Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases最新文献

{"title":"New rules for the submission of review articles to Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases.","authors":"Olaf Kahl, Ben Mans, Ard Nijhof","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102393","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102393","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"102393"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142299401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne disease","authors":"Audun Olav Dahlberg ,&nbsp;Audun Aase ,&nbsp;Harald Reiso ,&nbsp;Rune Midgard ,&nbsp;Hanne Quarsten","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102391","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102391","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p><em>Neoehrlichia mikurensis</em> infections can cause symptomatic disease, particular among immunosuppressed persons. Long-lasting asymptomatic carriage of <em>N. mikurensis</em> may be common in endemic areas. This study explores possible associations between carriage of <em>N. mikurensis</em> DNA and persistent health complaints in persons who attribute their symptoms to a tick-borne disease.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Eleven persons tested positive for <em>N. mikurensis</em> DNA by PCR in a study cohort of 285 persons reporting persistent health complaints. The 11 persons were tested again in a follow-up sample. Oral doxycycline treatment was given if the confirmatory PCR-test was positive. Treatment response was assessed by telephone interview. Demographics, clinical manifestations, tick exposure, physical health, somatic symptom burden and fatigue were compared to persons with negative <em>N. mikurensis</em> PCR (controls, <em>N</em> = 274).</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Six persons had detectable <em>N. mikurensis</em> DNA in a follow-up sample up to 9.5 months after the index sample. Seven persons (one without a positive confirmative test) received doxycycline treatment. Three reported symptom restitution after completed antibiotic treatment. However, their symptoms were not clearly attributed to infection by <em>N. mikurensis</em>. We did not find any significant differences between infected persons and non-infected controls regarding their clinical manifestations and health burdens.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>We corroborate previous evidence of long-term carriage of <em>N. mikurensis,</em> but cannot infer that to be causative of persistent health complaints.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"16 1","pages":"Article 102391"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000840/pdfft?md5=0d9739b3a6a8cb3dd6b4f91de0b76cb8&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000840-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142168551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical picture and outcome of the first identified case of human Neoehrlichia mikurensis infection in Finland","authors":"Ulla Hohenthal ,&nbsp;Jessica Tikkala ,&nbsp;Varpu Rinne ,&nbsp;Riikka Österback ,&nbsp;Anniina Keskitalo ,&nbsp;Annukka Pietikäinen ,&nbsp;Jukka Hytönen","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102395","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102395","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"16 1","pages":"Article 102395"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000888/pdfft?md5=32f2ba534d7986289de58473e5ee3bdf&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000888-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142168550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contributions of birds to the feeding of ticks at host community level: Effects of tick burden, host density and yearly fluctuations","authors":"Amalia Rataud ,&nbsp;Alex Drouin ,&nbsp;Laure Bournez ,&nbsp;Benoit Pisanu ,&nbsp;Sara Moutailler ,&nbsp;Pierre-Yves Henry ,&nbsp;Maud Marsot","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102390","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102390","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The eco-epidemiology of tick-borne diseases hinges on the abundance and distribution of hosts that sustain tick populations and the pathogens they carry. Research into the role of bird species in the feeding of &lt;em&gt;Ixodes ricinus&lt;/em&gt; ticks, the primary tick species of veterinary and public health importance in Europe, remains scarce. This study endeavors to bridge these knowledge gaps by (i) assessing the density of feeding ticks (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;D&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;F&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;T&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;) within a bird community to pinpoint species making substantial contributions, and (ii) exploring interannual variations in &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;D&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;F&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;T&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; over an extended timeline. Furthermore, we investigate whether variations in