Role of the Lizard Teira dugesii as a Potential Host for Ixodes ricinus Tick-Borne Pathogens

Sousa, Rita de; Carvalho, Isabel Lopes de; Santos, Ana Sofia; Bernardes, Carolina de Oliveira; Milhano, Natacha; Jesús, José; Menezes, Diego; Núncio, Maria Sofia

doi:10.1128/aem.07945-11

Cited by 48 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…We identified R. helvetica, R. monacensis and R. hoogstraalii, which are added to R. slovaca and R. raoultii, the two other species that have a natural focus of transmission in our study area, associated to D. marginatus [30]. We detected R. helvetica in few attached I. ricinus larvae, as previously reported in studies on lizards in mountain areas of the Iberian Peninsula [21] and Slovakia [56], Madeira island [7] and the Netherlands [55]. The fact that R. helvetica was also identified in a tail tissue and that we observed ticks exclusively feeding in the axillary region indicates a disseminated infection.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…As reported in previous studies in Spain and Portugal, R. monacensis was the dominant rickettsia species in lizard ticks and infected attached I. ricinus larvae and nymphs [7,21].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…De Sousa et al [7] hypothesise that lizards may also be reservoirs of R. monacensis, the agent of spotted fever rickettsioses [38]. As reported in previous studies in Spain and Portugal, R. monacensis was the dominant rickettsia species in lizard ticks and infected attached I. ricinus larvae and nymphs [7,21].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…in tissues and attached ticks was shown in several lizard species (Table 2). Lizards are considered reservoir of Borrelia lusitaniae [42], and some authors also suggest that they may be reservoir of Spotted Fever Group (SFG) rickettsiae, R. helvetica and R. monacensis in particular [7,21,55]. Interestingly, multiple pathogens (B. burgdorferi s.l., SFG rickettsiae, Anaplasma phagocytophilum) have been shown to co-infect immature I. ricinus ticks feeding on lizards [14,56].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Importance of Common Wall Lizards in the Transmission Dynamics of Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Northern Apennine Mountains, Italy

et al. 2017

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During the investigations on ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBP) range expansion in the Northern Apennines, we captured 107 Podarcis muralis lizards. Sixtyeight animals were infested by immature Ixodes ricinus, Haemaphysalis sulcata and H. punctata. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 3.7% of I. ricinus larvae and 8.0% of nymphs. Together with the species-specific B. lusitaniae, we identified B. garinii, B. afzelii and B. valaisiana. Rickettsia spp. (18.1% larvae, 12.0% nymphs), namely R. monacensis, R. helvetica and R. hoogstraalii, were also found in I. ricinus. R. hoogstraalii was detected in H. sulcata nymphs as well, while the two H. punctata did not harbour any bacteria. One out of 16 lizard tail tissues was positive to R. helvetica. Our results support the hypothesis that lizards are involved in the epidemiological cycles of TBP. The heterogeneity of B. burgdorferi genospecies mirrors previous findings in questing ticks in the area, and their finding in attached I. ricinus larvae suggests that lizards may contribute to the maintenance of different genospecies. The rickettsiae are new findings in the study area, and R. helvetica infection in a tail tissue indicates a systemic infection. R. hoogstraalii is reported for the first time in I. ricinus ticks. Lizards seem to favour the bacterial exchange among different tick species, with possible public health consequences.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…As reported in previous studies in Spain and Portugal, R. monacensis was the dominant rickettsia species in lizard ticks and infected attached I. ricinus larvae and nymphs [7,21].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Importance of Common Wall Lizards in the Transmission Dynamics of Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Northern Apennine Mountains, Italy

et al. 2017

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“…The prevalence of R. monacensis in ticks varied between 1% in Germany, 15% in Serbia, 35% Turkey, and 57% in Italy (299,302). Recently, the DNA of R. monacensis was detected in lizard tissue (7%) and in their I. ricinus ticks (41%) on Madeira Island (Portugal) (303). Those authors suggested that lizards may be a potential or transitory reservoir for R. monacensis.…”

