution was found to be between 1.85 and 2.22 for admission samples and convalescent-phase samples, respectively. Sensitivities for the cutoffs varied from 57.1% to 90.0% depending on the reference test and sample timing, whereas specificities ranged from 85.2% to 99.0%. We therefore recommend a cutoff of around 2.0, depending on the sensitivity and specificity desired in clinical or epidemiological settings. The results demonstrate the ELISA to be a valuable diagnostic tool, suitable for use in resource-limited endemic regions, especially when used in combination with other diagnostic modalities such as the presence of an eschar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghna Phanichkrivalkosil
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ampai Tanganuchitcharnchai
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suthatip Jintaworn
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | - Wirongrong Chierakul
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Daniel H Paris
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland.,Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Tri Wangrangsimakul
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nicholas P J Day
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Stuart D Blacksell
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Acosta-Jamett G, Martínez-Valdebenito C, Beltrami E, Silva-de La Fuente MC, Jiang J, Richards AL, Weitzel T, Abarca K. Identification of trombiculid mites (Acari: Trombiculidae) on rodents from Chiloé Island and molecular evidence of infection with Orientia species. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007619. [PMID: 31971956 PMCID: PMC6999909 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Scrub typhus is an emerging vector-borne zoonosis, caused by Orientia spp. and transmitted by larvae of trombiculid mites, called chiggers. It mainly occurs within a region of the Asia-Pacific called the tsutsugamushi triangle, where rodents are known as the most relevant hosts for the trombiculid vector. However, the reservoir(s) and vector(s) of the scrub typhus outside Asia-Pacific are unknown. The disease has recently been discovered on and is considered endemic for Chiloé Island in southern Chile. The aim of the present work was to detect and determine the prevalence of chiggers on different rodent species captured in probable sites for the transmission of orientiae responsible for scrub typhus on Chiloé Island in southern Chile and to molecularly examine collected chiggers for the presence of Orientia DNA. Methodology/Principal findings During the austral summer 2018, rodents were live-trapped in six sites and examined for chigger infestation. All study sites were rural areas on Chiloé Island, previously identified as probable localities where human cases acquired the scrub typhus. During a total of 4,713 trap-nights, 244 rodents of seven species were captured: the most abundant was Abrothrix olivacea. Chiggers were detected on all seven rodent species with a 55% prevalence rate. Chiggers showed low host specificity and varied according to site specific host abundance. Three genera of trombiculids were identified. Herpetacarus was the most abundant genus (93%), prevalent in five of the six sites. Infestation rates showed site specific differences, which were statistically significant using a GLM model with binomial errors. Molecular analyses proved that 21 of 133 (15.8%) mite pools were positive for Orientia species, all of them belonged to the genus Herpetacarus. Conclusions/Significance This study firstly reports the presence of different rodent-associated chigger mites positive for Orientia sp., in a region endemic for scrub typhus in southern Chile. Herpetacarus and two other genera of mites were found with high infestation rates of rodents in sites previously identified as probable exposure of scrub typhus cases. A substantial percentage of mite pools were positive for Orientia DNA, suggesting that chigger mites serve as vectors and reservoirs of this emerging zoonosis in South America. Scrub typhus is a chigger-transmitted zoonotic infection caused by Orientia species, which is endemic to the tsutsugamushi triangle in Asia-Pacific region. Recently, a focus of scrub typhus in South America has been confirmed on Chiloé Island in southern Chile. However, the vectors of scrub typhus in this region remain unknown. We undertook a survey to study the presence of chiggers on different rodent species in areas identified as probable sites of exposure to scrub typhus on Chiloé Island. The study showed that 55% of rodents were infested by trombiculids. Three mite genera were identified, of which Herpetacarus was the most abundant. Chiggers showed low host specificity, but spatial differences. Using molecular techniques, the trombiculid mites were found to be infected with Orientia species. These findings suggest that chigger mites play a role in the life cycle and transmission of this emerging infectious disease in Chile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Acosta-Jamett
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Programa de Investigación Aplicada en Fauna Silvestre, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Constanza Martínez-Valdebenito
- Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas e Inmunología Pediátricas, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratorio de Infectología y Virología Molecular, Red Salud UC–Christus, Santiago, Chile
| | - Esperanza Beltrami
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Escuela de Graduados, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - María Carolina Silva-de La Fuente
- Departamento de Ciencias Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Veterinarias, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad San Sebastián, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Thomas Weitzel
- Laboratorio Clínico, Clínica Alemana de Santiago, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- Hantavirus and Zoonoses Program, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina (ICIM), Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail: (TW); (KA)
| | - Katia Abarca
- Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas e Inmunología Pediátricas, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail: (TW); (KA)
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Salmon-Mulanovich G, Simons MP, Flores-Mendoza C, Loyola S, Silva M, Kasper M, Rázuri HR, Canal LE, Leguia M, Bausch DG, Richards AL. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Rickettsia and Leptospira Infection in Four Ecologically Distinct Regions of Peru. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 100:1391-1400. [PMID: 30938281 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia and Leptospira spp. are under-recognized causes of acute febrile disease worldwide. Rickettsia species are often placed into the spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) and typhus group rickettsiae (TGR). We explored the antibody prevalence among humans for these two groups of rickettsiae in four regions of Peru (Lima, Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, and Tumbes) and for Leptospira spp. in Puerto Maldonado and Tumbes. We also assessed risk factors for seropositivity and collected serum samples and ectoparasites from peri-domestic animals from households in sites with high human seroprevalence. In total, we tested 2,165 human sera for antibodies (IgG) against SFGR and TGR by ELISA and for antibodies against Leptospira by a microscopic agglutination test. Overall, human antibody prevalence across the four sites was 10.6% for SFGR (ranging from 6.2% to 14.0%, highest in Tumbes) and 3.3% for TGR (ranging from 2.6% to 6.4%, highest in Puerto Maldonado). Factors associated with seroreactivity against SFGR were male gender, older age, contact with backyard birds, and working in agriculture or with livestock. However, exposure to any kind of animal within the household decreased the odds ratio by half. Age was the only variable associated with higher TGR seroprevalence. The prevalence of Leptospira was 11.3% in Puerto Maldonado and 5.8% in Tumbes, with a borderline association with keeping animals in the household. We tested animal sera for Leptospira and conducted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Rickettsia species among ectoparasites collected from domestic animals in 63 households of seropositive participants and controls. We did not find any association between animal infection and human serostatus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark P Simons
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru
| | | | - Steev Loyola
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru
| | - María Silva
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru
| | - Matthew Kasper
- Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Hugo R Rázuri
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru
| | | | | | - Daniel G Bausch
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru.,Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
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Trung NV, Hoi LT, Dien VM, Huong DT, Hoa TM, Lien VN, Van Luan P, Lewycka SO, Choisy M, Bryant JE, Nadjm B, Rogier van Doorn H, Richards AL, Van Kinh N. Clinical Manifestations and Molecular Diagnosis of Scrub Typhus and Murine Typhus, Vietnam, 2015-2017. Emerg Infect Dis 2019; 25. [PMID: 30882318 PMCID: PMC6433017 DOI: 10.3201/eid2504.180691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus was the predominant rickettsial disease diagnosed among hospitalized patients with acute undifferentiated fever in northern Vietnam. Rickettsioses are endemic to Vietnam; however, only a limited number of clinical studies have been performed on these vectorborne bacteria. We conducted a prospective hospital-based study at 2 national referral hospitals in Hanoi to describe the clinical characteristics of scrub typhus and murine typhus in northern Vietnam and to assess the diagnostic applicability of quantitative real-time PCR assays to diagnose rickettsial diseases. We enrolled 302 patients with acute undifferentiated fever and clinically suspected rickettsiosis during March 2015–March 2017. We used a standardized case report form to collect clinical information and laboratory results at the time of admission and during treatment. We confirmed scrub typhus in 103 (34.1%) patients and murine typhus in 12 (3.3%) patients. These results highlight the need for increased emphasis on training for healthcare providers for earlier recognition, prevention, and treatment of rickettsial diseases in Vietnam.
