PCR Detection and Molecular Characterization of Pentatrichomonas hominis from Feces of Dogs with Diarrhea in the Republic of Korea

Pentatrichomonas hominis is considered a commensal protozoan in the large intestine of a number of mammalian hosts, such as cats, dogs, and non-human primates. The resulting infections, which can induce diarrhea, have been attributed to opportunistic overgrowth of P. hominis. This study was performed to confirm the P. hominis infection and its molecular characterization from the feces of puppies with diarrhea. Fecal samples were obtained from 14 German shepherd puppies with diarrhea over 1 week (7 females and 7 males, 2-9 months of age) residing on a dog farm in August 2007. Species-specific PCR assay identified P. hominis 18S rRNA genes in 3 of the 14 puppies (1 female and 2 males; 1 aged 2 months and 2 aged 9 months). This phylogenetic analysis established that P. hominis belonged to the 1st clade, which is comprised of Bos taurus and Felines.     

Molecular Investigations of Rickettsia helvetica Infection in Dogs,Foxes, Humans,and Ixodes Ticks

Rickettsia helvetica, a tick-borne member of the spotted-fever-group rickettsiae, is a suspected pathogen in humans; however, its role in animals is unknown. The aims of this study were to establish a R. helvetica-specific real-time TaqMan PCR assay and apply it to the analysis of tick vectors (to determine potential exposure risk) and blood samples from Canidae and humans (to determine prevalence of infection). The newly designed 23S rRNA gene assay for R. helvetica was more sensitive than a published citrate synthase gene (gltA) assay for several rickettsiae. Blood samples from 884 dogs, 58 foxes, and 214 human patients and 2,073 ticks (Ixodes spp.) collected from either vegetation or animals were analyzed. Although the maximal likelihood estimate of prevalence was 12% in unfed ticks and 36% in ticks collected from animals, none of the 1,156 blood samples tested PCR positive. Ticks from cats were more frequently PCR positive than ticks from dogs. Sequencing of the 23S rRNA and/or the gltA gene of 17 tick pools confirmed the presence of R. helvetica. Additionally, Rickettsia monacensis, which has not been previously found in Switzerland, was identified. In conclusion, R. helvetica was frequently detected in the tick population but not in blood samples. Nevertheless, due to the broad host range of Ixodes ticks and the high rate of infestation with this agent (i.e., R. helvetica was 13 times more frequent in unfed ticks than the tick-borne encephalitis virus), many mammals may be exposed to R. helvetica. The PCR assay described here represents an important tool for studying this topic.Tick-borne rickettsioses are caused by intracellular bacteria belonging to the spotted fever group (SFG) of the genus Rickettsia. The latter comprises more than 20 different species, of which an increasing number are known to be associated with human and animal diseases. The SFG rickettsiae are distributed worldwide, and their distribution depends upon the occurrence of tick species. The most common tick in Europe is Ixodes ricinus, which was found to harbor