scholarly journals Genetic Diversity and Coexistence ofBabesiain Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from Northeastern China

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia-Fu Jiang ◽  
Bao-Gui Jiang ◽  
Ting-Ting Yuan ◽  
Michael Von Fricken ◽  
Na Jia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Northeastern China ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Ixodes Persulcatus ◽  
Health Burden ◽  
Human Babesiosis ◽  
Babesia Spp

AbstractBackgroundBabesiosis is an emerging zoonosis in humans with significant and increasing health burden in China. A few systematic reports onBabesiaspp. was involved with ticks, especially in the human babesiosis endemic areas.MethodsThe ticks were collected from 30 individual waypoints along 2.0 km transects in two recreational forested areas in Northeastern China. Then we screened them forBabesiaspp. infection by amplifying the partial 18s rRNA gene with subsequent sequencing. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to access the association between infections and some related risk factors. The cluster analyses were performed using SaTScan v6.0 Software for identifying the geographic cluster of the positive samples in ticks from each waypoint.ResultsA total ofIxodes persulcatus(n=2380) andHaemaphysalis concinna(n=461) ticks were collected. The 0.97% ofI. persulcatusticks were infected with fiveBabesiaspecies, includingB. bigemina(n=6),B. divergens(n=2),B. microti(n=3),B. venatorum(n=11) and one novel strain HLJ-8. Thirteen (2.92%)H.concinnaticks containedB. bigemina(n=1),B. divergens(n=1), three genetic variants ofBabesiarepresented by HLJ-874 which was closely related toBabesiasp.MA#361-1, and eight otherBabesiavariants represented by HLJ242 which were similar toB.crassa. Each study site had 5~6 differentBabesiaspp. One waypoint was more likely to yieldB.venatorum(relative risk=15.36,P=0.045) than all other waypoints.ConclusionsThere exists a high genetic diversity ofBabesiaspp. across a relatively small sampled region. Further study is needed to understand the risks these variants pose for human health.Author SummaryBabesiosis is the subject of increasing interest as an emerging zoonosis in humans with significant and increasing health burden of the disease at recently. In China, many probably human babesiosis cases who had a history of recent tick bite were found in Lyme endemic area in Northeastern China, where the prevalence of Babesia parasite in the ticks still was far underestimated. In the present study, we conducted a field survey for ticks to identify diversities and complexity of babesia, and then to assess the risk of human babesiosis, by means of a three years longitudinal study that mapped the location of the ticks tested positive for Babesia spp. at two forestry areas with a heavy burden of tick-borne pathogens. We firstly presented the prevalence of Babesia spp. especially the genetic diversities and coexistence of seven Babesia spp. including 2 novel species or variants at one small scale “natural foci” in northeastern China. This work is useful to understand the complexity of Babesia pathogen in China, and how the Babesia perpetuates over the long term in the environment, as well as potential risks for human health.

scholarly journals Granulocytic Ehrlichiae in Ixodes persulcatus Ticks from an Area in China Where Lyme Disease Is Endemic

2000 ◽  
Vol 38 (11) ◽  
pp. 4208-4210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wu-Chun Cao ◽  
Qiu-Min Zhao ◽  
Pan-He Zhang ◽  
J. Stephen Dumler ◽  
Xi-Tan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Infection Rate ◽  
Northeastern China ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Ixodes Persulcatus ◽  
Heilongjiang Province ◽  
Ehrlichia Phagocytophila ◽  
Pcr Products ◽  
The 16S Rrna Gene ◽  
Minimum Infection Rate

A total of 372 adult Ixodes persulcatus ticks were collected from vegetation in a forest area of Heilongjiang Province in northeastern China, where Lyme disease is known to be endemic. The ticks were examined for the presence of granulocytic ehrlichiae by heminested PCR with primers derived from the 16S rRNA gene. Of 310 ticks obtained from the Dahe forestry farm, two pools (each containing 5 ticks) were found positive, with a minimum infection rate of 0.6%. Ehrlichial DNA was also detected in one female (1.6%) of 62 ticks collected from the Yulin forestry farm. The overall minimum infection rate of the 372 I. persulcatus adults was 0.8%. The nucleotide sequences of 919-bp PCR products from the three positive tick specimens were identical to each other and very closely related to the members of the Ehrlichia phagocytophila genogroup. This is the first identification of granulocytic ehrlichiae in ticks in Asia and the first report of infection in I. persulcatusanywhere.

scholarly journals Detection of Babesia odocoilei in Humans with Babesiosis Symptoms