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Wu X, Suksawat F, Richards AL, Phommachanh S, Phongaran D, Angkititrakul S. Evaluation of the Containment of Antimicrobial-Resistant Salmonella Species from a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and a Non-HACCP Pig Slaughterhouses in Northeast Thailand. Pathogens 2019; 9:E20. [PMID: 31878260 PMCID: PMC7168580 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
To evaluate the containment of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) Salmonella contaminations of a HACCP slaughterhouse (HACCP SH) and a non-HACCP slaughterhouse (non-HACCPSH), 360 paired pig rectal (representing the farm pig status) and carcass samples (representing the contamination) were collected equally from the two slaughterhouses that serviced 6 and 12 farms, respectively, in Northeast Thailand (n = 720). The purified Salmonella isolates were serotype identified, antimicrobial susceptibility tested, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) assessed. Four evaluations of two slaughterhouses were examined: (1) the means of slaughtering contamination rates (SCR) (to evaluate the contamination level by averaged farm SCRs): the HACCP SH decreased contamination (SCR: -48.89% ± 8.80%, n = 6), whereas the non-HACCP SH increased (SCR: 14.31% ± 9.35%, n = 12). (2) The serotype diversity: the HACCP SH decreased the diversity from the rectal group (110 isolates, 9 serotypes) to carcass group (23 isolates, 3 serotypes), whereas there was no decrease in the non-HACCP SH (rectal group (66 isolates, 14 serotypes) and carcass group (31 isolates, 10 serotypes)). (3) The AMR patterns: the HACCP SH decreased from rectal group (96 isolates, 7 patterns) to carcass group (22 isolates, 1 pattern), whereas there was no decrease from the non-HACCP SH rectal group (22 isolates, 7 patterns) to carcass group (48 isolates, 8 patterns). (4) The estimated indirect contamination rate (by serotype screening and PFGE confirmation): the HACCP SH was 60.87% (14/23), whereas the non-HACCP SH was 98.48% (65/66). This study indicates that both the slaughterhouses keep a high level of indirect contamination; the HACCP SH decreases Salmonella contaminations and reduces the AMR patterns, the non-HACCP SH increases contaminations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wu
- Research Group for Animal Health Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (X.W.); (F.S.)
| | - Fanan Suksawat
- Research Group for Animal Health Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (X.W.); (F.S.)
- Research and Diagnostic Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Seangphed Phommachanh
- Research Group for Animal Health Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (X.W.); (F.S.)
- Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Vientiane 7322, Laos
| | - Dusadee Phongaran
- Research Group for Animal Health Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (X.W.); (F.S.)
| | - Sunpetch Angkititrakul
- Research Group for Animal Health Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (X.W.); (F.S.)
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Blacksell SD, Robinson MT, Newton PN, Ruanchaimun S, Salje J, Wangrangsimakul T, Wegner MD, Abdad MY, Bennett AM, Richards AL, Stenos J, Day NPJ. Biosafety and biosecurity requirements for Orientia spp. diagnosis and research: recommendations for risk-based biocontainment, work practices and the case for reclassification to risk group 2. BMC Infect Dis 2019; 19:1044. [PMID: 31822267 PMCID: PMC6902544 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-019-4653-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus is an important arthropod-borne disease causing significant acute febrile illness by infection with Orientia spp.Using a risk-based approach, this review examines current practice, the evidence base and regulatory requirements regarding matters of biosafety and biosecurity, and presents the case for reclassification from Risk Group 3 to Risk Group 2 along with recommendations for safe working practices of risk-based activities during the manipulation of Orientia spp. in the laboratory.We recommend to reclassify Orientia spp. to Risk Group 2 based on the classification for RG2 pathogens as being moderate individual risk, low community risk. We recommend that low risk activities, can be performed within a biological safety cabinet located in a Biosafety Level (BSL) 2 core laboratory using standard personal protective equipment. But when the risk assessment indicates, such as high concentration and volume, or aerosol generation, then a higher biocontainment level is warranted. For, the majority of animal activities involving Orientia spp., Animal BSL 2 (ABSL2) is recommended however where high risk activities are performed including necropsies, Animal BSL (ABSL3) is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart D Blacksell
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK.
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic.