Rickettsia helvetica. R. helvetica is transmitted not only transstadially but also transovarially in I. ricinus. Therefore, this tick is both a vector and a reservoir for R. helvetica. Due to the broad host range of I. ricinus, many mammalian species, including humans, can serve as hosts. Therefore, these host species may potentially be exposed to R. helvetica. R. helvetica is a suspected pathogen in humans, and the symptoms described for infections in humans include fever, headache, arthralgia, and myalgia (1, 3, 7, 21, 34). The agent also has been implicated in two cases of fatal perimyocarditis (20, 22).Interestingly, despite the wide distribution of I. ricinus ticks and the high rate of infection of these ticks with R. helvetica that has been reported in several European countries (2, 9, 18, 19, 25, 29, 35, 42), larger studies discussing the prevalence of the infection in humans and animals are scarce. No studies evaluating the importance of R. helvetica in pets or farm animals are available as yet. It is unknown whether these animals can serve as a reservoir or develop clinical signs after infection.Rickettsial infections have been reported to represent the third most common vector-borne disease acquired during international travel and are therefore considered a common cause of fever of unknown origin in returned travelers (24). As the occurrence of tick-borne infectious diseases, and particularly rickettsial infections, is increasing in humans worldwide (26), it may be assumed that the same holds true for companion animals. In dogs, fever of unknown origin that is responsive to antibiotic treatment is frequently observed. In these cases, an infectious agent is suspected but rarely, if ever, confirmed. R. helvetica infections may be the underlying cause in some of these cases, even if the patient does not have a travel history, since exposure to R. helvetica-infected I. ricinus ticks may have occurred locally.To date, the diagnosis of rickettsial infection has most often been confirmed by serological testing. However, antibodies are not detectable prior to the second week of illness for any rickettsial disease studied thus far. Moreover, except for detection of seroconversion or a fourfold increase in titer, a positive serology result does not necessarily indicate an acute infection. A standardized sensitive and specific molecular method for the confirmation of R. helvetica infections would facilitate not only its diagnosis but also prevalence studies. This in turn could increase the awareness of physicians and veterinarians who are confronted with diseased individuals.Therefore, the aims of the present study were as follows: first, to establish a sensitive real-time PCR assay specific for R. helvetica; second, to study tick vectors for R. helvetica to assess the potential exposure risk for animals and humans; and third, to evaluate blood samples from Canidae and humans to assess the occurrence of R. helvetica infections.(These studies were conducted by A. Perreten as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctoral thesis at the Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich.)     

