scholarly journals Spatial and temporal patterns of the emerging tick-borne pathogen Borrelia miyamotoi in blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) in New York

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Keesing ◽  
D. J. McHenry ◽  
M. H. Hersh ◽  
R. S. Ostfeld
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Ixodid Ticks ◽  
Transovarial Transmission ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Borrelia Miyamotoi ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽  
Reservoir Hosts

AbstractBorrelia miyamotoi, a bacterium that causes relapsing fever, is found in ixodid ticks throughout the northern hemisphere. The first cases of human infection with B. miyamotoi were identified in 2011. In the eastern USA, blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) become infected by feeding on an infected vertebrate host, or through transovarial transmission. We surveyed B. miyamotoi prevalence in ticks within forested habitats in Dutchess County, New York, and identified possible reservoir hosts. To assess spatial variation in infection, we collected questing nymphal ticks at > 150 sites. To assess temporal variation in infection, we collected questing nymphs for 8 years at a single study site. We collected questing larval ticks from nine plots to estimate the amount of transovarial transmission. To evaluate potential reservoir hosts, we captured 14 species of mammal and bird hosts naturally infested with larval blacklegged ticks and held these hosts in the laboratory until ticks fed to repletion and molted to nymphs. We determined infection for all ticks using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The overall infection prevalence of questing nymphal ticks across all sites was ~ 1%, but prevalence at individual sites was as high as 9.1%. We detected no significant increase in infection through time. Only 0.4% of questing larval ticks were infected. Ticks having fed as larvae from short-tailed shrews, red squirrels, and opossums tended to have higher infection prevalence than did ticks having fed on other hosts. Further studies of the role of hosts in transmission are warranted. The locally high prevalence of B. miyamotoi in the New York/New England landscape suggests the importance of vigilance by health practitioners and the public.

Detection of Borrelia miyamotoi and other tick-borne pathogens in human clinical specimens and Ixodes scapularis ticks in New York State, 2012–2015

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Wroblewski ◽  
Linda Gebhardt ◽  
Melissa A. Prusinski ◽  
Lisa J. Meehan ◽  
Tanya A. Halse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
New York State ◽  
Borrelia Miyamotoi ◽  
York State ◽  
Clinical Specimens

scholarly journals The Genetic Diversity of Rickettsiella Symbionts in Ixodes ricinus Throughout Europe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano ◽  
Laura Tomassone ◽  
Manoj Fonville ◽  
Luigi Bertolotti ◽  
Dieter Heylen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Protein Characterization ◽  
Ixodid Ticks ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Borrelia Miyamotoi ◽  
Bacterial Symbionts ◽  
Associated Bacteria ◽  
Phylogenetic Relations ◽  
Arthropod Species

AbstractRickettsiella species are bacterial symbionts that are present in a great variety of arthropod species, including ixodid ticks. However, little is known about their genetic diversity and distribution in Ixodes ricinus, as well as their relationship with other tick-associated bacteria. In this study, we investigated the occurrence and the genetic diversity of Rickettsiella spp. in I. ricinus throughout Europe and evaluated any preferential and antagonistic associations with Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii and the pathogens Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Borrelia miyamotoi. Rickettsiella spp. were detected in most I. ricinus populations investigated, encompassing a wide array of climate types and environments. The infection prevalence significantly differed between geographic locations and was significantly higher in adults than in immature life stages. Phylogenetic investigations and protein characterization disclosed four Rickettsiella clades (I–IV). Close phylogenetic relations were observed between Rickettsiella strains of I. ricinus and other arthropod species. Isolation patterns were detected for Clades II and IV, which were restricted to specific geographic areas. Lastly, although coinfections occurred, we did not detect significant associations between Rickettsiella spp. and the other tick-associated bacteria investigated. Our results suggest that Rickettsiella spp. are a genetically and biologically diverse facultative symbiont of I. ricinus and that their distribution among tick populations could be influenced by environmental components.

scholarly journals A 4-Yr Survey of the Range of Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Lehigh Valley Region of Eastern Pennsylvania

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 1122-1134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marten J Edwards ◽  
James C Russell ◽  
Emily N Davidson ◽  
Thomas J Yanushefski ◽  
Bess L Fleischman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Dermacentor Variabilis ◽  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Babesia Microti ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Haemaphysalis Longicornis ◽  
Borrelia Miyamotoi ◽  
Lehigh Valley ◽  
Eastern Pennsylvania ◽  
Pathogen Surveillance

