Zoonotic tick-borne bacteria among wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Central Italy

Ebani, Valentina Virginia; Ebani, Domenico CerriValentina Virginia; Bertelloni, Fabrizio; Cecconi, Gaia; Sgorbini, Micaela; Cerri, Domenico

doi:10.12980/apjtd.7.2017d6-412

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The 88.9% infection rate in mouflon is higher than the values previously reported from Slovakia [ 57 ] and other European countries, where the prevalences ranged from 4% to 74.4% [ 42 , 106 , 110 , 111 ]. The lower infection rate in wild boar compared to that estimated in cervids and mouflon supports former findings from Slovakia (0–16.7%) [ 24 , 57 , 112 , 121 ] as well as from other sites in central and western Europe (0–14.3%) [ 28 , 58 , 105 , 106 , 110 , 122 – 127 ]. However, it is necessary to note that, in addition to geographical location and habitat, the reported variations of prevalence could be due to the application of molecular detection methods of different sensitivity.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Coxiella burnetii infections have been detected, e.g. in red deer [ 114 ], but not in wild boar from central Italy [ 127 ], and in red deer from the Iberian Peninsula [ 56 ], suggesting a reservoir role of red deer. In eastern Slovakia, exposure to C. burnetii was previously determined in game animals (up to 28.3% fallow deer and 29.6% mouflon) by routine seroscreening [ 144 , 145 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Infections of free-living ungulates and their ticks with multiple microorganisms are common in natural habitats of Europe and have been reported, e.g. from Poland [ 58 , 119 ], Germany [ 38 , 42 ], Austria [ 111 ], Italy [ 114 , 127 , 128 ] and Switzerland [ 39 ]. Double infections with A. phagocytophilum and Theileria were found, e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diverse tick-borne microorganisms identified in free-living ungulates in Slovakia

et al. 2018

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BackgroundFree-living ungulates are hosts of ixodid ticks and reservoirs of tick-borne microorganisms in central Europe and many regions around the world. Tissue samples and engorged ticks were obtained from roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, and wild boar hunted in deciduous forests of south-western Slovakia. DNA isolated from these samples was screened for the presence of tick-borne microorganisms by PCR-based methods.ResultsTicks were found to infest all examined ungulate species. The principal infesting tick was Ixodes ricinus, identified on 90.4% of wildlife, and included all developmental stages. Larvae and nymphs of Haemaphysalis concinna were feeding on 9.6% of wildlife. Two specimens of Dermacentor reticulatus were also identified. Ungulates were positive for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found to infect 96.1% of cervids, 88.9% of mouflon, and 28.2% of wild boar, whereas Theileria spp. was detected only in cervids (94.6%). Importantly, a high rate of cervids (89%) showed mixed infections with both these microorganisms. In addition to A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp., Rickettsia helvetica, R. monacensis, unidentified Rickettsia sp., Coxiella burnetii, “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis”, Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) and Babesia venatorum were identified in engorged I. ricinus. Furthermore, A. phagocytophilum, Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. were detected in engorged H. concinna. Analysis of 16S rRNA and groEL gene sequences revealed the presence of five and two A. phagocytophilum variants, respectively, among which sequences identified in wild boar showed identity to the sequence of the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Phylogenetic analysis of Theileria 18S rRNA gene sequences amplified from cervids and engorged I. ricinus ticks segregated jointly with sequences of T. capreoli isolates into a moderately supported monophyletic clade.ConclusionsThe findings indicate that free-living ungulates are reservoirs for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. and engorged ixodid ticks attached to ungulates are good sentinels for the presence of agents of public and veterinary concern. Further analyses of the A. phagocytophilum genetic variants and Theileria species and their associations with vector ticks and free-living ungulates are required.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3068-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diverse tick-borne microorganisms identified in free-living ungulates in Slovakia

et al. 2018

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“…This evidence supports their reservoir role [ 16 , 41 ]. Previous Italian studies reported both similar [ 37 , 42 , 43 ] and much lower prevalence data in wild ungulates [ 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ]. A. phagocytophilum was also frequently detected in the other wild ruminant species, i.e., mouflon (75%), chamois (77.8%), and fallow deer (100%).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Ecotyping of Anaplasma phagocytophilum from Wild Ungulates and Ticks Shows Circulation of Zoonotic Strains in Northeastern Italy

