Three Babesia species in Ixodes ricinus ticks from migratory birds in Sweden

Abstract Background Migratory birds can cross geographical and environmental barriers and are thereby able to facilitate transmission of tick-borne pathogens both as carriers of infected ticks and as reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms. Ixodes ricinus is one of the most abundant tick species in the Northern Hemisphere and a main vector of several Babesia species, some which pose a potential threat to human and animal health. At present only two cases of overt babesiosis in humans have so far been reported in Sweden. To better understand the potential role of birds as disseminators of zoonotic Babesia protozoan parasites, we investigated the presence of Babesia species in ticks removed from migratory birds. Methods Ticks were collected from birds captured at Ottenby Bird Observatory, south-eastern Sweden, from March to November 2009. Ticks were molecularly identified to species, and morphologically to developmental stage, and the presence of Babesia protozoan parasites was determined by real-time PCR. Results In total, 4601 migratory birds of 65 species were examined for tick infestation. Ticks removed from these birds have previously been investigated for the presence of Borrelia bacteria and the tick-borne encephalitis virus. In the present study, a total of 1102 ticks were available for molecular analysis of Babesia protozoan parasites. We found that 2.4% of the ticks examined, all I. ricinus, were positive for mammal-associated Babesia species. Out of all Babesia-positive samples, Babesia venatorum was the most prevalent (58%) species, followed by Babesia microti (38%) and Babesia capreoli (4.0%). B. venatorum and B. capreoli were detected in I. ricinus larvae, whereas B. microti was only present in I. ricinus nymphs. This supports the view that the two first-mentioned species are vertically (transovarially) transmitted in the tick population, in contrast to B. microti. The largest number of Babesia-infected ticks was removed from the common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and European robin (Erithacus rubecula). Conclusions This study reveals that Babesia protozoan parasites are present in ticks infesting migratory birds in south-eastern Sweden, which could potentially lead to the dissemination of these tick-borne microorganisms into new areas, thus posing a threat to humans and other mammals.

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Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. in Dermacentor reticulatus ticks found within the city of Białystok, Poland—first data

Experimental and Applied Acarology ◽

10.1007/s10493-021-00655-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 85 (1) ◽

pp. 63-73

Author(s):

Anna Grochowska ◽

Justyna Dunaj ◽

Sławomir Pancewicz ◽

Piotr Czupryna ◽

Piotr Majewski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽

Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽

Animal Health ◽

Dermacentor Reticulatus ◽

Babesia Microti ◽

Rural Landscapes ◽

Babesia Vogeli ◽

Borrelia Burgdorferi S.L ◽

Babesia Venatorum ◽

The City

AbstractPathogens carried by ticks pose a threat to both human and animal health across the world. Typically associated with rural landscapes, ticks appear to adapt well to life in urban recreational areas. Although Dermacentor reticulatus is commonly found across Europe, data on the prevalence of pathogens in this tick species, in an urban environment, are very limited. PCR was used to examine 368 D. reticulatus individuals collected in the Zwierzyniecki Forest Nature Reserve in Białystok, Poland. In total, 10.3% of ticks were infected, with Babesia spp. (9.2%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (0.8%) and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (0.3%). Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., and Coxiella burnetii were not detected. Sequence analysis for Babesia-positive samples identified 79.4% of them as Babesia canis, 8.8% as Babesia microti, 5.9% as Babesia spp., 2.9% as Babesia venatorum, and 2.9% as Babesia vogeli. Results obtained in this study indicate that D. reticulatus ticks found within the urban premises of the study area are infected with at least three pathogens and therefore are an important factor in public health risk for tick-borne diseases.

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Molecular detection and identification of piroplasms (Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in questing ticks from northwest Spain

10.21203/rs.2.21993/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Susana Remesar ◽

