Novel Relapsing Fever Spirochete in Bat Tick

Gill, James S.; Ullmann, Amy J.; Loftis, Amanda D.; Schwan, Tom G.; Raffel, Sandra J.; Schrumpf, Merry E.; Piesman, Joseph

doi:10.3201/eid1403.070766

Cited by 23 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…We also compared the novel spirochete described here to another spirochete found in bat ticks and partially characterized by Gill and coworkers (2008). We trimmed the glpQ and flaB sequences to match the 368 and 351 base pairs, respectively.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We trimmed the glpQ and flaB sequences to match the 368 and 351 base pairs, respectively. These sequences were aligned with the same regions presented for the other bat tick spirochete (Gill et al 2008) and yielded sequence identity values of 96.5% and 98.0%, respectively. These sequences were also concatenated with the 1,273 base pairs representing the 16S rRNA gene and aligned to yield 98.7% identity between the two spirochetes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The identification of the spirochete as a member of the genus Borrelia was based on a 300-bp sequence of the flagellin gene flaB , which grouped the spirochete closest to Borrelia turicatae and Borrelia parkeri . Gill and coworkers (2008) also used PCR and DNA sequencing to identify another novel species of Borrelia in C. kelleyi , unique from that reported by Loftis et al (2005), but also most closely related to B. turicatae and B. parkeri . Recent serologic studies using an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) with Borrelia hermsii cells as the antigen showed that 3 of 56 big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus , in Georgia had possible exposure to borreliae (Reeves et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterization of a Novel Relapsing Fever Spirochete in the Midgut, Coxal Fluid, and Salivary Glands of the Bat TickCarios kelleyi

Schwan

Raffel

Schrumpf

et al. 2009

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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Bat ticks, Carios kelleyi, from Iowa were examined for the presence of relapsing fever group borreliae. A novel spirochete was characterized by DNA sequence analysis of polymerase chain reaction amplicons for the 16S rRNA, flaB, and glpQ genes in either triturated tick pools or single ticks. All loci and the concatenated DNA sequence of 3,289 bases identified the Carios bacterium as a relapsing fever spirochete most closely related to, but distinct from, Borrelia turicatae. Spirochetes reactive with a Borrelia-specific monoclonal antibody were observed microscopically in the coxal fluid and salivary glands from one tick. These data confirm the presence of a novel species of relapsing fever spirochete in bat ticks and the potential for new enzootic foci for endemic relapsing fever that warrants further investigation. The name Borrelia johnsonii is proposed for this novel spirochete in honor of Dr. Russell C. Johnson.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterization of a Novel Relapsing Fever Spirochete in the Midgut, Coxal Fluid, and Salivary Glands of the Bat TickCarios kelleyi

Schwan

Raffel

Schrumpf

et al. 2009

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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“…Migrating bats can, like birds, cross barriers and move long distances in a short time, and could also have a potential of transporting ticks and tick-borne pathogens, like Bartonella , Borrelia spp. and members of the family Rickettsiales (Gill et al, 2008; Mühldorfer, 2013). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transport of ixodid ticks and tick-borne pathogens by migratory birds

Hasle¹

2013

Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.

182

162

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Birds, particularly passerines, can be parasitized by Ixodid ticks, which may be infected with tick-borne pathogens, like Borrelia spp., Babesia spp., Anaplasma, Rickettsia/Coxiella, and tick-borne encephalitis virus. The prevalence of ticks on birds varies over years, season, locality and different bird species. The prevalence of ticks on different species depends mainly on the degree of feeding on the ground. In Europe, the Turdus spp., especially the blackbird, Turdus merula, appears to be most important for harboring ticks. Birds can easily cross barriers, like fences, mountains, glaciers, desserts and oceans, which would stop mammals, and they can move much faster than the wingless hosts. Birds can potentially transport tick-borne pathogens by transporting infected ticks, by being infected with tick-borne pathogens and transmit the pathogens to the ticks, and possibly act as hosts for transfer of pathogens between ticks through co-feeding. Knowledge of the bird migration routes and of the spatial distribution of tick species and tick-borne pathogens is crucial for understanding the possible impact of birds as spreaders of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Successful colonization of new tick species or introduction of new tick-borne pathogens will depend on suitable climate, vegetation and hosts. Although it has never been demonstrated that a new tick species, or a new tick pathogen, actually has been established in a new locality after being seeded there by birds, evidence strongly suggests that this could occur.

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“…Borrelia sp. Carios spiro-1 and Carios spiro-2, which were recently identified in C. kelleyi in the United States, have been classified into TBRF Borrelia ( 4 , 5 ). The Borrelia sp.…”

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confidence: 99%