| | - Matthew T Robinson
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Paul N Newton
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Soiratchaneekorn Ruanchaimun
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Jeanne Salje
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Tri Wangrangsimakul
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Matthew D Wegner
- Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Mohammad Yazid Abdad
- Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Allan M Bennett
- Public Health England, Biosafety, Air and Water Microbiology Group, Porton, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - John Stenos
- Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, Geelong Hospital, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia
| | - Nicholas P J Day
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
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38
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Yeh KB, Parekh FK, Musralina L, Sansyzbai A, Tabynov K, Shapieva Z, Richards AL, Hay J. A Case History in Cooperative Biological Research: Compendium of Studies and Program Analyses in Kazakhstan. Trop Med Infect Dis 2019; 4:tropicalmed4040136. [PMID: 31717575 PMCID: PMC6958332 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed4040136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Kazakhstan and the United States have partnered since 2003 to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The US Department of Defense (US DoD) has funded threat reduction programs to eliminate biological weapons, secure material in repositories that could be targeted for theft, and enhance surveillance systems to monitor infectious disease outbreaks that would affect national security. The cooperative biological research (CBR) program of the US DoD’s Biological Threat Reduction Program has provided financing, mentorship, infrastructure, and biologic research support to Kazakhstani scientists and research institutes since 2005. The objective of this paper is to provide a historical perspective for the CBR involvement in Kazakhstan, including project chronology, successes and challenges to allow lessons learned to be applied to future CBR endeavors. A project compendium from open source data and interviews with partner country Kazakhstani participants, project collaborators, and stakeholders was developed utilizing studies from 2004 to the present. An earlier project map was used as a basis to determine project linkages and continuations during the evolution of the CBR program. It was determined that consistent and effective networking increases the chances to collaborate especially for competitive funding opportunities. Overall, the CBR program has increased scientific capabilities in Kazakhstan while reducing their risk of biological threats. However, there is still need for increased scientific transparency and an overall strategy to develop a capability-based model to better enhance and sustain future research. Finally, we offer a living perspective that can be applied to further link related studies especially those related to One Health and zoonoses and the assessment of similar capability-building programs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lyazzat Musralina
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan;
| | - Ablay Sansyzbai
- Department of Biological Safety, Kazakh National Agrarian University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan;
| | - Kairat Tabynov
- Department of Biological Safety, Kazakh National Agrarian University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan;
| | - Zhanna Shapieva
- Department of Parasitic Diseases, Scientific Practical Center for Sanitary Epidemiological Expertise and Monitoring, Almaty 050008, Kazakhstan
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Department of Preventative Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - John Hay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA;
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Trung NV, Hoi LT, Cuong DD, Ha DT, Hoa TM, Lien VN, Hoa NT, Hoa LNM, Huong DT, Bich VTN, van Doorn HR, Nadjm B, Richards AL. Analysis of the 56-kDa type specific antigen gene of Orientia tsutsugamushi from northern Vietnam. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221588. [PMID: 31469878 PMCID: PMC6716651 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus has been documented since 1932 in Vietnam, however, the disease burden of scrub typhus remains poorly understood in the country. We conducted this study to describe the phylogenetic analysis of the 56-kDa type-specific antigen (TSA) gene of Orientia tsutsugamushi associated with PCR positive cases of scrub typhus. Of 116 positive samples, 65 type-specific antigen gene sequences were obtained and classified into 3 genogroups: Karp, Kato and Gilliam. The Karp genogroup was the most frequently detected phylogenetic cluster in the study with 30 samples (46%), followed by Kato and Gilliam with 20 (31%) and 15 (23%), respectively. All sequences showed 94–100% nucleotide similarity to reference sequences collected in the central part of Vietnam in 2017. Patients infected with Karp genogroup were more likely to have significant thrombocytopenia than the other genogroups. These results suggest that any scrub typhus vaccine considered for use in Vietnam should provide protection against each of these 3 genogroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Vu Trung
- National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Le Thi Hoi
- National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | | | - Tran Mai Hoa
- National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Vu Ngoc Lien
- National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | | | | | - Vu Thi Ngoc Bich
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Program, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - H. Rogier van Doorn
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Program, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Behzad Nadjm
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Program, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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40
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Abstract
Endemic scrub typhus was recently detected on Chiloé Island in southern Chile. We report a series of cases, acquired over a wide geographical range in continental Chile during 2016-2018, demonstrating that this emerging rickettsial infection is also found on the mainland of South America.
