scholarly journals Transstadial Transmission from Nymph to Adult of Coxiella burnetii by Naturally Infected Hyalomma lusitanicum

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia González ◽  
Marta G. González ◽  
Félix Valcárcel ◽  
María Sánchez ◽  
Raquel Martín-Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Tick Species ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Artificial Feeding ◽  
Source Of Infection ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Transstadial Transmission ◽  
Silicone Membranes

Coxiella burnetii (Derrick) Philip, the causative agent of Q fever, is mainly transmitted by aerosols, but ticks can also be a source of infection. Transstadial and transovarial transmission of C. burnetii by Hyalomma lusitanicum (Koch) has been suggested. There is a close relationship between this tick species, wild animals and C. burnetii but the transmission in a natural environment has not been demonstrated. In this study, we collected 80 engorged nymphs of H. lusitanicum from red deer and wild rabbits. They moult to adults under laboratory conditions and we feed them artificially through silicone membranes after a preconditioning period. C. burnetii DNA was tested in ticks, blood and faeces samples using real-time PCR. The pathogen was found in 36.2% of fed adults, demonstrating that transstadial transmission from nymph to adult occurs in nature. The presence of DNA in the 60.0% of blood samples after artificial feeding confirms that adults transmit the bacteria during feeding. Further studies are needed about co-feeding and other possible transmission routes to define the role of this tick species in the cycle of C. burnetii.

scholarly journals Transstadial Transmission from Nymph to Adult of Coxiella burnetii by Naturally Infected Hyalomma lusitanicum

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia González ◽  
Marta G. González ◽  
Félix Valcárcel ◽  
María Sánchez ◽  
Raquel Martín-Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Tick Species ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Source Of Infection ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Transstadial Transmission ◽  
Silicone Membranes

Coxiella burnetii (Derrick) Philip, the causative agent of Q fever, is mainly transmitted by aerosols, but ticks can also be a source of infection. Transstadial and transovarical transmission of C. burnetii by Hyalomma lusitanicum (Koch) has been suggested. There is a close relationship between this tick species, wild animals and C. burnetii but the transmission in a natural environment has not been demonstrated. In this study, we collected 80 engorged nymphs of H. lusitanicum from red deer and wild rabbits. They molt to adults under laboratory conditions and we feed them artificially through silicone membranes after a preconditioning period. C. burnetii DNA was tested in ticks, blood and feces samples using real-time PCR. The pathogen was found in 36.25% of fed adults demonstrating that transstadial transmission from nymph to adult occurs in nature. The presence of DNA in the 60% of blood samples confirms that adults transmit the bacteria during feeding. Further studied are needed about co-feeding and other possible transmission routes to define the role of this tick species in the cycle of C. burnetii.

Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii (Legionellales: Coxiellaceae) Infection Among Wildlife Species and the Tick Hyalomma lusitanicum (Acari: Ixodidae) in a Meso-Mediterranean Ecosystem

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia González ◽  
Marta G González ◽  
Félix Valcárcel ◽  
Maria Sánchez ◽  
Raquel Martín-Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Bacterial Dna ◽  
Wildlife Species ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Reproductive Losses ◽  
Transstadial Transmission

Abstract Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii (Derrick) Philip. It is a major cause of abortion among sheep and may be responsible for reproductive losses in red deer in Spain. Airborne transmission is the most widespread; however, some studies suggested that ticks may play a role, but little is known about their actual involvement in the C. burnetii cycle. The aim of this study was to determine the role that Hyalomma lusitanicum (Koch) tick plays in the maintenance of this agent among wildlife in the meso-Mediterranean areas. We processed by PCR 53 swabs from wild rabbits, 21 liver samples from red deer, and 236 ticks collected at different stages. Coxiella burnetii DNA was detected in 43.40% of wild rabbits and 38.09% of red deer, supporting the hypothesis that these animals are quite likely to serve as a reservoir in the field. We also found a high prevalence of C. burnetii in ticks (55.66%). It is worth noting that 50.45% of positive ticks were collected from negative hosts, suggesting that the pathogen probably was acquired at a previous tick stage. Our results suggest transstadial transmission, and the presence of bacterial DNA in the offspring of positive female ticks is the first evidence of the transovarial transmission of C. burnetii by H. lusitanicum. Thus, this tick species seems to play an important role as a bridge of infection in the wildlife cycle, although further studies are needed to confirm vector competence.