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 947
Author(s):  
John D. Scott ◽  
Muhammad S. Sajid ◽  
Emily L. Pascoe ◽  
Janet E. Foley
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
18S Rrna Gene ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrates ◽  
Day Clinic ◽  
Night Sweats ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Human Babesiosis ◽  
Babesia Spp

Human babesiosis is a life-threatening infectious disease that causes societal and economic impact worldwide. Several species of Babesia cause babesiosis in terrestrial vertebrates, including humans. A one-day clinic was held in Ontario, Canada, to see if a red blood cell parasite, which is present in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, is present in humans. Based on PCR testing and DNA sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene, we unveiled B. odocoilei in two of 19 participants. DNA amplicons from these two patients are almost identical matches with the type strains of B. odocoilei in GenBank. In addition, the same two human subjects had the hallmark symptoms of human babesiosis, including night sweats, chills, fevers, and profound fatigue. Based on symptoms and molecular identification, we provide substantive evidence that B. odocoilei is pathogenic to humans. Dataset reveals that B. odocoilei serologically cross-reacts with Babesia duncani. Clinicians must realize that there are more than two Babesia spp. in North America that cause human babesiosis. This discovery signifies the first report of B. odocoilei causing human babesiosis.

Genetic diversity ofBabesiainIxodes persulcatusand small mammals from North Ural and West Siberia, Russia

Parasitology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 138 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. A. RAR ◽  
T. I. EPIKHINA ◽  
N. N. LIVANOVA ◽  
V. V. PANOV
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
West Siberia ◽  
18S Rrna Gene ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Babesia Microti ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Ixodes Persulcatus ◽  
Novosibirsk Region ◽  
The Us

SUMMARYObjective.The aim of this work was to study the prevalence and genetic diversity ofBabesiainIxodes persulcatusticks and small mammals from Ural and Siberia in Russia.Methods.In total, 481 small mammals and 922 questing adultI. persulcatusfrom North Ural (Sverdlovsk region) and West Siberia (Novosibirsk region) were examined for the presence ofBabesiaby nested PCR based on the 18S rRNA gene.Results.Babesia microtiof the ‘Munich’-type was found in 36·2% of blood samples of the small mammals from the Sverdlovsk region andB. microtiof the ‘US’-type in 5·3% of the animals from the Novosibirsk region.BabesiaDNA was not detected in 133 analysedI. persulcatusfrom the Sverdlovsk region; however, it was found in 24 of 789 ticks from the Novosibirsk region. Three distinctBabesiaspecies were detected inI. persulcatus. B. microti‘US’-type was identified in 10 ticks,Babesiaclosely related toB. divergens/B. capreoliin 2 ticks, andBabesiaclosely related toB. venatorum(EU1) in 12 ticks.Conclusion.To our knowledge, this is the first detection ofBabesia sensu strictoinI. persulcatusticks and ofB. microtiinI. persulcatusin the Asian part of Russia.

scholarly journals Ixodes persulcatus Ticks as Vectors for the Babesia microti U.S. Lineage in Japan

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (22) ◽  
pp. 6624-6632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aya Zamoto-Niikura ◽  
Shigeru Morikawa ◽  
Ken-Ichi Hanaki ◽  
Patricia J. Holman ◽  
Chiaki Ishihara
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
18S Rrna ◽  
The United States ◽  
Babesia Microti ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Ixodes Persulcatus ◽  
Principal Vector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Human Babesiosis ◽  
The U.S

ABSTRACTThe U.S. lineage, one of the major clades in theBabesia microtigroup, is known as a causal agent of human babesiosis mostly in the northeastern and upper midwestern United States. This lineage, however, also is distributed throughout the temperate zone of Eurasia with several reported human cases, although convincing evidence of the identity of the specific vector(s) in this area is lacking. Here, the goal was to demonstrate the presence of infectious parasites directly in salivary glands ofIxodes persulcatus, from which U.S. lineage genetic sequences have been detected in Asia, and to molecularly characterize the isolates. Five PCR-positive specimens were individually inoculated into hamsters, resulting in infections in four; consequently, four strains were newly established. Molecular characterization, including 18S rRNA, β-tubulin, andCCT7gene sequences, as well as Western blot analysis and indirect fluorescent antibody assay, revealed that all four strains were identical to each other and to the U.S. lineage strains isolated from rodents captured in Japan. The 18S rRNA gene sequence from the isolates was identical to those fromI. persulcatusin Russia and China, but the genetic and antigenic profiles of the Japanese parasites differ from those in the United States and Europe. Together with previous epidemiological and transmission studies, we conclude thatI. persulcatusis likely the principal vector for theB. microtiU.S. lineage in Japan and presumably in northeastern Eurasia.IMPORTANCEThe major cause of human babesiosis, the tick-borne blood parasiteBabesia microti, U.S. lineage, is widely distributed in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. However, the specific tick vector(s) remains unidentified in Eurasia, where there are people with antibodies to theB. microtiU.S. lineage and cases of human babesiosis. In this study, the first isolation ofB. microtiU.S. lineage fromIxodes persulcatusticks, a principal vector for many tick-borne diseases, is described in Japan. Limited antigenic cross-reaction was found between the Japan and United States isolates. Thus, current serological tests based on U.S. isolates may underestimateB. microtioccurrence outside the United States. This study and previous studies indicate thatI. persulcatusis part of theB. microtiU.S. lineage life cycle in Japan and, presumably, northeastern Eurasia. This report will be important for public health, especially since infection may occur through transfusion, and also to researchers in the field of parasitology.

