Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Molecular survey of Rickettsia spp. in ticks infesting wild animals in six departments in Colombia","authors":"Johnathan Alvarez‑Londoño ,&nbsp;Daniel Felipe Giraldo-Noreña ,&nbsp;Estefani T. Martínez-Sánchez ,&nbsp;Fredy A. Rivera‑Páez ,&nbsp;Nubia E. Matta","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102381","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102381","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ticks are a globally distributed group of hematophagous ectoparasites that parasitize terrestrial vertebrates such as amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Ticks are vectors and reservoirs of pathogens that play an important role in wildlife and human health. <em>Rickettsia</em> is one of the bacteria transmitted by ticks, which some pathogenic species can cause rickettsiosis, a zoonotic disease that can cause serious harm to humans and animals. More information is necessary on the interactions between ticks and wildlife despite the fifty-seven ticks species already identified in Colombia. The objective of the present study was to determine the associations between ticks parasitizing wildlife and bacteria of the genus <em>Rickettsia</em> in six departments of Colombia. One hundred eighty-five ticks (80 larvae, 78 nymphs, and 27 adults) were collected from 55 wildlife species (amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles). Nine tick species were identified, and <em>Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia felis</em>, ‘<em>Candidatus</em> Rickettsia colombianensi’ and <em>Rickettsia parkeri</em> were detected. Our results contribute to the current knowledge of tick-associated rickettsiae and the role of wildlife in their transmission dynamics.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102381"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000748/pdfft?md5=e74705b9d240ba9e128b36a73cca348f&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000748-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141564972","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":"Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) does not transmit Babesia bovis, a causative agent of cattle fever","authors":"Karen C. Poh ,&nbsp;Mitzi Aguilar ,&nbsp;Janaína Capelli-Peixoto ,&nbsp;Sara K. Davis ,&nbsp;Massaro W. Ueti","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102374","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102374","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Asian longhorned tick (<em>Haemaphysalis longicornis</em>) was first reported in the United States in 2017 and has since been detected in at least 17 states. This tick infests cattle and can produce large populations quickly due to its parthenogenetic nature, leading to significant livestock mortalities and economic losses. While <em>H. longicornis</em> has not been detected in Texas, species distribution models have identified southern Texas as a possible hospitable region for this tick. Southern Texas is currently home to the southern cattle tick (<em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em>), which can transmit the causative agent of cattle fever (<em>Babesia bovis</em>). With the potential for <em>H. longicornis</em> and <em>B. bovis</em> to overlap in southern Texas and their potential to negatively impact the national and global livestock industry, it is imperative to identify the role <em>H. longicornis</em> may play in the cattle fever disease system. A controlled acquisition and transmission experiment tested whether <em>H. longicornis</em> is a vector for <em>B. bovis</em>, with the <em>R. microplus</em>-<em>B. bovis</em> system used as a positive control. Transstadial (nymphs to adults) and transovarial (adults to larvae) transmission and subsequent transstadial maintenance (nymphs and adults) routes were tested in this study. Acquisition-fed, splenectomized animals were used to increase the probability of tick infection. Acquisition nymphs were macerated whole and acquisition adults were dissected to remove midguts and ovaries at five time points (4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 days post-repletion), with 40 ticks processed per time point and life stage. The greatest percentage of nymphs with detectable <em>B. bovis</em> DNA occurred six days post-repletion (20.0 %). For adults, the percentage of positive midguts and ovaries increased as days post-repletion progressed, with day 12 having the highest percentage of positive samples (67.5 % and 60.0 %, respectively). When egg batches were tested in triplicate, all <em>H. longicornis</em> egg batches were negative for <em>B. bovis</em>, while all <em>R. microplus</em> egg batches were positive for <em>B. bovis</em>. During the transmission phase, the subsequent life stages for transstadial (adults) and transovarial transmission/transstadial maintenance (larvae, nymphs, and adults) were fed on naïve, splenectomized calves. All life stages of <em>H. longicornis</em> ticks tested during transmission were negative for <em>B. bovis</em>. Furthermore, the transmission fed animals were also negative