AbstractQuesting ticks were surveyed by dragging in forested habitats within the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania for four consecutive summers (2015–2018). A high level of inter-annual variation was found in the density of blacklegged tick nymphs, Ixodes scapularis Say, with a high density of host-seeking nymphs (DON) in summer 2015 and 2017 and a relatively low DON in summer 2016 and 2018. Very few American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis Say) and Ixodes cookei Packard were collected. Lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum L.) and longhorned ticks (Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann) were not represented among the 6,398 ticks collected. For tick-borne pathogen surveillance, DNA samples from 1,721 I. scapularis nymphs were prepared from specimens collected in summers 2015–2017 and screened using qPCR, high resolution melting analysis, and DNA sequencing when necessary. The overall 3-yr nymphal infection prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi was 24.8%, Borrelia miyamotoi was 0.3%, Anaplasma phagocytophilum variant-ha was 0.8%, and Babesia microti was 2.8%. Prevalence of coinfection with B. burgdorferi and B. microti as well as B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum variant-ha were significantly higher than would be expected by independent infection. B. burgdorferi nymphal infection prevalence is similar to what other studies have found in the Hudson Valley region of New York, but levels of B. microti and A. phagocytophilum variant-ha nymphal infection prevalence are relatively lower. This study reinforces the urgent need for continued tick and pathogen surveillance in the Lehigh Valley region.

scholarly journals Modeling the role of songbirds and rodents in the ecology of Lyme disease

2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (12) ◽  
pp. 2184-2197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia R Giardina ◽  
Kenneth A Schmidt ◽  
Eric M Schauber ◽  
Richard S Ostfeld
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
New York State ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Etiologic Agent ◽  
Host Community ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Tick Infection ◽  
Tick Vectors

Small rodents such as the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) and the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) efficiently transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, to feeding ticks, whereas other hosts of ticks are less efficient reservoirs of B. burgdorferi. We examined the roles of ground-foraging and ground-nesting songbirds as alternative hosts for ticks, focusing on their potential to dilute the infection prevalence of ticks (Ixodes scapularis, the black-legged tick) with B. burgdorferi. We developed a mathematical model based on the relative use by ticks of rodent and bird hosts across varying host densities. We parameterized the model for sites in southeastern New York State using original data and for the northeastern United States using published values. Our results indicate that American robins (Turdus migratorius), ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapillus), veeries (Catharus fuscescens), and wood thrushes (Hylocichla mustelina) have a low capacity to dilute the prevalence of tick infection, particularly when rodents are at moderate to high densities. We attribute this result to low use by ticks of birds and a low density of birds relative to that of rodents. Only when rodents constitute less than ca. 10-20% of the combined rodent and songbird host community are birds capable of substantially reducing the infection prevalence of ticks. In years or habitat types in which the density of rodents is low but that of ground-dwelling songbirds is high, the risk of human exposure to Lyme disease may reduced because birds dilute the infection prevalence of tick vectors.

scholarly journals Ecological Factors Characterizing the Prevalence of Bacterial Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ixodes ricinus Ticks in Pastures and Woodlands

2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (13) ◽  
pp. 4413-4420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lénaïg Halos ◽  
Séverine Bord ◽  
Violaine Cotté ◽  
Patrick Gasqui ◽  
David Abrial ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fragmentation ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Spotted Fever ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Adult Tick ◽  
Reservoir Host ◽  
Host Community ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Spotted Fever Group ◽  
Reservoir Hosts

ABSTRACT Ecological changes are recognized as an important driver behind the emergence of infectious diseases. The prevalence of infection in ticks depends upon ecological factors that are rarely taken into account simultaneously. Our objective was to investigate the influences of forest fragmentation, vegetation, adult tick hosts, and habitat on the infection prevalence of three tick-borne bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Rickettsia sp. of the spotted fever group, in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks, taking into account tick characteristics. Samples of questing nymphs and adults were taken from 61 pastures and neighboring woodlands in central France. The ticks were tested by PCR of pools of nymphs and individual adults. The individual infection prevalence was modeled using multivariate regression. The highest infection prevalences were found in adult females collected in woodland sites for B. burgdorferi sensu lato and A. phagocytophilum (16.1% and 10.7%, respectively) and in pasture sites for Rickettsia sp. (8.7%). The infection prevalence in nymphs was lower than 6%. B. burgdorferi sensu lato was more prevalent in woodlands than in pastures. Forest fragmentation favored B. burgdorferi sensu lato and A. phagocytophilum prevalence in woodlands, and in pastures, the B. burgdorferi sensu lato prevalence was favored by shrubby vegetation. Both results are probably because large amounts of edges or shrubs increase the abundance of small vertebrates as reservoir hosts. The Rickettsia sp. prevalence was maximal on pasture with medium forest fragmentation. Female ticks were more infected by B. burgdorferi sensu lato than males and nymphs in woodland sites, which suggests an interaction between the ticks and the bacteria. This study confirms the complexity of the tick-borne pathogen ecology. The findings support the importance of small vertebrates as reservoir hosts and make a case for further studies in Europe on the link between the composition of the reservoir host community and the infection prevalence in ticks.