scholarly journals Stand out from the Crowd: Small-Scale Genetic Structuring in the Endemic Sicilian Pond Turtle

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 343
Author(s):  
Luca Vecchioni ◽  
Federico Marrone ◽  
Marco Arculeo ◽  
Uwe Fritz ◽  
Melita Vamberger
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Microsatellite Loci ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Moderate Degree ◽  
Geographical Pattern ◽  
Genetic Structuring ◽  
Pond Turtle ◽  
Emys Trinacris ◽  
Polymorphic Microsatellite ◽  
Entire Distribution

The geographical pattern of genetic diversity was investigated in the endemic Sicilian pond turtle Emys trinacris across its entire distribution range, using 16 microsatellite loci. Overall, 245 specimens of E. trinacris were studied, showing high polymorphic microsatellite loci, with allele numbers ranging from 7 to 30. STRUCTURE and GENELAND analyses showed a noteworthy, geographically based structuring of the studied populations in five well-characterized clusters, supported by a moderate degree of genetic diversity (FST values between 0.075 and 0.160). Possible explanations for the genetic fragmentation observed are provided, where both natural and human-mediated habitat fragmentation of the Sicilian wetlands played a major role in this process. Finally, some conservation and management suggestions aimed at preventing the loss of genetic variability of the species are briefly reported, stressing the importance of considering the five detected clusters as independent Management Units.

scholarly journals Assessment of Genetic Diversity and Symbiotic Efficiency of Selected Rhizobia Strains Nodulating Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Badreddine Sijilmassi ◽  
Abdelkarim Filali-Maltouf ◽  
Hassan Boulahyaoui ◽  
Aymane Kricha ◽  
Kenza Boubekri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
16S Rrna ◽  
Rhizobium Leguminosarum ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
P Value ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Symbiotic Efficiency ◽  
Rhizobium Strains

A total of 14 Rhizobium strains were isolated from lentil accessions grown at the ICARDA experimental research station at Marchouch in Morocco and used for molecular characterization and symbiotic efficiency assessment. Individual phylogenetic analysis using the 16S rRNA gene, house-keeping genes rpoB, recA, and gyrB, and symbiotic genes nodD and nodA along with Multilocus Sequence Analysis (MLSA) of the concatenated genes (16S rRNA-rpoB-recA-gyrB) was carried out for the identification and clustering of the isolates. The symbiotic efficiency of the strains was assessed on three Moroccan lentil cultivars (Bakria, Chakkouf, and Zaria) based on the number of nodules, plant height, plant dry weight, and total nitrogen content in leaves. The results showed that the individual phylogenetic analysis clustered all the strains into Rhizobium laguerreae and Rhizobium leguminosarum with sequence similarity ranging from 94 to 100%, except one strain which clustered with Mesorhizobium huakuii with sequence similarity of 100%. The MLSA of the concatenated genes and the related percentages of similarity clustered these strains into two groups of Rhizobium species, with one strain as a new genospecies when applying the threshold of 96%. For symbiotic efficiency, the Bakria variety showed the best association with 10 strains compared to its non-inoculated control (p-value ≤ 0.05), followed by Chakkouf and Zaria. The present study concluded that the genetic diversity and the symbiotic efficiency of Rhizobium strains appeared to be mainly under the control of the lentil genotypes.

scholarly journals The Growth of Leaf Lettuce and Bacterial Communities in a Closed Aquaponics System with Catfish

Horticulturae ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 222
Author(s):  
Kenji Yamane ◽  
Yuuki Kimura ◽  
Keita Takahashi ◽  
Isamu Maeda ◽  
Masayuki Iigo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Culture Solution ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Sustainable Cultivation ◽  
Microbial Groups ◽  
Production Period

