Prevalence and diversity of piroplasms and ticks in young raccoons and an association of Babesia sensu stricto infections with splenomegaly

AbstractPiroplasms are intraerythrocytic parasites that are often transmitted by ixodid ticks, but vertical transmission is an alternative route for some species. In the USA, raccoons (Procyon lotor) are hosts for two known species, a Babesia microti-like sp. and Babesia lotori (in Babesia sensu stricto group). To better understand the natural history of Babesia in raccoons, we tested young raccoons from Minnesota and Colorado for Babesia spp., examined them for ticks, and assessing for splenomegaly as a sign of clinical disease. Raccoons from both states were infected with B. microti-like sp. and Babesia sensu stricto spp. Infections of B. microti-like were common, even in 1-week-old raccoons, suggesting vertical transmission. Babesia sensu stricto infections were more common in older raccoons. Raccoons infected with Babesia sensu stricto had significantly higher spleen:body weight ratios compared with uninfected or B. microti-like sp.-infected raccoons. Ticks were only found on raccoons from Minnesota. The most common and abundant tick was Ixodes texanus but Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor variabilis were also found on raccoons. We report piroplasm infections and infestations with several tick species in very young raccoons. Young raccoons infected with Babesia sensu stricto spp. had higher spleen:body weight ratios, suggesting a disease risk.

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Passive and Active Surveillance for Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) in Saskatchewan, Canada

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjz155 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Neil B Chilton ◽

Philip S Curry ◽

L Robbin Lindsay ◽

Kateryn Rochon ◽

Timothy J Lysyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Active Surveillance ◽

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

Breeding Population ◽

Dermacentor Variabilis ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Babesia Microti ◽

Passive Surveillance ◽

Infection Rates ◽

Extensive Field ◽

Dog Tick

Abstract Passive and active surveillance for the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan was conducted over a 9-yr period (2009–2017). More than 26,000 ixodid ticks, representing 10 species, were submitted through passive surveillance. Most (97%) of these were the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say). Of the 65 I. scapularis adults submitted, 75% were collected from dogs. Infection rates of Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia microti in I. scapularis were 12%, 8%, and 0%, respectively. Although the I. scapularis submitted by passive surveillance were collected from five of seven ecoregions in central and southern Saskatchewan, they were most frequent in the Moist Mixed Grassland and Aspen Parklands. In contrast, no I. scapularis were collected from the extensive field sampling conducted at multiple sites in different ecoregions across the province. Hence, there is no evidence of I. scapularis having established a breeding population in Saskatchewan. Nonetheless, continued surveillance for blacklegged ticks is warranted given their important role as a vector of medically and veterinary important pathogens, and because they have recently become established across much of the southern portions of the neighboring province of Manitoba.

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Coinfection of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Nymphs With Babesia spp. (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) and Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) in Wisconsin

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjab056 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

T E Zembsch ◽

X Lee ◽

G M Bron ◽

L C Bartholomay ◽

S M Paskewitz

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Positive Association ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Babesia Microti ◽

Tick Bites ◽

The Family ◽

Babesia Spp

Abstract Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochete that causes Lyme disease, is endemic and widespread in Wisconsin. Research in the northeastern United States has revealed a positive association between Babesia microti, the main pathogen that causes babesiosis in humans, and Bo. burgdorferi in humans and in ticks. This study was conducted to examine associations between the disease agents in the Upper midwestern United States. Ixodes scapularis Say nymphs (N = 2,858) collected between 2015 and 2017 from nine locations in Wisconsin were tested for Babesia spp. and Borrelia spp. using real-time PCR. Two species of Babesia were detected; Ba. microti and Babesia odocoilei (a parasite of members of the family Cervidae). Prevalence of infection at the nine locations ranged from 0 to 13% for Ba. microti, 11 to 31% for Bo. burgdorferi sensu stricto, and 5.7 to 26% for Ba. odocoilei. Coinfection of nymphs with Bo. burgdorferi and Ba. odocoilei was detected in eight of the nine locations and significant positive associations were observed in two of the eight locations. The prevalence of nymphal coinfection with both and Bo. burgdorferi and Ba. microti ranged from 0.81 to 6.5%. These two pathogens were significantly positively associated in one of the five locations where both pathogens were detected. In the other four locations, the observed prevalence of coinfection was higher than expected in all but one site-year. Clinics and healthcare providers should be aware of the association between Ba. microti and Bo. burgdorferi pathogens when treating patients who report tick bites.

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Range expansion of Ixodes scapularis in the USA.

10.1079/9781789249637.0026 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 176-182

Author(s):

Durland Fish

Keyword(s):

Range Expansion ◽

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

The Usa ◽

History Of

Abstract This chapter covers the history of Ixodes scapularis, its mode and major pathways of range expansion, and the establishment of I. scapularis-borne pathogens in the USA.