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Kelly DJ, Fuerst PA, Richards AL. Origins, Importance and Genetic Stability of the Prototype Strains Gilliam, Karp and Kato of Orientia tsutsugamushi. Trop Med Infect Dis 2019; 4:E75. [PMID: 31052283 PMCID: PMC6631653 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed4020075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus, a chigger-borne febrile illness, occurs primarily in countries of the Asia-Pacific rim and islands of the Western Pacific. The etiologic agent is the obligate intracellular rickettsial bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi. Research on O. tsutsugamushi has relied on the availability of several prototype strains, which were isolated from human cases of scrub typhus in the 1940s and 1950s. We review the history of the three original, and most important, prototype strains, Gilliam, Karp and Kato, including information on their isolation, their culture history, their clinical characteristics, their importance within the research literature on scrub typhus, and recent advances in elucidating their molecular genomics. The importance of these strains to the research and development of clinical tools related to scrub typhus is also considered. Finally, we examine whether the strains have been genetically stable since their isolation, and whether prototype strains maintained in separate laboratories are identical, based on pairwise comparisons of several sequences from four genes. By using genetic information archived in international DNA databases, we show that the prototype strains used by different laboratories are essentially identical, and that the strains have retained their genetic integrity at least since the 1950s. The three original prototype strains should remain a standard by which new diagnostic procedures are measured. Given their fundamental position in any comparative studies, they are likely to endure as a critical part of present and future research on scrub typhus and Orientia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daryl J Kelly
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA, and Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Paul A Fuerst
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA, and Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
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42
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Jiang J, Choi YJ, Kim J, Kim HC, Klein TA, Chong ST, Richards AL, Park HJ, Shin SH, Song D, Park KH, Jang WJ. Distribution of Rickettsia spp. in Ticks from Northwestern and Southwestern Provinces, Republic of Korea. Korean J Parasitol 2019; 57:161-166. [PMID: 31104408 PMCID: PMC6526208 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.2.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study was done to characterize distribution of Rickettsia spp. in ticks in the northwestern and southwestern provinces in the Republic of Korea. A total of 2,814 ticks were collected between May and September 2009. After pooling, 284 tick DNA samples were screened for a gene of Rickettsia-specific 17-kDa protein using nested PCR (nPCR), and produced 88 nPCR positive samples. Of these positives, 75% contained 190-kDa outer membrane protein gene (ompA), 50% 120-kDa outer membrane protein gene (ompB), and 64.7% gene D (sca4). The nPCR products of ompA, ompB, and sca4 genes revealed close relatedness to Rickettsia japonica, R. heilongjiangensis, and R. monacensis. Most Rickettsia species were detected in Haemaphysalis longicornis. This tick was found a dominant vector of rickettsiae in the study regions in the Republic of Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500, USA
| | - Yeon-Joo Choi
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Jeoungyeon Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Heung-Chul Kim
- Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, Medical Department Activity-Korea/65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
| | - Terry A Klein
- Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, Medical Department Activity-Korea/65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, Medical Department Activity-Korea/65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500, USA
| | - Hye-Jin Park
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Sun-Hye Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Dayoung Song
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Kyung-Hee Park
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Won-Jong Jang
- Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea.,Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Korea
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Takhampunya R, Korkusol A, Pongpichit C, Yodin K, Rungrojn A, Chanarat N, Promsathaporn S, Monkanna T, Thaloengsok S, Tippayachai B, Kumfao N, Richards AL, Davidson SA. Metagenomic Approach to Characterizing Disease Epidemiology in a Disease-Endemic Environment in Northern Thailand. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:319. [PMID: 30863381 PMCID: PMC6399164 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we used a metagenomic approach to analyze bacterial communities from diverse populations (humans, animals, and vectors) to investigate the role of these microorganisms as causative agents of disease in human and animal populations. Wild rodents and ectoparasites were collected from 2014 to 2018 in Nan province, Thailand where scrub typhus is highly endemic. Samples from undifferentiated febrile illness (UFI) patients were obtained from a local hospital. A total of 200 UFI patient samples were obtained and 309 rodents and 420 pools of ectoparasites were collected from rodents (n = 285) and domestic animals (n = 135). The bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced with the Illumina. Real-time PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to confirm the next-generation