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Baneth G, Dvorkin A, Ben-Shitrit B, Kleinerman G, Salant H, Straubinger RK, Nachum-Biala Y. Infection and seroprevalence of Borrelia persica in domestic cats and dogs in Israel. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:102. [PMID: 35534871 PMCID: PMC9087918 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05223-9] [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: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Relapsing fever borreliosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Borrelia, inflicting recurrent episodes of fever and spirochetemia in humans. Borrelia persica, the causative agent of relapsing fever in Israel, is prevalent over a broad geographic area that extends from India to Egypt. It is transmitted by the soft tick Ornithodoros tholozani and causes disease in humans as well as domestic cats and dogs. The goal of this study was to survey domestic dogs and cats in Israel for infection with B. persica. Methods Blood, sera and demographic and clinical data were collected from dogs and cats brought for veterinary care in central Israel. PCR followed by DNA sequencing was used to detect B. persica DNA in blood samples, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect antibodies reactive with B. persica antigens in sera from the same animals. This is the first serological survey of B. persica in dogs and the first survey for antibodies reactive with a relapsing fever Borrelia sp. in cats globally. Results Four of the 208 dogs (1.9%) and three of 103 cats (2.9%) sampled were positive by PCR for B. persica DNA, and 24 dogs (11.5%) and 18 cats (17.5%) were seropositive for B. persica antigen by ELISA. The ratio between PCR-positivity and seropositivity in both the dog and cat populations was 1:6. All four PCR-positive dogs and two of three PCR-positive cats were seronegative, suggesting a probable recent infection. Thrombocytopenia showed significant association with seropositivity in dogs (P = 0.003). In cats, anemia had a significant association with seropositivity (P = 0.0001), and thrombocytopenia was associated with the combined prevalence of seropositivity or PCR-positivity (P = 0.022). Conclusions Borrelia persica infection is more prevalent and widespread in domestic canine and feline populations in Israel than previously thought. Dogs and cats may play a role as reservoirs and sentinels for human infection. Precautions should be taken to prevent transfusion-transmitted infection between blood donor and recipient animals. Graphic Abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Gad Baneth
- The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, 761001, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Ann Dvorkin
- The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, 761001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Bar Ben-Shitrit
- The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, 761001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gabriela Kleinerman
- The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, 761001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Harold Salant
- The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, 761001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Reinhard K Straubinger
- Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Yaarit Nachum-Biala
- The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, 761001, Rehovot, Israel
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Gilmore RD, Kneubehl AR, Lopez JE, Armstrong BA, Brandt KS, Van Gundy TJ. Modification of the multiplex plasmid PCR assay for Borrelia miyamotoi strain LB-2001 based on the complete genome sequence reflecting genomic rearrangements differing from strain CT13-2396. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 13:101843. [PMID: 34656944 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101843] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The genome of Borrelia spp. consists of an approximate 1 megabase chromosome and multiple linear and circular plasmids. We previously described a multiplex PCR assay to detect plasmids in the North American Borrelia miyamotoi strains LB-2001 and CT13-2396. The primer pair sets specific for each plasmid were derived from the genome sequence for B. miyamotoi strain CT13-2396, because the LB-2001 complete sequence had not been generated. The recent completion of the LB-2001 genome sequence revealed a distinct number of plasmids (n = 12) that differed from CT13-2396 (n = 14). Notable was a 97-kilobase plasmid in LB-2001, not present in CT13-2396, that appeared to be a rearrangement of the circular plasmids of strain CT13-2396. Strain LB-2001 contained two plasmids, cp30-2 and cp24, that were not annotated for strain CT13-2396. Therefore, we re-evaluated the original CT13-2396-derived multiplex PCR primer pairs and determined their location in the LB-2001 plasmids. We modified the original multiplex plasmid PCR assay for strain LB-2001 to include cp30-2 and cp24. We also determined which LB-2001 plasmids corresponded to the amplicons generated from the original CT13-2396 primer sets. These observations provide a more precise plasmid profile based on the multiplex PCR assay and reflect the complexity of gene rearrangements that occur in B. miyamotoi strains isolated from the same geographic region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D Gilmore
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO United States.
| | - Alexander R Kneubehl
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Job E Lopez
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Brittany A Armstrong
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO United States
| | - Kevin S Brandt
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO United States
| | - Taylor J Van Gundy
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO United States
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Muigg V, Seth-Smith HM, Goldenberger D, Egli A, Nickel B, Dürig R, Kuenzli E, Hinic V, Neumayr A. Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever Caused by Borrelia persica in Traveler to Central Asia, 2019. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 26:824-826. [PMID: 32187006 PMCID: PMC7101097 DOI: 10.3201/2604.191771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We report a case of tick-borne relapsing fever caused by Borrelia persica in a traveler returning to Switzerland from central Asia. After the disease was diagnosed by blood smear microscopy, the causative Borrelia species was confirmed by shotgun metagenomics sequencing. PCR and sequencing techniques provide highly sensitive diagnostic tools superior to microscopy.
