Molecular evidence of Rickettsia spp. in ixodid ticks and rodents in suburban, natural and rural habitats in Slovakia

Minichová, Lenka; Hamšíková, Zuzana; Mahríková, Lenka; Slovák, Mirko; Kocianová, Elena; Kazimírová, Mária; Škultéty, Ľudovít; Štefanidesová, Katarína; Špitalská, Eva

doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2094-8

Cited by 42 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…The three nymphs were collected from European robin (E. rubecula) and blackbird (T. merula), which mainly migrate to Norway from Great Britain and Western Europe [41]. The prevalence, 0.4%, is low compared to studies conducted in Europe, both in questing ticks [45,46] and in ticks collected from birds [3,17]. In Great Britain, a study reported a widespread PLOS ONE distribution of R. helvetica in 4/116 questing I. ricinus [47].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from migratory birds in southern Norway

2020

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Birds are important hosts for the first life stages of the Ixodes ricinus tick and they can transport their parasites over long distances. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Rickettsia helvetica in ticks collected from migratory birds in Norway. A total of 815 Ixodes ricinus ticks from 216 birds trapped at Lista Bird Observatory in southern Norway during spring and autumn migration in 2008 were analysed by real-time PCR. B. burgdorferi s. l. was the most prevalent pathogen, detected in 6.1% of the ticks. The prevalence of N. mikurensis, A. phagocytophilum and R. helvetica was 1.2%, 0.9% and 0.4% respectively. In addition, one sample (0.1%) was positive for B. miyamotoi. In total, 8.2% of the ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. Co-infection with B. burgdorferi s. l. and N. mikurensis or A. phagocytophilum was found in 6.0% of the infected ticks. Our results show that all the known major tick-borne bacterial pathogens in Norway are subject to transport by migratory birds, potentially allowing spread to new areas. Our study showed a surprisingly high number of samples with PCR inhibition (57%). These samples had been extracted using standard methodology (phenol-chloroform extraction). This illustrates the need for inhibition controls to determine true prevalence rates.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from migratory birds in southern Norway

2020

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“…These results consolidate previous findings describing the presence of these two Rickettsia species in Ixodes ricinus from the north‐west of Tunisia (Sfar et al, ). Nevertheless, these two species were identified not only in ticks feeding on the common wall lizard from the neighbour country Italy (Tomassone et al, ) but also in rodents blood and infesting fleas and mites from Lithuania (Busaitiene et al, ; Radzijevskaja et al, ) and Slovakia (Minichova et al, ; Miťková et al, ). Furthermore , R. monacensis and R. helvetica are characterized as novel potential human pathogens in Europe (Jado et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Slovakia (Minichova et al, 2017;Miťková et al, 2015). Furthermore, R. monacensis and R. helvetica are characterized as novel potential human pathogens in Europe (Jado et al, 2007).…”

Section: And Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular epidemiology and phylogeny of spotted fever group Rickettsia in camels ( Camelus dromedarius ) and their infesting ticks from Tunisia

Selmi

Saïd

Yahia

et al. 2019

Transbound Emerg Dis

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Rickettsia species are adapted to a wide range of specific animal hosts. Camels (Camelus dromedarius) have been identified as a carrier of various zoonotic pathogens and became a focus of growing public health interest. This study reported the occurrence of rickettsial infection in camels and infesting ticks from five Tunisian governorates. Based on ompB PCR, eight out of 293 camels (2.7%) were found to be infected with Rickettsia spp. Furthermore, 13 tick specimens of Hyalomma impeltatum (10.4%) and 9 of H. dromedarii (8.0%) harboured DNA of Rickettsia bacteria with an overall prevalence rate of 9.2% (22/237). Molecular prevalence of Rickettsia infection varied significantly according to tick infestation for camels and among tick genders. Five rickettsial species, showing a potential public health interest, were revealed by sequencing. Based on ompB partial sequences, five species were identified corresponding to R. aeschlimannii, R. monacensis, R. helvetica and R. massiliae in camels and to R. africae, R. aeschlimannii, R. monacensis and R. helvetica in ticks. Based on ompA typing, three species were revealed corresponding to R. africae and R. monacensis in camels and to R. africae, R. aeschlimannii and R. monacensis in ticks. This is the first report consolidating the hypothesis that camels may serve as potential hosts for Rickettsia spp. and Hyalomma spp. ticks as possible vectors in arid and Saharan areas of Tunisia. The present data highlight the importance of preventive measures and survey that must be implemented in camel herds in order to limit the spread of these vector‐borne bacteria to animals and humans.

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“…Number [137,[141][142][143][144][145][146][147][148][149]. As far as we are aware, there are no published transmission experiments in laboratory animals for either species.…”

Section: Microorganismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Disease Causality of Rare Ixodes ricinus-Borne Infections in Europe

et al. 2020

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In Europe, Ixodes ricinus ticks transmit pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). In addition, there is evidence for transmission to humans from I. ricinus of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia divergens, Babesia microti, Babesia venatorum, Borrelia miyamotoi, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Rickettsia helvetica and Rickettsia monacensis. However, whether infection with these potential tick-borne pathogens results in human disease has not been fully demonstrated for all of these tick-borne microorganisms. To evaluate the available evidence for a causative relation between infection and disease, the current study analyses European case reports published from 2008 to 2018, supplemented with information derived from epidemiological and experimental studies. The evidence for human disease causality in Europe found in this review appeared to be strongest for A. phagocytophilum and B. divergens. Nonetheless, some knowledge gaps still exist. Importantly, comprehensive evidence for pathogenicity is lacking for the remaining tick-borne microorganisms. Such evidence could be gathered best through prospective studies, for example, studies enrolling patients with a fever after a tick bite, the development of specific new serological tools, isolation of these microorganisms from ticks and patients and propagation in vitro, and through experimental studies.

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Molecular evidence of Rickettsia spp. in ixodid ticks and rodents in suburban, natural and rural habitats in Slovakia

Cited by 42 publications

References 52 publications

Tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from migratory birds in southern Norway

Tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from migratory birds in southern Norway

Molecular epidemiology and phylogeny of spotted fever group Rickettsia in camels ( Camelus dromedarius ) and their infesting ticks from Tunisia

Evaluation of Disease Causality of Rare Ixodes ricinus-Borne Infections in Europe

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