sequencing (NGS) results and to characterize pathogen species. Several pathogens were detected by NGS in all populations studied and the most common pathogens identified included Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., Leptospira spp., and Orientia tsutsugamushi. Interestingly, Anaplasma spp. was detected in patient, rodent and tick populations, although they were not previously known to cause human disease from this region. Candidatus Neoehrlichia, Neorickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., and Ehrlichia spp. were detected in rodents and their associated ectoparasites. The same O. tsutsugamushi genotypes were shared among UFI patients, rodents, and chiggers in a single district indicating that the chiggers found on rodents were also likely responsible for transmitting to people. Serological testing using immunofluorescence assays in UFI samples showed high prevalence (IgM/IgG) of Rickettsia and Orientia pathogens, most notably among samples collected during September–November. Additionally, a higher number of seropositive samples belonged to patients in the working age population (20–60 years old). The results presented in this study demonstrate that the increased risk of human infection or exposure to chiggers and their associated pathogen (O. tsutsugamushi) resulted in part from two important factors; working age group and seasons for rice cultivation and harvesting. Evidence of pathogen exposure was shown to occur as there was seropositivity (IgG) in UFI patients for bartonellosis as well as for anaplasmosis. Using a metagenomic approach, this study demonstrated the circulation and transmission of several pathogens in the environment, some of which are known causative agents of illness in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratree Takhampunya
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Achareeya Korkusol
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | - Artharee Rungrojn
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nitima Chanarat
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sommai Promsathaporn
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Taweesak Monkanna
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sasikanya Thaloengsok
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Bousaraporn Tippayachai
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Silas A Davidson
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
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44
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Loyola S, Flores-Mendoza C, Torre A, Kocher C, Melendrez M, Luce-Fedrow A, Maina AN, Richards AL, Leguia M. Rickettsia asembonensis Characterization by Multilocus Sequence Typing of Complete Genes, Peru. Emerg Infect Dis 2019; 24:931-933. [PMID: 29664376 PMCID: PMC5938772 DOI: 10.3201/eid2405.170323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
While studying rickettsial infections in Peru, we detected Rickettsia asembonensis in fleas from domestic animals. We characterized 5 complete genomic regions (17kDa, gltA, ompA, ompB, and sca4) and conducted multilocus sequence typing and phylogenetic analyses. The molecular isolate from Peru is distinct from the original R. asembonensis strain from Kenya.
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45
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Ge H, Farris CM, Tong M, Maina A, Richards AL. Transcriptional profiles of cytokines and chemokines reveal important pro-inflammatory response from endothelial cells during Orientia tsutsugamushi infection. Microbes Infect 2019; 21:313-320. [PMID: 30684683 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2019.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Endothelial cells (EC) are key targets during Orientia tsutsugamushi infection. Knowledge of the pro-inflammatory response against O. tsutsugamushi by ECs is limited. The aim of the present study was to characterize the pro-inflammatory transcriptional response during the first 24 h of infection of the human dermal microvascular endothelial cell line with O. tsutsugamushi Karp by examining five-time points. The transcriptional profiles of 84 genes including cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and TNF receptor superfamily genes were studied using a RT-PCR array. We identified 40 of the 84 genes that were up or down modulated during the early O. tsutsugamushi infection that differed remarkably from genes of non-infected cells. The modulated genes included: the interleukins (IL-1α/β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-10, IL-11, IL-18, and IL-24), chemokines (CXCL8, CCL2/MCP1, CCL5/RANTES, and CCL17), growth factors (NODAL, CNTF, and CSF2/GM-CSF), and TNFSF13B. IL-1β, IL-4, and IL-11 were highly induced at one hour post infection, whereas, CCL17 was profoundly up-regulated and IFNα2 was greatly down-regulated during the entire 24-hour time course. These results provide insight into the early pro-inflammatory response of endothelial cells to O. tsutsugamushi infection and indicate their potential role in the pathophysiology of the host's initial response to O. tsutsugamushi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Ge
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA; US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Min Tong
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Alice Maina
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
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Weitzel T, Acosta-Jamett G, Martínez-Valdebenito C, Richards AL, Grobusch MP, Abarca K. Scrub typhus risk in travelers to southern Chile. Travel Med Infect Dis 2019; 29:78-79. [PMID: 30639781 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2019.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Weitzel
- Programa Medicina del Viajero, Clínica Alemana de Santiago, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.
