Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Malgorzata Kwasnik, Jerzy Rola, Wojciech Rozek
Summary: Tick-borne encephalitis virus is considered one of the most important tick-borne viral diseases in Europe and Asia. In recent years, there has been an increase in cases and the geographical range of the disease. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis is rising in more than half of European countries. The virus is transmitted between ticks, animals, and humans, with ticks and small mammals playing a role in maintaining the virus in nature. Prevention through vaccination and protection against tick bites is crucial.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Virology
Adam Kevely, Veronika Pranclova, Monika Slavikova, Jan Haviernik, Vaclav Honig, Eva Novakova, Martin Palus, Daniel Ruzek, Boris Klempa, Juraj Koci
Summary: The study utilized a recombinant reporter tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) to investigate its fitness in different tick-derived cell cultures and live ticks. The reporter virus successfully replicated in tick cell lines and live ticks, but fluorescence was not observed in live ticks. The results suggest that the reporter virus can be a useful tool for studying interactions between ticks and TBEV in a tick in vitro model, but further development of reporter-tagged viruses is needed for studying TBEV in live ticks.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Zbigniew Zajac, Katarzyna Bartosik, Joanna Kulisz, Aneta Wozniak
Summary: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is increasing in many European countries.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Entomology
Lucy Gilbert
Summary: Ticks are widespread and carry pathogens, impacting by climate change; tick-borne disease systems are complex with diverse drivers, modeling can help understand changes; future research should focus on assessing the resilience of ticks and tick-borne pathogens to climate change.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY, VOL 66, 2021
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Tal Azagi, Margriet Harms, Arno Swart, Manoj Fonville, Dieuwertje Hoornstra, Lapo Mughini-Gras, Joppe W. Hovius, Hein Sprong, Cees van den Wijngaard
Summary: The study found associations between the presence of tick-borne pathogens in ticks feeding on humans and self-reported symptoms. However, due to the subjective nature of such reports and the fact that infection was determined in the ticks and not in the patient samples, further prospective studies utilizing diagnostic modalities should be performed before any clinical outcome can be causally linked to infection with tick-borne pathogens.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Oxana A. Belova, Alexandra E. Polienko, Anastasia D. Averianova, Galina G. Karganova
Summary: Ixodes ricius and Ixodes persulcatus ticks are the main vectors of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). The overlap in distribution ranges of these tick species can lead to hybridization, affecting both tick spread and arbovirus infection properties. The study found that virus transmission effectiveness and RNA copy numbers were highest in ticks, specifically hybrids, during the transmission of the Siberian subtype of TBEV. However, after molting, the transmission effectiveness decreased.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Katrin Liebig, Mathias Boelke, Domenic Grund, Sabine Schicht, Malena Bestehorn-Willmann, Lidia Chitimia-Dobler, Gerhard Dobler, Klaus Jung, Stefanie C. Becker
Summary: The focal distribution of tick-borne encephalitis virus in natural habitats may be influenced by specific relationships between virus isolates and tick populations, hinting at a coevolutionary adaptation between the virus and tick populations.
Article
Immunology
Ewa Bojkiewicz, Kacper Toczylowski, Sambor Grygorczuk, Beata Zelazowska-Rutkowska, Justyna Dunaj, Agnieszka Zebrowska, Piotr Czupryna, Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska, Artur Sulik
Summary: In Poland, the vaccination rate for tick-borne encephalitis is low, despite a high incidence of severe infections. A study found that many people have asymptomatic infections and have different attitudes towards the vaccine.
Article
Microbiology
Daniel Lang, Lidia Chitimia-Dobler, Malena Bestehorn-Willmann, Alexander Lindau, Marco Drehmann, Gabriele Stroppel, Helga Hengge, Ute Mackenstedt, Klaus Kaier, Gerhard Dobler, Johannes Borde
Summary: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an important viral tick-borne infection in Europe and Asia. The emergence of TBE in new areas, such as the Ravensburg district in southern Germany, has been analyzed to identify the natural foci of the causative TBE virus (TBEV). Through genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis, several distinct TBEV lineages were identified, suggesting the continuous spread of these virus strains over a certain distance.
