Article
Biology
Yuliya M. Didyk, Barbara Mangova, Eva Spitalska, Marketa Derdakova
Summary: Ticks in urban parks and green areas in Ukraine were found to carry Rickettsia spp. DNA, with 16.3% of I. ricinus and 29.1% of D. reticulatus testing positive. R. helvetica and R. monacensis were found in I. ricinus, while R. raoultii was found in D. reticulatus. This indicates a risk of rickettsiosis in popular tourist urban habitats in Ukraine.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Bo Bodker Jensen, Nanna Skaarup Andersen, Silke Woelfel, Ming Chen, Helene M. Paarup, Carsten Riis Olesen, Pierre Edouard Fournier, Per Moestrup Jensen, Sigurdur Skarphedinsson
Summary: Rickettsia helvetica infection rate in ticks in Denmark is 4.9%, with higher rates in adult ticks. The prevalence of anti-R. helvetica antibodies in roe deer is 2.8% and 6% in Lyme neuroborreliosis patients.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nicole Y. Burkhardt, Lisa D. Price, Xin-Ru Wang, Chan C. Heu, Gerald D. Baldridge, Ulrike G. Munderloh, Timothy J. Kurtti
Summary: The study describes the isolation of a complete plasmid (pRM658B) from Rickettsia monacensis and the construction of shuttle vectors based on this plasmid. The vectors were successfully used for transformation of various Rickettsia species, demonstrating the retention of the native plasmid and the efficiency of the shuttle vectors. Additionally, the study reveals a reduced copy number of the native plasmid in the transformed Rickettsia strains. The findings provide valuable insights into the maintenance of plasmids and shuttle vectors in Rickettsiae.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yana Igolkina, Vera Rar, Elena Krasnova, Eugenia Filimonova, Artem Tikunov, Tamara Epikhina, Nina Tikunova
Summary: This study aimed to determine the etiologic agents of tick-borne rickettsioses in Western Siberia during three epidemiological seasons. The findings showed that Rickettsia raoultii is a common agent of tick-borne rickettsioses in Novosibirsk Province, and DNA from Rickettsia aeschlimannii and Rickettsia slovaca was found in clinical samples of patients in the Russian Federation for the first time.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Misbah Tariq, Jun-Won Seo, Da Young Kim, Merlin Jayalal Lawrence Panchali, Na Ra Yun, You Mi Lee, Choon-Mee Kim, Dong-Min Kim
Summary: The study reports the first detection of R. raoultii in ticks in South Korea, extending the geographical distribution of the pathogen. Screening human samples for this pathogen will provide insight into the prevalence of rickettsial infections in the region.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Iftikhar Ahmad, Shafi Ullah, Abdulaziz Alouffi, Mashal M. Almutairi, Muhammad Numan, Tetsuya Tanaka, Shun-Chung Chang, Chien-Chin Chen, Abid Ali, Clive J. C. Phillips, Francesca Mancianti, Simona Nardoni, Valentina Virginia Ebani
Summary: This study provides the first morphological and molecular confirmation of Dermacentor marginatus in Pakistan, along with the identification of associated pathogens Anaplasma marginale and Rickettsia raoultii. The findings are significant for understanding the ticks and associated pathogens in the northern areas of Pakistan.
Article
Microbiology
Qiao-Cheng Chang, Yang Hu, Ting-Ting Wu, Xiao-Xiao Ma, Bao-Gui Jiang, Na Jia, An-Qi Wang, Jia-Fu Jiang
Summary: Through molecular examination, this study identified the presence of R. raoultii gene sequences in horses and their ticks in China, indicating the potential role of horses in the epidemiology of R. raoultii.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Lucyna Kirczuk, Mariusz Piotrowski, Anna Rymaszewska
Summary: Tick-borne pathogens monitoring is a significant issue in global medical and veterinary fields. This study used PCR technique to detect pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Northwest Poland, finding DNA of Rickettsia spp. and A. phagocytophilum, with R. helvetica as the only species of Rickettsia present.