Molecular Detection of Ehrlichia canis in Dogs in Malaysia

An epidemiological study of Ehrlichia canis infection in dogs in Peninsular Malaysia was carried out using molecular detection techniques. A total of 500 canine blood samples were collected from veterinary clinics and dog shelters. Molecular screening by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using genus-specific primers followed by PCR using E. canis species-specific primers. Ten out of 500 dogs were positive for E. canis. A phylogenetic analysis of the E. canis Malaysia strain showed that it was grouped tightly with other E. canis strains from different geographic regions. The present study revealed for the first time, the presence of genetically confirmed E. canis with a prevalence rate of 2.0% in naturally infected dogs in Malaysia.     

Molecular Characterization of Sewage-Borne Pathogens and Detection of Sewage Markers in an Urban Stream in Caracas,Venezuela

Molecular characterization of two sewage-borne pathogens identified hepatitis A virus (HAV) subgenotype IA and Giardia duodenalis assemblages A and B as predominant genotypes circulating in an urban area of Venezuela. This study reveals epidemiological features of human pathogens of worldwide distribution and the efficacy of molecular methods for accurate assessment of sewage pollution.Multiple microbial pathogens may frequently be found in surface waters that receive uncontrolled municipal sewage discharges. The range and diversity of sewage-borne pathogens in surface waters are geographically specific and strongly dependent on the burden of infectious diseases in the population, the seasonal patterns of infectious diseases in the community, and the availability of sewage treatment processing (5, 7). The metropolitan city of Caracas, the capital and largest city of Venezuela, is located in northern South America near the Caribbean coast. Water pollution is a big issue in Caracas, like in many other cities in South America, where most of the human sewage (∼97%) from overpopulated urbanized areas is discharged without any treatment into nearby rivers and coastal environments. Despite these facts, the seriousness of sewage-related health issues is not at the forefront of public concern in this country.Giardia is the protozoan parasite most frequently detected in human fecal samples submitted to diagnostic laboratories from major cities in Venezuela. The frequency of giardiasis reported in the population varies between 21% and 45% but may increase up to 75% among school age children (8). Notwithstanding, the epidemiology of giardiasis in Venezuela remains unknown, and no previous studies have documented the distribution of species and genotype assemblages associated with human infections.Hepatitis A virus (HAV), the etiological agent of hepatitis A in humans, has distinguishable epidemiological patterns of distribution and endemicity closely related to socioeconomic development (9, 12). Water- and food-borne outbreaks of HAV have been well documented worldwide (6, 19). Seroepidemiological studies conducted in selected populations in Venezuela have demonstrated high endemicity of hepatitis A infection among low socioeconomic population strata, with seroprevalences between 48% and 98% (13). Nevertheless, studies on HAV genotype circulation in major urban areas of the country are scarce, as is research on predominant exposure routes and potential transmission patterns through the environment.The analysis of nucleic acid sequences of sewage-borne pathogens may provide relevant information on predominant species and genotypes of human-pathogenic viruses and parasites circulating in specific geographical areas (11, 12, 15). The molecular approach may be of relevance for countries lacking reliable disease surveillance programs and proper understanding of the potential transmission of specific human pathogens through the environment. In this research, Giardia cysts and HAV recovered from an urban stream were characterized by multiple molecular methods along with nucleotide sequence analysis to identify predominant genotypes circulating in a major urban area of Venezuela''s capital. The strength and efficacy of multiple molecular methods for accurate assessment of human sewage pollution and risks of exposure to sewage-borne pathogens were also investigated.Dry season sampling (October through March) was conducted in a heavily polluted urban stream (>10⁶ fecal coliforms/100 ml) that flows in a southeast direction through the metropolitan city of Caracas (16). Water sample volumes of 100 ml were collected in three sterile centrifuge tubes two to four times per month. Giardia cysts were concentrated by centrifugation (100 ml at 1,500 × g for 15 min) followed by DNA extraction by the freeze-thaw method in the presence of Chelex-100 (3) for sucrose-purified cysts. Human-pathogenic assemblage occurrence was determined by nested PCR amplification and sequence analysis of the triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) gene (18). Multiple sequence alignments were performed with ClustalW (21), and phylogenetic analyses were conducted using MEGA4 software (20). The genetic diversity of Giardia isolates was inferred by the neighbor-joining method (17) using a bootstrap test of 1,000 replicates. Giardia cysts counts were obtained by fluorescence microscopy using BTF EasyStain monoclonal antibody stain (BTF Precise Microbiology, Inc.) and 4′6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The recovery efficiency of cysts was determined in five experiments