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Babesiosis and malaria

10.1093/med/9780198570028.003.0055 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

F. E. G. Cox

Keyword(s):

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

Life Cycles ◽

Molecular Techniques ◽

Babesia Microti ◽

Babesia Divergens ◽

The World ◽

Causative Agents ◽

The Usa ◽

Human Infections ◽

Human Babesiosis

Babesiosis and malaria are rare zoonoses that, with new developments in diagnosis and the application of molecular techniques, are becoming increasingly frequently recognised. Babesia species infect millions of cattle and unknown numbers of sheep, dogs, horses, and wildlife throughout the world but human infections are very uncommon. There are two distinct forms of human babesiosis. In Europe the causative agent is Babesia divergens, a natural parasite of cattle transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinis. B. divergens infections in humans are extremely rare and nearly all have been recorded from asplenic or otherwise immunocompromised patients. In the USA, human babesiosis is more common than in Europe, although still very rare, and is not restricted to immunocompromised individuals. The causative agents are Babesia microti and B. duncani, common parasites of rodents, transmitted by the tick Ixodes scapularis. In addition there have been sporadic reports of human babesiosis from other parts of the world but in most cases the species of Babesia involved has not been characterised. Malaria parasites and Babesia both inhabit red blood cells during part of their life cycles and these stages cause the diseases, malaria and babesiosis, which are similar in many respects. The facts that humans can occasionally acquire malaria and babesiosis from animals, that both parasites appear similar when seen in blood films and that both cause similar symptoms can cause problems in diagnosis and these rare infections are, therefore, of interest to clinicians and epidemiologists.

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Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) Infection Prevalence and Host Associations of Ticks Found on Peromyscus spp. in Maryland

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjab206 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Julia E Poje ◽

Jose F Azevedo ◽

Nisha Nair ◽

Kurayi Mahachi ◽

Lexi E Frank ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lyme Disease ◽

Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Infection Prevalence ◽

Private Land ◽

Tissue Samples ◽

Wild Mice ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and most commonly transmitted by Ixodes scapularis Say (Ixodida: Ixodidae), is the most common tick-borne disease in Maryland. Because B. burgdorferi s.s. is maintained in enzootic cycles among wild mice (Peromyscus spp) and Ixodes spp ticks, differing patterns of parasitism of ticks on mice could impact the infection prevalence with B. burgdorferi. We determined the infection prevalence of Peromyscus spp as well as questing and partially engorged nymphal ticks collected at six sites on private land in five counties in Maryland from May to August 2020. Questing nymph infection prevalence (NIP) was 14%. We trapped 1258 mice and collected 554 ticks and 413 ear tissue samples. The prevalence of infested Peromyscus spp varied based on host age and sex, with older and male mice more likely to be infested. We detected a significant difference amongst the proportion of attached Ixodes and the location of trapping. Similarly, the prevalence of B. burgdorferi infected Peromyscus spp mice varied between locations (average mouse infection prevalence was 40%), with the highest prevalence in locations where Ixodes were the most commonly found ticks. The B. burgdorferi infection prevalence in partially engorged I. scapularis nymphs retrieved from Peromyscus spp was ~36% which lends further support to the host infection prevalence. Local differences in distribution of infected vectors and reservoirs are important factors to consider when planning interventions to reduce Lyme disease risk.

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Identification ofBorrelia bissettiiinIxodes scapularisticks from New Brunswick, Canada

Canadian Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1139/cjm-2018-0376 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

pp. 155-161

Author(s):

Julie Lewis ◽

Vett K. Lloyd

Keyword(s):

Lyme Disease ◽

New Brunswick ◽

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Tick Borne Disease ◽

Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Stricto ◽

Lyme Disease Risk

Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that is emerging in Canada. The disease is caused by spirochetes of the Lyme borreliosis group, which is expanding as new species are discovered. In Canada, Lyme disease risk has so far been assessed primarily by detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. Of Ixodes scapularis ticks collected between 2014 and 2016 in New Brunswick, Canada, 7 were shown to be infected with Borrelia bissettii by nested PCR and sequencing of 5 B. bissettii genes. Since different Borrelia species are associated with different clinical manifestations and are not detected with the same diagnostic tests, the identification of a previously undocumented or underreported pathogenic Borrelia species has important implications for public and veterinary medicine.

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Standardized Ixodid Tick Survey in Mainland Florida

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects10080235 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 235 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Glass ◽

Ganser ◽

Wisely ◽

Kessler

Keyword(s):

Tick Species ◽

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

Survey Methods ◽

Ixodid Tick ◽

Dermacentor Variabilis ◽

Amblyomma Americanum ◽

The State ◽

Environmental Data ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Tick Survey

A statewide survey of questing ixodid ticks in mainland Florida was developed consistent with U.S. CDC standards to maximize the amount of epidemiologic and environmental data gathered. Survey sites were stratified by climatic zones and proportional to recognized land cover categories. A total of 560 transects on 41 sites within the state were sampled repeatedly by flagging between 2015 and 2018. Four tick species were collected; Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma maculatum, Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor variabilis. All species were more commonly found in northern and central regions of the state than in southern and western regions. Adult I. scapularis were active from autumn through spring and complementary to adult A. americanum and D. variabilis. Standardized survey methods help reduce sampling biases and better characterize risk from the species surveyed. However, differences in the attractiveness of collection methods for different tick species makes cross-species comparisons a continuing challenge.