scholarly journals A Freedom of Coxiella burnetii Infection Survey in European Bison (Bison bonasus) in Poland

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 651
Author(s):  
Michał K. Krzysiak ◽  
Martyna Puchalska ◽  
Wanda Olech ◽  
Krzysztof Anusz
Keyword(s):  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Elisa Test ◽  
Bison Bison ◽  
European Bison ◽  
Bison Bonasus ◽  
Source Of Infection ◽  
Three Samples ◽  
Seropositive Animal

Q fever is an important zoonosis caused by the intracellular Gram-negative bacteria Coxiella burnetii. The source of infection are numerous species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, as well as ticks. The disease is widespread throughout Europe, but the role of wildlife in its epidemiology is poorly understood. The European bison (Bison bonasus) population has been growing European-wide quite dynamically over the last few years. The aim of this study was to determine whether C. burnetii infection occurs in European bison and whether it can be considered an important bacterial reservoir in the natural environment. Five hundred and twenty three samples of European bison sera originating from 14 (out of the 26 existing) Polish populations were examined for the presence of specific antibodies using an ID Screen Q Fever Indirect Multi-species ELISA test. Only one (0.19%) serum sample was positive in ELISA, and two other samples were doubtful. The only seropositive animal found in this study was a free-living bull. It suggests possible transmission from domestic cattle by sharing pastures. The transmission of C. burnetii into the European bison was rather accidental in the country and its role as an important wild reservoir is unlikely. Since no tests are available for wildlife ruminants there is a need for the adaptation of the available tests.

scholarly journals The prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in ticks and animals in Slovenia

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nataša Knap ◽  
Diana Žele ◽  
Urška Glinšek Biškup ◽  
Tatjana Avšič-Županc ◽  
Gorazd Vengušt
Keyword(s):  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Domestic Animals ◽  
Animal Blood ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Specific Antibodies ◽  
Source Of Infection ◽  
History Of ◽  
Pathogen Dna

Abstract Background The obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii causes globally distributed zoonotic Q fever. Ruminant livestock are common reservoirs of C. burnetii. Coxiella burnetii are shed in large numbers in the waste of infected animals and are transmitted by inhalation of contaminated aerosols. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of C. burnetii infection in domestic animals and ticks in areas of Slovenia associated with a history of Q fever outbreaks. Results A total of 701 ticks were collected and identified from vegetation, domestic animals and wild animals. C. burnetii DNA was detected in 17 out of 701 (2.4%) ticks. No C. burnetii DNA was found in male ticks. Ticks that tested positive in the PCR-based assay were most commonly sampled from wild deer (5.09%), followed by ticks collected from domestic animals (1.16%) and ticks collected by flagging vegetation (0.79%). Additionally, 150 animal blood samples were investigated for the presence of C. burnetii-specific antibodies and pathogen DNA. The presence of pathogen DNA was confirmed in 14 out of 150 (9.3%) blood samples, while specific antibodies were detected in sera from 60 out of 150 (40.4%) animals. Conclusions Our results indicate that ticks, although not the primary source of the bacteria, are infected with C. burnetii and may represent a potential source of infection for humans and animals. Ticks collected from animals were most likely found to harbor C. burnetii DNA, and the infection was not lost during molting. The persistence and distribution of pathogens in cattle and sheep indicates that C. burnetii is constantly present in Slovenia.

scholarly journals Seasonality of Coxiella burnetii among Wild Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the Hyalomma lusitanicum (Acari: Ixodidae) in a Meso-Mediterranean Ecosystem

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
María Sánchez ◽  
Félix Valcárcel ◽  
Julia González ◽  
Marta G. González ◽  
Raquel Martín-Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Wild Rabbit ◽  
Sylvatic Cycle ◽  
Almost Everywhere ◽  
In The Wild