using ColorSeed C&G spike suspensions as internal quality controls (14).HAV particles were concentrated from 35 ml by ultracentrifugation and elution with 0.25 N glycine buffer following procedures previously described (16). Viral RNA was extracted from sample concentrates with Trizol (Invitrogen, Inc., Carlsbad, CA) following the manufacturer''s instructions. General detection of HAV was based on amplification of the 5′ nontranslated region (5′ NTR), while analysis of genetic diversity involved sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 amino terminus and the full VP1 gene (2, 10). Sequence alignment was conducted with the DNAman software 5.2.2 (Lynnon BioSoft, Quebec, Canada) followed by phylogenetic analysis.Molecular detection of sewage pollution was accomplished by PCR amplification of Bacteroidales human-specific 16S rRNA genes, Bacteroides thetaiotamicron 16S rRNA genes, and the nifH gene of Methanobrevibacter smithii using primers and PCR conditions originally described by Field et al. (4), Carson et al. (1), and Ufnar et al. (22), respectively.Giardia duodenalis tpi nucleotide sequences amplified directly from urban stream waters were included after phylogenetic analysis into two well-defined clusters of assemblages A and B. These results were supported by high bootstrap values, as indicated in Fig. ​Fig.1.1. The level of cysts recovered from these samples ranged from 10,400 to 62,000 cysts/liter; however, mean percent recoveries varied from 20% to 50%, which suggests that the urban stream may harbor and receive much higher loads of cysts.Open in a separate windowFIG. 1.Phylogenetic tree of G. duodenalis assemblages A (VPW2, VPW3, and VPW7) and B (VPW1, VPW4, VPW5, and VPW6) from urban stream samples forming two clusters in a neighbor-joining analysis of tpi nucleotide sequences. Only bootstrap values >80% are shown in the tree.Three genomic regions used for detection and characterization of HAV revealed the predominance of HAV strains belonging to subgenotype IA, the most frequent genotype associated with human disease worldwide (9). A neighbor-joining tree constructed from the alignment of nucleotide sequences from urban stream samples and sequences of HAV strains from case patients (unpublished data) was used to investigate the relationship between genotypes present in environmental and clinical samples. The comparative analysis indicated a high degree of identity (98 to 99%) between nucleotide sequences from the urban stream and the strains from sporadic HAV cases. The phylogenetic analysis grouped all of these sequences into two unique clades within subgenotype IA, strongly supported by significant bootstrap values (Fig. 2A, B, and C).Open in a separate windowFIG. 2.Phylogenetic analysis of the HAV 5′ NTR (A; 284 nucleotides [nt]), VP1 amino terminus (B; 172 nt), and complete VP1 (C; 820 nt) regions. Nucleotide sequences of HAV reference strains are designated by their GenBank accession number, including the name of the country of origin, except for Venezuelan isolates, which are shown in bold. S, isolates derived from human sporadic cases; W, urban stream isolates. Phylogenetic analysis was performed by neighbor joining, and phylogenetic distances were calculated by the Kimura two-parameter test. Bootstrap values ≥90% are shown in the trees. Letters in bold indicate the subtype.Three reliable published assays for detection of human-specific markers of fecal pollution identified and confirmed the predominant point source of water pollution. Sequence analysis of three randomly selected PCR products from each marker revealed ≥99% sequence identity with published sequences (GenBank) derived from different geographical areas, thus indicating the validity and specificity of the molecular markers as reliable indicators of human sewage pollution in Venezuela.The results of this research demonstrate that the molecular assays applied for detection and characterization of sewage-borne pathogens in surface waters may have practical applications for epidemiological investigations on distribution of predominant human-specific genotypes circulating in urban populations. Previous studies identified the most predominant waterborne gastroenteritis viruses circulating in Metropolitan Caracas (16).The molecular-based monitoring approach for rapid and precise identification of sewage-borne pathogens and sewage markers in surface waters has important implications for sewage-related health issues that require special attention in Venezuela and South America. Deficient sewerage coverage and lack of municipal wastewater treatment, commonly associated with informal settlements around densely populated urban areas, are responsible for many of the environmental degradation and public health problems that occur in these countries. The precise identification of human pathogens in the environment offers an appropriate and alternative approach for initial assessment of risks of exposure to waterborne pathogens. Current bacterial indicators of fecal pollution (fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, and enterococci) do not allow identification of the relative sources of impacts (i.e., sewage, urban runoff, and agricultural waste) on surface waters. Thus, the molecular detection of sewage-borne pathogens and sewage markers in surface waters may be more effective than the bacterial indicator approach for forecasting pathogen distribution and for managing and reducing risks associated with inappropriate sewage disposal into natural waters in Venezuela and South America.     

