scholarly journals Infections and Coinfections of Questing Ixodes ricinus Ticks by Emerging Zoonotic Pathogens in Western Switzerland

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (13) ◽  
pp. 4606-4612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Lommano ◽  
Luce Bertaiola ◽  
Christèle Dupasquier ◽  
Lise Gern
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Borrelia Lusitaniae ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis ◽  
Rickettsia Monacensis ◽  
Questing Ticks ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Neoehrlichia Mikurensis

ABSTRACTIn Europe,Ixodes ricinusis the vector of many pathogens of medical and veterinary relevance, among themBorrelia burgdorferisensu lato and tick-borne encephalitis virus, which have been the subject of numerous investigations. Less is known about the occurrence of emerging tick-borne pathogens likeRickettsiaspp.,Babesiaspp., “CandidatusNeoehrlichia mikurensis,” andAnaplasma phagocytophilumin questing ticks. In this study, questing nymph and adultI. ricinusticks were collected at 11 sites located in Western Switzerland. A total of 1,476 ticks were analyzed individually for the simultaneous presence ofB. burgdorferisensu lato,Rickettsiaspp.,Babesiaspp., “CandidatusNeoehrlichia mikurensis,” andA. phagocytophilum. B. burgdorferisensu lato,Rickettsiaspp., and “CandidatusNeoehrlichia mikurensis” were detected in ticks at all sites with global prevalences of 22.5%, 10.2%, and 6.4%, respectively.Babesia- andA. phagocytophilum-infected ticks showed a more restricted geographic distribution, and their prevalences were lower (1.9% and 1.5%, respectively). Species rarely reported in Switzerland, likeBorrelia spielmanii,Borrelia lusitaniae, andRickettsia monacensis, were identified. Infections with more than one pathogenic species, involving mostlyBorreliaspp. andRickettsia helvetica, were detected in 19.6% of infected ticks. Globally, 34.2% of ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. The diversity of tick-borne pathogens detected inI. ricinusin this study and the frequency of coinfections underline the need to take them seriously into consideration when evaluating the risks of infection following a tick bite.

scholarly journals Approaches for Reverse Line Blot-Based Detection of Microbial Pathogens in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected in Austria and Impact of the Chosen Method

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Margarita Schötta ◽  
Michiel Wijnveld ◽  
Hannes Stockinger ◽  
Gerold Stanek
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Reverse Line Blot ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Borrelia Lusitaniae ◽  
Neoehrlichia Mikurensis

ABSTRACT Ticks transmit a large number of pathogens capable of causing human disease. In this study, the PCR-reverse line blot (RLB) method was used to screen for pathogens in a total of 554 Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from all provinces of Austria. These pathogens belong to the genera Borrelia, Rickettsiae, Anaplasma/Ehrlichia (including “Candidatus Neoehrlichia”), Babesia, and Coxiella. The pathogens with the highest detected prevalence were spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, in 142 ticks (25.6%). Borrelia afzelii (80/142) was the most frequently detected species, followed by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (38/142) and Borrelia valaisiana (36/142). Borrelia garinii/Borrelia bavariensis, Borrelia lusitaniae, and Borrelia spielmanii were found in 28 ticks, 5 ticks, and 1 tick, respectively. Rickettsia spp. were detected in 93 ticks (16.8%): R. helvetica (39/93), R. raoultii (38/93), R. monacensis (2/93), and R. slovaca (1/93). Thirteen Rickettsia samples remain uncharacterized. “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis,” Babesia spp. (B. venatorum, B. divergens, B. microti), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum were found in 4.5%, 2.7%, and 0.7%, respectively. Coxiella burnetii was not detected. Multiple microorganisms were detected in 40 ticks (7.2%), and the cooccurrence of Babesia spp. and “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis” showed a significant positive correlation. We also compared different PCR-RLBs for detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Rickettsia spp. and showed that different detection approaches provide highly diverse results, indicating that analysis of environmental samples remains challenging. IMPORTANCE This study determined the wide spectrum of tick-borne bacterial and protozoal pathogens that can be encountered in Austria. Surveillance of (putative) pathogenic microorganisms occurring in the environment is of medical importance, especially when those agents can be transmitted by ticks and cause disease. The observation of significant coinfections of certain microorganisms in field-collected ticks is an initial step to an improved understanding of microbial interactions in ticks. In addition, we show that variations in molecular detection methods, such as in primer pairs and target genes, can considerably influence the final results. For instance, detection of certain genospecies of borreliae may be better or worse by one method or the other, a fact of great importance for future screening studies.