Pablo Diaz ◽

Alberto Prieto ◽

David García-Dios ◽

Rosario Panadero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Health ◽

Likelihood Estimation ◽

Dermacentor Reticulatus ◽

Species Level ◽

Health Concern ◽

Babesia Microti ◽

Emerging Pathogens ◽

Wide Range ◽

Questing Ticks ◽

Babesia Venatorum

Abstract Background: Ticks can transmit a wide range of pathogens; some of them are regarded as emerging or re-emerging pathogens causing a significant impact on human and animal health. Methods: In order to determine prevalence and zoonotic potential of Anaplasma spp., Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis and piroplasms in questing ticks from north-western Spain, 1,056 Ixodes ricinus, nineteen Dermacentor marginatus, seventeen Dermacentor reticulatus, twelve Ixodes frontalis and a single Ixodes acuminatus were molecularly analysed. Also, 23 pools of I. ricinus larvae were investigated for the presence of piroplasms. Anaplasma and piroplasm DNA was firstly detected using two commercial qPCR assays. Samples positive to Anaplasma spp. were confirmed and identified at species level by sequence analysis of the groESL, 16S rRNA and msp2 genes. Those samples negative to Anaplasma spp. groESL were pooled and processed to detect a fragment of the groESL gene of Ca. N. mikurensis. qPCR piroplasm positive samples were molecularly identified at the species level by partial sequencing of the 18S rRNA and ITS1 genes.Results: Four pathogen species were detected in individual I. ricinus, namely Babesia venatorum (1.5%), A. phagocytophilum (0.7%), Babesia microti (0.3%) and Theileria sp. OT3 (0.2%). Babesia venatorum was also identified in a single I. ricinus larvae pool (maximum likelihood estimation 0.6%) whereas no I. ricinus pools were positive to Ca. N. mikurensis. In addition, one I. frontalis (8.3%) tested positive to A. phagocytophilum. Conclusions: Our results revealed that a low percentage of I. ricinus from northwest Spain were infected with A. phagocytophilum and piroplasms. Since a potentially pathogenic variant of A. phagocytophilum and two zoonotic Babesia species were detected, these results may have public health concern. Since the vector of Theileria sp. OT3 remains unknown, its identification in I. ricinus is especially interesting; nevertheless, further investigations are needed to unravel the role of I. ricinus in the transmission of this Theileria species.

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Metagenomic 16S rRNA gene sequencing survey of Borrelia species in Irish samples of Ixodes ricinus ticks

10.1101/496950 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

John S Lambert ◽

Michael John Cook ◽

John Eoin Healy ◽

Ross Murtagh ◽

Gordana Avramovic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

16S Rrna ◽

16S Rrna Gene ◽

Ixodes Ricinus ◽

Sanger Sequencing ◽

Reference Sequence ◽

Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato ◽

Tick Population ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽

The 16S Rrna Gene

Lyme borreliosis is a systemic infection caused by tick-borne pathogenic borreliae of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex or of the more heterogeneous relapsing fever borrelia group. Clinical distinction of the infections due to different borrelia species is difficult. Accurate knowledge of the prevalence and the species of borreliae in the infected ticks in the endemic areas is valuable for formulating appropriate guidelines for proper management of this infectious disease. The purpose of this research was to design a readily implementable protocol to detect the divergent species of borreliae known to exist in Europe, using Irish samples of Ixodes ricinus ticks as the subject for study. Questing I. ricinus nymph samples were taken at six localities within Ireland. The crude DNA of each dried tick was extracted by hot NH4OH and used to initiate a same-nested PCR with a pair of borrelial genus-specific primers to amplify a highly conserved 357/358 bp segment of the 16S rRNA gene for detection and as the template for Sanger sequencing. To distinguish B. garinii from B. burgdorferi and to discriminate the various strains of B. garinii, a second 282 bp segment of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified for Sanger sequencing. A signature segment of the DNA sequence excised from the computer-generated electropherogram was submitted to the GenBank for BLAST alignment analysis. A 100% ID match with the unique reference sequence in the GenBank was required for the molecular diagnosis of the borrelial species or strain. We found the overall rate of borrelial infection in the Irish tick population to be 5%, with a range from 2% to 12% depending on the locations of tick collection. At least 3 species, namely B. garinii, B. valaisiana and B. miyamotoi, are infecting the ticks collected in Ireland. The isolates of B. garinii were confirmed to be strain BgVir, strain Bernie or strain T25. Since antigens for diagnostic serology tests may be species- or even strain-specific, expanded surveillance of the species and strains of the borreliae among human-biting ticks in Ireland is needed to ensure that the antigens used for the serology tests do contain the epitopes matching the antibodies elicited by the borrelial species and strains in the ticks cohabitating in the same environment.

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P1506 Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from the Lublin region (eastern Poland)

International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents ◽

10.1016/s0924-8579(07)71345-6 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. S421

Author(s):

E. Cisak ◽

J. Chmielewska-Badora ◽

A. Wójcik-Fatla ◽

J. Zwolinski

Keyword(s):

Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽

Ixodes Ricinus ◽

Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽

Babesia Microti ◽

Ixodes Ricinus Ticks

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Detection of novel tick-borne pathogen, Alongshan virus, in Ixodes ricinus ticks, south-eastern Finland, 2019

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/1560-7917.es.2019.24.27.1900394 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (27) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Suvi Kuivanen ◽

