Review
Microbiology
Katarzyna Kubiak, Magdalena Szczotko, Malgorzata Dmitryjuk
Summary: Borrelia miyamotoi, a relapsing fever spirochete, is genetically and ecologically distinct from Borrelia burgdorferi, but both are transmitted by Ixodes ticks. Genetic differences exist among B. miyamotoi isolates from Asia, North America, and Europe, causing variations in symptomatic cases of Borrelia miyamotoi disease.
Article
Microbiology
Dieuwertje Hoornstra, Olga A. Stukolova, Ludmila S. Karan, Denis S. Sarksyan, Nadezhda M. Kolyasnikova, Mikhail L. Markelov, Anna S. Cherkashina, Anna S. Dolgova, Anna E. Sudina, Marina Sokolova, Alexander E. Platonov, Joppe W. Hovius
Summary: A protein array for serodiagnosis of Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD) was developed and validated, which showed high sensitivity and specificity. Reactivity against glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (GlpQ) and any variable major protein (Vmp) or flagellin resulted in the highest specificity for IgM/IgG detection.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Letter
Immunology
Xiao-Ai Zhang, Feng Tian, Yue Li, Xiao-Long Zhang, Bao-Gui Jiang, Bao-Cheng Liu, Jing-Tao Zhang, Shen Tian, Heng Ding, Shuang Li, Hao Li, Li-Qun Fang, Wei Liu
Summary: In a field investigation in China, relapsing fever (RF) Borrelia was found in ticks and wild mammals. Multiple species were identified, including human-pathogenic Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia persica, and unclassified Babesia sp. The coexistence of RF Borrelia species in certain tick species poses a potential threat to public health.
EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Robert D. Gilmore, Alexander R. Kneubehl, Job E. Lopez, Brittany A. Armstrong, Kevin S. Brandt, Taylor J. Van Gundy
Summary: This study describes an improved PCR assay for detecting plasmids in Borrelia miyamotoi strains LB-2001 and CT13-2396, revealing differences in the number and types of plasmids present in LB-2001 and CT13-2396. This suggests the complexity of gene rearrangements that occur in B. miyamotoi strains isolated from the same geographic region.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Robert D. Gilmore, Sierra Mikula, Emma K. Harris, Taylor J. Van Gundy, Irina Goodrich, Kevin S. Brandt
Summary: Research shows that Borrelia miyamotoi maintains all plasmids and genetic stability during long-term in vitro cultivation. The pathogen remains infectious in mice and the process of in vitro culture does not affect its genome.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ranna Nakao, Kentaro Kasama, Bazartseren Boldbaatar, Yoshitoshi Ogura, Hiroki Kawabata, Atsushi Toyoda, Tetsuya Hayashi, Ai Takano, Ken Maeda
Summary: This study determined the genome sequences of 16 HTRF borreliae strains, showing that chromosomal gene synteny was highly conserved among different geographic regions and tick species. Phylogenetic analysis based on core gene sequences revealed distinguishable HTRF and STRF borreliae, with each forming a monophyletic group in the RF borreliae lineage.
BMC ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Johana Hrnkova, Marina Golovchenko, Abubakar Sadiq Musa, Tersia Needham, Jignesh Italiya, Francisco Ceacero, Radim Kotrba, Libor Grubhoffer, Natalie Rudenko, Jiri Cerny
Summary: Exotic farm animals can serve as hosts for hard ticks and be infected by Borrelia spirochetes, potentially maintaining the spirochetes in nature.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Elizabeth A. Dietrich, Adam J. Replogle, Sarah W. Sheldon, Jeannine M. Petersen
Summary: The development of a real-time semimultiplex PCR assay has improved the diagnosis and classification of relapsing fever (RF) by detecting multiple RF borreliae and aiding in the clinical management of RF patients. This single-assay approach accurately detects and classifies RF borreliae, with high specificity and sensitivity.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alexander R. Kneubehl, Aparna Krishnavajhala, Sebastian Munoz Leal, Adam J. Replogle, Luke C. Kingry, Sergio E. Bermudez, Marcelo B. Labruna, Job E. Lopez
Summary: This study sequenced and assembled the genomes of sTBRF spirochetes from the Western Hemisphere, revealing high chromosomal synteny but diverse plasmid composition. The findings highlight the importance of complete chromosome and plasmid sequences in understanding the biological differences between TBRF spirochete species.