Section: Tick-borne Rickettsiae In Europe Species Identified As Pathomentioning

confidence: 99%

Update on Tick-Borne Rickettsioses around the World: a Geographic Approach

et al. 2013

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SUMMARY Tick-borne rickettsioses are caused by obligate intracellular bacteria belonging to the spotted fever group of the genus Rickettsia . These zoonoses are among the oldest known vector-borne diseases. However, in the past 25 years, the scope and importance of the recognized tick-associated rickettsial pathogens have increased dramatically, making this complex of diseases an ideal paradigm for the understanding of emerging and reemerging infections. Several species of tick-borne rickettsiae that were considered nonpathogenic for decades are now associated with human infections, and novel Rickettsia species of undetermined pathogenicity continue to be detected in or isolated from ticks around the world. This remarkable expansion of information has been driven largely by the use of molecular techniques that have facilitated the identification of novel and previously recognized rickettsiae in ticks. New approaches, such as swabbing of eschars to obtain material to be tested by PCR, have emerged in recent years and have played a role in describing emerging tick-borne rickettsioses. Here, we present the current knowledge on tick-borne rickettsiae and rickettsioses using a geographic approach toward the epidemiology of these diseases.

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Rickettsiales Occurrence and Co-occurrence in Ixodes ricinus Ticks in Natural and Urban Areas

et al. 2018

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Bacteria of Rickettsiaceae and Anaplasmataceae families include disease agents spread by Ixodes ricinus ticks, the most common tick vector in Europe. The aim of the study was to compare the prevalence and co-infection prevalence of particular tick-transmitted Rickettsiales members: Rickettsia spp. (further referred as Rs), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Ap), and “ Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis” (CNM) in I . ricinus ticks in two types of areas, different in terms of human impact: natural and urban. Using additional data, we aimed at investigating co-occurrence of these Rickettsiales with Borreliella spp. A total of 4189 tick specimens, 2363 from the urban area (Warsaw park and forests) and 1826 from the natural area (forests and park in the vicinity of National Parks), were tested for the presence of Rickettsiales DNA by PCRs. The prevalence of selected Rickettsiales was twice higher in urban than natural areas (13.2% vs. 6.9%, respectively). In total ticks, the prevalence of Rs, Ap, and CNM was 6.5%, 5.3%, and 3.6% in urban areas vs. 4.4%, 1.1%, and 2.1% in natural areas, respectively. Co-infections of Rickettsiales were also more prevalent in urban areas (2.6% vs. 0.3%, respectively). The most common Rs was R . helvetica ; also R . monacensis and novel “ Candidatus Rickettsia mendelii” were detected. Positive association between Ap and CNM infections was discovered. Rickettsiales bacteria occurrence was not associated with Borreliella occurrence, but co-infections with these two groups were more common in ticks in urban areas. In conclusion, three groups of Rickettsiales constituted the important part of the tick pathogen community in Poland, especially in the urbanized central Poland (Mazovia). In the Warsaw agglomeration, there is a greater risk of encountering the I . ricinus tick infected with Rickettsiales and co-infected with Lyme spirochaetes, in comparison to natural areas. This finding raises the question whether cities might in fact be the hot spots for TBDs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00248-018-1269-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Role of the Lizard Teira dugesii as a Potential Host for Ixodes ricinus Tick-Borne Pathogens

Abstract: ABSTRACTPCR screening of ticks and tissue samples collected from 151Teira dugesiilizards seems to indicate a potential role of this lizard species in the maintenance and transmission cycle of someIxodes ricinustick-borne agents, such asRickettsia monacensis, Show more

Cited by 48 publications

References 18 publications

Importance of Common Wall Lizards in the Transmission Dynamics of Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Northern Apennine Mountains, Italy

Importance of Common Wall Lizards in the Transmission Dynamics of Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Northern Apennine Mountains, Italy

Update on Tick-Borne Rickettsioses around the World: a Geographic Approach

Rickettsiales Occurrence and Co-occurrence in Ixodes ricinus Ticks in Natural and Urban Areas

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