scholarly journals Hedgehogs, Squirrels, and Blackbirds as Sentinel Hosts for Active Surveillance of Borrelia miyamotoi and Borrelia burgdorferi Complex in Urban and Rural Environments

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1908
Author(s):  
Karolina Majerová ◽  
Václav Hönig ◽  
Michal Houda ◽  
Petr Papežík ◽  
Manoj Fonville ◽  
...  

Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex, is one of the most common vector-borne zoonotic diseases in Europe. Knowledge about the enzootic circulation of Borrelia pathogens between ticks and their vertebrate hosts is epidemiologically important and enables assessment of the health risk for the human population. In our project, we focused on the following vertebrate species: European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), Northern white-breasted hedgehog (E. roumanicus), Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), and Common blackbird (Turdus merula). The cadavers of accidentally killed animals used in this study constitute an available source of biological material, and we have confirmed its potential for wide monitoring of B. burgdorferi s.l. presence and genospecies diversity in the urban environment. High infection rates (90% for E. erinaceus, 73% for E. roumanicus, 91% for S. vulgaris, and 68% for T. merula) were observed in all four target host species; mixed infections by several genospecies were detected on the level of individuals, as well as in particular tissue samples. These findings show the usefulness of multiple tissue sampling as tool for revealing the occurrence of several genospecies within one animal and the risk of missing particular B. burgdorferi s.l. genospecies when looking in one organ alone.

Author(s):  
Matthew T Milholland ◽  
Lars Eisen ◽  
Robyn M Nadolny ◽  
Andrias Hojgaard ◽  
Erika T Machtinger ◽  
...  

Abstract Lyme and other tick-borne diseases are increasing in the eastern United States and there is a lack of research on integrated strategies to control tick vectors. Here we present results of a study on tick-borne pathogens detected from tick vectors and rodent reservoirs from an ongoing 5-yr tick suppression study in the Lyme disease-endemic state of Maryland, where human-biting tick species, including Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) (the primary vector of Lyme disease spirochetes), are abundant. During the 2017 tick season, we collected 207 questing ticks and 602 ticks recovered from 327 mice (Peromyscus spp. (Rodentia: Cricetidae)), together with blood and ear tissue from the mice, at seven suburban parks in Howard County. Ticks were selectively tested for the presence of the causative agents of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato [s.l.]), anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum), babesiosis (Babesia microti), ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia ewingii, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and ‘Panola Mountain’ Ehrlichia) and spotted fever group rickettsiosis (Rickettsia spp.). Peromyscus ear tissue and blood samples were tested for Bo. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s), A. phagocytophilum, Ba. microti, and Borrelia miyamotoi. We found 13.6% (15/110) of questing I. scapularis nymphs to be Bo. burgdorferi s.l. positive and 1.8% (2/110) were A. phagocytophilum positive among all sites. Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. was found in 71.1% (54/76) of I. scapularis nymphs removed from mice and 58.8% (194/330) of captured mice. Results from study on tick abundance and pathogen infection status in questing ticks, rodent reservoirs, and ticks feeding on Peromyscus spp. will aid efficacy evaluation of the integrated tick management measures being implemented.


Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 846
Author(s):  
Alice C. C. Lau ◽  
Yongjin Qiu ◽  
Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed Moustafa ◽  
Ryo Nakao ◽  
Michito Shimozuru ◽  
...  

Members of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) complex are etiological agents of Lyme disease (LD), and Borrelia miyamotoi is one of the relapsing fever Borrelia (RFB). Despite the serological evidence of LD in Malaysia, there has been no report from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Thus, this study aimed to detect and characterize Borrelia in rodents and Ixodes ticks from primary forests and an oil palm (OP) plantation in Sarawak. Borrelia yangtzensis (a member of the Bbsl complex) was detected in 43.8% (14/32) of Ixodes granulatus; most of the positive ticks were from the OP plantation (13/14). Out of 56 rodents, B. yangtzensis was detected in four Rattus spp. from the OP plantation and B. miyamotoi was detected in one rodent, Sundamys muelleri, from the primary forest. Further, the positive samples of B. yangtzensis were randomly selected for multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA). The MLSA results of successfully amplified tick samples revealed a clustering with the sequences isolated from Japan and China. This study is the first evidence of B. miyamotoi, a known human pathogen in Malaysia, and B. yangtzensis, which is circulating in ticks and rodents in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, and presenting a new geographical record of the Borrelia spp.