Molecular Detection and Genetic Diversity of Blastocystis in Korean Dogs

Blastocystis is a genus of unicellular heterokont parasites belonging to a group of organisms known as Stramenopiles, which includes algae, diatoms, and water molds. Blastocystis includes several species that habitat in the gastrointestinal tracts of organisms as diverse as humans, farm animals, birds, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and cockroaches. It is important to public health and distributed globally, but its prevalence in dogs in Korea has not been reported to date. Here, we collected 787 canine fecal samples and assessed Blastocystis infection by age, sex, region, season, and diarrhea symptoms. We determined Blastocystis subtypes using phylogenetic analyses based on 18S rRNA gene sequences. We identified, 10 Blastocystis positive samples (1.3%). A higher proportion of infected dogs was asymptomatic; however, infection rates did not significantly differ according to region, age, sex, and season. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Blastocystis sp. identified belonged to 4 subtypes (STs), ST1, ST5, ST10, and ST14, thus revealed the genetic diversity of Blastocystis sp. in dogs Korean. This is first report on the presence of Blastocystis sp. in dogs Korean. This study revealed a lower infection rate than expected and differed from previous studies in STs. Further studies are warranted to observe the national infection status of Blastocystis in dogs and the genetic characteristics of this genus.     

Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens in Ticks and Small Mammals in Korea

In order to investigate the prevalence of tick-borne infectious agents among ticks, ticks comprising five species from two genera (Hemaphysalis spp. and Ixodes spp.) were screened using molecular techniques. Ticks (3,135) were collected from small wild-caught mammals or by dragging/flagging in the Republic of Korea (ROK) and were pooled into a total of 1,638 samples (1 to 27 ticks per pool). From the 1,638 tick samples, species-specific fragments of Anaplasma phagocytophilum (1 sample), Anaplasma platys (52 samples), Ehrlichia chaffeensis (29 samples), Ehrlichia ewingii (2 samples), Ehrlichia canis (18 samples), and Rickettsia rickettsii (28 samples) were amplified by PCR assay. Twenty-one pooled and individual tick samples had mixed infections of two (15 samples) or three (6 samples) pathogens. In addition, 424 spleen samples from small captured mammals (389 rodents, 33 insectivores, and 2 weasels) were screened for selected zoonotic pathogens. Species-specific DNA fragments of A. phagocytophilum (110 samples), A. platys (68 samples), E. chaffeensis (8 samples), E. ewingii (26 samples), E. canis (51 samples), and Rickettsia sp. (22 samples) were amplified by PCR assay. One hundred thirty small mammals had single infections, while 4, 14, and 21 striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius) had mixed infections of four, three, and two pathogens, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on nucleotide sequence comparison also revealed that Korean strains of E. chaffeensis clustered closely with those from China and the United States, while the Rickettsia (rOmpA) sequences clustered within a clade together with a Chinese strain. These results suggest that these agents should be considered in differential diagnosis while examining cases of acute febrile illnesses in humans as well as animals in the ROK.     

水中病原微生物分子检测技术研究进展

基于PCR方法的多种分子检测技术已广泛的应用于水体病原微生物的检测中。而以DNA芯片为代表的微型化、快速化手段将是未来检测技术的发展方向,可实现对病原微生物实时和快速的检测。新检测技术的发展有利于建立水体污染早期预警机制,同时,可靠的病原微生物检测方法可降低有害微生物对人类健康的影响。对水体病原微生物分子检测方法及其在水污染相关疾病风险控制中所扮演的重要角色进行阐述。     

Detection and Genetic Characterization of Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia miyamotoi in Estonian Ticks

During the years 2008–2010 I. ricinus and I. persulcatus ticks were collected from 64 sites in mainland Estonia and on the island Saaremaa. Presence of B. miyamotoi was found in 0.9% (23/2622) of ticks. The prevalence in I. persulcatus and I. ricinus ticks differed significantly, 2.7% (15/561) and 0.4% (8/2061), respectively. The highest prevalence rates were in found South-Eastern Estonia in an area of I. persulcatus and I. ricinus sympatry and varied from 1.4% (1/73) to 2.8% (5/178). Co-infections with B. burgdorferi s.l. group spirochetes and tick-borne encephalitis virus were also revealed. Genetic characterization of partial 16S rRNA, p66 and glpQ genes demonstrated that Estonian sequences belong to two types of B. miyamotoi and cluster with sequences from Europe and the European part of Russia, as well as with sequences from Siberia, Asia and Japan, here designated as European and Asian types, respectively. Estonian sequences of the European type were obtained from I. ricinus ticks only, whereas the Asian type of B. miyamotoi was shown for both tick species in the sympatric regions.     