Article
Microbiology
Yana Igolkina, Valeriy Yakimenko, Artem Tikunov, Tamara Epikhina, Aleksey Tancev, Nina Tikunova, Vera Rar
Summary: The prevalence and genetic diversity of Rickettsia spp. were investigated in Ixodes apronophorus, Ixodes persulcatus, and Ixodes trianguliceps ticks from the same habitats in Western Siberia. Rickettsia helvetica was found in I. apronophorus, while Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae dominated in I. persulcatus and I. trianguliceps were infected with Candidatus Rickettsia uralica, R. helvetica, and Ca. R. tarasevichiae. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the high genetic variability of R. helvetica.
Article
Microbiology
Krishnamoorthy Nallan, Veerapathiran Ayyavu, Elango Ayyanar, Balaji Thirupathi, Bhavna Gupta, Panneer Devaraju, Ashwani Kumar, Paramasivan Rajaiah
Summary: A study conducted in a region of India revealed the presence of Rickettsia in ticks collected from the area, with a close relationship to the causative agents of tick-borne lymphadenopathy and flea-borne spotted fever. Further research is needed to determine the diversity, distribution, clinical relevance, and potential risk of these pathogens to the local community. DNA barcoding using the COI gene can help identify tick species.
Article
Microbiology
Neda Baseri, Mostafa Salehi-Vaziri, Ehsan Mostafavi, Fahimeh Bagheri Amiri, Mina Latifian, John Stenos, Saber Esmaeili
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of Rickettsia conorii among suspected Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever patients in Iran. The results showed that Rickettsia conorii is indeed present in Iran and can be misdiagnosed with other febrile syndromes.
Article
Parasitology
Hye-Jin Park, Jeoungyeon Kim, Yeon-Joo Choi, Heung-Chul Kim, Terry A. Klein, Sung-Tae Chong, Ju Jiang, Allen L. Richards, Won-Jong Jang
Summary: This study successfully identified specific rickettsial agents in ticks collected in the midwestern region of the Republic of Korea using qPCR and sequence-based analysis, demonstrating the prevalence of various tick-borne Rickettsia spp. in the area.
Article
Microbiology
Sonia Santibanez, Aranzazu Portillo, Valvanera Ibarra, Paula Santibanez, Luis Metola, Concepcion Garcia-Garcia, Ana M. Palomar, Cristina Cervera-Acedo, Jorge Alba, Jose R. Blanco, Jose A. Oteo
Summary: In recent decades, a tick-borne rickettsial syndrome called DEBONEL has emerged in Europe. This study investigated the etiology of DEBONEL agents in a specific area and found that the most common agent is 'Ca. R. rioja'. No other microorganisms were found in samples where Rickettsia was undetected.
Article
Microbiology
Nurul Aini Husin, Jing Jing Khoo, Mulya Mustika Sari Zulkifli, Lesley Bell-Sakyi, Sazaly AbuBakar
Summary: The study investigated the growth characteristics of R. raoultii in different tick cell lines and found variations in the growth kinetics among the cell lines tested, with IDE8 cells tolerating the highest level of R. raoultii replication. Further studies are needed to better understand the persistence of R. raoultii within tick populations.
Article
Microbiology
Alexey V. Rakov, Tatiana A. Chekanova, Ketevan Petremgvdlishvili, Andrey V. Timonin, Anna V. Valdokhina, Sergey V. Shirokostup, Natalia V. Lukyanenko, Vasiliy G. Akimkin
Summary: The prevalence of tick-borne spotted fever group rickettsioses pathogens was investigated in ticks collected in Barnaul, the administrative center of Altai Krai, Western Siberia. The study revealed that the causative agent of tick-borne lymphadenopathy (TIBOLA), Rickettsia raoultii, was present in 61.9% of Dermacentor ticks samples. Additionally, Rickettsia helvetica was identified in 5.1% of Ixodes ticks.
