Article
Immunology
Abdulsalam Adegoke, Jose M. C. Ribeiro, Sidney Brown, Ryan C. Smith, Shahid Karim
Summary: This study identified five distinct phagocytic and non-phagocytic hemocyte populations in ticks and showed that phagocytic hemocytes play a crucial role in eliminating bacterial infection. The research also revealed that an intracellular tick-borne pathogen modifies tick cellular immune responses by infecting phagocytic hemocytes.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Michelle E. J. Allerdice, Christopher D. Paddock, Joy A. Hecht, Jerome Goddard, Sandor E. Karpathy
Summary: This study investigated the genetic diversity within North American strains of Rickettsia parkeri s.s. and the genetic relationships between R. parkeri s.s. and R. parkeri s.l. The results showed distinct genetic clades within these strains, indicating a phylogeographic organization and potential public health risks associated with R. parkeri in the Americas.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Melina Garcia Guizzo, Khemraj Budachetri, Abdulsalam Adegoke, Jose M. C. Ribeiro, Shahid Karim
Summary: The Gulf Coast tick is an important tick vector that can transmit several tick-borne pathogens, including Rickettsia parkeri. This study found that the persistence of R. parkeri within the tick population is facilitated by the tick tissues' oxidant/antioxidant balance and the non-pathogenic tick microbiome. The interaction between the tick and the pathogen leads to transcriptional alterations in both the tick and the pathogen, allowing for pathogen transmission and persistence within the tick population.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Anne-Marie L. Ross, John Stokes, Claire E. Cross, Navatha Alugubelly, Andrea S. Varela-Stokes
Summary: Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis (SFR), caused by SFGR, is challenging to diagnose. Guinea pig serves as a valuable model for studying SFR due to its immune system similarity to humans. By optimizing the qPCR assays, SFGR can be accurately detected in in vivo studies.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Andre de Abreu Rangel Aguirre, Ivaneide Nunes da Costa, Paula Frassinetti Medeiros de Paulo, Marcos Valerio Garcia, Jansen Fernandes Medeiros
Summary: This study detected the presence of Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in ticks in the Amazon biome for the first time, providing evidence of the circulation of a pathogenic spotted fever group Rickettsia in this region. This finding offers substantial information for public health authorities to understand the species of Rickettsia that may be related to Amazon spotted fever cases.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Abdulsalam Adegoke, Deepak Kumar, Khemraj Budachetri, Shahid Karim
Summary: This study explores the microbial communities in different developmental stages and tissues of Gulf-Coast ticks (Amblyomma maculatum) and investigates the impact of blood meal and Rickettsia parkeri infection on microbiome composition, diversity, and functionality. The results show that Rickettsia, Francisella, and Candidatus_Midichloria are key players in the core microbiome of Am. maculatum, and blood meal and R. parkeri infection lead to an increase in bacterial abundance in tick tissues.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jasmine R. Hensley, Maria L. Zambrano, Amanda J. Williams-Newkirk, Gregory A. Dasch
Summary: Despite high levels of carriage of these tick-borne agents by Gulf Coast ticks and Lone Star ticks, exchange of these Rickettsia, Coxiella, and Francisella agents between the two tick species appears to be an infrequent event in a natural setting.
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Alessandra Castro Rodrigues, Marcio Botelho de Castro, Marcelo Bahia Labruna, Matias Pablo Juan Szabo
Summary: Two tick-borne rickettsioses, caused by Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia parkeri, occur in Brazil. Rickettsia rickettsii causes a severe disease with high mortality, while Rickettsia parkeri causes a milder febrile disease with eschar at the tick bite site. Clinical diagnosis of rickettsiosis is challenging, especially during the early stages, and proper recognition of eschar as a clinical tool is crucial.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Goudarz Molaei, Eliza A. H. Little, Noelle Khalil, Bryan N. Ayres, William L. Nicholson, Christopher D. Paddock
Summary: The discovery of Rickettsia parkeri-infected Gulf Coast ticks in Connecticut, at the northern range limit of the species, emphasizes the importance of tick surveillance and the public health challenges posed by the geographic expansion of tick vectors and pathogens.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jose R. Ramirez-Garofalo, Shannon R. Curley, Caitlin E. Field, Charles E. Hart, Saravanan Thangamani
Summary: The research aimed to determine the habitat associations and pathogen status of Amblyomma maculatum ticks in NYC. Ticks were collected from two parks on Staten Island and tested for pathogens, with a high rate of Rickettsia parkeri infection found. This underscores the importance of monitoring and understanding the presence of this tick species in urban environments.