(1) Background: Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii that have cases reported in humans and animals almost everywhere. The aim of this study was to describe the seasonality of Coxiella burnetii in the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the tick Hyalomma lusitanicum in a meso-Mediterranean ecosystem. (2) Methods: two populations of wild rabbits that differ in whether or not they share habitat with ungulates, mainly red deer (Cervus elaphus) were sampled for a year to collect ticks, blood and vaginal or anal swabs. Presence of C. burnetii DNA in swabs and the tick H. lusitanicum was determined by PCR and serum antibodies by ELISA. (3) Results: C. burnetii DNA was detected in 47.2% of 583 rabbits, in 65.5% of sera, and in more than half of the H. lusitanicum. There were small variations according to sex and age of the rabbits but significant according to the habitat (4) Conclusions: The results indicate that C. burnetii circulates freely between wild rabbits and H. lusitanicum and the sylvatic cycle in meso-Mediterranean environments relies in the presence of wild rabbits and H. lusitanicum above all if sharing habitat with red deer.

scholarly journals Coxiella burnetii is widespread in ticks (Ixodidae) in the Xinjiang border areas of China

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Ni ◽  
Hanliang Lin ◽  
Xiaofeng Xu ◽  
Qiaoyun Ren ◽  
Malike Aizezi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infection Rate ◽  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Tick Species ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽  
Domestic Animals ◽  
High Infection ◽  
Haemaphysalis Punctata ◽  
Border Areas ◽  
Hyalomma Rufipes

Abstract Background The gram-negative Coxiella burnetii bacterium is the pathogen that causes Q fever. The bacterium is transmitted to animals via ticks and can cause infection in domestic animals, wild animals, and humans. As the provincial-level administrative region with the largest land area in China, Xinjiang has many endemic tick species; however, the distribution of C. burnetii in ticks in Xinjiang border areas has not been studied in detail.Results For the current study, 1507 ticks were collected from livestock at 22 sampling sites in ten border regions of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region from 2018 to 2019. C. burnetii was detected in 205/348 (58.91%) Dermacentor nuttalli ; in 110/146 (75.34%) Dermacentor pavlovskyi ; in 66/80 (82.50%) Dermacentor silvarum ; in 15/32 (46.90%) Dermacentor niveus ; in 28/132 (21.21%) Hyalomma rufipes ; in 24/25 (96.00%) Hyalomma anatolicum ; in 219/312 (70.19%) Hyalomma asiaticum ; in 252/338 (74.56%) Rhipicephalus sanguineus ; and in 54/92 (58.70%) Haemaphysalis punctata . Among these samples, C. burnetii was detected in D. pavlovskyi for the first time. The infection rate of R. sanguineus was 74.56% (252/338), which was the highest among the four tick genera sampled, whereas the infection rate of H. anatolicum was 96% (24/25), which was the highest among the nine tick species sampled. A sequence analysis indicated that 63 16S rRNA sequences could be found in four newly established genotypes: CXJ-1 (n = 18), CXJ-2 (n = 33), CXJ-3 (n = 6), and CXJ-4 (n = 6).Conclusions This study indicates that CXJ-2 might represent the main C. burnetii genotype in the ticks in Xinjiang because it was detected in eight of the tick species studied. The high infection rate of C. burnetii detected in the ticks found in domestic animals may indicate a high likelihood of Q fever infection in both domestic animals and humans.

scholarly journals Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence in primiparous and multiparous ewes from southern Australia: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Clune ◽  
Amy Lockwood ◽  
Serina Hancock ◽  
Andrew N. Thompson ◽  
Mieghan Bruce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Molecular Diagnostic ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Natural Exposure ◽  
Reproductive Disease

Abstract Coxiella burnetii can cause reproductive disease in sheep and zoonotic Q-fever infections in humans. The role of infectious diseases including coxiellosis in causing poorer reproductive performance of primiparous ewes is not well studied. The aim of this study was to determine if natural exposure to C. burnetii is associated with poor reproductive performance of primiparous ewes and compare seroprevalence of primiparous and multiparous ewes. Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence was 0.08% (95% confidence interval 0.01, 0.36) in primiparous ewes and 0.36% (0.07, 1.14) in mature ewes. Coxiella burnetii was not detected in tissue samples from aborted or stillborn lambs using molecular diagnostic tests (qPCR). These findings suggest that C. burnetii infection was unlikely to be an important contributor to abortion and perinatal mortalities observed for primiparous ewes, and exposure to C. burnetii was not widespread in ewes on farms located over wide geographical region of southern Australia.

scholarly journals Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii infection in aborted samples of domestic ruminants in Iran

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0250116
Author(s):  
Ashraf Mohabati Mobarez ◽  
Mohammad Khalili ◽  
Ehsan Mostafavi ◽  
Saber Esmaeili
Keyword(s):  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Molecular Detection ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Domestic Animal ◽  
Domestic Ruminant ◽  
Domestic Ruminants ◽  
Pcr Targeting ◽  
Different Parts