individual tick burden (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;T&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;B&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;)&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; were more closely associated with the characteristics of bird species or interannual variations affecting the density of questing tick, using interannual &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;T&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;B&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; variation as a surrogate. To fulfill these aims, we conducted a 13-year longitudinal study monitoring &lt;em&gt;I. ricinus&lt;/em&gt; ticks feeding on a bird community in a periurban forest in France, covering breeding periods from 2007 to 2019. Within this community, we identified seven principal bird species significantly contributing to &lt;em&gt;I. ricinus&lt;/em&gt; tick feeding: the Common Blackbird (&lt;em&gt;Turdus merula&lt;/em&gt;), the Song Thrush (&lt;em&gt;Turdus philomelos&lt;/em&gt;), the European Robin (&lt;em&gt;Erithacus rubecula&lt;/em&gt;), the Dunnock (&lt;em&gt;Prunella modularis&lt;/em&gt;), the Eurasian Blackcap (&lt;em&gt;Sylvia atricapilla&lt;/em&gt;), the Great Tit (&lt;em&gt;Parus major&lt;/em&gt;), and the Common Nightingale (&lt;em&gt;Luscinia megarhynchos&lt;/em&gt;). Our results show that the bird community's contribution to tick feeding remained relatively consistent from year-to-year, though certain years displayed higher or lower &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;D&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;F&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;T&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; values related to the average over the study period. Moreover, five out the seven major species accounted for 80 % to 95 % of &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;D&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;F&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;T&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; annually. Consequently, we emphasized the need to broaden the scope of future research on bird contributions to tick population dynamics beyond merely thrushes (&lt;em&gt;Turdidae&lt;/em&gt; species), to encompass a more diverse range of species, particularly those common birds that engage in ground foraging activities. Furthermore, variations in individual tick burden were predominantly influenced by the characteristics of bird species rather than by interannual variability in infestation rates. This finding suggests a significant role for species-specific traits in determining tick exposure and susceptibility. In conclusion, our study offers new insights into the medium-term dynamics of tick-bird ecological systems, underscoring the need for future study of tick populat","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102390"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000839/pdfft?md5=ed236ab14ee19f506244de66581f9fc7&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000839-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142146659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Description of Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) tartakovskyi using scanning electron microscopy, with notes on the morphology of Pavlovskyella sensu stricto and Theriodoros subgenera","authors":"Sebastián Muñoz-Leal ,&nbsp;Valentina Nova-Cancino ,&nbsp;Adam Sobieski ,&nbsp;Pedro Cachu ,&nbsp;Vasyl Tkach ,&nbsp;Michelle Michalski","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102392","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102392","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Accumulation of DNA sequence data and its use in systematics of the family Argasidae reveals new incongruencies between genera and subgenera, since several groups defined by classical taxonomy appear to be paraphyletic, which is the case of the subgenus <em>Pavlovskyella</em>. In order to identify morphological characters unique to one of the monophyletic groupings within <em>Pavlovskyella</em> and improve its system, we describe all active stages of <em>Ornithodoros</em> (<em>Pavlovskyella</em>) <em>tartakovskyi</em>, a species with an incomplete original description. Larvae, nymphs, males and females from Iran were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The larva of <em>O</em>. (<em>P</em>.) <em>tartakovskyi</em> lacks dorsal plate, posteromedian seta, postcoxal setae and a spinose area in palpal article I; the dorsal surface has 13 pairs of setae and the hypostome has two short rows of denticles in the apex only. The first nymphal instar (N1) has a micromammillated body with faint dorsal and ventral disks. The second nymphal instar (N2) shows mammillated body with an incipient hood, and dorsal disks outlined as in subsequent instars. Both N1 and N2 have a small patch of glabrous surface in the anterior margin of preanal groove, absent in posterior stages. Third nymphal instar (N3) has a small hood and lack cheeks, which are incipient in the fourth nymphal instar (N4). The four nymphal instars (N1–N4) have blunt hypostomes, striated capitula, non-mammillated legs, and 3 humps on tarsi I. Females and males of <em>O</em>. (<em>P</em>.) <em>tartakovskyi</em> have mammillated bodies, small cheeks not covering the capitulum, the anteromedian disk is placed anteriorly to anterior central disks, and a posterior median file of disks is merged with the median disk. We describe all postembryonic stages of <em>O</em>. (<em>P</em>.) <em>tartakovskyi</em> providing morphological characters that define <em>Pavlovskyella</em> sensu stricto and <em>Theriodoros</em>, a sister subgenus that includes similarly shaped species.