Lev Levanov ◽

Lauri Kareinen ◽

Tarja Sironen ◽

Anne J. Jääskeläinen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ixodes Ricinus ◽

Human Disease ◽

Human Pathogen ◽

South Eastern ◽

Virus Group ◽

Virus Rna ◽

Tick Borne Encephalitis ◽

Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽

Eastern Finland

The newly identified tick-borne Alongshan virus (ALSV), a segmented Jingmen virus group flavivirus, was recently associated with human disease in China. We report the detection of ALSV RNA in Ixodes ricinus ticks in south-eastern Finland. Screening of sera from patients suspected for tick-borne encephalitis for Jingmen tick virus-like virus RNA and antibodies revealed no human cases. The presence of ALSV in common European ticks warrants further investigations on its role as a human pathogen.

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Transmission Studies of Babesia microti in Ixodes ricinus Ticks and Gerbils

Journal of Clinical Microbiology ◽

10.1128/jcm.40.4.1259-1263.2002 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 40 (4) ◽

pp. 1259-1263 ◽

Cited By ~ 70

Author(s):

J. Gray ◽

L. V. von Stedingk ◽

M. Gurtelschmid ◽

M. Granstrom

Keyword(s):

Ixodes Ricinus ◽

Babesia Microti ◽

Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽

Transmission Studies

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Detection of Tick-Borne Pathogens of the Genera Rickettsia, Anaplasma and Francisella in Ixodes ricinus Ticks in Pomerania (Poland)

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10070901 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 901

Author(s):

Lucyna Kirczuk ◽

Mariusz Piotrowski ◽

Anna Rymaszewska

Keyword(s):

Ixodes Ricinus ◽

Large Scale ◽

Tick Infestation ◽

Livestock Grazing ◽

Nucleotide Sequence Analysis ◽

Tick Population ◽

Life Stages ◽

Scale Analysis ◽

Large Scale Analysis ◽

Ixodes Ricinus Ticks

Tick-borne pathogens are an important medical and veterinary issue worldwide. Environmental monitoring in relation to not only climate change but also globalization is currently essential. The present study aimed to detect tick-borne pathogens of the genera Anaplasma, Rickettsia and Francisella in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from the natural environment, i.e., recreational areas and pastures used for livestock grazing. A total of 1619 specimens of I. ricinus were collected, including ticks of all life stages (adults, nymphs and larvae). The study was performed using the PCR technique. Diagnostic gene fragments msp2 for Anaplasma, gltA for Rickettsia and tul4 for Francisella were amplified. No Francisella spp. DNA was detected in I. ricinus. DNA of A. phagocytophilum was detected in 0.54% of ticks and Rickettsia spp. in 3.69%. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that only one species of Rickettsia, R. helvetica, was present in the studied tick population. The present results are a part of a large-scale analysis aimed at monitoring the level of tick infestation in Northwest Poland.

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Detection of Known and Novel Viral Pathogens in Belgian Ixodes ricinus Ticks

Proceedings ◽

10.3390/proceedings2020050066 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 66

Author(s):

Bert Vanmechelen ◽

Michelle Merino ◽

Valentijn Vergote ◽

Lies Laenen ◽

Ana Rita Lopes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ixodes Ricinus ◽

High Throughput Sequencing ◽

Tick Control ◽

Control Measures ◽

Tick Population ◽

Human Pathogens ◽

Arthropod Species ◽

Fourth Segment ◽

Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽

Virus Genomes

Recent metagenomics studies have revealed several arthropod species to be major reservoirs for RNA viruses. One of these reservoirs is Ixodes ricinus, the most prevalent tick species in Europe, which is known to be a vector for many viral and bacterial pathogens. For this study, we decided to investigate the virosphere of Belgian Ixodes ricinus ticks. High-throughput sequencing of tick pools collected from six different sampling sites revealed the presence of viruses belonging to many different viral orders and families, including Mononegavirales, Bunyavirales, Partitiviridae, and Reoviridae. Of particular interest was the detection of several putative human pathogens, including members of the families Nairoviridae and Phenuiviridae as well as three new reoviruses, two of which cluster together with members of the genus Coltivirus. One of these two viruses represents a new strain of Eyach virus, a known causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis. All genome segments of this new strain are highly similar to those of previously published Eyach virus genomes, except for the fourth segment, encoding VP4, which is markedly more dissimilar, potentially indicating the occurrence of an antigenic shift. Further PCR-based screening of over 200 tick pools for 11 selected viruses showed that most viruses could be found in all six sampling sites, indicating the wide spread of these viruses throughout the Belgian tick population. Taken together, these results illustrate the role of ticks as important virus reservoirs, highlighting the need for adequate tick control measures.

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