Babesial Infections in Humans and Wildlife

Telford, Sam R.; Gorenflot, A.; Brasseur, Philippe; Spielman, Andrew

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-426015-3.50006-6

Cited by 74 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 161 publications

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“…North American B. microti is polyphyletic, suggesting at least two introductions into the subcontinent. The rarity of interbreeding and timing of divergence are consistent with proposed models of allopatric speciation due to glaciation 6 . The genes under positive selection between US and Russian B. microti are candidates for investigating how this parasite adapts to new environments or acquires virulence.…”

supporting

confidence: 83%

“…In the US, the vast majority of cases are due to B. microti , a parasite transmitted by Ixodes scapularis ticks and enzootic in the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus , and other small mammals 6 . Human infection occurs predominantly through the bite of an infected tick but can also occur via transfusion of infected blood products 7 or trans-placental passage 8 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A global map of genetic diversity in Babesia microti reveals strong population structure and identifies variants associated with clinical relapse

et al. 2016

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Human babesiosis caused by Babesia microti is an emerging tick-borne zoonosis of increasing importance due to rising incidence and expanding geographic range1. Infection with this organism, an intraerythrocytic parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, causes a febrile syndrome similar to malaria2. Relapsing disease is common among immunocompromised and asplenic individuals3,4, and drug resistance has recently been reported5. To investigate the origin and genetic diversity of this parasite, we sequenced the complete genomes of 42 B. microti samples from around the world, including deep coverage of clinical infections at endemic sites in the continental United States. Samples from the continental US segregate into a Northeast lineage and a Midwest lineage, with subsequent divergence of subpopulations along geographic lines. We identify parasite variants that associate with relapsing disease, including amino acid substitutions in the atovaquone-binding regions of cytochrome b (cytb) and the azithromycin-binding region of ribosomal protein subunit L4 (rpl4). Our results shed light on the origin, diversity, and evolution of B. microti, suggest possible mechanisms for clinical relapse, and create the foundation for further research on this emerging pathogen.

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supporting

confidence: 83%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A global map of genetic diversity in Babesia microti reveals strong population structure and identifies variants associated with clinical relapse

et al. 2016

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“…These parasites are very important in such domestic animals as cattle, horses, and dogs, where they cause often fatal diseases characterized by fever, anemia, jaundice, and hemoglobinuria (Telford et al 1993). The agent of the Texas Cattle Fever, discovered by Smith and Kilbourne (1893) and later identified as B. bigemina, was the first recognized arthropodborne pathogen of vertebrates.…”

Section: Introduction B Abesioses Are Tick-borne Infections Causedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wild Ungulates as Babesia Hosts in Northern and Central Italy

Tampieri

Galuppi

Bonoli

et al. 2008

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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Babesia and Theileria species were investigated in wild ungulates of Northern and Central Italy. Of 355 blood samples examined, 108 (30.4%) were positive to molecular diagnostics (polymerase chain reaction [PCR] with specific primers and sequencing). The sequence analysis showed that the roe deer is a susceptible host for several piroplasms belonging both to Babesia (31%) and Theileria (14.2%) species, whereas fallow deer and wild boar harbor only Theileria species (49% and 2.6%, respectively). Strains related to B. divergens are highly present (28.3%) in the roe deer, which, however, also harbors Babesia MO1 type and Babesia microti-like organisms. Babesia EU1 type is described for the first time in a roe deer in Italy. The finding in roe deer of Babesia species involved in human babesiosis is of concern for public health, mainly because ecological changes in progress cause the increase of both the deer species and the vector tick populations.

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“…Babesia is a genus of tick-transmitted protozoan parasites that infect the red blood cells (RBC) of a variety of vertebrate animals (Telford et al 1993). In humans, Babesia infections are often subclinical or self-limiting, but they can be severe or even fatal in elderly or immunocompromised individuals (Krause et al 1992;Ruebush et al 1977).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Up-regulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma expression in the spleen and lungs of mice infected with the human Babesia isolate WA1

Hemmer

Ferrick

Conrad

2000

Parasitology Research

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We analyzed cytokine expression in mice infected with the intraerythrocytic parasites Babesia microti and WA1. In C3H/HeN mice, WA1 infections were fatal, whereas B. microti infections were resolved. We propose that the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) contribute to the WA1-associated disease. WA1 infection was characterized by up-regulation of TNFalpha and IFNgamma mRNA in the spleen. Previous studies in WA1-infected mice showed that pathologic lesions occurred primarily in the lungs, including pulmonary edema and intravascular margination of leukocytes. Analysis of cytokine expression in the lungs is important for an understanding of the disease process in WA1-infected mice. Expression of both TNFalpha and IFNgamma mRNA was increased in the lungs of WA1-infected mice. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed the upregulation of these proinflammatory cytokines in the lungs. Expression of TNFalpha and IFNgamma was not up-regulated in the lungs of B. microti-infected mice. The results implicate TNFalpha and IFNgamma in the pathogenesis of WA1-associated disease.

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Babesial Infections in Humans and Wildlife

Cited by 74 publications

References 161 publications

A global map of genetic diversity in Babesia microti reveals strong population structure and identifies variants associated with clinical relapse

A global map of genetic diversity in Babesia microti reveals strong population structure and identifies variants associated with clinical relapse

Wild Ungulates as Babesia Hosts in Northern and Central Italy

Up-regulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma expression in the spleen and lungs of mice infected with the human Babesia isolate WA1

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