Aquaponics is a circulating and sustainable system that combines aquaculture and hydroponics and forms a symbiotic relationship between fish, plants, and microorganisms. We hypothesized that feed alone could support plant growth, but the symbiosis with fish adds some beneficial effects on plant growth in aquaponics. In this study, we created three closed culture systems, namely, aquaponics, hydroponics without nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and aquaculture, and added the same amount of feed containing N and P to all the treatments in order to test the hypothesis. Accumulation of NO3− and PO43− was alleviated in aquaponics and hydroponics as a result of plant uptake. Lettuce plants grown in aquaponics grew vigorously until 2 weeks and contained a constant level of N in plants throughout the production period, whereas those in hydroponics grew slowly in the early stage and then vigorously after 2 weeks with a late increment of N concentration. These results suggest that catfish help with the faster decomposition of the feed, but, in hydroponics, feed can be slowly dissolved and decomposed owing to the absence of the fish. The bacterial community structures of the culture solution were investigated using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. At the class level, Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria were the major microbial groups in the solutions. Aquaponics prevented the pollution of tank solution and maintained a higher water quality compared with hydroponics and aquaculture, suggesting that aquaponics is a more sustainable cultivation system even in a small-scale system.

scholarly journals Microbiota analysis and transient elastography reveal new extra-hepatic components of liver steatosis and fibrosis in obese patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Lanthier ◽  
Julie Rodriguez ◽  
Maxime Nachit ◽  
Sophie Hiel ◽  
Pierre Trefois ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Transient Elastography ◽  
Fasting Blood Glucose ◽  
Liver Steatosis ◽  
Liver Stiffness ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Obese Patients ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Index ◽  
Linear Discriminant

AbstractObesity could lead to metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), which severity could be linked to muscle and gut microbiota disturbances. Our prospective study enrolled 52 obese patients whose MAFLD severity was estimated by transient elastography. Patients with severe steatosis (n = 36) had higher ALAT values, fasting blood glucose levels as well as higher visceral adipose tissue area and skeletal muscle index evaluated by computed tomography. Patients with fibrosis (n = 13) had higher ASAT values, increased whole muscle area and lower skeletal muscle density index. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, myosteatosis was the strongest factor associated with fibrosis. Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicon was performed on fecal samples. The relative abundance of fecal Clostridium sensu stricto was significantly decreased with the presence of liver fibrosis and was negatively associated with liver stiffness measurement and myosteatosis. In addition, 19 amplicon sequence variants were regulated according to the severity of the disease. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) also highlighted discriminant microbes in patients with fibrosis, such as an enrichment of Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia/Shigella compared to patients with severe steatosis without fibrosis. All those data suggest a gut-liver-muscle axis in the pathogenesis of MAFLD complications.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Escherichia coli from neighboring small-scale dairy farms

2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 693-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Andrei Rosales-Castillo ◽  
Ma. Soledad Vázquez-Garcidueñas ◽  
Hugo Álvarez-Hernández ◽  
Omar Chassin-Noria ◽  
Alba Irene Varela-Murillo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Structure ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Small Scale Dairy

Detection of Kobe-typeBabesia microtiassociated with Japanese human babesiosis in field rodents in central Taiwan and southeastern mainland China

Parasitology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (6) ◽  
pp. 691-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. SAITO-ITO ◽  
N. TAKADA ◽  
F. ISHIGURO ◽  
H. FUJITA ◽  
Y. YANO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mainland China ◽  
Small Subunit ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Babesia Microti ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Microscopical Examination ◽  
Small Subunit Rrna ◽  
Central Taiwan ◽  
Field Rodents ◽  
Human Babesiosis

SUMMARYField rodent surveys forBabesiainfection were performed from 2002 to 2005 in the vicinities of human babesiosis occurrences in Taiwan and mainland China.Babesia microtiwas identified by microscopical examination and/or PCR in 1Rattus coxingaand 1Crocidura horsfieldiiin central Taiwan and in 13Niviventer confucianusand 1Apodemus agrariusin Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces of southeastern China. Of 15B. microtisamples detected by PCR, all except 1 were shown to be the Kobe-type, the aetiological small subunit rRNA gene-type of the first Japanese patient; the exception was also a Kobe-related type. The Kobe-type had been found in rodents only in a few places including the human infection occurrence place in Japan. The internal transcribed spacer 1 to 2 sequences of the Taiwanese and Chinese Kobe-types were very similar to each other but considerably different (approx. 94% pairwise identities) from that of the Japanese Kobe-type. A Taiwanese Kobe-type strain was serologically differentiated from the Kobe strain originating from the Japanese first patient. The distribution of the Kobe-type in the vicinities of human babesiosis occurrences in Taiwan and China as well as in Japan is suggestive of involvement of the Kobe-type in Asian human babesiosis.

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