for <em>B. bovis</em> and did not show signs of bovine babesiosis during the 45-day post tick transmission period. Given the lack of successful transstadial or transovarial transmission, it is unlikely that <em>H. longicornis</em> is a vector for <em>B. bovis</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102374"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000670/pdfft?md5=215732cf088db90a4fffbaf4317cbeaa&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000670-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141543612","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":"Spatiotemporal dynamics of Ixodes ricinus abundance in northern Spain","authors":"Alfonso Peralbo-Moreno ,&nbsp;Alberto Espí ,&nbsp;Jesús F. Barandika ,&nbsp;Ana L. García-Pérez ,&nbsp;Pelayo Acevedo ,&nbsp;Francisco Ruiz-Fons","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102373","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102373","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Ixodes ricinus</em> is the most medically relevant tick species in Europe because it transmits the pathogens that cause Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis. Northern Spain represents the southernmost margin of its main European range and has the highest rate of Lyme borreliosis hospitalisations in the country. Currently, the environmental determinants of the spatiotemporal patterns of <em>I. ricinus</em> abundance remain unknown in this region and these may differ from drivers in highly favourable areas for the species in Europe. Therefore, our study aimed to understand the main factors modulating questing <em>I. ricinus</em> population dynamics to map abundance patterns in northern Spain.</p><p>From 2012 to 2014, monthly/fortnightly samplings were conducted at 13 sites in two regions of northern Spain to estimate spatiotemporal variation in <em>I. ricinus</em> questing abundance. Local abundance of <em>I. ricinus</em> was modelled in relation to variation in local biotic and abiotic environmental conditions by constructing generalised linear mixed models with a zero-inflated negative binomial distribution for overdispersed data.</p><p>The different developmental stages of <em>I. ricinus</em> were most active at different times of the year. Adults and nymphs showed a peak of abundance in spring, while questing larvae were more frequent in summer. The main determinants affecting the spatiotemporal abundance of the different stages were related to humidity and temperature. For adults and larvae, summer seemed to be the most influential period for their abundance, while for nymphs, winter conditions and those of the preceding months seemed to be determining factors. The highest abundances of nymphs and adults were predicted for the regions of northern Spain with the highest rate of Lyme borreliosis hospitalisations. Our models could be the basis on which to build more accurate predictive models to identify the spatiotemporal windows of greatest potential interaction between animals/humans and <em>I. ricinus</em> that may lead to the transmission of <em>I. ricinus</em>-borne pathogens.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102373"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000669/pdfft?md5=929cc2d1f9b04d38244679fed6e654e0&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000669-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141535717","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":"Obtainment of prescribed analgesics among patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis; a nationwide, population-based matched cohort study","authors":"Malte M. Tetens ,&nbsp;Nanna S. Andersen ,&nbsp;Ram B. Dessau ,&nbsp;Svend Ellermann-Eriksen ,&nbsp;Charlotte Sværke Jørgensen ,&nbsp;Michael Pedersen ,&nbsp;Jacob Bodilsen ,&nbsp;Kirstine K. Søgaard ,&nbsp;Jette Bangsborg ,&nbsp;Alex Christian Yde Nielsen ,&nbsp;Jens Kjølseth Møller ,&nbsp;Niels Obel ,&nbsp;Anne-Mette Lebech ,&nbsp;Lars Haukali Omland","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102371","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Radicular pain is the most predominant symptom among adults with Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) but the duration preceding and following diagnosis remains unknown. We aimed to investigate whether patients with LNB have increased obtainment of analgesics before and after diagnosis and for how long.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>We performed a nationwide, population-based, matched cohort study (2009–2021). all Danish residents with LNB (positive <em>Borrelia burgdorferi</em> intrathecal antibody index test and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis) were included. To form a comparison cohort, individuals from the general population were randomly extracted and matched 10:1 to patients with LNB on age and sex. Outcomes were obtainment of simple analgesics, antiepileptics, tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, tramadol, and other opioids. We calculated monthly and six-monthly proportions of individuals with obtainment of analgesics and absolute risk differences.