| | | | | | | | - Martin P Grobusch
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Katia Abarca
- Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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47
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Maina AN, Jiang J, Luce-Fedrow A, St John HK, Farris CM, Richards AL. Worldwide Presence and Features of Flea-Borne Rickettsia asembonensis. Front Vet Sci 2019; 5:334. [PMID: 30687724 PMCID: PMC6338025 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia asembonensis, the most well-characterized rickettsia of the Rickettsia felis-like organisms (RFLO), is relatively unknown within the vector-borne diseases research community. The agent was initially identified in peri-domestic fleas from Asembo, Kenya in an area in which R. felis was associated with fever patients. Local fleas collected from domestic animals and within homes were predominately infected with R. asembonensis with < 10% infected with R. felis. Since the identification of R. asembonensis in Kenya, it has been reported in other locations within Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and South America. With the description of R. asembonensis-like genotypes across the globe, a need exists to isolate these R. asembonensis genotypes in cell culture, conduct microscopic, and biological analysis, as well as whole genome sequencing to ascertain whether they are the same species. Additionally, interest has been building on the potential of R. asembonensis in infecting vertebrate hosts including humans, non-human primates, dogs, and other animals. The current knowledge of the presence, prevalence, and distribution of R. asembonensis worldwide, as well as its arthropod hosts and potential as a pathogen are discussed in this manuscript.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice N Maina
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Alison Luce-Fedrow
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States.,Department of Biology, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA, United States
| | - Heidi K St John
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Allen L Richards
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States.,Department of Preventative Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Rodkvamtook W, Kuttasingkee N, Linsuwanon P, Sudsawat Y, Richards AL, Somsri M, Sangjun N, Chao CC, Davidson S, Wanja E, Gaywee J. Scrub Typhus Outbreak in Chonburi Province, Central Thailand, 2013. Emerg Infect Dis 2019; 24:361-365. [PMID: 29350148 PMCID: PMC5782907 DOI: 10.3201/eid2402.171172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigation of a scrub typhus outbreak in Thailand during September 2013 found that 9.1% of Thai soldiers and 11.1% of residents living in areas surrounding training sites had antibodies against the causative agent, Orientia tsutsugamushi. Sequence analysis of O. tsutsugamushi from rodents and chiggers identified 7 genogroups and 3 genotypes.
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Ponnusamy L, Willcox AC, Roe RM, Davidson SA, Linsuwanon P, Schuster AL, Richards AL, Meshnick SR, Apperson CS. Bacterial microbiome of the chigger mite Leptotrombidium imphalum varies by life stage and infection with the scrub typhus pathogen Orientia tsutsugamushi. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208327. [PMID: 30521561 PMCID: PMC6283546 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Scrub typhus is a mites-borne rickettsiosis caused by the obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi. The disease is potentially life threatening and is prevalent in tropical Asia, islands of the western Pacific Ocean and northern Australia where an estimated one million cases occur annually. Orientia tsutsugamushi is transmitted by the bite of larval mites in the genus Leptotrombidium. In the present study, the composition of the microbiome in larvae, deutonymphs and adult males and females from laboratory colonies of L. imphalum that were infected as well as uninfected with O. tsutsugamushi were investigated by high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Notably, the bacterial microbiomes of infected adult females were dominated by sequences of O. tsutsugamushi and an unidentified species of Amoebophilaceae, which together comprised 98.2% of bacterial sequences. To improve the taxonomic resolution of the Amoebophilaceae OTU a nearly full length sequence of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified, cloned, and Sanger sequenced. Infected female mites had 89 to 92% nucleotide identity with the Amoebophilaceae family, indicating that the bacterium was likely to be a species of a novel genus. The species composition of bacterial communities varied between mite life stages regardless of their infection status. Uninfected adults exhibited greater species diversity than adults infected with O. tsutsugamushi. In the infected colony, the rate of filial infection with Orientia was less than 100%. Larval and male mites that were PCR-negative for Orientia contained low numbers of sequences of Amoebophilaceae (0.01 and 0.06%, respectively) in their taxonomic profiles, suggesting that a mutualistic relationship exists between the novel species of Amoebophilaceae and O. tsutsugamushi. Our study findings provide the basis for further research to determine the influence of the novel Amoebophilaceae species on the bacterial microbiome and on vector susceptibility to and transovarial transmission of O. tsutsugamushi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (LP); (CSA)
| | - Alexandra C. Willcox
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - R. Michael Roe
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Silas A. Davidson
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Piyada Linsuwanon
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Anthony L. Schuster
- Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Allen L. Richards
- Naval Medical Research Center, Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Steven R. Meshnick
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Charles S. Apperson
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (LP); (CSA)
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50
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Jiang J, An H, Lee JS, O’Guinn ML, Kim HC, Chong ST, Zhang Y, Song D, Burrus RG, Bao Y, Klein TA, Richards AL. Molecular characterization of Haemaphysalis longicornis-borne rickettsiae, Republic of Korea and China. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1606-1613. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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