Article
Parasitology
Nicolas De Pelsmaeker, Lars Korslund, Oyvind Steifetten
Summary: This study investigated the altitudinal distribution of two tick species in Norway, finding an expansion in their range up to 1000 meters above sea level. The endophilic tick I. trianguliceps appeared to be more adapted to higher altitudes compared to the exophilic I. ricinus. With warming temperatures, the risk of tick-borne infections is likely to increase at higher altitudes in the future.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Virology
Evelina Simkute, Arnoldas Pautienius, Juozas Grigas, Paulina Urbute, Arunas Stankevicius
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence rate of TBEV in dogs living in a highly endemic region of Lithuania and evaluated the main risk factors for severe disease course and death. The results demonstrated that TBEV is a common and clinically important pathogen in dogs.
Review
Parasitology
Clara Florentine Kohler, Maya Louise Holding, Hein Sprong, Patrick A. Jansen, Helen J. Esser
Summary: Biodiversity loss and the emergence of zoonotic diseases are major global challenges. Restoring ecosystems needs to take into account the risk of tick-borne diseases and the interaction between vertebrate diversity and pathogen transmission. Long-term surveillance of wildlife communities, ticks, and their pathogens is crucial to prevent tick-borne diseases from increasing during nature restoration.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Arnoldas Pautienius, Gytis Dudas, Evelina Simkute, Juozas Grigas, Indre Zakiene, Algimantas Paulauskas, Austeja Armonaite, Dainius Zienius, Evaldas Slyzius, Arunas Stankevicius
Summary: Testing milk samples can be a valuable tool for investigating the spatial distribution of TBEV at a higher resolution and lower cost, as shown by this study. The geographical distribution of TBEV in milk samples correlated with the incidence of TBE in humans in 2019, indicating its potential as a reliable surveillance strategy.
Article
Microbiology
Pavle Banovic, Adrian Alberto Diaz-Sanchez, Selena Duric, Sinisa Sevic, Vesna Turkulov, Dajana Lendak, Sandra Stefan Mikic, Verica Simin, Dragana Mijatovic, Ivana Bogdan, Aleksandar Potkonjak, Sara Savic, Dasiel Obregon, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
Summary: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a life-threatening disease with symptoms similar to other viral meningitis/encephalitis, often leading to misdiagnosis in high-risk areas. This study found evidence of TBEV infection among convalescent patients in northern Serbia. The lack of active TBE surveillance and screening in the country highlights the importance of increasing awareness of TBE among physicians and implementing systematic screening for TBEV antibodies in patients with viral meningitis and/or encephalitis.
Article
Microbiology
Anna-Katharina Topp, Andrea Springer, Gerhard Dobler, Malena Bestehorn-Willmann, Masyar Monazahian, Christina Strube
Summary: A study in Lower Saxony, Germany, investigated the occurrence of TBEV in questing ticks and found a previously unknown transmission focus, while confirming ongoing virus circulation at four other locations. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the circulation of two different virus strains with different origins in identified natural foci.
Article
Virology
Kerstin Puchinger, Noemi Castelletti, Raquel Rubio-Acero, Christof Geldmacher, Tabea M. Eser, Flora Deak, Ivana Paunovic, Abhishek Bakuli, Elmar Saathoff, Alexander von Meyer, Alisa Markgraf, Philine Falk, Jakob Reich, Friedrich Riess, Philipp Girl, Katharina Mueller, Katja Radon, Jessica Michelle Guggenbuehl Noller, Roman Woelfel, Michael Hoelscher, Inge Kroidl, Andreas Wieser, Laura Olbrich
Summary: This study investigated the dynamics of viral loads and antibodies in COVID-19 patients and found a correlation between viral loads and clinical progression.