Article
Microbiology
Jinyu Shan, Ying Jia, Peter Hickenbotham, Louis Teulieres, Martha R. J. Clokie
Summary: A PCR method was developed to detect the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia miyamotoi in ticks. The study analyzed ticks collected from various sites across Great Britain and found that the prevalence of the pathogens was dependent on geographical location. The combination of citizen science and laboratory tests proved to be a powerful tool for monitoring pathogen distribution and prevalence.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Florian Roettgerding, John Njeru, Elif Schluefter, Andreas Latz, Rouzbeh Mahdavi, Ulrich Steinhoff, Sally J. Cutler, Silke Besier, Volkhard A. J. Kempf, Volker Fingerle, Peter Kraiczy
Summary: This study aimed to develop novel and reliable immunoassays for the serodiagnosis of louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF). Two immunoreactive antigens (CihC and GlpQ) were identified as promising target candidates, and two immunoassays (line immunoblot and ELISA) for IgM and IgG were evaluated. The results showed that these assays had high sensitivity and specificity, even at early time points of infection, indicating their potential as reliable tools in clinical practice.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Anna E. Jacob, Jeffrey Scott Weese, Joyce Rosseau, Katie M. Clow
Summary: Increasing temperatures due to climate change have led to the expansion of Ixodes scapularis ticks in Canada, which carry pathogens that are significant for public and animal health. A study on ticks of companion animals found that B. burgdorferi had a higher prevalence in certain regions of Canada, while B. miyamotoi and A. phagocytophilum had lower prevalence rates.
ZOONOSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Daniel J. Salkeld, Danielle M. Lagana, Julie Wachara, W. Tanner Porter, Nathan C. Nieto
Summary: Tick-borne diseases in California, particularly Lyme disease, are influenced by the local host ecology and prevalence of zoonotic diseases. Surveillance scale can impact the reported infection prevalence, and understanding multiple pathogen species in the same habitat is crucial for interpreting local pathogen occurrence. Neglected habitats, such as coastal chaparral, may harbor a variety of tick-borne pathogens, emphasizing the need for local-scale data descriptions rather than aggregated data.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biology
Giusto Trevisan, Marina Cinco, Sara Trevisini, Nicola di Meo, Maurizio Ruscio, Patrizia Forgione, Serena Bonin
Summary: Borreliae of the relapsing fever group (RFG) can be divided into soft-tick-borne, hard-tick-borne, louse-borne, and avian relapsing fever groups based on their vectors. Apart from the avian relapsing fever group, all other Borreliae in the RFG are infectious to humans and are responsible for causing endemic and epidemic forms of relapsing fever with high spirochaetemia and fever as symptoms.
Article
Microbiology
W. Tanner Porter, Julie Wachara, Zachary A. Barrand, Nathan C. Nieto, Daniel J. Salkeld
Summary: Tick-borne diseases have expanded in the past two decades due to shifts in tick and pathogen distributions. Monitoring pathogen distribution and prevalence is resource intensive, and citizen science tick collections provide a method to collect samples from the general public for real-time monitoring. This approach helps to characterize and understand the threats of tick-borne diseases to communities.