Molecular Detection of Murine Herpesvirus 68 in Ticks Feeding on Free-living Reptiles

The MHV-68 (designed as Murid herpesvirus 4 (MuHV 4) strain 68) isolated from two rodents, Myodes glareolus and Apodemus flavicollis, is considered as a natural pathogen of free-living murid rodents. Recently, the detection of MHV antibodies in the blood of animals living in the same biotope as MHV-infected mice has suggested that ticks may have a role in the transmission of this pathogen. Ixodes ricinus is one the most abundant tick species in Europe known to transmit multiple pathogens causing human and animal diseases. In this study, nymphs and larvae feeding on 116 individuals of a temperate lizard species—the green lizard Lacerta viridis captured in the Slovak Karst National Park, were examined for MHV-68. The specific sequence of virion glycoprotein 150 was amplified in DNA individually isolated from I. ricinus ticks using single-copy sensitive nested polymerase chain reaction. MHV-68 was detected in ten of 649 nymphs and in five of 150 larvae, respectively. We found that 9.6% of green lizards fed at least one MHV-68-infected immature tick. Occurrence of MHV-68 within all ticks tested was 1.8%. This study is first to show that immature I. ricinus ticks feeding on free-living lizards in a Central European region could be infected with gammaherpesvirus (MHV-68), naturally infecting free-living murid rodents. Our results provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that ticks may play a mediating role in circulation of MHV-68 in nature.     

Molecular Detection and Identification of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Ticks Collected from the West Bank,Palestinian Territories

Background

Tick-borne rickettsioses are caused by obligate intracellular bacteria belonging to the spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. Although Spotted Fever is prevalent in the Middle East, no reports for the presence of tick-borne pathogens are available or any studies on the epidemiology of this disease in the West Bank. We aimed to identify the circulating hard tick vectors and genetically characterize SFG Rickettsia species in ixodid ticks from the West Bank-Palestinian territories.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A total of 1,123 ixodid ticks belonging to eight species (Haemaphysalis parva, Haemaphysalis adleri, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Hyalomma dromedarii, Hyalomma aegyptium and Hyalomma impeltatum) were collected from goats, sheep, camels, dogs, a wolf, a horse and a tortoise in different localities throughout the West Bank during the period of January-April, 2014. A total of 867 ticks were screened for the presence of rickettsiae by PCR targeting a partial sequence of the ompA gene followed by sequence analysis. Two additional genes, 17 kDa and 16SrRNA were also targeted for further characterization of the detected Rickettsia species. Rickettsial DNA was detected in 148 out of the 867 (17%) tested ticks. The infection rates in Rh. turanicus, Rh. sanguineus, H. adleri, H. parva, H. dromedarii, and H. impeltatum ticks were 41.7, 11.6, 16.7, 16.2, 11.8 and 20%, respectively. None of the ticks, belonging to the species Rh. bursa and H. aegyptium, were infected. Four SFG rickettsiae were identified: Rickettsia massiliae, Rickettsia africae, Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae and Candidatus Rickettsia goldwasserii.

Significance

The results of this study demonstrate the geographic distribution of SFG rickettsiae and clearly indicate the presence of at least four of them in collected ticks. Palestinian clinicians should be aware of emerging tick-borne diseases in the West Bank, particularly infections due to R. massiliae and R. africae.     

ReSynPlex: Respiratory Syndrome Linked Pathogens Multiplex Detection and Characterization

Background

Pneumonia is a common disease that is a leading cause of mortality worldwide and frequently requires hospital admission. A large number of infectious agents may be involved and as a result of the potential severity of the infection, a clear and quick diagnostic is mandatory in order to take the appropriate decision for the health of the patient. However, a real gap exists between the multiplicity of information required by the practitioner and the diagnostic tools available.

Identification of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ticks Feeding on Humans in Turkey