scholarly journals Canine and human infection with Borrelia burgdorferi in the New York City metropolitan area

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian H. Herrin ◽  
Melissa J. Beall ◽  
Xiao Feng ◽  
Monica Papeş ◽  
Susan E. Little
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
York City ◽  
Human Infection

Diversifying forest communities may change Lyme disease risk: extra dimension to the dilution effect in Europe

Parasitology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 143 (10) ◽  
pp. 1310-1319 ◽  
Author(s):  
SANNE C. RUYTS ◽  
EVY AMPOORTER ◽  
ELENA C. COIPAN ◽  
LANDER BAETEN ◽  
DIETER HEYLEN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Dilution Effect ◽  
Ixodid Ticks ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Host Diversity ◽  
Pine Stands

SUMMARYLyme disease is caused by bacteria of theBorrelia burgdorferigenospecies complex and transmitted by Ixodid ticks. In North America only one pathogenic genospecies occurs, in Europe there are several. According to the dilution effect hypothesis (DEH), formulated in North America, nymphal infection prevalence (NIP) decreases with increasing host diversity since host species differ in transmission potential. We analysedBorreliainfection in nymphs from 94 forest stands in Belgium, which are part of a diversification gradient with a supposedly related increasing host diversity: from pine stands without to oak stands with a shrub layer. We expected changing tree species and forest structure to increase host diversity and decrease NIP. In contrast with the DEH, NIP did not differ between different forest types. Genospecies diversity however, and presumably also host diversity, was higher in oak than in pine stands. Infected nymphs tended to harbourBorrelia afzeliiinfection more often in pine stands whileBorrelia gariniiandBorrelia burgdorferiss. infection appeared to be more prevalent in oak stands. This has important health consequences, since the latter two cause more severe disease manifestations. We show that the DEH must be nuanced for Europe and should consider the response of multiple pathogenic genospecies.

scholarly journals Topographic mapping of the interfaces between human and aquatic mosquito habitats to enable barrier targeting of interventions against malaria vectors

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 161055
Author(s):  
Victoria M. Mwakalinga ◽  
Benn K. D. Sartorius ◽  
Alex J. Limwagu ◽  
Yeromin P. Mlacha ◽  
Daniel F. Msellemu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Epidemiological Survey ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Topographic Mapping ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Selective Targeting ◽  
Water Accumulation ◽  
Local Water ◽  
Source Management

Geophysical topographic metrics of local water accumulation potential are freely available and have long been known as high-resolution predictors of where aquatic habitats for immature Anopheles mosquitoes are most abundant, resulting in elevated densities of adult malaria vectors and human infection burden. Using existing entomological and epidemiological survey data, here we illustrate how topography can also be used to map out the interfaces between wet, unoccupied valleys and dry, densely populated uplands, where malaria vector densities and infection risk are focally exacerbated. These topographically identifiable geophysical boundaries experience disproportionately high vector densities and malaria transmission risk, because this is where Anopheles mosquitoes first encounter humans when they search for blood after emerging or ovipositing in the valleys. Geophysical topographic indicators accounted for 67% of variance for vector density but for only 43% for infection prevalence, so they could enable very selective targeting of interventions against the former but not the latter (targeting ratios of 5.7 versus 1.5 to 1, respectively). So, in addition to being useful for targeting larval source management to wet valleys, geophysical topographic indicators may also be used to selectively target adult Anopheles mosquitoes with insecticidal residual sprays, fencing, vapour emanators or space sprays to barrier areas along their fringes.

Evidence for Vertical Transmission of Babesia odocoilei (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) in Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
T E Zembsch ◽  
G M Bron ◽  
S M Paskewitz
Keyword(s):  
Maximum Likelihood ◽  
Vertical Transmission ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Likelihood Estimation ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Potential Importance ◽  
Limited Evidence ◽  
Larval Infection

Abstract Limited evidence suggests that the cervid parasite, Babesia odocoilei, is transovarially transmitted from adult female Ixodes scapularis Say to offspring. The prevalence of B. odocoilei in unfed larval I. scapularis and whether vertical transmission is crucial to pathogen maintenance are currently unknown. To investigate these questions, 275 unfed larvae from two Wisconsin counties were tested for B. odocoilei genetic material. Sixteen of 29 pools were positive for the parasite. The maximum likelihood estimation for overall larval infection prevalence was 7.8% (95% confidence interval: 4.7–12). This vertically acquired infection appears to be sustained transstadially in nymphal ticks the following year; however, our relatively small sample and replicate size warrants additional evaluation. Our study revealed further evidence of vertical transmission, a low and consistent infection prevalence in larvae, and the potential importance of vertical transmission in B. odocoilei maintenance.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document