Background Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever which is a highly infectious zoonotic disease. C. burnetii has become one of the most important causes of abortion in livestock, which can lead to widespread abortions in these animals. There are very limited studies on the prevalence of C. burnetii infection in cases of animal abortion in Iran. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of C. burnetii in ruminant abortion samples in Iran. Methods Abortion samples from cattle, sheep and goats were collected from different parts of Iran and were tested using Real-time PCR targeting the IS1111 element of C. burnetii. Results In this study, 36 samples (24.7%) of the 146 collected samples were positive for C. burnetii. The prevalence of C. burnetii was 21.3% (20 of 94 samples) in sheep samples. Also, 10 of 46 cattle samples (21.7%) were positive. All six goat abortion samples were positive for C. burnetii. Conclusions The findings of the study demonstrate that C. burnetii plays an important role in domestic ruminant abortions in Iran, suggesting that more attention should be paid to the role of C. burnetii in domestic animal abortions by veterinary organizations. The risk of transmitting the infection to humans due to abortion of animals should also be considered.

scholarly journals First serological record of Coxiella burnetii infection in the equine population of Slovakia

Biologia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Drážovská ◽  
Marián Prokeš ◽  
Boris Vojtek ◽  
Jana Mojžišová ◽  
Anna Ondrejková ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Elisa Method ◽  
Zoonotic Pathogen ◽  
Specific Antibodies

AbstractCoxiella burnetii is a worldwide zoonotic pathogen causing Q fever in various animal species and humans. In Slovakia, cases of C. burnetii infection in both animals and humans are confirmed every year. The role of horses in the epidemiology of this neglected disease is still unclear. In our study, we focused on a serosurvey of C. burnetii in the equine population in Slovakia by the ELISA method. Subsequently, a nested PCR was performed to detect the 16S rRNA fragment of the genus Coxiella. Among 184 horse sera, the presence of specific antibodies to C. burnetii was detected in four samples, representing a 2.17% seropositivity. All the positive horses were mares; two originated from Central Slovakia and two from Eastern Slovakia. Although the number of positive samples was too small for a determination of statistical significance, our results provide the first confirmation of antibodies to C. burnetii in horses from Slovakia. Although no positive PCR result was obtained, these serological findings may help to clarify the circulation of the pathogen in the environment.

scholarly journals The Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Hard Ticks in Europe and Their Role in Q Fever Transmission Revisited—A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophia Körner ◽  
Gustavo R. Makert ◽  
Sebastian Ulbert ◽  
Martin Pfeffer ◽  
Katja Mertens-Scholz
Keyword(s):  
Coxiella Burnetii ◽  
Tick Species ◽  
Q Fever ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Similar Proportion ◽  
Prevalence Studies ◽  
Significant Difference

The zoonosis Q fever is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Besides the main transmission route via inhalation of contaminated aerosols, ticks are discussed as vectors since the first isolation of the pathogen from a Dermacentor andersonii tick. The rare detection of C. burnetii in ticks and the difficult differentiation of C. burnetii from Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs) are questioning the relevance of ticks in the epidemiology of Q fever. In this review, literature databases were systematically searched for recent prevalence studies concerning C. burnetii in ticks in Europe and experimental studies evaluating the vector competence of tick species. A total of 72 prevalence studies were included and evaluated regarding DNA detection methods and collection methods, country, and tested tick species. Specimens of more than 25 different tick species were collected in 23 European countries. Overall, an average prevalence of 4.8% was determined. However, in half of the studies, no Coxiella-DNA was detected. In Southern European countries, a significantly higher prevalence was observed, possibly related to the abundance of different tick species here, namely Hyalomma spp. and Rhipicephalus spp. In comparison, a similar proportion of studies used ticks sampled by flagging and dragging or tick collection from animals, under 30% of the total tick samples derived from the latter. There was no significant difference in the various target genes used for the molecular test. In most of the studies, no distinction was made between C. burnetii and CLEs. The application of specific detection methods and the confirmation of positive results are crucial to determine the role of ticks in Q fever transmission. Only two studies were available, which assessed the vector competence of ticks for C. burnetii in the last 20 years, demonstrating the need for further research.

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