scholarly journals The Role of Ticks in the Emergence of Borrelia burgdorferi as a Zoonotic Pathogen and Its Vector Control: A Global Systemic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2412
Author(s):  
Sabir Hussain ◽  
Abrar Hussain ◽  
Umair Aziz ◽  
Baolin Song ◽  
Jehan Zeb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Vector Control ◽  
Tick Species ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Systemic Review ◽  
Tick Population

Ticks are widely distributed across the globe, serving as hosts for numerous pathogens that make them major contributors to zoonotic parasitosis. Borrelia burgdorferi is a bacterial species that causes an emerging zoonotic tick-borne disease known as Lyme borreliosis. The role of ticks in the transmission of this pathogen was explored in this study. According to this systematic review, undertaken according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 19 tick species are known to carry Borrelia burgdorferi, with more than half of the recorded cases in the last two decades related to Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes scapularis ticks. Forty-six studies from four continents, Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa, reported this pathogen in ticks collected from vegetation, animals, and humans. This study highlights an increasing distribution of tick-associated Borrelia burgdorferi, likely driven by accelerated tick population increases in response to climate change coupled with tick dispersal via migratory birds. This updated catalogue helps in compiling all tick species responsible for the transmission of B. burgdorferi across the globe. Gaps in research exist on Borrelia burgdorferi in continents such as Asia and Africa, and in considering environmentally friendly vector control strategies in Europe and North America.

scholarly journals Role of Migratory Birds in Introduction and Range Expansion of Ixodes scapularis Ticks and of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Canada

2008 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1780-1790 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. H. Ogden ◽  
L. R. Lindsay ◽  
K. Hanincová ◽  
I. K. Barker ◽  
M. Bigras-Poulin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Range Expansion ◽  
Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
Intergenic Spacer ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Wide Range

ABSTRACT During the spring in 2005 and 2006, 39,095 northward-migrating land birds were captured at 12 bird observatories in eastern Canada to investigate the role of migratory birds in northward range expansion of Lyme borreliosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and their tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. The prevalence of birds carrying I. scapularis ticks (mostly nymphs) was 0.35% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30 to 0.42), but a nested study by experienced observers suggested a more realistic infestation prevalence of 2.2% (95% CI = 1.18 to 3.73). The mean infestation intensity was 1.66 per bird. Overall, 15.4% of I. scapularis nymphs (95% CI = 10.7 to 20.9) were PCR positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, but only 8% (95% CI = 3.8 to 15.1) were positive when excluding nymphs collected at Long Point, Ontario, where B. burgdorferi is endemic. A wide range of ospC and rrs-rrl intergenic spacer alleles of B. burgdorferi were identified in infected ticks, including those associated with disseminated Lyme disease and alleles that are rare in the northeastern United States. Overall, 0.4% (95% CI = 0.03 to 0.41) of I. scapularis nymphs were PCR positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. We estimate that migratory birds disperse 50 million to 175 million I. scapularis ticks across Canada each spring, implicating migratory birds as possibly significant in I. scapularis range expansion in Canada. However, infrequent larvae and the low infection prevalence in ticks carried by the birds raise questions as to how B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum become endemic in any tick populations established by bird-transported ticks.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Ticks Collected from Migratory Birds in Switzerland

2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 976-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Angèle Poupon ◽  
Elena Lommano ◽  
Pierre-François Humair ◽  
Véronique Douet ◽  
Olivier Rais ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Tick Species ◽  
Tick Infestation ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato ◽  
Borrelia Garinii ◽  
Borrelia Lusitaniae ◽  
Reservoir Hosts

ABSTRACT The prevalence of ticks infected by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato on birds during their migrations was studied in Switzerland. A total of 1,270 birds captured at two sites were examined for tick infestation. Ixodes ricinus was the dominant tick species. Prevalences of tick infestation were 6% and 18.2% for birds migrating northward and southward, respectively. Borrelia valaisiana was the species detected most frequently in ticks, followed by Borrelia garinii and Borrelia lusitaniae. Among birds infested by infected ticks, 23% (6/26) were infested by B. lusitaniae-infected larvae. Migratory birds appear to be reservoir hosts for B. lusitaniae.

