Surveillance of tick-borne encephalitis virus foci in Slovakia: A seroprevalence study in ruminants combined with virus detection in ticks

IF 3.4 2区医学 Q2 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Pub Date : 2025-01-01 DOI:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2025.102444

Martina Ličková , Bronislava Víchová , Markéta Derdáková , Monika Sláviková , Sabína Fumačová Havlíková , Dana Zubriková , Diana Selyemová , Michal Chvostáč , Lucia Blaňarová , Viktória Čabanová , Veronika Vaňová , Lucia Šulejová , Jana Kerlik , Tomáš Szemes , Katarína Šoltys , Boris Klempa

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is an important human pathogen that causes tick-borne encephalitis, a potentially fatal neurological disease. Human infections occur through tick bites or after the consumption of raw milk products from infected animals, causing alimentary outbreaks representing a significant public health problem in Slovakia. In the present study, a total of 1029 ruminant sera (from 672 sheep and 357 goats) from 18 localities, collected in Slovakia during 2017–2019 were initially screened for TBEV-specific antibodies by ELISA, and 98 (9.5 %) of them were confirmed as positive by the plaque reduction neutralization test or immunofluorescence assay. The differences in observed seroprevalence of 11.9 % (80/672) among sheep and of 5.0 % (18/357) among goats were significant. Tick screening was subsequently conducted near the surveyed farms where seropositive animals were identified. Overall, 2,534 ticks (2,528 Ixodes ricinus, 3 Dermacentor reticulatus, 2 Dermacentor marginatus, 1 Haemaphysalis concinna) from 7 collection sites were pooled and analysed by RT-qPCR, resulting in estimated prevalence of 2.86 % (ranging from 0.31 to 8.72 % at different sites). The estimated prevalence in adults was lower (2.15 %) than in nymphs (2.9 %). Positive ticks (all I. ricinus) and milk samples were then used for virus isolation. Three new cell culture isolates were prepared and sequenced. Obtained full-length genome sequences revealed high genetic diversity and phylogenetic clustering with virus strains found across Europe. The seroprevalence of TBEV in farm animals is an effective tool for identifying areas of virus circulation and guiding more in-depth field investigations of local tick populations. This combined approach of serological and virological surveillance provides valuable data for assessing the risk of alimentary TBEV infections and characterizing local TBEV strains.

查看原文本刊更多论文

斯洛伐克蜱传脑炎病毒疫源地的监测：反刍动物血清流行率研究与蜱病毒检测相结合

蜱传脑炎病毒（TBEV）是一种重要的人类病原体，可引起蜱传脑炎，这是一种潜在的致命神经系统疾病。人类感染是通过蜱虫叮咬或食用受感染动物的生奶制品发生的，在斯洛伐克造成严重的公共卫生问题。在本研究中，通过ELISA对2017-2019年在斯洛伐克18个地区收集的1029份反刍动物血清（来自672只绵羊和357只山羊）进行了tbev特异性抗体的初步筛选，其中98份（9.5%）通过斑块减少中和试验或免疫荧光试验证实为阳性。绵羊血清阳性率为11.9%(80/672)，山羊血清阳性率为5.0%(18/357)，差异有统计学意义。随后在发现血清阳性动物的被调查农场附近进行了蜱虫筛查。共收集7个采集点的2534只蜱（蓖麻蜱2528只、网状皮蜱3只、边缘皮蜱2只、附近血蜱1只），采用RT-qPCR方法进行分析，估计流行率为2.86%（不同采集点的流行率为0.31% ~ 8.72%）。估计成人患病率（2.15%）低于若虫患病率（2.9%）。阳性蜱虫（均为蓖麻蜱）和牛奶样本随后用于病毒分离。制备了三个新的细胞培养分离株并对其进行了测序。获得的全长基因组序列显示，与欧洲各地发现的病毒株具有高度的遗传多样性和系统发育聚类。农场动物中TBEV的血清流行率是确定病毒传播区域和指导对当地蜱虫种群进行更深入实地调查的有效工具。这种血清学和病毒学监测相结合的方法为评估消化道TBEV感染的风险和表征当地TBEV菌株提供了有价值的数据。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases INFECTIOUS DISEASES-MICROBIOLOGY

CiteScore

6.90

自引率

12.50%

发文量

185

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases is an international, peer-reviewed scientific journal. It publishes original research papers, short communications, state-of-the-art mini-reviews, letters to the editor, clinical-case studies, announcements of pertinent international meetings, and editorials. The journal covers a broad spectrum and brings together various disciplines, for example, zoology, microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, mathematical modelling, veterinary and human medicine. Multidisciplinary approaches and the use of conventional and novel methods/methodologies (in the field and in the laboratory) are crucial for deeper understanding of the natural processes and human behaviour/activities that result in human or animal diseases and in economic effects of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Such understanding is essential for management of tick populations and tick-borne diseases in an effective and environmentally acceptable manner.