Larvae of chigger mites Neotrombicula spp. (Acari: Trombiculidae) exhibited Borrelia but no Anaplasma infections: a field study including birds from the Czech Carpathians as hosts of chiggers

Abstract

Chigger mites were collected from 1,080 wild birds of 37 species at Certak (Czech Republic), in the western Carpathian Mountains, from 29 July to 24 September 2005. The prevalence of infestation with chigger larvae was 7%. A total of 325 chigger specimens from 10 bird species was identified and three chigger species were found: Neotrombicula autumnalis, N. carpathica, and N. inopinata, the latter two species being reported on new hosts. Neotrombicula carpathica is reported in the Czech Republic for the first time. A total of 509 chigger larvae found on 79 host specimens were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. DNA (fragments of the rrf (5S)--rrl (23S) intergenic spacer), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA (epank1 gene). A fragment of specific Borrelia DNA was amplified through PCR in one sample, and the PCR product was further analyzed by reverse line blotting assay, whereby both genospecies of B. garinii and B. valaisiana were proved. This sample pooled five chigger larvae collected from one Sylvia atricapilla on 11 August 2005. No A. phagocytophilum DNA was amplified. We conclude that larvae of the genus Neotrombicula can be infected with Borrelia genospecies originated from their present or former hosts.

Symbiosis in an overlooked microcosm: a systematic review of the bacterial flora of mites

“…For example, the protein-coding genes: ftsZ, groEL, wsp and citrate synthase (gltA) were used in Wolbachia studies (Hong et al 2002;Gotoh et al 2005;Yu et al 2011;Lu et al 2012;Ros et al 2012;Suh et al 2014;Glowska et al 2015;Zhang et al 2015); outer membrane protein B gene, 17 kD antigenic gene and gltA were used for Rickettsia spp. (Literak et al 2008); the epank1 gene was used for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Literak et al 2008); and the 56-kD type-specific antigen gene was used extensively for O. tsutsugamushi (Tamura et al 2000;Pham et al 2001;Khuntirat et al 2003;Lee et al 2011;Liu et al 2013;Seto et al 2013;Shin et al 2014;Takhampunya et al 2014). (Kabeya et al 2010;Kamani et al 2013); gyrB was used for Cardinium (Ros et al 2012;Zhu et al 2012); the 5S-23S ITS was used for Borrelia spp.…”

Trombiculiasis in domestic goats and humans in the state of Maranhão, Brazil

“…Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was detected by Kampen et al (2004) in chiggers collected in Germany. Literak et al (2008) found B. garinii and B. valaisiana in chiggers in the Czech Republic. Chigger mites are usually nonspecific to their hosts and have been reported in several groups of vertebrate hosts worldwide.…”

Trombidiose des Menschen

“…Auch eine Übertragung von Borrelia burgdorferi durch Milbenlarven in Deutschland wird diskutiert [2,3], da mit Borrelien befallene Milben in Deutschland und in Tschechien gefunden wurden. Der Nachweis einer solchen Übertragung von der Milbenlarve auf den Menschen ist jedoch schwierig zu erbringen, und wissenschaftlich fundierte Untersuchungen hierzu fehlen bislang.…”