Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.4
4.5
Journals
Microorganisms
Special Issues
Molecular Detection and Genotypic Analysis of Tick-Borne Pathogens
share announcement

Molecular Detection and Genotypic Analysis of Tick-Borne Pathogens

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 9399

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Marinda Oosthuizen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0110, South Africa
Interests: tick-borne pathogen discovery; molecular characterization of novel tick-borne haemoparasites; molecular diagnostic assay development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ticks and the pathogens they transmit constitute a growing burden for human and animal health worldwide. They cause extensive economic losses to the livestock industry, impose a growing health burden on human populations worldwide and impact on wildlife conservation due to an increased risk of extinction for small endangered wildlife populations. Therefore, the global impact of tick-borne diseases, along with their zoonotic potential, continue to attract great attention, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that has re-focused attention on mechanisms that lead to any zoonotic disease spill-over and spread. The early and accurate detection of tick-borne pathogens that could cause diseases is therefore of great importance. In the past three decades, rapid advances in biotechnology have made it possible to detect and molecularly characterize disease-causing pathogens more effectively. The implementation of molecular assays for tick-borne pathogen surveillance and discovery have led to the identification of an increasing number of new species, genotypes, and genetic variants of tick-borne pathogens in ticks and domestic and wild animals, some of which have been subsequently recognized as human pathogens. This has had a major impact on our understanding of the diversity of tick-borne agents and their contribution to human and animal diseases.

In this Special Issue of Microorganisms dedicated to the Molecular Detection and Genotypic Analysis of Tick-Borne Pathogens, it is our pleasure to invite authors to submit original research articles, communications, short notes, or review articles concerning any aspects related to tick-borne diseases from different regions around the world, focusing on the advances made in the development and use of tools for the molecular detection and genotyping of tick-borne pathogens; as well as the impact of the findings on our understanding of the epidemiology of these infections. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Advances in tools for the detection and genotyping of tick-borne pathogens;
  • Molecular taxonomy;
  • Epidemiology, surveillance, diagnosis, and prevention of tick-borne diseases;
  • Emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne pathogens;
  • Wildlife as reservoirs and carriers of tick-borne pathogens

Prof. Dr. Marinda Oosthuizen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • tick-borne diseases
  • tick-borne pathogens
  • tick-borne pathogen discovery
  • taxonomy
  • molecular diagnostic tools
  • genotyping
  • molecular characterization
  • epidemiology
  • surveillance
  • diagnosis

