Shifts in Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) geno-species infections in Ixodes ricinus over a 10-year surveillance period in the city of Hanover (Germany) and Borrelia miyamotoi-specific Reverse Line Blot detection

Blazejak, Katrin; Raulf, Marie-Kristin; Janecek, Elisabeth; Jordan, Daniela; Fingerle, Volker; Strübe, Christina

doi:10.1186/s13071-018-2882-9

Cited by 35 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(95 reference statements)

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“…Further, co-infection can suppress or enhance additional infections. Regarding co-infections in ticks, many studies examine the co-infection status of different bacterial pathogens [51][52][53] . However, less is known regarding bacterial co-infection and their impact on TBEV infection.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tick populations from endemic and non-endemic areas in Germany show differential susceptibility to TBEV

Liebig

Boelke

Grund

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is endemic in twenty-seven European countries, transmitted via the bite of an infected tick. TBEV is the causative agent of one of the most important viral diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). In Germany, 890 human cases were registered between the years 2018–2019. The castor bean tick, Ixodes ricinus, is the TBEV vector with the highest importance in Central Europe, including Germany. Despite the nationwide distribution of this tick species, risk areas of TBEV are largely located in Southern Germany. To increase our understanding of TBEV-tick interactions, we collected ticks from different areas within Germany (Haselmühl/Bavaria, Hanover/Lower Saxony) and infected them via an in vitro feeding system. A TBEV isolate was obtained from an endemic focus in Haselmühl. In two experimental series conducted in 2018 and 2019, ticks sampled in Haselmühl (TBEV focus) showed higher artificial feeding rates, as well as higher TBEV infections rates than ticks from the non-endemic area (Hanover). Other than the tick origin, year and month of the infection experiment as well as co-infection with Borrelia spp., had a significant impact on TBEV Haselmühl infection rates. Taken together, these findings suggest that a specific adaptation of the tick populations to their respective TBEV virus isolates or vice versa, leads to higher TBEV infection rates in those ticks. Furthermore, co-infection with other tick-borne pathogens such as Borrelia spp. can lower TBEV infection rates in specific populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tick populations from endemic and non-endemic areas in Germany show differential susceptibility to TBEV

Liebig

Boelke

Grund

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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“…In total, 66.0% of all nests and 2.5% of all larvae were coinfected with Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia spp., while for nymphs and adult ticks, coinfection rates between 7.3% and 22.9% have been described in northern Germany [4,37,40]. Furthermore, larvae had a significantly higher probability of being infected with Borrelia spp.…”

Section: Detection Of Bacterial Pathogen Dnamentioning

confidence: 94%

“…5S-23S rRNA IGS region using biotin-linked forward primer 5SCB and reverse primer 23SN2 as published by Tappe et al [39]. For larvae collected during 2015-2018, the biotin-linked forward primer B5S was used instead of 5SCB, and a second, hydrolase-23S rRNA region specific biotin-linked forward primer was added for specific amplification of B. miyamotoi as described by Blazejak et al [40]. Moreover, the RLB setup was modified to include the BisNE1 probe as described by Springer et al [29].…”

Section: Borrelia (Geno-)species and Rickettsia Species Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…and A. phagocytophilum in I. ricinus under field conditions by extrapolating from DNA detection rates in questing tick larvae and, by extension, to estimate the potential infection risk for humans and animals by tick larvae bites. Since prevalence studies in central Europe on questing nymphal and adult I. ricinus report higher numbers of Rickettsia-and Borrelia-than Anaplasma-positive ticks[7,40,43], correspondingly higher numbers of Rickettsia-and Borrelia-positive nests were expected, regardless of the transovarial transmission efficiency. Indeed, both Rickettsia spp.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Transovarial transmission of Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes ricinus under field conditions extrapolated from DNA detection in questing larvae