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102392"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000852/pdfft?md5=e12468f6ca080999dde6540829a3184a&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000852-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142099673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Publicly available surveillance data on tick-borne encephalitis in Europe, 2023","authors":"Frederick J․ Angulo ,&nbsp;Kate Halsby ,&nbsp;Alexander Davidson ,&nbsp;Saiganesh Ravikumar ,&nbsp;Andreas Pilz ,&nbsp;James H. Stark ,&nbsp;Jennifer C. Moïsi","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102388","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102388","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) defines a case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) as an infection by the TBE virus (TBEV) with clinical manifestations of central nervous system inflammation (e.g., meningitis, encephalitis). To better understand the TBE surveillance landscape, online searches were conducted to determine if cases of TBE, TBEV infection, acute meningitis or encephalitis, or viral meningitis or encephalitis were subject to statutory reporting in European countries in 2023. In countries with statutory reporting, notification responsibility and available information on surveillance-reported cases were determined. The number of TBE cases reported to ECDC were compared with the number of cases recorded in national surveillance reports. Of 44 countries of the Europe Region of the United Nations, 37 (84 %) mandated statutory reporting of cases of TBE, TBEV infection, or acute/viral meningitis/encephalitis. Twenty-six (87 %) of 30 countries with identified surveillance reports recorded TBE cases in 2020–2023. Of these countries, 17 (65 %) required TBE reporting by clinicians and laboratories, 5 (19 %) by clinicians only, and 4 (15 %) by laboratories only. Twenty-four countries reported on TBE cases to ECDC in 2020; however, surveillance for TBE in Europe is heterogeneous. Standardization of TBE surveillance would enhance the understanding of TBE disease burden in Europe.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102388"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000815/pdfft?md5=f78ac8bd181addc8942cf9f8b826fe31&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000815-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141977017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental and host factors underlying tick infestation in invasive raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Hokkaido, Japan","authors":"Mebuki Ito ,&nbsp;Miku Minamikawa ,&nbsp;Anastasiia Kovba ,&nbsp;Hideka Numata ,&nbsp;Tetsuji Itoh ,&nbsp;Yuki Katada ,&nbsp;Shiho Niwa ,&nbsp;Yurie Taya ,&nbsp;Yuto Shiraki ,&nbsp;Gita Sadaula Pandey ,&nbsp;Samuel Kelava ,&nbsp;Nariaki Nonaka ,&nbsp;Ryo Nakao ,&nbsp;Ryosuke Omori ,&nbsp;Yuma Ohari ,&nbsp;Norikazu Isoda ,&nbsp;Michito Shimozuru ,&nbsp;Toshio Tsubota ,&nbsp;Keita Matsuno ,&nbsp;Mariko Sashika","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102389","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102389","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Revealing interactions between ticks and wild animals is vital for gaining insights into the dynamics of tick-borne pathogens in the natural environment. We aimed to elucidate the factors that determine tick infestation in wild animals by investigating ticks on invasive raccoons (<em>Procyon lotor</em>) in Hokkaido, Japan. We first examined the composition, intensity, and seasonal variation of ticks infesting raccoons in six study areas in Hokkaido from March 2022 to August 2023. In one study area, ticks infesting tanukis (raccoon dog, <em>Nyctereutes procyonoides albus</em>) were collected in May to July in both 2022 and 2023, and questing ticks were collected from the vegetation by flagging every other week in the same period. Next, we screened 17 environmental and host variables to determine factors that affect the number of ticks infesting raccoons using generalized linear (mixed) models. From 245 raccoons, we identified a total of 3,917 ticks belonging to eight species of two genera: the most prominent species were <em>Ixodes ovatus</em> (52.9 %), followed by <em>Haemaphysalis megaspinosa</em> (14.4 %), <em>Ixodes tanuki</em> (10.6 %), and <em>Ixodes persulcatus</em> (9.5 %). <em>Ixodes ovatus</em> was also predominant among questing ticks and ticks infesting tanukis. Although <em>I. tanuki</em> was frequently collected from raccoons and tanukis, it was rarely collected in the field. The variables that significantly affected the infestation on raccoons differed by genus, species and developmental stage of the tick. For instance, the infestation of adult <em>I. ovatus</em> was significantly affected by four variables: night-time temperature during nine days before capturing the raccoon, the size of forest area around the capture site, sex of the raccoon, and sampling season. The first two variables were also responsible for the infestation on raccoons of almost all species and stages of ticks. Our study revealed that the number and composition of ticks infesting raccoons can be affected not only by landscape of their habitats but also by weather conditions in several days before capturing.