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THE OCCURRENCE OF SPIROCHETES IN IXODID TICKS IN NORTH CAROLINA

Journal of Entomological Science ◽

10.18474/0749-8004-24.4.594 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 594-602 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jay F. Levine ◽

Charles S. Apperson ◽

William L. Nicholson

Keyword(s):

North Carolina ◽

Lyme Disease ◽

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

Disease Patient ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Dermacentor Variabilis ◽

Amblyomma Americanum ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Antibody Testing ◽

Fluorescence Antibody

Ticks were collected at 6 sites in North Carolina identified as the location of tick contact by Lyme disease patients, and at 6 sites located in counties where cases had been diagnosed. Specimens were screened for evidence of spirochete infection; fewer than 1% of the specimens collected harbored spirochetes. Indirect fluorescence antibody testing, with a species-specific monoclonal antibody, confirmed that one Ixodes scapularis Say collected at the residence of a Lyme disease patient was infected with Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Hyde, Schmid, and Brenner. Two specimens (Amblyomma americanum (L.) and I. scapularis) screened by a direct fluorescence antibody test with polyclonal antisera were infected with Borrelia. Spirochetes other than B. burgdorferi were found in A. americanum. No spirochetes were observed in Dermacentor variabilis (Say) or I. brunneus (Koch).

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Assessing Public Tick Identification Ability and Tick Bite Riskiness Using Passive Photograph-Based Crowdsourced Tick Surveillance

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjaa196 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Heather L Kopsco ◽

Roland J Duhaime ◽

Thomas N Mather

Keyword(s):

Linear Models ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

Dermacentor Variabilis ◽

Amblyomma Americanum ◽

Tick Bite ◽

Ixodes Pacificus ◽

Region Of Residence ◽

Treatment Data ◽

The University

Abstract Tick identification is critical for assessing disease risk from a tick bite and for determining requisite treatment. Data from the University of Rhode Island’s TickEncounter Resource Center’s photo-based surveillance system, TickSpotters, indicate that users incorrectly identified their submitted specimen 83% of the time. Of the top four most commonly submitted tick species, western blacklegged ticks (Ixodes pacificus Cooley & Kohls [Ixodida: Ixodidae]) had the largest proportion of unidentified or misidentified submissions (87.7% incorrectly identified to species), followed by lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum Linneaus [Ixodida: Ixodidae]; 86.8% incorrect), American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis Say [Ixodida: Ixodidae]; 80.7% incorrect), and blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis Say [Ixodida: Ixodidae]; 77.1% incorrect). More than one quarter of participants (26.3%) submitted photographs of ticks that had been feeding for at least 2.5 d, suggesting heightened risk. Logistic regression generalized linear models suggested that participants were significantly more likely to misidentify nymph-stage ticks than adult ticks (odds ratio [OR] = 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.23, 0.68, P < 0.001). Ticks reported on pets were more likely to be identified correctly than those found on humans (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01–2.04, P < 0.001), and ticks feeding for 2.5 d or longer were more likely to be misidentified than those having fed for one day or less (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.29–0.65, P < 0.001). State and region of residence and season of submission did not contribute significantly to the optimal model. These findings provide targets for future educational efforts and underscore the value of photograph-based tick surveillance to elucidate these knowledge gaps.

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Validating Species Distribution Models With Standardized Surveys for Ixodid Ticks in Mainland Florida

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjaa282 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gregory E Glass ◽

Claudia Ganser ◽

William H Kessler

Keyword(s):

Species Distribution ◽

Species Distribution Models ◽

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

External Validation ◽

Dermacentor Variabilis ◽

Amblyomma Americanum ◽

The State ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Valid Species ◽

Distribution Models

Abstract Tick-borne pathogens are of growing concern. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed guidelines standardizing surveys of tick vectors to better monitor the changes in their occurrences. Unbiased surveillance data, from standardized surveys, are presumed critical to generate valid species distribution models (SDMs). We tested previously generated SDMs from standardized protocols for three medically important ticks [Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus, Ixodida, Ixodidae), Ixodes scapularis (Say, Ixodida, Ixodidae), and Dermacentor variabilis (Say, Ixodida, Ixodidae)]. These previous models ruled out a quarter to half of the state as having these species, with consensus occurrence in about a quarter of the state. New surveys performed throughout 2019 on 250 transects at 43 sites indicated the rule-out functions were 100% accurate for I. scapularis and D. variabilis and 91.9% for A. americanum. As SDM concordance increased, the proportion of transects yielding ticks increased. Independent surveys of SDMs provide external validation—an aspect missing from many SDM studies.

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