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>1,056 patients with LNB and 10,560 comparison cohort members were included. An increased proportion of patients with LNB obtained analgesics from 3 months before study inclusion, especially simple analgesics, tramadol, and other opioids. Within the 0–1-month period after study inclusion, patients with LNB most frequently obtained simple analgesics (15 %), antiepileptics (11 %), and tramadol (10 %). Thereafter, obtainment of analgesics declined within a few months. A slightly larger proportion of patients with LNB obtained antiepileptics up to 2.5 years after diagnosis.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Up to 3 months preceding diagnosis, LNB was preceded by increased obtainment of analgesics, which suggests diagnostic delay. Importantly, most patients with LNB did not obtain analgesics after the immediate disease course, although obtainment remained more frequent up to 2.5 years after.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102371"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000645/pdfft?md5=2f5f3a899a0e78718cf0da20951f64b9&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000645-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141471948","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":"Incidence, healthcare resource utilization and costs of hospitalized patients with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Italy","authors":"Renzo Scaggiante ,&nbsp;Liliana Guadagni ,&nbsp;Massimiliano Orso ,&nbsp;Daniela d’Angela ,&nbsp;Ciro Carrieri ,&nbsp;Barbara Polistena ,&nbsp;Federico Spandonaro ,&nbsp;Ilaria Bertoldi ,&nbsp;Andreas Pilz ,&nbsp;Katharina Schley ,&nbsp;Raffaella Iantomasi","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102372","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102372","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>Our study's objective was to assess the incidence trends and healthcare resource utilization of hospitalizations for Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) and associated costs in Italy in order to improve public awareness and preventive measures.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>This retrospective observational study was based on the Italian Ministry of Health's Hospital Discharge Record (HDR) database. Data were gathered across Italy from 2015 to 2019, selecting hospitalizations with ICD-9 code 063 related to TBE, both in primary and secondary diagnoses. For each year, we collected the following variables: number of hospitalizations, hospitalization rate, mortality rate, mean length of hospital stay, hospital ward, and cost of hospitalization.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>There were a total of 237 hospitalizations from 2015 to 2019; 62 % of those were male. The lowest number of TBE hospitalizations was in 2015 (21 cases, corresponding to 0.35 per million inhabitants), the highest in 2019 (64 cases, 1.04 per million inhabitants). The summer months saw a greater than average number of hospitalizations. For the years analyzed, the cumulative number of cases peaked in June (54 cases), July (46 cases), and August (35 cases). There were only two deaths registered in our study sample. TBE cases were mostly localized in the North-Eastern regions of Italy. TBE incidence during the study period in the most affected areas were: Autonomous Province of Trento, ranging from 11.2 to 42.3 per million inhabitants, Autonomous Province of South Tyrol, from 0 to 21.1 per million inhabitants, and Veneto Region, from 2.6 to 4.5 per million inhabitants. In the study period, the average length of hospital stay was largely stable ranging from 10.6 days to 12.8 days, with related costs ranging from 5,813.7 € to 7,352.5 €.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>According to our data, the majority of TBE hospitalizations occur in North-East Italy with an increasing trend over the analyzed period. Even though Italy has fewer TBE cases than other neighboring European countries, the health and economic impact can be high in the affected areas.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102372"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000657/pdfft?md5=e6334e3dd8684dc9bbdfe9faf8d0ff18&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000657-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141452027","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 a new tick species, closely related to Amblyomma javanense (Supino, 1897), associated with Varanus bengalensis (Squamata: Varanidae) in Pakistan","authors":"Abid Ali ,&nbsp;Mehran Khan ,&nbsp;Abdulaziz Alouffi ,&nbsp;Mashal M. Almutairi ,&nbsp;Archile Paguem ,&nbsp;Lidia Chitimia-Dobler ,&nbsp;Ronel Pienaar ,&nbsp;Minique H. de Castro ,&nbsp;Ben J. Mans","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102361","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102361","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The genus <em>Amblyomma</em> contains the highest percentage of reptile-associated ticks, and comprises approximately nine subgenera. One of these subgenera is <em>Adenopleura</em>, which also encompasses <em>Amblyomma javanense</em>, and its type species <em>Amblyomma compressum</em>. This study describes a new <em>Amblyomma</em> species associated with Bengal monitor lizards (<em>Varanus bengalensis</em>) based on morphology and its mitogenome in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Reptiles belonging to different genera were examined for <em>Amblyomma</em> ticks and only the monitor lizard was infested with ticks in the District Bajaur. Collected <em>Amblyomma</em> cf. <em>javanense</em> ticks were analyzed and formally described as a new species. Overall, 57 <em>A.