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102389"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000827/pdfft?md5=226089a5050c1cc34cdd5de2d102a33b&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000827-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141978602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into Theileria transmission-blocking vaccines for East Coast fever control: A disease with an “outdated vaccination approach”","authors":"C. Ndawula Jr ,&nbsp;P. Emudong ,&nbsp;N. Muwereza ,&nbsp;C. Currà","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102386","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102386","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Instead of using the Infection and Treatment Method (ITM)-based vaccine, is it possible to control East Coast Fever (ECF) through blocking <em>Theileria parva</em> transmission in ticks and cattle? This review pursues this question. It's over 100 years since Arnold Theiler (1912) first illustrated the natural ITM as a vaccination approach against ECF-cattle disease. The approach entails infecting cattle with live <em>Theileria</em> sporozoites and co-treatment with long-acting tetracycline. Building on the ITM principle, the “Muguga”-cocktail ECF vaccine was developed in the 1970s and it remains the only commercially available-one. Although the vaccine induces cattle-protection, the vaccination approach still raises several drawbacks. Of those, the most outstanding is the vaccine-safety. This is implied because after ITM vaccination, cattle revert to <em>T. parva</em> pathogen reservoirs, therefore, during blood meal-acquisition, the ticks co-ingest <em>T. parva</em> pathogens. Ultimately, the pathogens are further transmitted transstadial; from larvae to nymph and nymph-adults and later re-transmitted to cattle during blood-meal acquisition. Consequently, the vaccine-constituting <em>T. parva</em> strains are introduced and (re) spread in non-endemic/ endemic areas. Precisely, rather than eradicating the disease, the ITM vaccination-approach promotes ECF endemicity. With advent of novel vaccination approaches toward vector and vector-borne disease control, ECF-control based on ITM of vaccination is considered outdated. The review highlights the need for embracing a holistic integrative vaccination approach entailing blocking <em>Theileria</em> pathogen-development and transmission both in the ticks and cattle, and/or the tick-population.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102386"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000797/pdfft?md5=0a6f4b7b7b9653f8650133bd6d0de4e5&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000797-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141917843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Amblyomma sparsum Neumann 1899 on migratory birds from Africa: First records in Italy","authors":"Michela Menegon ,&nbsp;Elisa Mancuso ,&nbsp;Marco Di Luca ,&nbsp;Francesca Casale ,&nbsp;Luis Neves ,&nbsp;Andeliza Smit ,&nbsp;Francesco Severini ,&nbsp;Michele Castelli ,&nbsp;Andrea Di Giulio ,&nbsp;Silvio G. d'Alessio ,&nbsp;Maria Goffredo ,&nbsp;Federica Monaco ,&nbsp;Luciano Toma","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102387","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102387","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Migratory birds play an important role in transporting ixodid ticks and tick-borne pathogens between continents. During the Boreal spring, migratory birds reach Europe, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa or from northern African countries but not much is known about the diversity and ecology of the ticks they spread. From 2017 to 2022, in the framework of two consecutive projects focused on sampling migratory birds from Africa to Europe, a total of 27 immature <em>Amblyomma</em> ticks were collected from migratory birds, belonging to 8 species, captured on the Island of Ventotene, an important stop-over site in the Mediterranean Sea. In the absence of adult specimens, morphological identification was limited to assigning these ticks to the <em>Amblyomma</em> genus. In this study, sequencing and comparative analysis of three mitochondrial molecular markers (<em>12S</em> rDNA, <em>16S</em> rDNA, <em>COI</em>) were performed to achieve taxonomic identification. Sequences obtained from Ventotene specimens matched at 100% identity with <em>Amblyomma sparsum</em>. In conclusion, this study documented that immature stages of this species belonging to the <em>Amblyomma marmoreum</em> complex reached the Pontine Islands for six consecutive years. The entry of alien tick species and their potentially transmitted pathogens deserves further study, also in light of the globally ongoing climate change.