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Cirkovic V, Veinovic G, Stankovic D, Mihaljica D, Sukara R, Tomanovic S. Evolutionary dynamics and geographical dispersal of Borrelia lusitaniae. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1330914. [PMID: 38380089 PMCID: PMC10877945 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1330914] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Borrelia lusitaniae is a species within the complex Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, associated with lizards as reservoirs and Ixodes ricinus as its main vector. Borrelia lusitaniae is predominantly distributed in Central and Southeast Europe, and in countries of the Mediterranean basin, such as Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia, and Italy where this spirochete appears to infect vector ticks more frequently than other genospecies. Evolution of this zoonotic tick-borne microparasite is shaped by different environmental factors. Comprehensive phylogenetic analysis may give insight into how B. lusitaniae spreads to new geographic locations. Aim We applied Bayesian statistical methods to B. lusitaniae multilocus sequence typing (MLST) data to study the migration routes of B. lusitaniae and its potential for further spread. Results The discrete phylogeographic analysis placed origins of B. lusitaniae in Southeast Europe and identified at least two introductions of B. lusitaniae from Europe to North Africa. Estimated effective reproductive potential (Re), as a key indicator for a pathogen spread, suggested potential for further spread. Conclusion The results of this study can provide beneficial information about the potential for further spread of B. lusitaniae in Europe and North Africa and estimation of necessity for the development of strategies to monitor and control Lyme borreliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Cirkovic
- Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Gorana Veinovic
- Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Darko Mihaljica
- Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ratko Sukara
- Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Snezana Tomanovic
- Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Burazerovic J, Orlova M, Obradovic M, Cirovic D, Tomanovic S. Patterns of Abundance and Host Specificity of Bat Ectoparasites in the Central Balkans. J Med Entomol 2018; 55:20-28. [PMID: 29029286 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Bats are hosts to a number of ectoparasites-acarines (ticks, chiggers, other mites), bat flies, and fleas. Bat ectoparasites might have significant ecological and public health importance as they may be potential vectors of zoonotic agents. It is important to identify their distribution, diversity, and host-parasite associations. Bat ectoparasites in the central Balkans have been largely understudied. The present research was conducted in 45 localities at the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. In total, 1,143 individuals of 18 species of bats have been examined for the presence and abundance of ectoparasite species during 3 yr of research. In total, 21 ectoparasite species have been identified: three species of ticks, seven species of mites (including one species of chigger), eight species of bat flies, and three species of fleas. In total, 80 host-parasite associations have been identified. The largest number of ectoparasites parasitized primarily only one host species. The highest total number of hosts was identified for ectoparasite species Ixodes vespertilionis Koch, Nycteribia schmidlii Schiner, and Spinturnix myoti Kolenati. The spinturnicid mite Spinturnix psi Kolenati was the most abundant ectoparasite species and together with Penicilidia dufouri Westwood the most widely distributed species of bat ectoparasite, being present at 21 localities in the central Balkans. The presented data include the first systematic records of patterns of prevalence, mean intensity, mean abundance, and host specificity for bat ectoparasites in the central Balkans.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Burazerovic
- Chair of Animal Ecology and Zoogeography, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - M Orlova
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology and Ecology, National Research Tomsk State University, Russia
- Laboratory of Study of Climate Change, Land Use and Biodiversity, Tyumen State University, Russia
| | - M Obradovic
- Faculty of Mathematics, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - D Cirovic
- Chair of Animal Ecology and Zoogeography, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - S Tomanovic
- Department for Medical Entomology, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia
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Davitkov D, Vucicevic M, Stevanovic J, Krstic V, Tomanovic S, Glavinic U, Stanimirovic Z. Clinical babesiosis and molecular identification of Babesia canis and Babesia gibsoni infections in dogs from Serbia. Acta Vet Hung 2015; 63:199-208. [PMID: 26051258 DOI: 10.1556/avet.2015.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Canine babesiosis is a frequent and clinically significant tick-borne disease. Sixty symptomatic dogs with clinical findings compatible with babesiosis were included in this study conducted in Serbia. After clinical examination, blood samples were taken for microscopic examination, complete blood count (CBC), Canine SNAP 4Dx Test, DNA analyses and sequencing. The main clinical signs included apathy, anorexia, fever, brown/red discoloration of urine, pale mucous membranes, icterus, splenomegaly, and vomiting. The main clinicopathological findings in Babesia infections were a slight to severe thrombocytopenia and a mild to very severe normocytic normochromic anaemia. Microscopic evaluation revealed 58 positive samples with the presence of large and small intraerythrocytic piroplasms in 57 and 1 sample(s), respectively. No co-infections were found using SNAP test. Two Babesia species, B. canis (58/60) and B. gibsoni (2/60), were differentiated by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Species identification was further confirmed by sequencing PCR products of B. gibsoni samples and six randomly selected B. canis samples. All dogs were treated with imidocarb dipropionate (6.6 mg/kg of body weight), given intramuscularly twice at an interval of 14 days. This report presents the first molecular evidence of the occurrence of B. gibsoni and B. canis, confirmed by DNA sequencing, in sick dogs from Serbia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darko Davitkov
- 1Department of Equine, Small Animal, Poultry and Wild Animal Diseases University of Belgrade, Bul. oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milos Vucicevic
- 1Department of Equine, Small Animal, Poultry and Wild Animal Diseases University of Belgrade, Bul. oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jevrosima Stevanovic
- 2Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vanja Krstic
- 1Department of Equine, Small Animal, Poultry and Wild Animal Diseases University of Belgrade, Bul. oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Snezana Tomanovic
- 3Laboratory for Medical Entomology, Department for Parasitology, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Uros Glavinic
- 2Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zoran Stanimirovic
- 2Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Cakic S, Mojsilovic M, Mihaljica D, Milutinovic M, Petrovic A, Tomanovic S. Molecular characterization of COI gene of Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Serbia. ARCH BIOL SCI 2014. [DOI: 10.2298/abs1402683c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ixodes ricinus tick is common in the central part of the Balkan
Peninsula. It is a vector of pathogenic agents causing diseases in humans and
animals. Little is known about the genetic structure of I. ricinus in this
region. We have investigated intraspecific variability of the COI gene among
I. ricinus ticks collected from different regions of Serbia, and the
correlation between the various types of habitat and genetic variability of
ticks. The obtained COI gene sequences are the first barcoding sequences of
I. ricinus ticks collected at localities in Serbia. Intraspecific variability
of these COI gene sequences was very low, and there was no correlation
between the various types of habitat and genetic variability of ticks.
Samples from isolated localities (canyon/gorge) showed no genetic
differentiations from the majority of samples from open areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanja Cakic
- Institute for Medical Research, Center of Excellence for Toxoplasmosis and Medical Entomology, Laboratory for Medical Entomology, Department of Parasitology, Belgrade
| | | | - D. Mihaljica
- Institute for Medical Research, Center of Excellence for Toxoplasmosis and Medical Entomology, Laboratory for Medical Entomology, Department of Parasitology, Belgrade
| | - Marija Milutinovic
- Institute for Medical Research, Center of Excellence for Toxoplasmosis and Medical Entomology, Laboratory for Medical Entomology, Department of Parasitology, Belgrade
| | - A. Petrovic
- Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Belgrade
| | - Snezana Tomanovic
- Institute for Medical Research, Center of Excellence for Toxoplasmosis and Medical Entomology, Laboratory for Medical Entomology, Department of Parasitology, Belgrade
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Dubljanin Raspopovic E, Nedeljkovic U, Tomanovic S, Bumbasirevic M. THU0378 Predictors of One-Year Mortality in Elderly Hip Fracture Patients. Ann Rheum Dis 2013. [DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2013-eular.906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Abstract
In order to describe seasonal changes in Lyme diseases risk rate at three localities in Serbia, during the period of 2003-2005, a total of 1542 Ixodes ricinus ticks (493 nymphs, 525 females and 524 males) were examined. The prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Ixodes ricinus ticks at the Bovan Lake County were higher than the average for European localities (45.9% for adults and 18.8% for nymphs). In Mt. Avala and Kljajicevo counties adults and nymphs were, respectively, infected at the following percentages: 26.3, 10.7; 16.2 and 7.6%. The outcome indicates a relatively high risk of the contracting Lyme disease in all investigates areas.
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