</em> cf. <em>javanense</em> ticks were collected on monitor lizards (4/27) with a 15% prevalence of infestation, 2.1 mean abundance, and 14.3 mean intensity. Ticks comprised males (<em>n</em> = 23, 40%), females (<em>n</em> = 14, 25%) and nymphs (<em>n</em> = 20, 35%), while no larvae were found. BLAST analysis of <em>A.</em> cf. <em>javanense</em> sequences showed the following maximum identities; 98.25% with undetermined <em>Amblyomma</em> species based on 12S rRNA, 96.07% with <em>A. javanense</em> based on 16S rRNA, 99.56% and 90.95% with an <em>Amblyomma</em> sp. and <em>A. javanense</em>, respectively, based on ITS2. Moreover, the mitochondrial genome of <em>A</em>. cf. <em>javanense</em> showed maximum identities of 80.75%, 80.48% and 79.42% with <em>Amblyomma testudinarium, A. javanense</em>, and <em>Amblyomma</em> sp., respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of <em>A.</em> cf. <em>javanense</em> revealed that its 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA are closely related to an <em>Amblyomma</em> sp. and <em>A. javanense</em>, respectively, from Sri Lanka, its ITS2 is closely related to <em>A. javanense</em> from China and an <em>Amblyomma</em> sp. from Sri Lanka, and its mitogenome is closely related to <em>A. javanense</em> and <em>Amblyomma</em> sp. from China. The pairwise distance analysis resulted in divergence of 0–1.71% (12S rRNA), 0–17.5% (16S rRNA), 0–9.1% (ITS2) and 0–20.5% (mitochondrial genome). We also contributed the full-length mitochondrial genome sequence of <em>A. compressum</em> and showed that this species does not share a most recent common ancestor with <em>A. javanense</em>. As the subgenus <em>Adenopleura</em> is paraphyletic, this study could help to understand the systematics and phylogeny of this taxon.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 6","pages":"Article 102361"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000542/pdfft?md5=403bb4b9eaa09c8cba7e590eaea7ab61&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000542-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141328446","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":"A rodent and tick bait for controlling white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), the respective pathogen host and vector of the Lyme disease spirochetes.","authors":"David Poché,&nbsp;Richard Poché","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102362","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102362","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A promising alternative approach to conventional vector and rodent control practices is the use of a bait containing a rodenticide and acaricide in controlling vectors and pathogen reservoirs concurrently. In the United States, Lyme disease continues to be the most prevalent vector-borne disease with approximately 500,000 Lyme disease cases estimated each year. Previous research has demonstrated the usefulness of a low dose fipronil bait in controlling <em>Ixodes scapularis</em> larvae feeding on white-footed mice. However, considering white-footed mice can be an unwanted species because of their association with tick-borne disease and hantaviruses, a combination rodent and tick bait (RTB) might provide a useful alternative to encourage additional community participation in integrated tick management (ITM) efforts. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of RTB (0.025 % warfarin, 0.005 % fipronil) in controlling white-footed mice and <em>I. scapularis</em> larvae. Studies were designed in part based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. A laboratory choice test was conducted to evaluate the use of RTB in controlling white-footed mice over 15-day exposure when they were exposed to an alternative diet. Mice were observed every day for mortality and signs of warfarin toxicity. A simulated field test was conducted to evaluate the use of RTB, presented in the presence of an alternative diet, in controlling <em>I. scapularis</em> parasitizing white-footed mice over 4-day exposure. Mice were fitted with capsules and manually infested with <em>I. scapularis</em> larvae. The inside of each capsule was observed to evaluate tick attachment. Replete larvae detaching from each mouse were collected. Blood was collected from all treatment group mice via cardiac puncture to determine the fipronil sulfone concentration in plasma for each animal. Results indicated that RTB would be adequately consumed in the presence of an alternative diet under laboratory and simulated field conditions. Treatment with RTB resulted