Background

The importance of tick-borne diseases is increasing all over the world, including Turkey. The tick-borne disease outbreaks reported in recent years and the abundance of tick species and the existence of suitable habitats increase the importance of studies related to the epidemiology of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of and to determine the infection rates of some tick-borne pathogens, including Babesia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and spotted fever group rickettsiae in the ticks removed from humans in different parts of Ankara.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A total of 169 ticks belonging to the genus Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Ixodes and Rhipicephalus were collected by removing from humans in different parts of Ankara. Ticks were molecularly screened for Babesia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and spotted fever group rickettsiae by PCR and sequencing analysis. We detected 4 Babesia spp.; B. crassa, B. major, B. occultans and B. rossi, one Borrelia spp.; B. burgdorferi sensu stricto and 3 spotted fever group rickettsiae; R. aeschlimannii, R. slovaca and R. hoogstraalii in the tick specimens analyzed. This is the report showing the presence of B. rossi in a region that is out of Africa and in the host species Ha. parva. In addition, B. crassa, for which limited information is available on its distribution and vector species, and B. occultans, for which no conclusive information is available on its presence in Turkey, were identified in Ha. parva and H. marginatum, respectively. Two human pathogenic rickettsia species (R. aeschlimannii and R. slovaca) were detected with a high prevalence in ticks. Additionally, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto was detected in unusual tick species (H. marginatum, H. excavatum, Hyalomma spp. (nymph) and Ha. parva).

Conclusions/Significance

This study investigates both the distribution of several tick-borne pathogens affecting humans and animals, and the presence of new tick-borne pathogens in Turkey. More epidemiological studies are warranted for B. rossi, which is very pathogenic for dogs, because the presented results suggest that B. rossi might have a wide distribution in Turkey. Furthermore, we recommend that tick-borne pathogens, especially R. aeschlimannii, R. slovaca, and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, should be taken into consideration in patients who had a tick bite in Turkey.     

Prevalence of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus Ticks from Different Geographical Locations in Belarus

Worldwide, ticks are important vectors of human and animal pathogens. Besides Lyme Borreliosis, a variety of other bacterial and protozoal tick-borne infections are of medical interest in Europe. In this study, 553 questing and feeding Ixodes ricinus (n = 327) and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks (n = 226) were analysed by PCR for Borrelia, Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Coxiella, Francisella and Babesia species. Overall, the pathogen prevalence in ticks was 30.6% for I. ricinus and 45.6% for D. reticulatus. The majority of infections were caused by members of the spotted-fever group rickettsiae (24.4%), 9.4% of ticks were positive for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, with Borrelia afzelii being the most frequently detected species (40.4%). Pathogens with low prevalence rates in ticks were Anaplasma phagocytophilum (2.2%), Coxiella burnetii (0.9%), Francisella tularensis subspecies (0.7%), Bartonella henselae (0.7%), Babesia microti (0.5%) and Babesia venatorum (0.4%). On a regional level, hotspots of pathogens were identified for A. phagocytophilum (12.5–17.2%), F. tularensis ssp. (5.5%) and C. burnetii (9.1%), suggesting established zoonotic cycles of these pathogens at least at these sites. Our survey revealed a high burden of tick-borne pathogens in questing and feeding I. ricinus and D. reticulatus ticks collected in different regions in Belarus, indicating a potential risk for humans and animals. Identified hotspots of infected ticks should be included in future surveillance studies, especially when F. tularensis ssp. and C. burnetii are involved.     

Molecular Characterization and Immunogenicity Analysis of 4D8 Protective Antigen of Hyalomma anatolicum Ticks Collected from Western India

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Vector-borne diseases, mainly transmitted by ticks, have a significant impact on the productivity and health of the animals in the...     

食源性致病菌多重分子生物学检测技术研究进展

快速、可靠的食源性致病菌高通量检测方法对于确保食品安全具有重要意义,近年基于DNA水平的多重分子生物学检测技术迅速发展,针对各种不同的食源性致病菌建立了多种多重分子检测技术,包括多重PCR、多重实时荧光PCR以及基因芯片等。对这些多重分子检测技术的最新研究进展作一综述,并且建议在今后该技术的研究中,仍需要在食品中多种致病菌同时选择性增菌培养、亚致死损伤修复以及检测内标的构建等方面取得突破,从而能够更好地实现食源性致病菌的高通量检测。     

Identification of the Spectrum of Pathogens in Ixodid Ticks from Natural Co-Infection Foci of the Baikal Region

Entomological Review - Ixodid ticks from different regions of the Baikal Region were examined for the presence of transmissive pathogens during 5 seasons (2013–2017). Frequency of occurrence...