Article
Microbiology
Anna-Katharina Topp, Andrea Springer, Gerhard Dobler, Malena Bestehorn-Willmann, Masyar Monazahian, Christina Strube
Summary: A study in Lower Saxony, Germany, investigated the occurrence of TBEV in questing ticks and found a previously unknown transmission focus, while confirming ongoing virus circulation at four other locations. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the circulation of two different virus strains with different origins in identified natural foci.
Article
Parasitology
Abid Ali, Muhammad Numan, Mehran Khan, Ome Aiman, Sebastian Munoz-Leal, Lidia Chitimia-Dobler, Marcelo B. Labruna, Ard M. Nijhof
Summary: This is the first molecular study of an Ornithodoros species from Pakistan, confirming the genus of the specimens and detecting a Rickettsia sp. The study suggests that the specimen may belong to an undetermined species and is related to Rickettsia species from Chinese Argos japonicus ticks.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Michael Wimbauer, Deon K. Bakkes, Silke Woelfel, Michael Broeker, Sabine Schaper, Ramona Riess, Gerhard Dobler, Lidia Chitimia-Dobler
Summary: Tick-borne diseases are on the rise and birds contribute to the spread of ticks and their associated pathogens. A study conducted in Germany collected ticks from birds and found that different tick species carried different pathogens.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Amelie M. Friedsam, Oliver J. Brady, Antonia Pilic, Gerhard Dobler, Wiebke Hellenbrand, Teresa M. Nygren
Summary: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a growing public health problem in Germany, and this study used ecological niche modeling to assess the risk in the Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg regions. The findings showed heterogeneity in the distribution of TBE infection sites at sub-district level, with associations to abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic factors. The risk map generated by this study can help identify and prevent new TBE foci, providing valuable information for targeted prevention efforts.
Article
Virology
Jens H. Kuhn, Scott Adkins, Sergey Alkhovsky, Tatjana Avsic-Zupanc, Maria A. Ayllon, Justin Bahl, Anne Balkema-Buschmann, Matthew J. Ballinger, Martina Bandte, Martin Beer, Nicolas Bejerman, Eric Bergeron, Nadine Biedenkopf, Laurent Bigarre, Carol D. Blair, Kim R. Blasdell, Steven B. Bradfute, Thomas Briese, Paul A. Brown, Remy Bruggmann, Ursula J. Buchholz, Michael J. Buchmeier, Alexander Bukreyev, Felicity Burt, Carmen Buettner, Charles H. Calisher, Thierry Candresse, Jeremy Carson, Inmaculada Casas, Kartik Chandran, Remi N. Charrel, Yuya Chiaki, Anya Crane, Mark Crane, Laurent Dacheux, Elena Dal Bo, Juan Carlos de la Torre, Xavier de Lamballerie, William M. de Souza, Rik L. de Swart, Nolwenn M. Dheilly, Nicholas Di Paola, Francesco Di Serio, Ralf G. Dietzgen, Michele Digiaro, J. Felix Drexler, W. Paul Duprex, Ralf Duerrwald, Andrew J. Easton, Toufc Elbeaino, Koray Ergunay, Guozhong Feng, Claudette Feuvrier, Andrew E. Firth, Anthony R. Fooks, Pierre B. H. Formenty, Juliana Freitas-Astua, Selma Gago-Zachert, Maria Laura Garcia, Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, Aura R. Garrison, Scott E. Godwin, Jean-Paul J. Gonzalez, Joelle Gouy de Bellocq, Anthony Grifths, Martin H. Groschup, Stephan Gunther, John Hammond, Jussi Hepojoki, Melanie M. Hierweger, Seiji Hongo, Masayuki Horie, Hidenori Horikawa, Holly R. Hughes, Adam J. Hume, Timothy H. Hyndman, Daohong Jiang, Gilda B. Jonson, Sandra Junglen, Fujio Kadono, David G. Karlin, Boris Klempa, Jonas Klingstrom, Michel C. Koch, Hideki