in 100 % mortality of white-footed mice during 15-day exposure and prevented 100 % larvae from feeding to repletion during 4-day exposure. All mice succumbing to RTB showed signs of warfarin toxicity. All mice parasitized with ticks that were exposed to RTB had fipronil sulfone detectable in plasma, with even the lowest concentration detected (8.1 parts per billion) controlling 100 % parasitizing <em>I. scapularis</em> larvae. The results suggest that RTB could be a useful means of rodent and tick control for use in ITM programs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 5","pages":"Article 102362"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000554/pdfft?md5=ba74df8e1ff304b4c474392eed40fc6b&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000554-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141291196","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":"Profile of cattle breed sensitivity to the tick Rhipicephalus microplus","authors":"Jacqueline Cavalcante Barros ,&nbsp;Marcos Valério Garcia ,&nbsp;Leandro de Oliveira Souza Higa ,&nbsp;Alexandre da Silva Souza ,&nbsp;Renato Andreotti","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102363","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Among cattle, <em>Bos taurus</em> breeds and their crosses are more sensitive to tick infestations than <em>Bos indicus</em> breeds that are more resistant to infestation and more adaptable to tropical climates. The presence of susceptible individuals in herds and inadequate tick control lead to direct and indirect losses in the meat production chain, in addition to increased mortality due to cattle tick fever. The objective of this study was to describe, compare and rank the sensitivity of different breeds of stabled cattle to the tick <em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em> and to present, as an innovative result, a scale called the Tick Ruler. Secondary data on the number of retrieved engorged females, engorged female ticks’ weight, egg mass weight and number of larvae were extracted from research reports of experiments conducted over 18 years with eight breeds to describe and report the sensitivity of the breeds to artificial infestation by <em>R. microplus</em> larvae. For analyses, the recovery rate of engorged female ticks and the percentile of dispersion of individuals in their respective races were calculated, and comparison of these percentiles between races was performed. The ranking of the percentiles resulted in the organization of the breeds by their susceptibility to <em>R. microplus</em>; we call this scale the “Tick Ruler.” The ruler is a simple, easy-to-understand tool that can be used by technicians and producers to evaluate the tick sensitivity of a breed of interest and can assist producers in decision-making to find a balance between increased production gains and the risk of economic losses depending on the breed composition in a cattle herd.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 5","pages":"Article 102363"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000566/pdfft?md5=4d60470b6cc6cef76f17d1a269c1e642&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000566-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141291197","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":"Geographic variation in the distribution of Anaplasma phagocytophilum variants in host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs and adults in the eastern United States elucidated using next generation sequencing","authors":"Andrias Hojgaard,&nbsp;Erik Foster,&nbsp;Sarah E. Maes,&nbsp;Lynn M. Osikowicz,&nbsp;Christina M. Parise,&nbsp;Joel Villalpando,&nbsp;Rebecca J. Eisen","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102360","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102360","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Human anaplasmosis cases, caused by <em>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</em>, are increasing in the United States. This trend is explained, in part, by expansion in the geographic range of the primary vector, <em>Ixodes scapularis</em>. Multiple variants of <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> have been identified in field collected ticks, but only a single variant (human active, or “Ap-ha,” variant) has been shown to be pathogenic in humans. Until recently, laboratory methods used to differentiate variants were cumbersome and seldomly used in large scale assessments of the pathogen's geographic distribution. As a result, many surveys reported <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> without segregating variants. Lack of discrimination among <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> variants could lead to overestimation of anaplasmosis risk to humans. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) assays were recently developed to efficiently detect multiple <em>Ixodes scapularis</em>-borne human pathogens including Ap-ha. In this study, we utilized NGS to detect and differentiate <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> variants (Ap-ha vs. non ha) in host-seeking <em>I. scapularis</em> nymphs and adults collected across 23 states in the eastern United States from 2012 to 2023 as part of national tick surveillance efforts and research studies. Many of the included ticks were tested previously using a TaqMan PCR assay that could detect <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> but could not differentiate variants. We retested <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> infected ticks with NGS to differentiate variants. <em>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</em> (any variant) was identified in 165 (35 %) of 471 counties from which ticks were tested, whereas Ap-ha was detected in 70 (15 %) of 469 counties where variants were differentiated. Both variants were identified in 32 % (<em>n</em> = 40) of 126 counties with either variant detected. Among states where <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> (any variant) was detected, prevalence ranged from 2 % to 19 % in unfed adults and from 0.2 % to 7.8 % in unfed nymphs; prevalence of Ap-ha variant ranged from 0.0 % to 16 % in adults, and 0.0 % to 4.6 % in nymphs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 5","pages":"Article 102360"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000530/pdfft?md5=f4f255ff9a8e2539cd91dc404fc1328e&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X24000530-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141184642","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":"Hemopathogens in naturally infected bovine fetuses in Brazil","authors":"Leandro Silva Andrade ,&nbsp;Rayanne Soalheiro de Souza ,&nbsp;Andreina Carvalho de Araujo ,&nbsp;Soraia de Oliveira Silva ,&nbsp;Maria Norma Melo ,&nbsp;Fabricio Gomes Melo ,&nbsp;Gustavo Henrique Siqueira Ribeiro ,&nbsp;Felipe Gaia de Sousa ,&nbsp;Camila Valgas Bastos ,&nbsp;Tiago Facury Moreira ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Melo Meneses ,&nbsp;Antônio Ultimo Carvalho ,&nbsp;Elias Jorge Facury-Filho ,&nbsp;Júlia Angélica Gonçalves Silveira","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102351","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102351","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The transplacental transmission of parasites and hemoparasites is crucial for understanding the epidemiology of diseases. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of hemopathogens in bovine fetuses at various gestational periods. Samples were obtained from a slaughterhouse in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and a total of 236 fetuses were collected. DNA extracted from blood samples (145) and organ samples (a pool of brain and spleen) (236) underwent a nested PCR (nPCR) assay to detect <em>Babesia</em> spp<em>., Theileria</em> spp<em>., Trypanosoma vivax, Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia minasensis</em>, and hemotropic <em>Mycoplasma</em> spp. Additionally, serological analysis of 145 plasma samples was conducted using the indirect fluorescent antibody test-IFAT to detect IgG against <em>Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, A. marginale</em>, and <em>Trypanosoma vivax.</em> The observed prevalence of transplacental transmission was 19.3 %, 6.2 %, 42.7 % and 2.7 %, for <em>A. marginale, B. bigemina</em>, '<em>Candidatus</em> M. haemobos', and <em>Mycoplasma wenyonii,</em> respectively. The prevalence of <em>A. marginale</em> by gestational trimester was 16 % (13/81) in the second trimester and 23 % (14/60) in the third trimester, with no positive samples in the first trimester. Regarding the species <em>B. bovis</em> and <em>B. bigemina</em>, all evaluated animals tested negative by nPCR, and no serological evidence for <em>B. bovis</em> was found by the IFAT. <em>Babesia bigemina</em> demonstrated an overall seroprevalence of 6.2 % (9/145), with 4.8 % (7/145) in the last trimester and 1.3 % (2/145) in the second trimester of pregnancy. In total, 42.7 % (62/145) of blood samples were positive for '<em>Candidatus</em> M. haemobos’, with 42 % (34/81) in the middle trimester, and 43 % (26/60) in the final trimester of pregnancy. <em>Mycoplasma wenyonni</em> was detected in 2.7 % (4/145) blood samples, all in coinfection with ‘<em>C.</em> M. haemobos’. The prevalence by pregnancy trimester was 25 % (1/4) in the first trimester; 1.2 % (1/81) in the second trimester and 3.3 % (2/60) in the third trimester of pregnancy. Hemopathogen DNA was detected in fetus blood samples but not the brain or spleen samples. All the samples were negative for <em>T. vivax, Theileria</em> spp., <em>Anaplasma</em> spp. and <em>Ehrlichia</em> spp. Overall, in this study, approximately 70 % of fetuses were positive for one or more of the studied parasites. No significant associations were observed between pairs of pathogens, except <em>‘C.</em> M. haemobos<em>’</em> and <em>A. marginale</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"15 5","pages":"Article 102351"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X2400044X/pdfft?md5=5fd4a6ce761bdad953082fb38f144aa7&pid=1-s2.0-S1877959X2400044X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141083309","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}