Strain diversity of Borrelia burgdorferi in ticks dispersed in North America by migratory birds

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Mathers ◽  
Robert P. Smith ◽  
Bruce Cahill ◽  
Charles Lubelczyk ◽  
Susan P. Elias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Strain Diversity

scholarly journals Bacteriome diversity of blackflies gut and association with Onchocerca volvulus, the causative agent of onchocerciasis in Mbam valley (Center Region, Cameroon)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnauld Efon-Ekangouo ◽  
Hugues Nana-Djeunga ◽  
Guilhem Sempere ◽  
Joseph Kamgno ◽  
Flobert Njiokou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vector Control ◽  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Onchocerca Volvulus ◽  
Parasitic Infections ◽  
Tsetse Flies ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
River Blindness ◽  
Parasite Infestation

AbstractBackgroundVector control using larvicides is the main alternative strategy to address limits of preventive chemotherapy using ivermectin to fight onchocerciasis. However, it remains substantially limited by implementation difficulties, ecological concerns and resistance of vector populations. Therefore, efficient and environmentally safe alternative control strategies are still needed. This study explores the role of blackfly bacterial communities both on vector competence and refractoriness to O. volvulus infection in order to determine their potential as a novel vector control-based approach to fight onchocerciasis.Principal findingsA total of 1,270 blackflies were dissected and the infection rate was 10.1%, indicative of ongoing transmission of onchocerciasis in the surveyed communities. Sequencing process revealed 19 phyla and 210 genera, highlighting the diversity of gut blackflies bacterial communities. Wolbachia was the predominant genus with 70% of relative abundance of blackflies gut bacterial communities. Serratia sp and Acidomonas genera were significantly abundant among infected blackflies (p=0.043 and p=0.027, respectively), whereas other genera as Brevibacterium were associated with the absence of infection (p=0.008).Conclusion/SignificanceThis study revealed that blackfly native bacteria are potentially involved in infection by O. volvulus, either by facilitating or preventing the parasite infestation of the vector. These bacteria represent an interesting potential as a biological target for a novel approach of vector control to fight onchocerciasis.Author summaryStudies of arthropods involved in vector-borne diseases (tsetse flies, mosquitoes, and drosophila) demonstrated the importance of their native bacteria either to ease infection and transmission of human pathogenic microorganisms including parasites or on the contrary to induce host protective effects against these parasites. Indeed, some native bacteria of arthropod vectors are now recognized to be associated either with the resistance of their hosts to parasitic infections, or the reduction of their host’s viability in case of the parasite infestation, thus highlighting the potential of such bacteria to be used as biological tool for vector control strategies. However, such bacteria have never been described on blackfly, an arthropod transmitting Onchocerca volvulus, which is the parasite responsible of onchocerciasis commonly known as river blindness. This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the bacterial diversity of blackfly bacteriome and describing the possible role of bacteria communities in susceptibility/resistance features of the blackflies to O. volvulus infection, and therefore their potential as biological targets or tool for vector control. The screening of these blackflies’ native bacteria during this study, highlighted some bacteria genera of interest with significant association either with the absence of O. volvulus in blackfly or with vector infection.

scholarly journals Coinfection of Bartonella spp. and Borrelia Burgdorferi in Ixodes Scapularis Using PCR Assay, a Case Study in Nova Scotia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
James Kho ◽  
Chelsea Colbourne ◽  
Emma Bent ◽  
Amal El Nabbout ◽  
Tatiana Rossolimo
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
North America ◽  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Causative Agent ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Chronic Lyme Disease