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Gilmore RD, Mikula S, Harris EK, Van Gundy TJ, Goodrich I, Brandt KS. Borrelia miyamotoi strain LB-2001 retains plasmids and infectious phenotype throughout continuous culture passages as evaluated by multiplex PCR. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101587. [PMID: 33074149 PMCID: PMC10898610 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101587] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-borne spirochete of the relapsing fever borrelia group and an emerging pathogen of public health significance. The genomes of relapsing fever borreliae and Lyme disease borreliae consist of multiple linear and circular plasmids in addition to the chromosome. Previous work with B. burgdorferi sensu lato found diminished infectivity upon continuous in vitro culture passage that was attributable to plasmid loss. The effect of long-term culture passage on B. miyamotoi is not known. We generated a series of plasmid-specific primer sets and developed a multiplex PCR assay to detect the 14 known plasmids of B. miyamotoi North American strains LB-2001 and CT13-2396. We assessed the plasmid content of B. miyamotoi LB-2001 over 64 culture passages spanning 15 months and determined that strain LB-2001 retained all plasmids upon prolonged in vitro cultivation and remained infectious in mice. We also found that strain LB-2001 lacks plasmid lp20-1 which is present in strain CT13-2396. These results suggest that B. miyamotoi remains genetically stable when cultured and passaged in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D Gilmore
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
| | - Sierra Mikula
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Emma K Harris
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Taylor J Van Gundy
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Irina Goodrich
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kevin S Brandt
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Liang L, Wang J, Schorter L, Nguyen Trong TP, Fell S, Ulrich S, Straubinger RK. Rapid clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi from the blood circulation. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:191. [PMID: 32312278 PMCID: PMC7171858 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [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: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Borrelia burgdorferi is a tick-borne spirochete that causes Lyme borreliosis (LB). After an initial tick bite, it spreads from the deposition site in the dermis to distant tissues of the host. It is generally believed that this spirochete disseminates via the hematogenous route. Borrelia persica causes relapsing fever and is able to replicate in the blood stream. Currently the exact dissemination pathway of LB pathogens in the host is not known and controversially discussed. Methods In this study, we established a strict intravenous infection murine model using host-adapted spirochetes. Survival capacity and infectivity of host-adapted B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (Bbss) were compared to those of B. persica (Bp) after either intradermal (ID) injection into the dorsal skin of immunocompetent mice or strict intravenous (IV) inoculation via the jugular vein. By in vitro culture and PCR, viable spirochetes and their DNA load in peripheral blood were periodically monitored during a 49/50-day course post-injection, as well as in various tissue samples collected at day 49/50. Specific antibodies in individual plasma/serum samples were detected with serological methods. Results Regardless of ID or IV injection, DNA of Bp was present in blood samples up to day 24 post-challenge, while no Bbss was detectable in the blood circulation during the complete observation period. In contrast to the brain tropism of Bp, Bbss spirochetes were found in ear, skin, joint, bladder, and heart tissue samples of only ID-inoculated mice. All tested tissues collected from IV-challenged mice were negative for traces of Bbss. ELISA testing of serum samples showed that Bp induced gradually increasing antibody levels after ID or IV inoculation, while Bbss did so only after ID injection but not after IV inoculation. Conclusions This study allows us to draw the following conclusions: (i) Bp survives in the blood and disseminates to the host’s brain via the hematogenous route; and (ii) Bbss, in contrast, is cleared rapidly from the blood stream and is a tissue-bound spirochete.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Liucun Liang
- Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jinyong Wang
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, USA.,Shenzhen International Institute for Biomedical Research, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Lucas Schorter
- Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thu Phong Nguyen Trong
- Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Shari Fell
- Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,Chemisches Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Sigmaringen, Fidelis-Graf-Straße 1, 72488, Sigmaringen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ulrich
- Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Reinhard K Straubinger
- Bacteriology and Mycology, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
