Birds as potential reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens: first evidence of bacteraemia with Rickettsia helvetica

Hornok, Sándor; Kováts, Dávid; Csörgő, Tibor; Meli, Marina L.; Gönczi, Enikő; Hadnagy, Zsófia; Takács, Nóra; Farkas, Róbert; Hofmann‐Lehmann, Regina

doi:10.1186/1756-3305-7-128

Cited by 113 publications

(136 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Molecular analysis was also performed with PCR and sequencing, in order to compare the tick with other tick isolates of which relevant data are available in the GenBank. The DNA was extracted from one hind leg of the tick as described (Hornok et al, 2014b).…”

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First record of Ixodes ariadnae in Germany — Short communication

Hornok

Takács

Szőke

et al. 2015

Acta Veterinaria Hungarica

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A long-legged tick was collected from a hibernating greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Based on morphological characteristics as well as on partial COI and 16S rDNA gene sequences the tick was identified as an engorged female of Ixodes ariadnae. The greater mouseeared bat is a new host record for this tick species. Taking into account the geographical position of the collection site and the known migration distance of the greater mouse-eared bat, the present data suggest the autochthonous occurrence of I. ariadnae in Germany. This is the first record of I. ariadnae in Germany, and in any country other than Hungary, where this species has been recently discovered.

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First record of Ixodes ariadnae in Germany — Short communication

Hornok

Takács

Szőke

et al. 2015

Acta Veterinaria Hungarica

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“…However, the competence of birds to function as Rickettsia reservoir capable of transmitting and infecting ticks with rickettsiae is not yet completely understood [29]. A recent study has detected bacteraemia by R. helvetica in wild avian hosts in Hungary [4], but further data about Rickettsia spp. infections in birds are not available worldwide.…”

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confidence: 98%

“…A recent molecular study has been carried out on ticks collected from migratory birds in Italy, which found that they are often carriers of ticks, in particular Hyalomma marginatum, infected by Rickettsia sp, B. burgdorferi s.l., C. burnetii and Babesia microti [5]. However, data about the detection of tick-borne bacteria in birds are scant [4,6,7,8], and in particular, there is no data available on the prevalence of these pathogens among birds in Italy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Serological evidence of exposure to zoonotic tick-borne bacteria in pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)

Ebani¹,

Bertelloni²,

Mani³

2017

Ann Agric Environ Med.

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Introduction and objective. Previous studies on tick-borne pathogens in the avian population have focused mainly on the detection of the agents in ticks collected from birds, but data about the presence of tick-borne bacteria in these animals are scant. The aim of the presented study was to verify the exposure to some zoonotic tick-borne bacteria, in particular, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, and the Rickettsia species of the Spotted Fever Group (SFG), in pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) living in a central Italy area, characterized by conditions favourable for the diffusion of the ticks. Materials and method. Blood serum samples from 276 farm-reared pheasants were examined by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test to detect antibodies against the 4 reported pathogens. Results. A total of 124 (44.92%) birds resulted as seropositive: in particular 3 (1.08%) to C. burnetii, 31 (11.23%) to A. phagocytophilum, 46 (16.67%) to B. burgdorferi s.l., 49 (17.75%) to SFG Rickettsia spp. antigens. Three pheasants resulted positive both to A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. antigens, whereas 2 -both to B. burgdorferi s.l. and SFG Rickettsia spp. antigens. The antibody titers varied from 1:40-1:320. Conclusions. The obtained results show that the pheasants had developed antibodies to the investigated tick-borne agents. For this reason, they seem to be involved in the epidemiology of the studied tick-borne bacteria.

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“…Furthermore, wild birds are among the most mobile hosts, and therefore they may be regarded as hosts with relevant potential in the dispersion of ticks and tick-borne diseases, including rickettsial organisms (ELFVING et al, 2010;HORNOK et al, 2014;BERTHOVÁ et al, 2016). Among 127 species of Ixodidae established in the Neotropical Zoogeographic Region (GUGLIELMONE et al, 2014;NAVA et al, 2014a, b;KRAWCZAK et al, 2015), 39 are found in Argentina (GUGLIELMONE & NAVA, 2005, 2006NAVA et al, 2009NAVA et al, , 2014a.…”

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Rickettsial infection in ticks infesting wild birds from two eco-regions of Argentina

Flores

Costa

Nava

et al. 2016

Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet.

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Several tick-borne Rickettsia species are recognized human pathogens in Argentina. Here we evaluated rickettsial infection in ticks collected on passerine birds during 2011-2012 in two eco-regions of Argentina. The ticks were processed by molecular analysis through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection and DNA sequencing of fragments of two rickettsial genes, gltA and ompA. A total of 594 tick specimens (532 larvae and 62 nymphs), representing at least 4 species (Amblyomma tigrinum, Ixodes pararicinus, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris), were evaluated. At least one A. tigrinum larva, collected on Coryphospingus cucullatus in Chaco Seco, was infected with Rickettsia parkeri, whereas at least 12 larvae and 1 nymph of I. pararicinus, collected from Troglodytes aedon, Turdus amaurochalinus, Turdus rufiventris, C. cucullatus and Zonotrichia capensis, were infected with an undescribed Rickettsia agent, genetically related to several rickettsial endosymbionts of ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex. R. parkeri is a recognized human pathogen in several American countries including Argentina, where a recent study incriminated A. tigrinum as the potential vector of R. parkeri to humans. Birds could play an important role in dispersing R. parkeri-infected A. tigrinum ticks. Additionally, we report for the first time a rickettsial agent infecting I. pararicinus ticks.Keywords: Rickettsia parkeri, endosymbiont, Amblyomma tigrinum, Ixodes pararicinus, passeriformes. ResumoAlgumas espécies de Rickettsia transmitidas por carrapatos são reconhecidos como patógenos humanos na Argentina. Este presente trabalho avaliou a infecção por Rickettsia em carrapatos coletados em aves passeriformes, durante 2011-2012, em duas ecorregiões da Argentina. Os carrapatos foram processados pela reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) e sequenciamento de DNA de dois genes de Rickettsia: gltA e ompA. Ao todo, 594 amostras de carrapatos (532 larvas e 62 ninfas), representando pelo menos 4 espécies (Amblyomma tigrinum, Ixodes pararicinus, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris), foram avaliadas. Pelo menos uma larva de A. tigrinum, coletada de Coryphospingus cucullatus no Chaco Seco, estava infectada com Rickettsia parkeri, enquanto pelo menos 12 larvas e 1 ninfa de I. pararicinus, coletadas de Troglodytes aedon, Turdus amaurochalinus, Turdus rufiventris, C. cucullatus e Zonotrichia capensis estavam infectadas com Rickettsia sp., geneticamente relacionada a vários endossimbiontes riquetsiais de carrapatos do complexo Ixodes ricinus. R. parkeri é reconhecidamente um patógeno humano em alguns países americanos, incluindo a Argentina, onde um estudo recente incriminou A. tigrinum como um provável vetor. Aves poderiam desempenhar um papel importante na dispersão de carrapatos A. tigrinum infectados por R. parkeri. Em adição, relata-se pela primeira vez a infecção por Rickettsia em I. pararicinus.

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Birds as potential reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens: first evidence of bacteraemia with Rickettsia helvetica

Cited by 113 publications

References 26 publications

First record of Ixodes ariadnae in Germany — Short communication

First record of Ixodes ariadnae in Germany — Short communication

Serological evidence of exposure to zoonotic tick-borne bacteria in pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)

Rickettsial infection in ticks infesting wild birds from two eco-regions of Argentina

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