Kondo, Eugene Koonin, Jarmila Krasova, Mart Krupovic, Kenji Kubota, Ivan Kuzmin, Lies Laenen, Amy J. Lambert, Jianrong Li, Jun-Min Li, Francois Liefrig, Igor S. Lukashevich, Dongsheng Luo, Piet Maes, Marco Marklewitz, Sergio H. Marshall, Shin-Yi L. Marzano, John W. McCauley, Ali Mirazimi, Peter G. Mohr, Nick J. G. Moody, Yasuaki Morita, Richard N. Morrison, Elke Muhlberger, Rayapati Naidu, Tomohide Natsuaki, Jose A. Navarro, Yutaro Neriya, Sergey Netesov, Gabriele Neumann, Norbert Nowotny, Francisco M. Ochoa-Corona, Gustavo Palacios, Laurane Pallandre, Vicente Pallas, Anna Papa, Sofa Paraskevopoulou, Colin R. Parrish, Alex Pauvolid-Correa, Janusz T. Paweska, Daniel R. Perez, Florian Pfaf, Richard K. Plemper, Thomas S. Postler, Francoise Pozet, Sheli R. Radoshitzky, Pedro L. Ramos-Gonzalez, Marius Rehanek, Renato O. Resende, Carina A. Reyes, Victor Romanowski, Dennis Rubbenstroth, Luisa Rubino, Artemis Rumbou, Jonathan A. Runstadler, Melanie Rupp, Sead Sabanadzovic, Takahide Sasaya, Heike Schmidt-Posthaus, Martin Schwemmle, Torsten Seuberlich, Stephen R. Sharpe, Mang Shi, Manuela Sironi, Sophie Smither, Jin-Won Song, Kirsten M. Spann, Jessica R. Spengler, Mark D. Stenglein, Ayato Takada, Robert B. Tesh, Jana Tesikova, Natalie J. Thornburg, Nicole D. Tischler, Yasuhiro Tomitaka, Keizo Tomonaga, Noel Tordo, Kenta Tsunekawa, Massimo Turina, Ioannis E. Tzanetakis, Anna Maria Vaira, Bernadette van den Hoogen, Bert Vanmechelen, Nikos Vasilakis, Martin Verbeek, Susanne von Bargen, Jiro Wada, Victoria Wahl, Peter J. Walker, Anna E. Whitfeld, John Williams, Yuri Wolf, Junki Yamasaki, Hironobu Yanagisawa, Gongyin Ye, Yong-Zhen Zhang, Arnfnn Lodden Okland
Summary: This article presents the updated taxonomy of Negarnaviricota, including the addition of new families, genera, and species, renaming and moving of species, and correction of misspelled names as accepted by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).
ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Askar Gafurov, Andrej Balaz, Fabian Amman, Kristina Borsova, Viktoria Cabanova, Boris Klempa, Andreas Bergthaler, Tomas Vinar, Brona Brejova
Summary: This study proposes a new method for estimating the proportions of SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater samples. The method is based on a probabilistic model that captures sequence diversity and sequencing errors, and it has been evaluated for accuracy using different sequencing platforms.
BMC BIOINFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Virology
Adam Kevely, Veronika Pranclova, Monika Slavikova, Jan Haviernik, Vaclav Honig, Eva Novakova, Martin Palus, Daniel Ruzek, Boris Klempa, Juraj Koci
Summary: The study utilized a recombinant reporter tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) to investigate its fitness in different tick-derived cell cultures and live ticks. The reporter virus successfully replicated in tick cell lines and live ticks, but fluorescence was not observed in live ticks. The results suggest that the reporter virus can be a useful tool for studying interactions between ticks and TBEV in a tick in vitro model, but further development of reporter-tagged viruses is needed for studying TBEV in live ticks.
Article
Virology
Viktoria Cabanova, Jana Kerlik, Peter Kirschner, Jana Rosochova, Boris Klempa, Monika Slavikova, Martina Lickova
Summary: Viral infections caused by Flaviviridae family viruses such as Zika, Dengue, Yellow fever, Tick-borne encephalitis, West Nile, and Usutu are difficult to diagnose and track due to their short viremia, non-specific symptoms, and high cross-reactivity in laboratory tests.