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Lee-Lewandrowski E, Chen Z, Branda J, Baron J, Kaufman HW. Laboratory Blood-Based Testing for Non-Lyme Disease Tick-Borne Infections at a National Reference Laboratory. Am J Clin Pathol 2020; 153:139-145. [PMID: 31584611 DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/aqz139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We evaluated trends in non-Lyme disease tick-borne disease (NLTBI) testing at a national reference laboratory. METHODS Testing data performed at Quest Diagnostics during 2010 to 2016 were analyzed nationally and at the state level. RESULTS Testing and positivity for most NLTBIs increased dramatically from 2010 through 2016 based on testing from a large reference laboratory. The number of positive cases, though not as stringent as criteria for public health reporting, generally exceeds that reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The frequency of NLTBI in the US is seasonal but testing activity and positive test results are observed throughout all months of the year. Positive results for NLTBI testing mostly originated from a limited number of states, indicating the geographic concentration and distribution of NLTBIs reported in this study. CONCLUSIONS This report provides an important complementary source of data to best understand trends in and spread of NLTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Lee-Lewandrowski
- Department of Pathology, Division of Clinical Laboratories and Molecular Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | - John Branda
- Department of Pathology, Division of Clinical Laboratories and Molecular Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Jason Baron
- Department of Pathology, Division of Clinical Laboratories and Molecular Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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Mancini F, Innocenti P, Baumgartner M, Binazzi R, Troi C, Pagani E, Ciervo A. Borrelia microti infection in an Italian woman returning from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Travel Med Infect Dis 2019; 35:101448. [PMID: 31284066 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2019.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Mancini
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Innocenti
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Central Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | | | - Raffaella Binazzi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Christina Troi
- Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Hospital of Bressanone, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Pagani
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Central Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Ciervo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
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Gras E, Bailly E, Le Brun C, Lemaignen A, Lanotte P. Borrelia crocidurae tick-borne relapsing fever upon return from Senegal. Med Mal Infect 2019; 49:624-625. [PMID: 31202618 DOI: 10.1016/j.medmal.2019.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E Gras
- Service de bactériologie-virologie-hygiène hospitalière, hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de Tours, 2 boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours, France
| | - E Bailly
- Service de parasitologie-mycologie, hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de Tours, 2 boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours, France
| | - C Le Brun
- Service de bactériologie-virologie-hygiène hospitalière, hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de Tours, 2 boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours, France
| | - A Lemaignen
- Service de médecine interne et maladies infectieuses, Hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de Tours, 2 boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours, France
| | - P Lanotte
- Service de bactériologie-virologie-hygiène hospitalière, hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de Tours, 2 boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours, France; Infectiologie et santé publique, INRA, université de Tours, UMR1282, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
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Muñoz-Leal S, Faccini-Martínez ÁA, Costa FB, Marcili A, Mesquita ETKC, Marques EP, Labruna MB. Isolation and molecular characterization of a relapsing fever Borrelia recovered from Ornithodoros rudis in Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:864-871. [PMID: 29571703 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [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: 12/14/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In South America, early reports from more than 50 years ago incriminated Ornithodoros rudis as vector of Borrelia venezuelensis, an agent of tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF). Herein we report the rediscovery of O. rudis by means of morphological, biological and molecular analyses, which also comprise the first report of this tick species in Brazil. Phylogenetic analysis using partial fragments of mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene suggested that O. rudis forms a monophyletic group with Ornithodoros erraticus. By using laboratory rodents as hosts, we isolated a relapsing fever Borrelia from an infected O. rudis female. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from the rrs, flaB, and glpQ genes of Borrelia spp. placed the spirochete harbored by O. rudis closely related to Borrelia turicatae. Until further genetic evidence is not obtained we are referring to this O. rudis spirochete as B. venezuelensis. This is the first in vitro isolation of a TBRF Borrelia from South America. The presence of O. rudis in Brazil should not be overlooked, since this tick has been historically implicated in human cases of TBRF in Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela. This study provides new reports of O. rudis and B. venezuelensis after decades of scientific silence on these agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil.