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Pawiga Usananan, Warissara Kaenkan, Ronnayuth Sudsangiem, Visut Baimai, Wachareeporn Trinachartvanit, Arunee Ahantarig
Summary: This study reports the detection of tick-associated bacteria in northeastern Thailand, expanding our knowledge of the diversity of tick-borne pathogens in the region.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Connie R. Johnson, Loganathan Ponnusamy, Allen L. Richards, Charles S. Apperson
Summary: This study investigated the host feeding patterns and prevalence of Rickettsia parkeri infection for the primary vector tick species, Amblyomma maculatum, and other sympatric tick species in North Carolina. The results showed a high prevalence of R. parkeri infection in A. maculatum, with cotton rats being the most common bloodmeal host.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Catherine A. Lippi, Samuel Canfield, Christina Espada, Holly D. Gaff, Sadie J. Ryan
Summary: Geographic approaches are increasingly used to assess the risk of tick-borne diseases and inform public health decision-making. This study explored the potential geographic range of a marsh rice rat species and found considerable overlap with the distribution of a tick species in the southeastern United States, highlighting the need for extended surveillance efforts and attention to the role of hosts in transmission cycles.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pornpiroon Nooroong, Wachareeporn Trinachartvanit, Visut Baimai, Panat Anuracpreeda, Arunee Ahantarig
Summary: Q fever, caused by the obligate intracellular bacteria Coxiella burnetii, is a significant zoonotic disease affecting both humans and animals. The study focused on analyzing chaperone-coding genes from Rhipicephalus annulatus ticks to potentially develop a vaccine candidate and immunogenic marker for future prospects. This research highlights the importance of understanding the antigenicity of the partial DnaK protein and predicting the epitopes of B-and T-cells for potential immune responses.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yani Zhou, Qi Wang, Yujuan Shen, Bin Shen, Yan Zhang, Weihong Wang, Xiaofeng Li
Summary: An elderly woman was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain and fever. Her condition rapidly worsened with severe complications, such as multiple organ failure and central nervous system damage. The presence of Rickettsia japonica was detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing, leading to the diagnosis of critical Japanese spotted fever. The patient was successfully treated with doxycycline and showed good prognosis. Typical symptoms (eschar and rash) were not observed in the early stage, increasing the difficulty of clinical diagnosis.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Harold Salant, Yaarit Nachum-Biala, Doni Zivotofsky, Tsachi Even Tzur, Gad Baneth
Summary: This study describes the presentation, clinical signs, parasitemia levels, laboratory findings and treatment of dogs infected with B. negevi. Treatment with imidocarb dipropionate was helpful for recovery from clinical disease but did not facilitate parasite elimination, and it is therefore recommended to treat canine B. negevi infection with the combination of atovaquone and azithromycin.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Gervillien Arnold Malonga, Almoustapha Issiaka Maiga, Dimitry Moudiongui Mboungou Malanda, Mahamadou Saliou, Juth ece Private Malanda-Kiminou, Oumar Dolo, Anicet Luc Magloire Boumba, Alhassane Ba, Robert Murphy, Jean Felix Peko, Anne-Genevieve Marcelin, Vincent Calvez, Stephane Marot
Summary: A serological survey in sub-urban areas of the capital cities of Congo and Mali reveals human contact with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) associated with previously described CCHFV risk factors.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Aleksander Wymazal, Sabina Nowak, Robert W. Myslajek, Anna Bajer, Renata Welc-Faleciak, Maciej Szewczyk, Iga Kwiatkowska, Kinga M. Stepniak, Michal Figura, Agnieszka Kloch
Summary: The wolf population in Central and Eastern Europe has been increasing, but their frequent contacts with humans make them a potential zoonotic reservoir. This study found a high prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in free-ranging wolves from Poland.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Nannet D. Fabri, Hans Heesterbeek, Joris P. G. M. Cromsigt, Frauke Ecke, Hein Sprong, Lonneke Nijhuis, Tim R. Hofmeester, Nienke Hartemink
Summary: In many parts of the northern hemisphere, different species of deer, small mammals, and birds coexist and their composition can strongly influence the outbreak potential of tick-borne pathogens. This study investigates how the abundance and composition of vertebrate communities affect the basic reproduction number R0 of tick-borne pathogens, and shows that species composition plays a substantial role in the outbreak potential of tick-borne diseases.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Lynn M. Osikowicz, Maria R. Rizzo, Andrias Hojgaard, Sarah E. Maes, Rebecca J. Eisen
Summary: This article describes the prevalence and diversity of Lyme disease in the United States. By using different detection methods, the authors found various species of spirochetes present in specific tick species, revealing the potential transmission of pathogens among ticks.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Review
Infectious Diseases
El-Sayed El-Alfy, Ibrahim Abbas, Somaya Saleh, Rana Elseadawy, Ragab M. Fereig, Mohamed Abdo Rizk, Xuenan Xuan
Summary: Published data on tick-borne pathogens in camels worldwide have been collected, providing an overview of their global prevalence and species diversity. Evidence of natural infection of camels with certain tick-borne pathogens is limited, particularly because most of the camels were considered healthy at the time of sampling. More research is needed to understand the role of camels in maintaining and transmitting these pathogens.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Saana Sipari, Mikko Kiljunen, Minna Nylund, Eva R. Kallio
Summary: This study introduces a stable isotope analysis method to directly identify tick breeding hosts by sampling field collected larvae. The results show that stable isotope signatures can reflect the diet of the breeding host of the mother tick.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)