Article
Microbiology
Juraj Koci, Marta Novotova, Monika Slavikova, Boris Klempa, Ivan Zahradnik
Summary: The study finds that the coronavirus alters the cytoplasm of infected cells and triggers autophagy-like processes. Through transmission electron microscopy and autophagy PCR array analysis, it is observed that the cytoplasm of infected cells mainly consists of double-membrane vesicles, phagophores, and phagosomes engulfing virus particles and cellular debris, along with interactions with viral nucleoprotein complexes, mitochondria, and lipid droplets. These findings highlight the significance of autophagy-like processes in the maturation and egress of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting deviations from canonical autophagy response.
Article
Microbiology
Philipp Johannes Brandenburg, Anna Obiegala, Hannah Maureen Schmuck, Gerhard Dobler, Lidia Chitimia-Dobler, Martin Pfeffer
Summary: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is the most significant viral disease transmitted by ticks in Eurasia. Rodents are important natural hosts. Longitudinal studies on the seroprevalence rates in wild rodents in natural foci are rare, and the dynamics of the transmission cycle still need to be understood.
Editorial Material
Virology
Jens H. Kuhn, Steven B. Bradfute, Charles H. Calisher, Boris Klempa, Jonas Klingstrom, Lies Laenen, Gustavo Palacios, Connie S. Schmaljohn, Nicole D. Tischler, Piet Maes
Summary: The official classification of viruses by the ICTV requires complete or nearly complete genome sequences to be deposited in GenBank. This requirement is fairly new, resulting in fragmented or absent genomic sequence information for many classified viruses. This poses challenges for taxon-wide phylogenetic analyses, especially for viruses with segmented genomes. To address this issue for Hantaviridae, the community is urged to provide additional sequence information for incompletely sequenced classified viruses by mid-June 2023 to prevent possible declassification.
Article
Microbiology
Archile Paguem, Kingsley Manchang, Pierre Kamtsap, Alfons Renz, Sabine Schaper, Gerhard Dobler, Deon K. Bakkes, Lidia Chitimia-Dobler
Summary: This study investigates the diversity of ticks and Rickettsia species parasitizing wild animals sold in bush meat markets in Cameroon. It identifies 18 tick species belonging to five genera and detects two Rickettsia spp. The findings highlight the high diversity of ticks among wildlife in Cameroon.
Article
Biology
Adrian Szobi, Katarina Buranovska, Nina Vojtassakova, Daniel Lovisek, Halil Oender Ozbasak, Sandra Szeibeczederova, Liudmyla Kapustian, Zuzana Hudacova, Viera Kovacova, Diana Drobna, Piotr Putaj, Stanislava Birova, Ivana Cirkova, Martin Carnecky, Peter Kilian, Peter Jurkacek, Viktoria Cabanova, Kristina Borsova, Monika Slavikova, Veronika Vanova, Boris Klempa, Pavol Cekan, Evan D. Paul
Summary: Vivid COVID-19 LAMP is an ultrasensitive zinc ion and zinc sensor-based colorimetric detection system, reliably detecting viral RNA from self-collected, non-invasive gargle samples for rapid point-of-care testing.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Maria Armesto, Mathias Charconnet, Jose M. Marimon, Cristina Lia Fernandez Regueiro, Jia Jia, Tingdong Yan, Ane Sorarrain, Marek Grzelczak, Maria Sanroman, Monica Vicente, Boris Klempa, Javier Zubiria, Yuan Peng, Lei Zhang, Jianhua Zhang, Charles H. Lawrie
Summary: Despite widespread vaccination, the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 continues to burden healthcare systems globally. To address this, researchers have developed an instrument-free molecular diagnostic test called Repvit. This test uses gold nanoparticles to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA directly from nasal swab or saliva samples, providing results in less than 20 minutes with high sensitivity and specificity. This technology has the potential to be used in resource-limited settings or for individual self-testing.