et al. 2020

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Background: Ixodes ricinus constitutes the main European vector tick for the Lyme borreliosis pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), the relapsing fever borrelia Borrelia miyamotoi, as well as Anaplasma phagocytophilum and several Rickettsia species. Under laboratory conditions, a transovarial transmission to the next tick generation is described for Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia spp., especially regarding B. miyamotoi, whereas the efficiency of transovarial transfer under field conditions is largely unstudied. Methods: In order to better estimate the potential infection risk by tick larvae for humans and animals, 1500 I. ricinus larvae from 50 collected "nests" (larvae adhering to the flag in a clumped manner) were individually examined for Borrelia, Rickettsia and A. phagocytophilum DNA using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Results: Thirty-nine of 50 nests each (78.0%, 95% CI: 64.0-88.5%) were positive for Borrelia spp. and Rickettsia spp. DNA, and in three nests (6.0%, 95% CI: 1.3-16.5%) A. phagocytophilum DNA was detected. Overall, DNA from at least one pathogen could be detected in 90.0% (45/50, 95% CI: 78.2-96.7%) of the nests. Of the 1500 larvae, 137 were positive for Borrelia spp. DNA (9.1%, 95% CI: 7.7-10.7%), 341 for Rickettsia spp. DNA (22.7%, 95% CI: 20.6-24.9%) and three for A. phagocytophilum DNA (0.2%, 95% CI: 0-0.6%). Quantity of Borrelia spp. and Anaplasma spp. DNA in positive larvae was low, with 2.7 × 10 0 Borrelia 5S-23S gene copies and 2.4 × 10 1 A. phagocytophilum msp2/p44 gene copies detected on average, while Rickettsia-positive samples contained on average 5.4 × 10 2 gltA gene copies. Coinfections were found in 66.0% (33/50, 95% CI: 51.2-78.8%) of the nests and 8.6% (38/443, 95% CI: 6.1-11.6%) of positive larvae. In fact, larvae had a significantly higher probability of being infected with Borrelia spp. or Rickettsia spp. when both pathogens were present in the nest. Conclusions: This study provides evidence for transovarial transmission of Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia spp. in I. ricinus under field conditions, possibly facilitating pathogen persistence in the ecosystem and reducing the dependence on

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“…Subsequently it was discovered to be occurring sympatrically with B. burgdorferi sensu lato in several Ixodes species that also transmit Lyme disease spirochetes. These included Ixodes persulcatus in Eurasia [2][3][4][5][6][7], I. scapularis [8][9][10][11] and I. pacificus [12][13][14][15] in North America, and I. ricinus in Europe [16][17][18][19][20]. The prevalence of B. miyamotoi in ticks was found to be usually lower than that of B. burgdorferi s.l.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whole genome sequencing of Borrelia miyamotoi isolate Izh-4: reference for a complex bacterial genome

Kuleshov

Margos²,

Fingerle³

et al. 2020

BMC Genomics

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Background: The genus Borrelia comprises spirochaetal bacteria maintained in natural transmission cycles by tick vectors and vertebrate reservoir hosts. The main groups are represented by a species complex including the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis and relapsing fever group Borrelia. Borrelia miyamotoi belongs to the relapsing fever group of spirochetes and forms distinct populations in North America, Asia, and Europe. As all Borrelia species B. miyamotoi possess an unusual and complex genome consisting of a linear chromosome and a number of linear and circular plasmids. The species is considered an emerging human pathogen and an increasing number of human cases are being described in the Northern hemisphere. The aim of this study was to produce a high quality reference genome that will facilitate future studies into genetic differences between different populations and the genome plasticity of B. miyamotoi. Results: We used multiple available sequencing methods, including Pacific Bioscience single-molecule real-time technology (SMRT) and Oxford Nanopore technology (ONT) supplemented with highly accurate Illumina sequences, to explore the suitability for whole genome assembly of the Russian B. miyamotoi isolate, Izh-4. Plasmids were typed according to their potential plasmid partitioning genes (PF32, 49, 50, 57/62). Comparing and combining results of both long-read (SMRT and ONT) and short-read methods (Illumina), we determined that the genome of the isolate Izh-4 consisted of one linear chromosome, 12 linear and two circular plasmids. Whilst the majority of plasmids had corresponding contigs in the Asian B. miyamotoi isolate FR64b, there were only four that matched plasmids of the North American isolate CT13-2396, indicating differences between B. miyamotoi populations. Several plasmids, e.g. lp41, lp29, lp23, and lp24, were found to carry variable major proteins. Amongst those were variable large proteins (Vlp) subtype Vlp-α, Vlp-γ, Vlp-δ and also Vlp-β. Phylogenetic analysis of common plasmids types showed the uniqueness in Russian/Asian isolates of B. miyamotoi compared to other isolates. Conclusions: We here describe the genome of a Russian B. miyamotoi clinical isolate, providing a solid basis for future comparative genomics of B. miyamotoi isolates. This will be a great impetus for further basic, molecular and epidemiological research on this emerging tick-borne pathogen.

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Shifts in Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) geno-species infections in Ixodes ricinus over a 10-year surveillance period in the city of Hanover (Germany) and Borrelia miyamotoi-specific Reverse Line Blot detection

Cited by 35 publications

References 43 publications

Tick populations from endemic and non-endemic areas in Germany show differential susceptibility to TBEV

Tick populations from endemic and non-endemic areas in Germany show differential susceptibility to TBEV

Transovarial transmission of Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes ricinus under field conditions extrapolated from DNA detection in questing larvae

Whole genome sequencing of Borrelia miyamotoi isolate Izh-4: reference for a complex bacterial genome

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