Article
Microbiology
Karolina Majerova, Ricardo Gutierrez, Manoj Fonville, Vaclav Hoenig, Petr Papezik, Lada Hofmannova, Paulina Maria Lesiczka, Yaarit Nachum-Biala, Daniel Ruzek, Hein Sprong, Shimon Harrus, David Modry, Jan Votypka
Summary: The study showed that cadavers of synurbic mammalian species are a valuable source for pathogen screening, with high infection rates of Bartonella spp. found in three tested mammalian species. Spleen, ear, lung, and liver tissues were identified as the most suitable for detecting Bartonella DNA.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Peter Apari, Gabor Foeldvari
Summary: Tick bite induced alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) following consumption of mammalian meat may be an adaptive defense method against cancer, with specific delayed allergic response fighting cancer.
Article
Ecology
Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano, Laura Tomassone, Manoj Fonville, Luigi Bertolotti, Dieter Heylen, Nannet D. Fabri, Jolyon M. Medlock, Ard M. Nijhof, Kayleigh M. Hansford, Hein Sprong, Aleksandra I. Krawczyk
Summary: Rickettsiella species are common symbionts in a variety of arthropod species, including Ixodes ricinus ticks, with genetic diversity and distribution impacted by geographic location and life stage. Phylogenetic analysis revealed four distinct clades of Rickettsiella, with close relations to other arthropods, and specific isolation patterns for Clades II and IV. Coinfections were observed, but significant associations with other tick-associated bacteria were not detected.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Gabor Foldvari, Eva Szabo, Gabor Endre Toth, Zsofia Lanszki, Brigitta Zana, Zsaklin Varga, Gabor Kemenesi
Summary: This study monitored the potential arrival of adult Hyalomma ticks in Hungary using citizen-science methods, and successfully identified two specimens. The results highlight the effectiveness of citizen science programs in monitoring and assessing the risk of disease emergence.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Tal Azagi, Ron P. Dirks, Elena S. Yebra-Pimentel, Peter J. Schaap, Jasper J. Koehorst, Helen J. Esser, Hein Sprong
Summary: This study presents the complete genomes of Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis derived from wildlife reservoir host tissues using advanced sequencing technologies. This approach offers an alternative to obtaining material from clinical cases and expensive bacterial isolation methods, expanding the potential for laboratory diagnostics. It also has implications for other difficult-to-culture tick-borne pathogens.
Article
Microbiology
Aleksandra Krawczyk, Lisa Rottjers, Manoj Fonville, Katshuisa Takumi, Willem Takken, Karoline Faust, Hein Sprong
Summary: The microbiome of Ixodes ricinus ticks varies greatly and is influenced by geographical factors. Vertically transmitted symbionts show different infection rates at different sites, while geographically close sites exhibit similar proportions of these symbionts. This is in contrast to horizontally transmitted pathogens.
Article
Ecology
Nannet Doreen Fabri, Hein Sprong, Hans Heesterbeek, Frauke Ecke, Joris Petrus Gerardus Marinus Cromsigt, Tim Ragnvald Hofmeester
Summary: This study quantified the link between the ecotypes of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, life stages of the tick Ixodes ricinus, and vertebrate host groups through a meta-analysis. The composition of vertebrate communities was shown to affect the relative abundance of different ecotypes of A. phagocytophilum in different life stages of I. ricinus. Changes in vertebrate communities, such as an increase in red deer abundance and shifts in small mammal population dynamics, could potentially increase the circulation of A. phagocytophilum and pose higher risks to public and veterinary health.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Karin Persson Waller, Kerstin Dahlgren, Giulio Grandi, Maya Louise Holding, Katarina Naslund, Anna Omazic, Hein Sprong, Karin Ullman, Mikael Leijon
Summary: A disease outbreak in a Swedish cattle herd may be caused by an unusual type of Mycoplasma in combination with immune suppression due to granulocytic anaplasmosis caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The latter bacterium is widespread in the herd and also found in wild deer and ticks.