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

10 pages, 278 KiB  
Article
Technical Evaluation of qPCR Multiplex Assays for the Detection of Ixodes ricinus-Borne Pathogens
by Tal Azagi, B. J. A. Hoeve-Bakker, Mark Jonker, Jeroen H. Roelfsema, Hein Sprong and Karen Kerkhof
Microorganisms 2022, 10(11), 2222; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10112222 - 10 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2820
Abstract
Background: The extent to which infections with Ixodes ricinus-borne pathogens (TBPs), other than Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), cause disease in humans remains unclear. One of the reasons is that adequate diagnostic modalities are lacking in routine or [...] Read more.
Background: The extent to which infections with Ixodes ricinus-borne pathogens (TBPs), other than Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), cause disease in humans remains unclear. One of the reasons is that adequate diagnostic modalities are lacking in routine or research settings. Methods: We evaluated the analytical specificity, sensitivity and robustness of qPCR assays for the detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Spiroplasma ixodetis, several Babesia species and Spotted Fever Rickettsia species as well as Bartonella species in human samples. Results: The qPCRs were found to perform well, given the difficulties of dealing with microorganisms for which confirmed patient materials are scarce or non-existent, a hurdle that was partially overcome by using synthetic controls. Spiking blood samples with the tested microorganisms showed that the detection of the TBPs was not inhibited by the presence of blood. The acceptable sensitivity when multiplexing the different pathogens, the good inter-assay variability and the absence of cross-reactivity make them potentially suitable as human diagnostics. Conclusions: The qPCRs evaluated in this study are technically suitable for the laboratory diagnostic assessment of clinical samples for infection with tick-borne pathogens. However, clinical validation and independent confirmation are still needed, pending the availability of sufficient human samples for testing in different laboratories. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Detection and Genotypic Analysis of Tick-Borne Pathogens)
16 pages, 2381 KiB  
Article
Molecular Detection of Tick-Borne Bacteria from Amblyomma (Acari: Ixodidae) Ticks Collected from Reptiles in South Africa
by Lehlohonolo S. Mofokeng, Nico J. Smit and Courtney A. Cook
Microorganisms 2022, 10(10), 1923; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10101923 - 28 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1768
Abstract
Reptiles are hosts for various tick species and tick-associated organisms, many of which are zoonotic. However, little is known about the presence and diversity of tick-borne bacteria infecting reptiles and their ticks in South Africa. Amblyomma ticks (n = 253) collected from [...] Read more.
Reptiles are hosts for various tick species and tick-associated organisms, many of which are zoonotic. However, little is known about the presence and diversity of tick-borne bacteria infecting reptiles and their ticks in South Africa. Amblyomma ticks (n = 253) collected from reptiles were screened for the presence of Coxiella, Anaplasma, Rickettsia, and Borrelia species by amplification, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA, 23S rRNA, gltA, OmpA, and Flagellin genes, respectively. This study recorded the presence of reptile associated Borrelia species and Coxiella-like endosymbiont in South Africa for the first time. Furthermore, a spotted fever group Rickettsia species was observed in 7 Amblyomma marmoreum and 14 Amblyomma sylvaticum from tortoises of genera Kinixys and Chersina. Francisella-like endosymbiont was observed from 2 Amblyomma latum collected from the Mozambique spitting cobra, Naja mossambica. Coxiella burnetii and Anaplasma spp., were not detected from the current samples. Although the direct evidence that reptiles can act as reservoir hosts remains to be determined, observations from this study provide indications that reptilian ticks may play a role in the transmission of pathogenic bacteria to homothermic animals. Furthermore, the absence of Anaplasma spp., and C. burnetii does not mean that these pathogens should be completely neglected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Detection and Genotypic Analysis of Tick-Borne Pathogens)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3996 KiB  
Article
Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Ticks and Molecular Survey of Anaplasma marginale, with Notes on Their Phylogeny
by Shumaila Alam, Mehran Khan, Abdulaziz Alouffi, Mashal M. Almutairi, Shafi Ullah, Muhammad Numan, Nabila Islam, Zaibullah Khan, Ome Aiman, Sher Zaman Safi, Tetsuya Tanaka and Abid Ali
Microorganisms 2022, 10(8), 1663; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10081663 - 17 Aug 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2247
Abstract
Hard ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) are medically important ectoparasites that feed on all classes of terrestrial vertebrates. Recently, we molecularly characterized hard ticks and associated Anaplasma spp. in the northern and central regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan; however, this knowledge was missing in [...] Read more.