Coinfection of vector species can provide more insight into the complex relationship between zoonotic pathogens and its host. Ixodes scapularis (Say) or the deer-tick in particular is an important species in North America because of its exceptional ability as a vector that can transmit zoonotic diseases such as Lyme and Cat Scratch Disease (CSD). In recent years, many studies have suggested a possible link between the coinfection of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme, with other tick-borne bacteria such as Bartonella spp., the causative agent of CSD, as partly responsible for the symptoms associated with Chronic Lyme Disease or Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome. This study investigates the prevalence of Bartonella spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi in Ixodes scapularis using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay to potentially find a link between the two of the most common tick-borne pathogens found in Nova Scotia. Standard PCR using primers targeted at the two bacterial species were conducted on 157 I. scapularis ticks collected in Nova Scotia. Overall, we found high prevalence for both bacteria at 75.16% for Bartonella spp. and 47.13% for B. burgdorferi with no significant differences between the sex of the ticks. Interestingly, all the ticks positive for B. burgdorferi were also positive for Bartonella spp. which implies that the coinfection rate between B. burgdorferi and Bartonella spp. is 47.13%. We report one of the highest coinfection rates for B. burgdorferi and Bartonella spp. in I. scapularis, consistent with the current trends of increasing tick presence in North America.

scholarly journals Differential attraction in mosquito–human interactions and implications for disease control

2020 ◽  
Vol 376 (1818) ◽  
pp. 20190811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Martinez ◽  
Alicia Showering ◽  
Catherine Oke ◽  
Robert T. Jones ◽  
James G. Logan
Keyword(s):  
Vector Control ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Skin Microbiome ◽  
Human Interactions ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Body Odour ◽  
Host Parasite

Mosquito-borne diseases are a major burden on human health worldwide and their eradication through vector control methods remains challenging. In particular, the success of vector control interventions for targeting diseases such as malaria is under threat, in part due to the evolution of insecticide resistance, while for other diseases effective control solutions are still lacking. The rate at which mosquitoes encounter and bite humans is a key determinant of their capacity for disease transmission. Future progress is strongly reliant on improving our understanding of the mechanisms leading to a mosquito bite. Here, we review the biological factors known to influence the attractiveness of mosquitoes to humans, such as body odour, the skin microbiome, genetics and infection by parasites. We identify the knowledge gaps around the relative contribution of each factor, and the potential links between them, as well as the role of natural selection in shaping vector–host–parasite interactions. Finally, we argue that addressing these questions will contribute to improving current tools and the development of novel interventions for the future. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Novel control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases'.

Investigation on the antibacterial activity of electronic cigarette liquids (ECLs): a proof of concept study

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Fuochi ◽  
Massimo Caruso ◽  
Rosalia Emma ◽  
Aldo Stivala ◽  
Riccardo Polosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibacterial Activity ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
A549 Cells ◽  
Bactericidal Effect ◽  
Minimal Bactericidal Concentration ◽  
Viability Assay ◽  
Dependent Inhibition ◽  
Dose Dependent Inhibition ◽  
Dose Dependent

Background: The key ingredients of e-cigarettes liquid are commonly propane-1,2-diol (also called propylene glycol) and propane-1,2,3-triol (vegetal glycerol) and their antimicrobial effects are already established. The nicotine and flavors which are often present in e-liquids can interfere with the growth of some microorganisms. Objective: The effect of the combining these elements in e-liquids is unknown. The aim of the study was to investigate the possible effects of these liquids on bacterial growth in the presence or absence of nicotine and flavors. Methods: Susceptibilities of pathogenic strains (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Sarcina lutea) were studied by means of a multidisciplinary approach. Cell viability and antioxidant assays were also evaluated. Results: All e-liquids investigated showed antibacterial activity against at least one pathogenic strain. A higher activity was correlated to the presence of flavors and nicotine. Discussion: In most cases the value of minimal bactericidal concentration is equal to the value of minimal inhibitory concentration showing that these substances have a bactericidal effect. This effect was observed in concentrations up to 6.25% v/v. Antioxidant activity was also correlated to presence of flavors. Over time, the viability assay in human epithelial lung A549 cells showed a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth. Conclusion: Our results have shown that flavors considerably enhance the antibacterial activity of propane-1,2-diol and propane-1,2,3-triol. This study provides important evidence that should be taken into consideration in further investigative approaches, to clarify the different sensitivity of the various bacterial species to e-liquids, including the respiratory microbiota, to highlight the possible role of flavors and nicotine.

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