| | - Álvaro A Faccini-Martínez
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Doenças Infecciosas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil; Comité de Medicina Tropical, Zoonosis y Medicina del Viajero, Asociación Colombiana de Infectología, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Francisco B Costa
- Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão (UEMA), Cidade Universitária Paulo VI, s/n, São Luís/MA, 65055-970, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Arlei Marcili
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil; Mestrado em medicina e bem estar animal, Universidade Santo Amaro, Av. Prof. Eneas de Siqueira Neto, 340, São Paulo, 04529-300, Brazil
| | - Eric T K C Mesquita
- Agência Estadual de Defesa Agropecuária do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, MA, Brazil
| | - Edwaldo P Marques
- Agência Estadual de Defesa Agropecuária do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, MA, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
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Palmer C, Landguth E, Stone E, Johnson T. The dynamics of vector-borne relapsing diseases. Math Biosci 2018; 297:32-42. [PMID: 29339054 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we describe the dynamics of a vector-borne relapsing disease, such as tick-borne relapsing fever, using the methods of compartmental models. After some motivation and model description we provide a proof of a conjectured general form of the reproductive ratio R0, which is the average number of new infections produced by a single infected individual. A disease free equilibrium undergoes a bifurcation at R0=1 and we show that for an arbitrary number of relapses it is a transcritical bifurcation with a single branch of endemic equilibria that is locally asymptotically stable for R0 sufficiently close to 1. Furthermore, we show there is no backwards bifurcation. We then show that these results can be extended to variants of the model with an example that allows for variation in the number of relapses before recovery. Finally, we discuss implications of our results and directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody Palmer
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Montana, USA.
| | - Erin Landguth
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, USA
| | - Emily Stone
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Montana, USA
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Hagen RM, Frickmann H, Ehlers J, Krüger A, Margos G, Hizo-Teufel C, Fingerle V, Rakotozandrindrainy R, Kalckreuth VV, Im J, Pak GD, Jeon HJ, Rakotondrainiarivelo JP, Heriniaina JN, Razafindrabe T, Konings F, May J, Hogan B, Ganzhorn J, Panzner U, Schwarz NG, Dekker D, Marks F, Poppert S. Presence of Borrelia spp. DNA in ticks, but absence of Borrelia spp. and of Leptospira spp. DNA in blood of fever patients in Madagascar. Acta Trop 2018; 177:127-34. [PMID: 28986249 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of tick-borne relapsing fever and leptospirosis in humans in Madagascar remains unclear despite the presence of their potential vectors and reservoir hosts. We screened 255 Amblyomma variegatum ticks and 148 Rhipicephalus microplus ticks from Zebu cattle in Madagascar for Borrelia-specific DNA. Borrelia spp. DNA was detected in 21 Amblyomma variegatum ticks and 2 Rhipicephalus microplus ticks. One Borrelia found in one Rhipicephalus microplus showed close relationship to Borrelia theileri based on genetic distance and phylogenetic analyses on 16S rRNA and flaB sequences. The borreliae from Amblyomma variegatum could not be identified due to very low quantities of present DNA reflected by high cycle threshold values in real-time-PCR. It is uncertain whether these low numbers of Borrelia spp. are sufficient for transmission of infection from ticks to humans. In order to determine whether spirochaete infections are relevant in humans, blood samples of 1009 patients from the highlands of Madagascar with fever of unknown origin were screened for Borrelia spp. - and in addition for Leptospira spp. - by real-time PCR. No target DNA was detected, indicating a limited relevance of these pathogens for humans in the highlands of Madagascar.
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Vial L, Ducheyne E, Filatov S, Gerilovych A, McVey DS, Sindryakova I, Morgunov S, Pérez de León AA, Kolbasov D, De Clercq EM. Spatial multi-criteria decision analysis for modelling suitable habitats of Ornithodoros soft ticks in the Western Palearctic region. Vet Parasitol 2017; 249:2-16. [PMID: 29279082 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 08/14/2017] [Revised: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are economically and medically important ectoparasites due to the injuries inflicted through their bite, and their ability to transmit pathogens to humans, livestock, and wildlife. Whereas hard ticks have been intensively studied, little is known about soft ticks, even though they can also transmit pathogens, including African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) affecting domestic and wild suids or Borrelia bacteria causing tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) in humans. We thus developed a regional model to identify suitable spatial areas for a community of nine Ornithodoros tick species (O. erraticus, O. sonrai, O. alactagalis, O. nereensis, O. tholozani, O. papillipes, O. tartakovskyi, O. asperus, O. verrucosus), which may be of medical and veterinary importance in the Western Palearctic region. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis was used due to the relative scarcity of high-quality occurrence data. After an in-depth literature review on the ecological requirements of the selected tick community, five climate-related factors appeared critical for feeding activity and tick development: (i) a spring temperature exceeding 10°C to induce the end of winter soft tick quiescent period, (ii) a three-months summer temperature above 20°C to allow tick physiological activities, (iii) annual precipitation ranging from 60mm to 750mm and, in very arid areas, (iv) dry seasons interrupted by small rain showers to maintain minimum moisture inside their habitat along the year or (v) residual water provided by perennial rivers near habitats. We deliberately chose not to include biological factors such as host availability or vegetation patterns. A sensitivity analysis was done by performing multiple runs of the model altering the environmental variables, their suitability function, and their attributed weights. To validate the models, we used 355 occurrence data points, complemented by random points within sampled ecoregions. All models indicated suitable areas in the Mediterranean Basin and semi-desert areas in South-West and Central Asia. Most variability between models was observed along northern and southern edges of highly suitable areas. The predictions featured a relatively good accuracy with an average Area Under Curve (AUC) of 0.779. These first models provide a useful tool for estimating the global distribution of Ornithodoros ticks and targeting their surveillance in the Western Palearctic region.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Vial
- Centre of International Cooperation for Research in Agriculture Development (CIRAD), UMR ASTRE, F-34398 Montpellier, France; UMR ASTRE, Montpellier University, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier, France.