scholarly journals First detection of tick-borne encephalitis virus in Ixodes ricinus ticks and their rodent hosts in Moscow, Russia

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 101265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marat Makenov ◽  
Lyudmila Karan ◽  
Natalia Shashina ◽  
Marina Akhmetshina ◽  
Olga Zhurenkova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus

scholarly journals Environmental determinants of the occurrence and activity of Ixodes ricinus ticks and the prevalence of tick-borne diseases in eastern Poland

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zbigniew Zając ◽  
Joanna Kulisz ◽  
Katarzyna Bartosik ◽  
Aneta Woźniak ◽  
Malwina Dzierżak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Tick Species ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Environmental Determinants ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
Medical Importance ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus

AbstractIxodes ricinus is the most widely distributed tick species in Europe. Mainly deciduous and mixed forests, pastures, and urban parks are habitats preferred by this species. I. ricinus ticks are also one of the most important reservoirs and vectors of human and animal infectious diseases on the continent. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. spirochetes causing Lyme borreliosis (LB) in humans and tick borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), which is a causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), are pathogens with the highest medical importance transmitted by this species. Investigations of the environmental determinants of the occurrence and activity of I. ricinus are crucial for elucidation of the environmental background of tick-borne diseases. In eastern Poland, I. ricinus is a common species with peak activity recorded in May in the entire region. During this period, 49 females, 32 males, and 55 I. ricinus nymphs were collected from an area of 900 m2. The results of the present study show that the occurrence and seasonal activity of this tick species are mainly influenced by microhabitat conditions, and saturation deficit has a significant effect on the activity of the species. Eastern Poland is characterized by a high incidence of LB and TBE. We have shown a correlation between the forest cover and the number of reported cases of tick-borne diseases.

scholarly journals The prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in questing Ixodes ricinus Ticks in SW Poland

2014 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
DOROTA KIEWRA ◽  
GRZEGORZ ZALEŚNY ◽  
ALEKSANDRA CZUŁOWSKA
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽  
Infection Level ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis ◽  
Animal Pathogens ◽  
Questing Ticks ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
Sw Poland ◽  
First Time ◽  
Babesia Spp

Ticks constitute important vectors of human and animal pathogens. Besides the Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis, other pathogens such as Babesia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, are of increasing public health interest. In Poland, as in other European countries, Ixodes ricinus, the most prevalent tick species responsible for the majority of tick bites in humans, is the main vector of A. phagocytophilum. The aim of the study was to estimate the infection level of I. ricinus with A. phagocytophilum in selected districts, not previously surveyed for the presence of this agent. Sampling of questing ticks was performed in 12 forested sites, located in four districts (Legnica, Milicz, Lubań, and Oława) in SW Poland. Altogether, 792 ticks (151 females, 101 males, and 540 nymphs) representing I. ricinus were checked for the presence of A. phagocytophilum. The average infection level was 4.3%, with higher rate reported for adult ticks. The highest percentage of infected adults was observed in Milicz (17.4%) and the lowest in Oława (6.8%). The abundance of questing I. ricinus in all examined sites as well as the infection with A. phagocytophilum indicate for the first time the risk for HGA transmission in SW Poland.

Survival dynamics of tick-borne encephalitis virus in Ixodes ricinus ticks

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 962-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Slovák ◽  
Mária Kazimírová ◽  
Marta Siebenstichová ◽  
Katarína Ustaníková ◽  
Boris Klempa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus

scholarly journals Field samplings of Ixodes ricinus ticks from a tick-borne encephalitis virus micro-focus in Northern Zealand, Denmark

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1028-1032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Petersen ◽  
Maiken Worsøe Rosenstierne ◽  
Morten Rasmussen ◽  
Kurt Fuursted ◽  
Henrik Vedel Nielsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus
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