Babesia microti: from Mice to Ticks to an Increasing Number of Highly Susceptible Humans

Westblade, Lars F.; Simon, Matthew S.; Mathison, Blaine A.; Kirkman, Laura A.

doi:10.1128/jcm.00504-17

Cited by 59 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Compared with Lyme disease, the incidence of reported anaplasmosis, Powassan virus disease, and babesiosis is several orders of magnitude lower, and their geographic distribution appears to be similar but more restricted; like the distribution of Lyme disease cases, the geographic range of anaplasmosis and babesiosis has similarly spread over time (Figure 4) [7,19,95,98,99]. Over 96% of Lyme disease cases are reported from just 14 states in the northeast, mid-Atlantic and the upper Midwest [95].…”

Section: Incidence and Ranges Of Diseases Caused By I Scapularis-bormentioning

confidence: 99%

The Blacklegged Tick, Ixodes scapularis : An Increasing Public Health Concern

Eisen

2018

Trends in Parasitology

286

202

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In the United States, the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is a vector of seven human pathogens, including those causing Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Borrelia miyamotoi disease, Powassan virus disease, and ehrlichiosis associated with Ehrlichia muris eauclarensis. In addition to an accelerated rate of discovery of I. scapularis-borne pathogens over the past two decades, the geographic range of the tick, and incidence and range of I. scapularis-borne disease cases, have increased. Despite knowledge of when and where humans are most at risk of exposure to infected ticks, control of I. scapularis-borne diseases remains a challenge. Human vaccines are not available, and we lack solid evidence for other prevention and control methods to reduce human disease. The way forward is discussed.

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Section: Incidence and Ranges Of Diseases Caused By I Scapularis-bormentioning

confidence: 99%

The Blacklegged Tick, Ixodes scapularis : An Increasing Public Health Concern

Eisen

2018

Trends in Parasitology

286

202

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“…While P. leucopus is considered to be the natural reservoir, Ixodes spp. ticks are considered enzootic vectors of B. microti (Westblade et al 2017). Given that some flea species may co‐parasitize small mammal hosts with ticks, horizontal transmission of pathogens may occur via a vertebrate host (Sprong et al 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly, if the host was older, then peak parasitemia can be further delayed (Habicht et al 1983). Overall, studies on vector competence of fleas for tick‐borne pathogens and potential co‐feeding between ticks and fleas may warrant further investigation (Westblade et al 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host distribution and pathogen infection of fleas (Siphonaptera) recovered from small mammals in Pennsylvania

Fedele

Poh

Brown

et al. 2020

Journal of Vector Ecology

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The number of recognized flea‐borne pathogens has increased over the past decade. However, the true number of infections related to all flea‐borne pathogens remains unknown. To better understand the enzootic cycle of flea‐borne pathogens, fleas were sampled from small mammals trapped in central Pennsylvania. A total of 541 small mammals were trapped, with white‐footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and southern red‐backed voles (Myodes gapperi) accounting for over 94% of the captures. Only P. leucopus were positive for examined blood‐borne pathogens, with 47 (18.1%) and ten (4.8%) positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti, respectively. In addition, 61 fleas were collected from small mammals and tested for pathogens. Orchopeas leucopus was the most common flea and Bartonella vinsonii subspecies arupensis, B. microti, and a Rickettsia felis‐like bacterium were detected in various flea samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B. microti DNA detected from a flea and the first report of a R. felis‐like bacterium from rodent fleas in eastern North America. This study provides evidence of emerging pathogens found in fleas, but further investigation is required to resolve the ecology of flea‐borne disease transmission cycles.

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“…Blood donors with asymptomatic infections often do not know their infection, thus posing a significant safety hazard to subsequent blood use in patients (Fang and McCullough, 2016). Since the report of the first case of human babesiosis in Yugoslavia in 1957 (Skrabalo and Deanovic, 1957), thousands of cases have been reported around the world, with an upward trend year by year (Westblade et al, 2017). In recent years, the number of human babesiosis cases reached 2,000 per year in the United States (Krause, 2019), and B. microti began to attract worldwide attention due to its widespread distribution in endemic areas, its increased risk for humans and its potential risk in blood transfusion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface Antigen 1 Is a Crucial Secreted Protein That Mediates Babesia microti Invasion Into Host Cells

Guo

et al. 2020

Front. Microbiol.

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Babesia microti, a tick-borne intraerythrocytic zoonotic protozoan, causes most of human babesiosis in the world, and patients usually experience intermittent fever, fatigue, and chills, followed by a combination of additional symptoms and even death in severe cases. Unfortunately, there is no curable drug or effective vaccine available, and the mechanism of related virulence factors in invasion to host cells during the merozoite stage is unclear. Here, we evaluated a secreted protein annotated as B. microti surface antigen 1 (BmSA1) and identified from in vitro culture supernatant by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). BmSA1 fragment was expressed in Escherichia coli to prepare polyclonal antiserum. Western blot analysis revealed the existence of BmSA1 in the lysate of the parasites and the hemolysate of infected red blood cells (iRBCs). Laser confocal microscopy confirmed BmSA1 as a secreted protein with diffuse distribution around the parasites in red blood cells (RBCs). The adhesion capacity of BmSA1 against the host RBCs was tested by RBC binding assays using the recombinant BmSA1 protein (rBmSA1), which was shown to specifically bind to host RBCs. Further in vitro antiserum-neutralization test demonstrated that the growth of parasites could be significantly inhibited by the anti-BmSA1 antiserum. These results indicate that BmSA1 is a crucial factor for B. microti invasion into host RBCs with an important role in host-parasite interactions during the merozoite stage and has the potential use as a vaccine candidate due to its high secretion amount.

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Babesia microti: from Mice to Ticks to an Increasing Number of Highly Susceptible Humans

Cited by 59 publications

References 53 publications

The Blacklegged Tick, Ixodes scapularis : An Increasing Public Health Concern

The Blacklegged Tick, Ixodes scapularis : An Increasing Public Health Concern

Host distribution and pathogen infection of fleas (Siphonaptera) recovered from small mammals in Pennsylvania

Surface Antigen 1 Is a Crucial Secreted Protein That Mediates Babesia microti Invasion Into Host Cells

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