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102387"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000803/pdfft?md5=356394d0f60ed204fcfe9e130dbf702a&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000803-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141908154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of southern red-backed voles, Myodes gapperi, and Peromyscus mice in the enzootic maintenance of Lyme disease spirochetes in North Dakota, USA","authors":"Michael W. Dougherty ,&nbsp;Nathan M. Russart ,&nbsp;Robert A. Gaultney ,&nbsp;Emily M. Gisi ,&nbsp;Haley M. Cooper ,&nbsp;Lindsey R. Kallis ,&nbsp;Catherine A. Brissette ,&nbsp;Jefferson A. Vaughan","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102385","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102385","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lyme disease has expanded into the Great Plains of the USA. To investigate local enzootic transmission, small mammals were trapped in two forested tracts in northeastern North Dakota during 2012 and 2013. &lt;em&gt;Peromyscus&lt;/em&gt; mice and southern red-backed voles, &lt;em&gt;Myodes gapperi,&lt;/em&gt; comprised over 90% of all mammals captured. One site was dominated by &lt;em&gt;Peromyscus&lt;/em&gt; (79% of 100 mammals captured). At the other site, &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt; (59% of 107 mammals captured) was more abundant than &lt;em&gt;Peromyscus&lt;/em&gt; (36%). Immature stages of two tick species parasitized small mammals: &lt;em&gt;Dermacentor variabilis&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Ixodes scapularis&lt;/em&gt;. Larval &lt;em&gt;I. scapularis&lt;/em&gt; ectoparasitism was significantly higher on &lt;em&gt;Peromyscus&lt;/em&gt; (81% infested; 3.7 larvae per infested mouse) than &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt; (47% infested; 2.6 larvae per infested vole) whereas larval and nymphal &lt;em&gt;D. variabilis&lt;/em&gt; ectoparasitism were highest on &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt;. Over 45% of infested rodents were concurrently infested with both tick species. Testing engorged &lt;em&gt;I. scapularis&lt;/em&gt; larvae from &lt;em&gt;Peromyscus&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 66) and &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt; (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 20) yielded xenopositivity prevalence for &lt;em&gt;Borrelia burgdorferi&lt;/em&gt; sensu lato (s.l.) in these rodents of 6% and 5%, respectively. Progeny of field collected &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt; were used to determine host infectivity for a local isolate of &lt;em&gt;B. burgdorferi&lt;/em&gt; sensu stricto (s.s.). Five &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt; were injected with spirochetes, infested with pathogen-free &lt;em&gt;I. scapularis&lt;/em&gt; larvae on days 10, 20, and 40 after infection, and engorged larvae molted to nymphs. Subsamples of nymphs were tested by PCR for &lt;em&gt;B. burgdorferi&lt;/em&gt; s. s&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt; DNA and yielded infection rates of 56% (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 100 nymphs tested), 75% (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 8) and 64% (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 31), respectively. The remaining infected nymphs were fed on BALB/c &lt;em&gt;Mus musculus&lt;/em&gt; mice and 7 d later, mice were euthanized, and tissues were cultured for &lt;em&gt;B. burgdorferi&lt;/em&gt; s.s. Nymphs successfully transmitted spirochetes to 13 of 18 (72%) mice that were exposed to 1–5 infected ticks. Theoretical reservoir potentials – i.e.&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt; ability to generate &lt;em&gt;B. burgdorferi&lt;/em&gt; infected nymphs – were compared between &lt;em&gt;Peromyscus&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt;. At one site, &lt;em&gt;Peromyscus&lt;/em&gt; accounted for nearly all &lt;em&gt;Borrelia&lt;/em&gt;-infected nymphs produced (reservoir potential value of 0.935). At the other site, the reservoir potentials for &lt;em&gt;Peromyscus&lt;/em&gt; (0.566) and &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt; (0.434) were comparable. The difference was attributed to differences in the relative abundance of voles versus mice between sites and the higher level of ectoparasitism by larval &lt;em&gt;I. scapularis&lt;/em&gt; on &lt;em&gt;Peromyscus&lt;/em&gt; versus &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt; at both sites. The southern red-backed vole, &lt;em&gt;M. gapperi&lt;/em&gt;, contributes to the enzootic maintenance of Lyme disease spirochetes in North Dakota and possibly othe","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102385"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000785/pdfft?md5=1639aa18063521976f7606a8dacfc946&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000785-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141890620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}