<i>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</i>: an emerging tick-borne pathogen in Hungary and Central Eastern Europe

Sréter, T.; Sréter-Lancz, Zsuzsanna; Széll, Z.; Kalman, David A.

doi:10.1179/000349804225003343

Cited by 40 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The likely reasons are related to the many factors, e.g., the occurrence of the vector I. ricinus and the natural reservoirs (e.g., small mammals and deer) of A. phagocytophilum. I. ricinus ticks collected from red foxes (Sréter et al 2004) and from field (Egyed et al 2012) were PCR-positive for A. phagocytophilum, but based on a larger representative tick population data should be collected about the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in Hungary.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seroprevalence of Some Vector-Borne Infections of Dogs in Hungary

Farkas

Gyurkovszky

Lukács³

et al. 2014

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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The first comprehensive study on the prevalence of canine vector-borne pathogens (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, Ehrlichia canis, and Dirofilaria immitis) was carried in Hungary because, except for babesiosis and dirofilariosis caused by Dirofilaria repens, there were no data on their regional distribution and prevalence. In 2011 and 2012, 1305 blood samples were collected from randomly selected, apparently healthy pet dogs in 167 localities of 19 counties of Hungary. All sera samples from dogs were screened for simultaneous qualitative detection of circulating antibodies to E. canis and B. burgdorferi sensu lato and A. phagocytophilum and D. immitis antigen using SNAP Ò 4Dx (IDEXX Laboratories). Overall, 170 dogs (13.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 11-15) were serologically positive to one or more of the tested pathogens. A. phagocytophilum was the most prevalent pathogen detected in 102 dogs by antibody titers (7.9%, 95% CI 6.5-9.5), followed by D. immitis (2.4%, 95% CI 1.0-4.0, n = 64) and B. burgdorferi (0.4%, 95% CI 0.0-1.1, n = 11) out of 1305 tested dogs. The least prevalent infection was with E. canis, with only two positive dogs (0.16%, 95% CI 0.03-0.6). Co-infection was found in eight dogs (0.61%, 95% CI 0.29-1.21), of which seven were seropositive to two pathogens (five with A. phagocytophilum and D. immitis, two with A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi). One dog was serologically positive to three pathogens (A. phagocytophilum, B. burgdorferi, and D. immitis). Purebred and crossbred animals did not show significantly different levels of seropositivity. There was no significant association between the gender and the results of diagnostic testing. Logistic regression analysis showed a higher chance of seropositivity in the older dogs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The prevalence of anaplasmosis has not been studied in dogs or wild canids in Hungary. The rickettsia was only detected with PCR in I. ricinus ticks collected from red foxes (Sréter et al 2004) and in the environment (Egyed et al 2012). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seroprevalence of Some Vector-Borne Infections of Dogs in Hungary

Farkas

Gyurkovszky

Lukács³

et al. 2014

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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“…In Switzerland, none of the red fox sera tested for E. canis were positive (Pusterla et al, 1999), whereas 36% of a red fox population in Israel had detectable E. canis antibody (Fishman et al, 2004). Four percent of red foxes in the Czech Republic were positive by PCR for A. phagocytophilum (Hulinska et al, 2004), and I. ricinus ticks collected from red foxes in Hungary also were PCR-positive (Sreter et al, 2004).…”

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confidence: 99%

Molecular Survey of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia canis in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Central Italy

Ebani

Verin

Fratini

et al. 2011

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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ABSTRACT:During the 2007-2008 hunting season, 150 spleen samples were collected from free-ranging red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in central Italy. The specimens were tested by two nested PCR assays to detect DNA of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, etiologic agent of granulocytic ehrlichiosis of animals and humans, and DNA of Ehrlichia canis, which causes the monocytic ehrlichiosis in canids. None of the foxes were PCR-positive for E. canis; 25 (16.6%) were positive for A. phagocytophilum. No specific gross alterations were detected at necropsy, and no histopathologic lesions found on PCR-positive spleen samples.

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“…Therefore, these host species may potentially be exposed to R. helvetica. R. helvetica is a suspected pathogen in humans, and the symptoms described for infections in humans include fever, headache, arthralgia, and myalgia (1,3,7,21,34). The agent also has been implicated in two cases of fatal perimyocarditis (20,22).…”

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confidence: 99%

Molecular Investigations of Rickettsia helvetica Infection in Dogs, Foxes, Humans, and Ixodes Ticks

Boretti

Perreten

Meli

et al. 2009

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Rickettsia helvetica, a tick-borne member of the spotted-fever-group rickettsiae, is a suspected pathogen in humans; however, its role in animals is unknown. The aims of this study were to establish a R. helvetica-specific real-time TaqMan PCR assay and apply it to the analysis of tick vectors (to determine potential exposure risk) and blood samples from Canidae and humans (to determine prevalence of infection). The newly designed 23S rRNA gene assay for R. helvetica was more sensitive than a published citrate synthase gene (gltA) assay for several rickettsiae. Blood samples from 884 dogs, 58 foxes, and 214 human patients and 2,073 ticks (Ixodes spp.) collected from either vegetation or animals were analyzed. Although the maximal likelihood estimate of prevalence was 12% in unfed ticks and 36% in ticks collected from animals, none of the 1,156 blood samples tested PCR positive. Ticks from cats were more frequently PCR positive than ticks from dogs. Sequencing of the 23S rRNA and/or the gltA gene of 17 tick pools confirmed the presence of R. helvetica. Additionally, Rickettsia monacensis, which has not been previously found in Switzerland, was identified. In conclusion, R. helvetica was frequently detected in the tick population but not in blood samples. Nevertheless, due to the broad host range of Ixodes ticks and the high rate of infestation with this agent (i.e., R. helvetica was 13 times more frequent in unfed ticks than the tick-borne encephalitis virus), many mammals may be exposed to R. helvetica. The PCR assay described here represents an important tool for studying this topic.Tick-borne rickettsioses are caused by intracellular bacteria belonging to the spotted fever group (SFG) of the genus Rickettsia. The latter comprises more than 20 different species, of which an increasing number are known to be associated with human and animal diseases. The SFG rickettsiae are distributed worldwide, and their distribution depends upon the occurrence of tick species. The most common tick in Europe is Ixodes ricinus, which was found to harbor Rickettsia helvetica. R. helvetica is transmitted not only transstadially but also transovarially in I. ricinus. Therefore, this tick is both a vector and a reservoir for R. helvetica. Due to the broad host range of I. ricinus, many mammalian species, including humans, can serve as hosts. Therefore, these host species may potentially be exposed to R. helvetica. R. helvetica is a suspected pathogen in humans, and the symptoms described for infections in humans include fever, headache, arthralgia, and myalgia (1, 3, 7, 21, 34). The agent also has been implicated in two cases of fatal perimyocarditis (20,22).Interestingly, despite the wide distribution of I. ricinus ticks and the high rate of infection of these ticks with R. helvetica that has been reported in several European countries (2,9,18,19,25,29,35,42), larger studies discussing the prevalence of the infection in humans and animals are scarce. No studies evaluating the importance of R. helvetica in pets or farm animals are ...

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Anaplasma phagocytophilum: an emerging tick-borne pathogen in Hungary and Central Eastern Europe

Cited by 40 publications

References 19 publications

Seroprevalence of Some Vector-Borne Infections of Dogs in Hungary

Seroprevalence of Some Vector-Borne Infections of Dogs in Hungary

Molecular Survey of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia canis in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Central Italy

Molecular Investigations of Rickettsia helvetica Infection in Dogs, Foxes, Humans, and Ixodes Ticks

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