Article
Infectious Diseases
Paulo Cesar Magalhaes-Matos, Izabela Mesquita de Araujo, Jaqueline Rodrigues de Almeida Valim, Maria Ogrzewalska, Alexandro Guterres, Matheus Dias Cordeiro, Marcio Barizon Cepeda, Adivaldo Henrique da Fonseca
Summary: This study found DNA from Rickettsia spp. on ticks and skin fragments collected from wild coatis in Brazil, indicating that wild animals can serve as hosts for infectious agents. The presence of Rickettsia spp. DNA was detected in ticks and skin samples, suggesting a potential for disease transmission to humans.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Maria Dally, Yehuda Izraeli, Eduard Belausov, Netta Mozes-Daube, Moshe Coll, Einat Zchori-Fein
Summary: The distribution and abundance of two Rickettsia species in Macrolophus bugs vary, indicating a potential role of these bacteria in the nutritional ecology of their hosts.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Jack Pilgrim, Panupong Thongprem, Helen R. Davison, Stefanos Siozios, Matthew Baylis, Evgeny Zakharov, Sujeevan Ratnasingham, Jeremy R. DeWaard, Craig R. Macadam, M. Alex Smith, Gregory D. D. Hurst
Summary: This study discovered an unexpected presence of Rickettsia in the Barcode of Life Data System, with Torix group Rickettsia accounting for a majority of unintended amplifications. Further analysis supported the hypothesis of aquatic hot spots for Torix infection, with significant proportions of Torix symbioses found in arthropod genome projects. The study highlights the importance of understanding the host effects and transmission strategies of these newly discovered associations involving Torix Rickettsia.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Lucianne Cardoso Neves, Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula, Luiza Gabriella Ferreira de Paula, Bianca Barbara Fonseca da Silva, Sarah Alves Dias, Brenda Gomes Pereira, Bruno Sergio Alves Silva, Anaia da Paixao Seva, Filipe Dantas-Torres, Marcelo B. Labruna, Felipe da Silva Krawczak
Summary: Human cases of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) have been recently reported in Goias state, Brazil, but the agent responsible for these cases remains unknown. In this study, antibodies against Rickettsia spp. were detected in dogs, horses, and capybaras, and rickettsial DNA was found in ticks collected from these animals and the environment. The DNA belonged to Rickettsia bellii, a species not belonging to the spotted fever group (SFG). Seroreactivity to SFG and R. bellii antigens was observed in animals, indicating the circulation of SFG rickettsiae in the region.
Article
Entomology
A. A. Diaz-Sanchez, N. B. Chilton, L. Roblejo-Arias, O. Fonseca-Rodriguez, R. Marrero-Perera, C. P. Diyes, M. E. M. Yunik, E. Lobo-Rivero, B. Corona-Gonzalez
Summary: The study identified the prevalence and species identity of spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks and horses from urban and rural areas of western Cuba using PCR assays. Different species of SFG rickettsiae were found in Amblyomma mixtum and Dermacentor nitens ticks, expanding our knowledge of the potential vector spectrum and distribution of these pathogens in western Cuba.
MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Benjamin Cull, Nicole Y. Burkhardt, Xin-Ru Wang, Cody J. Thorpe, Jonathan D. Oliver, Timothy J. Kurtti, Ulrike G. Munderloh
Summary: This study found that the endosymbiont Rickettsia buchneri in ticks can inhibit the infection and replication of tick-borne pathogens. The presence of R. buchneri was observed to reduce the growth of R. parkeri by a significant percentage in tick cells. This research suggests a potential role of R. buchneri in preventing other rickettsiae from colonizing ticks and being transmitted transovarially, which could have important implications for understanding rickettsial competition and vector competence.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Joseph A. A. Aspinwall, Shelby M. M. Jarvis, Susan M. M. Noh, Kelly A. A. Brayton
Summary: Through mixed infection and cell culture experiments, it was demonstrated that infection with Rickettsia bellii inhibits the replication and establishment of Anaplasma marginale in Dermacentor andersoni ticks. This study highlights the importance of the microbiome in tick-borne disease transmission and may provide potential avenues for controlling the spread of A. marginale.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yinghua Su, Ho-Chen Lin, Li Szhen Teh, Fabienne Chevance, Ian James, Clara Mayfield, Kent G. Golic, James A. Gagnon, Ofer Rog, Colin Dale
Summary: This study describes the establishment and manipulation of a synthetic insect-bacterial symbiosis in a weevil host. The nascent symbiont colonized various tissues and showed maternal transmission over generations. The study also found that certain bacterial genera are predisposed to develop these associations.
Article
Entomology
Juan D. Carvajal-Agudelo, Hector E. Ramirez-Chaves, Paula A. Ossa-Lopez, Fredy A. Rivera-Paez
Summary: Interest in research on soft ticks has grown in recent decades, providing valuable insight into their role as disease vectors. This study used metagenomics-based analyses to examine the bacterial composition of Ornithodoros cf. hasei ticks and their mammalian hosts. The findings revealed the presence of potential pathogenic bacteria in both the ticks and the host blood samples.
EXPERIMENTAL AND APPLIED ACAROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Ning Lv, Jing Peng, Zi-Qi He, Qin Wen, Zheng-Qin Su, Shaukat Ali, Chang-Zhong Liu, Bao-Li Qiu
Summary: Bacterial endosymbionts, such as Wolbachia and Rickettsia, play important roles in herbivorous insects by supplying nutrients, increasing survivorship and fecundity, protecting against pathogens and heat, and expanding the range of suitable food plants. Our study examined the spatial and temporal distribution of Wolbachia and Rickettsia in Bemisia tabaci, and found that their titers in eggs fluctuated in a w pattern and their location in the egg changed over time. These findings provide insights into the vertical transmission mechanism and distribution of bacterial endosymbionts in different tissues of the host.
Article
Entomology
Dora Aguin-Pombo, Marilia C. P. A. Rodrigues, Betsie Voetdijk, Johannes A. J. Breeuwer
Summary: Endosymbiotic bacteria may play different roles in asexual and sexual reproduction, with Rickettsia bacteria showing a potential association with parthenogenesis in aphids. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanism behind this relationship and its implications for reproductive strategies in different organisms.
ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Michal Kolasa, Lukasz Kajtoch, Anna Michalik, Anna Maryanska-Nadachowska, Piotr Lukasik
Summary: The diversity and distribution of symbiotic bacteria in sap-feeding insects are not well understood. This study found that Philaenus spittlebugs host Sulcia as their primary symbiont, always accompanied by Sodalis. However, the presence of Sodalis sequence variants varied among populations and individuals, indicating the potential impact of rapid genome evolution or additional infections/replacements. The prevalence of other facultative endosymbionts also varied among populations, and it was discovered that nearly a quarter of P. spumarius were infected by parasitoid flies (Verralia aucta), with one specific Wolbachia OTU exclusively present in the parasitized specimens.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
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
Parasitology
Agatha O. Kolo, Rahul Raghavan
Summary: Endosymbionts play an important role in tick physiology and fitness, and could potentially be targeted to control the spread of ticks and the pathogens they transmit.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Catherine A. A. Lippi, Holly D. D. Gaff, Robyn M. M. Nadolny, Sadie J. J. Ryan
Summary: This study updates the distribution models of D. variabilis and R. montanensis-infected D. variabilis in the United States, using newer surveillance and testing data. The results show consistency in the predicted habitat suitability for D. variabilis, indicating its generalist habitat requirements. However, there is a slight shift in the updated niche distribution, including more southern areas, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and surveillance.
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES
(2023)