Grassi

Franzo

Martini

et al. 2021

Animals

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Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A. phagocytophilum) is a tick-borne pathogen causing disease in both humans and animals. Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) is an emerging disease, but despite the remarkable prevalence in European ticks and wild animals, human infection appears underdiagnosed. Several genetic variants are circulating in Europe, including the zoonotic ecotype I. This study investigated A. phagocytophilum occurrence in wild ungulates and their ectoparasites in an area where HGA has been reported. Blood samples from wild ungulates and ectoparasites were screened by biomolecular methods targeting the mps2 gene. The groEL gene was amplified and sequenced to perform genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 188 blood samples were collected from different wild ungulates species showing an overall prevalence of 63.8% (88.7% in wild ruminants and 3.6% in wild boars). The prevalence of A. phagocytophilum DNA in ticks (manly Ixodes ricinus), and keds collected from wild ruminants was high, reflecting the high infection rates obtained in their hosts. Among ticks collected from wild boars (Hyalomma marginatum and Dermacentor marginatus) no DNA was detected. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the presence of ecotype I and II. To date, this is the first Italian report of ecotype I in alpine chamois, mouflon, and wild boar species. These findings suggest their role in HGA epidemiology, and the high prevalence detected in this study highlights that this human tick-borne disease deserves further attention.

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“…Furthermore, piroplasms and B. burgdorferi s.l. infections have only been detected sporadically in this wild ungulate (Ebani et al., 2017; Faria et al., 2015; Pereira et al., 2016; Zanet et al., 2014). These findings appear to indicate that wild boar does not play a relevant role as natural reservoir of the selected TBP in the present study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Prevalence of selected tick‐borne pathogens in wild ungulates and ticks in southern Spain

Cao

Adaszek

Dzięgiel

et al. 2021

Transbounding Emerging Dis

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A survey study was carried out to assess the occurrence of selected tick‐borne pathogens (TBP) in wild ungulates in Mediterranean ecosystems in southern Spain. Spleen samples were collected from 1,132 wild ungulates, including 578 red deer, 269 wild boar, 135 mouflon, 121 fallow deer and 29 roe deer, between 2009 and 2015. Eighty‐nine ticks collected from TBP‐positive animals were also analysed. Samples were tested by PCR and sequenced whenever possible. TBP DNA was detected in 127 of 863 wild ruminants (14.7%; 95% CI: 12.4–17.3) including the following: Anaplasma phagocytophilum (9.2%), Babesia divergens (2.9%), Theileria sp. OT3 (1.7%), Borrelia afzelii (0.7%) and Theileria capreoli (0.2%), but no positive samples were detected in wild boar (0/269). All the strains from mouflon were identified as Theileria sp. OT3, while B. divergens and T. capreoli were mainly found in red deer. Co‐infection with A. phagocytophilum and B. divergens, and A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. was detected in red deer and mouflon, respectively. The risk factor analysis showed that the prevalences of A. phagocytophilum and piroplasms were species‐related. Eighty‐nine tick specimens collected from ungulates found to be infected with the selected TBP were identified as Hyalomma lusitanicum (95.5%) and Ixodes ricinus (4.5%). Thirty ticks were positive for Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp. (33.7%), 25 for Babesia/Theileria (28.1%) and two for B. burgdorferi s.l. (2.3%). Eleven specimens showed co‐infections with Anaplasma/Ehrlichia and Babesia/Theileria (10.1%) or Anaplasma/Ehrlichia and B. burgdorferi s.l. (2.3%). The estimated prevalences obtained in the present study suggest the possible contribution of wild ruminants to the maintenance of some selected TBP in Mediterranean ecosystems in southern Spain, while the role of wild boar in the epidemiology of these pathogens seems to be limited in this region.

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Zoonotic tick-borne bacteria among wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Central Italy

Cited by 7 publications

References 22 publications

Diverse tick-borne microorganisms identified in free-living ungulates in Slovakia

Diverse tick-borne microorganisms identified in free-living ungulates in Slovakia

Ecotyping of Anaplasma phagocytophilum from Wild Ungulates and Ticks Shows Circulation of Zoonotic Strains in Northeastern Italy

Prevalence of selected tick‐borne pathogens in wild ungulates and ticks in southern Spain

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