Serological evidences suggest Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection in Cuba

Rodríguez, Islay; Fernández, Carmen; Sánchez, Lizet; Martínez, Bárbara Olaydis Hechavarria; Siegrist, Hans H.; Lienhard, Reto

doi:10.1016/j.bjid.2012.06.020

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…is in accordance with the absence of the main vector of these pathogens, which are hard ticks other than R. sanguineus that have never been reported in Cuba [40]. Regarding B. burgdorferi s.l., there is a previous report in Cuba by Rodríguez et al [41] that described the detection of antiborrelial antibodies and clinical signs resembling Lyme disease in humans, but, according to our research, the existence of B. burgdorferi s.l. still remains unproven.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 62%

Molecular Diagnosis, Prevalence and Importance of Zoonotic Vector-Borne Pathogens in Cuban Shelter Dogs—A Preliminary Study

et al. 2020

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The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of zoonotic vector-borne pathogens, including Anaplasma platys, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia spp. in shelter dogs from Cuba. Blood samples were collected from 100 shelter dogs and examined by molecular methods. Overall, 85 (85%; 95% CI: 77.88–92.12) dogs tested positive for at least one vector-borne pathogen using species-specific qPCR assays. Among the positive samples, E. canis was the most prevalent 62% (95% CI: 52.32–71.68), followed by A. platys 40% (95% CI: 30.23–49.77) and Rickettsia felis 27% (95% CI: 18.15–35.85), whereas 36% (95% CI: 26.43–45.57) showed co-infections. All samples were negative for A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. The presence of 248 Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks collected from the dogs was not statistically associated with the occurrence of infections. Thrombocytopenia was the most frequent haematological alteration found in PCR-positive dogs; it was statistically associated with the presence of E. canis, as well as co-infections (p < 0.05). The phylogenetic analyses of A. platys and E. canis based on 16S rRNA, groEL and gltA genes showed a low genetic diversity between Cuban strains. The present study demonstrates the high prevalence of vector-borne pathogens with zoonotic potential in shelter dogs from Cuba.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 62%

Molecular Diagnosis, Prevalence and Importance of Zoonotic Vector-Borne Pathogens in Cuban Shelter Dogs—A Preliminary Study

et al. 2020

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“…However, no anti-Borrelia antibodies were detected in a blood donor cohort from an urban region with low tick infestation, suggesting that the population of Sierra del Rosario has been exposed to Borrelia spp. and that the detected antibodies are not part of a non-specific background reactivity, as suggested by other authors [28].…”

Section: Tbds In Humanssupporting

confidence: 68%

“…No significant incidence of TBDs has been reported in humans in the country. However, this is an active area of research in Cuba due to the importance of this threat to public health worldwide and the potential risk that this problem may rise in the future [ 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Several institutions have worked during the last 50 years in the study of ecoepidemiology of TBDs, as well as in their prevention and control in the country, achieving meritorious results in many research areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Cuba, Half a Century of Scientific Research

et al. 2020

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Ticks and the vast array of pathogens they transmit, including bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and helminths, constitute a growing burden for human and animal health worldwide. In Cuba, the major tropical island in the Caribbean, ticks are an important cause of vector-borne diseases affecting livestock production, pet animal health and, to a lesser extent, human health. The higher number of tick species in the country belong to the Argasidae family and, probably less known, is the presence of an autochthonous tick species in the island, Ixodes capromydis. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of the ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) affecting animal and human health in Cuba. The review covers research results including ecophysiology of ticks, the epidemiology of TBPs, and the diagnostic tools used currently in the country for the surveillance of TBPs. We also introduce the programs implemented in the country for tick control and the biotechnology research applied to the development of anti-tick vaccines.

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“…In Cuba antiborrelial antibodies and clinical signs resembling Lyme disease have been detected in humans (Rodríguez et al, 2004(Rodríguez et al, , 2012a, but the existence of B. burgdorferi s.l. is still much debated (Dessau, 2012;Rodríguez et al, 2012b). According to our search, no accessible data have so far been published for Costa Rica demonstrating the occurrence of B.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%