Article
Microbiology
Tryntsje Cuperus, Ankje de Vries, Ryanne I. I. Jaarsma, Hein Sprong, Miriam Maas
Summary: This study found the presence of multiple (tick-borne) zoonotic pathogens in European moles, including spotted fever Rickettsia, Leptospira spp., Bartonella spp., and Hantaviridae. However, no pathogens relevant to humans were found. Although the zoonotic risk from moles appears limited, our results indicate that these animals do play a role in multiple host-pathogen cycles.
Article
Microbiology
Tal Azagi, B. J. A. Hoeve-Bakker, Mark Jonker, Jeroen H. Roelfsema, Hein Sprong, Karen Kerkhof
Summary: This study evaluated the analytical specificity, sensitivity, and robustness of qPCR assays for detecting tick-borne pathogens in human samples. The results showed that the qPCRs performed well and were potentially suitable for human diagnostics. However, further clinical validation and independent confirmation are needed.
Article
Biology
Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano, Alessandro Bellato, Luca Rossi, Marieke N. Hoogerwerf, Hein Sprong, Laura Tomassone
Summary: Wild and domestic animals can be useful sentinels for monitoring diseases that affect public health. In a region of northwestern Italy, an increase in tick densities and the spread of TBEV in neighboring countries led to the screening of wild ungulates for TBEV antibodies, with negative results indicating its absence in the area. However, continued monitoring is necessary due to the spread of TBEV and its vector in Europe.
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
Claude Saegerman, Marie-France Humblet, Marc Leandri, Gaelle Gonzalez, Paul Heyman, Hein Sprong, Monique L'Hostis, Sara Moutailler, Sarah I. Bonnet, Nadia Haddad, Nathalie Boulanger, Stephen Leib, Thierry Hoch, Etienne Thiry, Laure Bournez, Jana Kerlik, Aurelie Velay, Solveig Jore, Elsa Jourdain, Emmanuelle Gilot-Fromont, Katharina Brugger, Julia Geller, Marie Studahl, Natasa Knap, Tatjana Avsic-Zupanc, Daniel P. Ruzek, Tizza Zomer, Rene Bodker, Thomas F. H. Berger, Sandra Martin-Latil, Nick De Regge, Alice A. Raffetin, Sandrine Lacour, Matthias Klein, Tinne Lernout, Elsa Quillery, Zdenek Hubalek, Francisco Ruiz-Fons, Agustin Estrada-Pena, Philippe Fravalo, Pauline Kooh, Florence Etore, Celine M. Gossner, Bethan Purse
Summary: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an endemic viral disease in Eurasia, primarily transmitted to humans through ticks and occasionally through unpasteurized milk products. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has reported an increase in TBE incidence over the years, as well as its emergence in new areas. Through expert knowledge elicitation, we identified nine key drivers for TBE emergence and increased incidence, including changes in human behavior, eating habits, landscape, humidity, difficulty in controlling reservoirs and vectors, temperature, wildlife compartments, increase in autochthonous wild mammals, and distribution of tick species vectors.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano, Daniele De Meneghi, Hein Sprong, Aranzazu Portillo, Jose A. Oteo, Laura Tomassone
Summary: We analyzed the surveillance systems in the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy to identify the ideal elements for monitoring and preventing tick-borne diseases (TBD). The Dutch initiative showed a high level of transdisciplinary collaboration, while Italy and Spain's surveillance systems were based on compulsory notification. The Dutch initiative yielded measurable outcomes, such as a reduction in tick bites and the discovery of new pathogens. However, the initiatives characterized by transdisciplinary collaboration may be more effective in surveillance and prevention of TBD.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Marja J. L. Kik, Ryanne I. Jaarsma, Jooske IJzer, Hein Sprong, Andrea Grone, Jolianne M. Rijks
Summary: The presence of Bartonella alsatica in both wild and domestic rabbits indicates a potential risk of infection to humans when in close contact with rabbits and their fleas.
MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH
(2021)