Article
Parasitology
Maciej Kowalec, Tomasz Szewczyk, Renata Welc-Faleciak, Edward Sinski, Grzegorz Karbowiak, Anna Bajer
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2017)
Article
Parasitology
Katarzyna Tolkacz, Malgorzata Bednarska, Mohammed Alsarraf, Dorota Dwuznik, Maciej Grzybek, Renata Welc-Faleciak, Jerzy M. Behnke, Anna Bajer
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2017)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Renata Welc-Faleciak, Justyna D. Kowalska, Malgorzata Bednarska, Magdalena Szatan, Agnieszka Pawelczyk
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2018)
Article
Parasitology
Malgorzata Bednarska, Irena Jankowska, Andrzej Pawelas, Karolina Piwczynska, Anna Bajer, Beata Wolska-Kusnierz, Malgorzata Wielopolska, Renata Welc-Faleciak
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Agnieszka Kloch, Marius A. Wenzel, Dominik R. Laetsch, Olek Michalski, Renata Welc-Faleciak, Stuart B. Piertney
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2018)
Article
Ecology
Maciej Kowalec, Tomasz Szewczyk, Renata Welc-Faleciak, Edward Sinski, Grzegorz Karbowiak, Anna Bajer
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Agnieszka Pawelczyk, Malgorzata Bednarska, Justyna D. Kowalska, Beata Uszynska-Kaluza, Marek Radkowski, Renata Welc-Faleciak
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Parasitology
Grzegorz Olos, Julita Nowakowska, Sylwia Rojewska, Renata Welc-Faleciak
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Agnieszka Kloch, Marius A. Wenzel, Dominik R. Laetsch, Olek Michalski, Anna Bajer, Jerzy M. Behnke, Renata Welc-Faleciak, Stuart B. Piertney
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Parasitology
Agnieszka Pawelczyk, Malgorzata Bednarska, Adrianna Hamera, Emilia Religa, Milena Poryszewska, Ewa J. Mierzejewska, Renata Welc-Faleciak
Summary: Lyme borreliosis is the most common vector-borne disease in Europe. A study in Poland over 4 years found that the majority of ticks removed from humans were Ixodes ricinus, with a high prevalence of Borrelia species. Babesia infection was relatively low, but often co-infected with Borrelia.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Agnieszka Pawelczyk, Malgorzata Bednarska, Kamila Caraballo Cortes, Marianna Glamkowska-Sady, Justyna Kowalska, Beata Uszynska-Kaluza, Marek Radkowski, Renata Welc-Faleciak
Summary: This study examined the detection of Toxoplasma gondii infection in asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals and found that T. gondii DNA could be detected in seronegative subjects. This suggests the need to supplement routine serologic testing with molecular methods to accurately monitor infection reactivation and introduce specific therapy in a timely manner. This is of high importance for ensuring the safety of blood donations.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Agnieszka Kloch, Ewa R. Mierzejewska, Renata R. Welc-Faleciak, Anna R. Bajer, Aleksandra R. Biedrzycka
Summary: The study investigated the genetic variation in cytokines of bank voles and its impact on their susceptibility to infection by parasites and microparasites. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified to be associated with susceptibility to nematodes. The results suggest that cytokines are influenced by parasite-driven selection and non-coding variants may play a role in host-parasite co-evolution in wild systems.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julia Koczwarska, Agnieszka Pawelczyk, Justyna Dunaj-Malyszko, Justyna Polaczyk, Renata Welc-Faleciak
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of pathogens in Dermacentor reticulatus ticks and the clinical manifestations after a tick bite. Results showed a high prevalence of Rickettsia in D. reticulatus ticks, with R. raoultii being the most common. Participants bitten by D. reticulatus ticks reported symptoms such as reddening, lymphadenopathy, and eschar, especially when bitten by ticks infected with R. raoultii. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring and addressing the potential risk of tick-borne diseases associated with D. reticulatus ticks.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
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
Microbiology
Renata Welc-Faleciak, Malgorzata Bednarska, Magdalena Szatan, Agnieszka Pawelczykz
POSTEPY MIKROBIOLOGII
(2018)