| | | | - S Filatov
- National Scientific Center Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
| | - A Gerilovych
- National Scientific Center Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
| | - D S McVey
- Arthropod-borne Animal Diseases Research Unit, Center for Grain and Animal Health Research, United States; Department of Agriculture- Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Manhattan, Kansas, United States.
| | - I Sindryakova
- National Research Institute for Veterinary Virology and Microbiology (VNIIVViM), Pokrov, Russia.
| | - S Morgunov
- National Research Institute for Veterinary Virology and Microbiology (VNIIVViM), Pokrov, Russia.
| | - A A Pérez de León
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, United States; Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Kerrville, Texas, United States.
| | - D Kolbasov
- National Research Institute for Veterinary Virology and Microbiology (VNIIVViM), Pokrov, Russia.
| | - E M De Clercq
- Georges Lemaitre Earth and Climate Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium; Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique F.R.S. (FNRS), Brussels, Belgium.
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13
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Abstract
Three cases of relapsing fever from southern Israel were diagnosed promptly thanks to vigilance of the hematology laboratory technicians. In this region of Israel, patients presenting with prolonged fever and leukopenia without localizing symptoms are generally suspected of having brucellosis or a rickettsial disease. Pediatric patients with prolonged fever, cytopenias, and negative aforementioned serologies are often hospitalized for further work-up. Because of the policy of performing a manual blood smear when results of the automated blood count demonstrate severe anemia and abnormal platelet and/or white blood cell counts, a diagnosis of tick-borne relapsing fever was confirmed and promptly relayed to the physician. This routine prevented unnecessary examinations and hospitalization days and provided important information to regional epidemiology and public health authorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inbal Fuchs
- 1 Clalit Health Services , Southern district, Beer Sheva, Israel .,2 Medical School for International Health, Ben Gurion University of the Negev , Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Salman Tarabin
- 1 Clalit Health Services , Southern district, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Michael Kafka
- 3 Soroka University Medical Center , Beer Sheva, Israel
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14
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Shirani D, Rakhshanpoor A, Cutler SJ, Ghazinezhad B, Naddaf SR. A case of canine borreliosis in Iran caused by Borrelia persica. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:424-6. [PMID: 26776536 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Revised: 12/31/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne relapsing fever is an endemic disease in Iran, with most cases attributed to infection by Borrelia persica, which is transmitted by Ornithodoros tholozani soft ticks. Here, we report spirochetemia in blood of a puppy residing in Tehran, Iran. The causative species was identified by use of highly discriminative IGS sequencing; the 489 bp IGS sequence obtained in our study showed 99% identity (100% coverage) when compared with B. persica sequences derived from clinical cases or from O. tholozani ticks. Our IGS sequence also showed 99% similarity over 414 bp (85% coverage) with a strain from a domestic dog, and 96% over 328 bp (69% coverage) with a strain from a domestic cat. Pet-keeping in cosmopolitan cities like Tehran has become increasingly popular in recent years. Animals are often transported into the city in cages or cardboard boxes that might also harbor minute tick larvae and/or early stages of the nymphs bringing them into the urban environment. This may pose a threat to household members who buy and keep these puppies and as a result may come into close contact with infected ticks.
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15
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Abstract
Relapsing fever borreliae were notorious and feared infectious agents that earned their place in history through their devastating impact as causes of both epidemic and endemic infection. They are now considered more as an oddity, and their burden of infection is largely overshadowed by other infections such as malaria, which presents in a similar clinical way. Despite this, they remain the most common bacterial infection in some developing countries. Transmitted by soft ticks or lice, these fascinating spirochetes have evolved a myriad of mechanisms to survive within their diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally J Cutler
- School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London, London E15 4LZ, UK.
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