2019 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Kubiak ◽  
Janina Dziekońska-Rynko ◽  
Hanna Szymańska ◽  
Dariusz Kubiak ◽  
Małgorzata Dmitryjuk ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 142 (11) ◽  
pp. 805-810
Author(s):  
Johannes Borde ◽  
Gerhard Dobler ◽  
Siegbert Rieg

Was ist neu? Frühsommer-Meningoenzephalitis (FSME) In Europa nimmt die Ausbreitung von FSME in Richtung Westen zu. Erstmalig ist 2016 ein autochthoner humaner FSME-Fall in den Niederlanden dokumentiert worden. Die FSME-Erkrankungsfälle im Landkreis Reutlingen rücken die alimentäre FSME-Transmission in Deutschland wieder in das Bewusstsein. Tularämie (Hasenpest) Francisella tularensis hat ein breites Wirtsspektrum, von Kleinsäugern bis hin zu Arthropoden, wie z. B. Schildzecken. Die Transmission durch Zeqcken wurde bisher wenig beachtet. Vor dem Hintergrund neuerer epidemiologischen Erkenntnisse sollte auch nach Zeckenstichen mit entsprechenden Symptomen eine Francisella tularensis Infektion in Erwägung gezogen werden. Persistierende Beschwerden bei Borreliose (Borrelia-burgdorferi-sensu-lato-Komplex) Eine aktuelle Studie untersuchte den Effekt einer verlängerten antiinfektiven Behandlungsdauer auf persistierende Symptome, die mit einer Borrelieninfektion (Borrelia-burgdorferi-sensu-lato-Komplex) in Verbindung gebracht werden können. Die Therapie über 2 Wochen führte zu einer quantitativ gleichen und ebenso nachhaltigen Zunahme der Lebensqualität wie ein verlängertes Schema. Borrelia miyamotoi ist ein „Emerging Pathogen“ – erstmalig konnte nun auch in Deutschland ein humaner Infektionsfall nachgewiesen werden.


Microbiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 166 (5) ◽  
pp. 428-435
Author(s):  
Martin Strnad ◽  
Ryan O.M. Rego

Lyme borreliosis is a vector-borne infection caused by bacteria under the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, both in Europe and North America. Differential gene expression at different times throughout its infectious cycle allows the spirochete to survive very diverse environments within different mammalian hosts as well as the tick vector. To date, the vast majority of data about spirochetal proteins and their functions are from genetic studies carried out on North American strains of a single species, i.e. B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. The whole-genome sequences recently obtained for several European species/strains make it feasible to adapt and use genetic techniques to study inherent differences between them. This review highlights the crucial need to undertake independent studies of genospecies within Europe, given their varying genetic content and pathogenic potential, and differences in clinical manifestation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-94
Author(s):  
Dragica Kovačević Berić ◽  
Tibor Molnar ◽  
Morana Miković ◽  
Sara Savić

Lyme disease is the most common vector borne disease in regions with moderate climate. The cause of the disease is Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s.l.), whereas infection is spread via bite from a tick carrying the causative agent. The objective of this work is the examination of descriptive-epidemiological characteristics of Lyme disease in North Backa region in the period from 2012 to 2016. In terms of classifi cation, Lyme dis-ease does not fall into the category of diseases that must be reported when infection occurs among animals. The average rate of incidence in humans during the observed five-year period is 7/100.000. Th e highest incidence of this disease among humans was observed in 2013 (In 12.2/100,000) with 22 reported cases, whereas the lowest incidence was in 2015 (In 5.0/100,000) with 9 reported cases. The highest rate of incidence was recorded in Bačka Topola municipality – 15.9/100.000; followed by Mali Iđoš with 7.2/100.000; while the lowest rate was recorded in Subotica being 5.0 cases per 100,000 residents. Th e presence of the disease was confi rmed in all patients via labo-ratory (serological) tests. Women were more likely to become infected, with the male-female patient ratio being 41%-59%. The disease was documented predominantly among people aged 50-69. The majority of cases were re-corded during spring and summer, in the period from May to June (71%). Among animals, the disease was documented in Subotica and Mali Iđoš municipality, with average prevalence rates among dogs and horses being 0.07%; and 1.52% respectively. Subotica municipality has the most accurate records of cases and a prevalence of 0.06% among dogs, and 1.43% among horses, while Mali Iđoš municipality has higher prevalence, being 2.99% among horses and 0.14% among dogs. The highest occurrence of Lyme disease among animals was documented in 2015, with a prevalence of 2.85% among horses. The presence of causative agents among examined ticks in Mali Iđoš municipality was 16.28% on average, predominantly in 2015 (in 21.21% of examined ticks).


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