Hard ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) are medically important ectoparasites that feed on all classes of terrestrial vertebrates. Recently, we molecularly characterized hard ticks and associated Anaplasma spp. in the northern and central regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan; however, this knowledge was missing in the southern regions. This study aimed to investigate tick prevalence, host range, genetic diversity, and molecular survey of Anaplasma spp. in a wide range of tick species in two distinct physiographic regions of southern KP. A total of 1873 hard ticks were randomly collected from 443/837 hosts (cattle, Asian water buffaloes, horses, goats, sheep, dogs, and camels) in Lakki Marwat, Bannu, and Orakzai districts of KP. Overall, 12 tick species were morphologically identified, among which Hyalomma dromedarii was the most prevalent species (390/1873, 20.9%), followed by Hy. anatolicum (294, 15.7%), Rhipicephalus microplus (262, 14%), Hy. scupense (207, 11.1%), R. sanguineus (136, 7.3%), R. turanicus (121, 6.5%), Haemaphysalis cornupunctata (107, 5.7%), R. haemaphysaloides (110, 5.9%), Ha. montgomeryi (87, 4.6%), Hy. isaaci (58, 3.1%), Ha. bispinosa (54, 2.9%), and Ha. sulcata (47, 2.5%). The extracted DNA from a subset of each tick species was subjected to PCR to amplify cox1 or 16S rRNA sequences of ticks and 16S rRNA sequences of Anaplasma spp. The tick cox1 sequences showed 99–100% identities with the sequences of the same species, whereas 16S rRNA sequences of R. turanicus, Ha. montgomeryi and Ha. sulcata showed 97–100% identities with the corresponding species. The 16S rRNA sequence of Ha. cornupunctata showed 92% identity with the species from the same subgenus, such as Ha. punctata. The 16S rRNA sequence of Anaplasma spp. showed 100% identity with Anaplasma marginale. Moreover, 54 ticks were found positive for A. marginale with a total infection rate of 17.2%. The highest infection rate was recorded in Hy. dromedarii (31.1%) and the lowest in each R. haemaphysaloides and R. sanguineus (20%). All the cox1 or 16S rRNA sequences in phylogenetic trees clustered with the same species, except Ha. cornupunctata, which clustered with the Ha. (Aboimisalis) punctata. In this study, Ha. cornupunctata was reported for the first time at the molecular level. The genetic characterization of ixodid ticks and molecular detection of associated A. marginale will assist in the epidemiological surveillance of these parasites in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Detection and Genotypic Analysis of Tick-Borne Pathogens)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1539 KiB  
Article
Molecular Characterization and Assessment of Risk Factors Associated with Theileria annulata Infection
by Karim Ullah, Muhammad Numan, Abdulaziz Alouffi, Mashal M. Almutairi, Hafsa Zahid, Majid Khan, Zia Ul Islam, Atif Kamil, Sher Zaman Safi, Haroon Ahmed, Tetsuya Tanaka and Abid Ali
Microorganisms 2022, 10(8), 1614; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10081614 - 9 Aug 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1976
Abstract
Theileria annulata is a tick-associated parasite that causes tropical theileriosis in livestock and is responsible for huge economic losses. Studies have been neglected on the effect of Theileria spp. on cattle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. The present study was designed to determine [...] Read more.
Theileria annulata is a tick-associated parasite that causes tropical theileriosis in livestock and is responsible for huge economic losses. Studies have been neglected on the effect of Theileria spp. on cattle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. The present study was designed to determine the genetic diversity and assess the risk factors associated with Theileria infection in selected districts of KP. Information on the risk factors related to the Theileria infection was collected through a questionnaire. Blood samples were collected from symptomatic cattle from January 2019 to February 2020, identified morphologically through microscopic examination, and processed for molecular characterization using the 18S rRNA gene as a genetic marker. Of the 555 cattle examined (136, 24.5%) and (294, 53%) were found positive for Theileria spp. by microscopic examination and a PCR test, respectively. Based on the PCR test, the highest prevalence of infection was found in district Upper Dir (46/75, 61.3%), followed by Lower Dir (54/90, 60%); Malakand (51/88, 57.9%); Peshawar (40/80, 50%); and Charsadda (52/112, 46.4%), with the lowest in Bajaur (51/110, 46.34%). A BLAST analysis of the 18S rDNA sequences showed 99.5% identity with T. annulata. In a phylogenetic tree, the 18S rDNA sequence of T. annulata clustered with sequences from Pakistan, China, and Italy. A significant association was observed between the prevalence of infection and different host characteristics. The highest infection was found in adult cattle (216/360, 60%); females (218/377, 57.8%); and Holstein Friesian (120/180, 66.6%). Theileria infection was significantly associated with management practices. Higher infection rates were observed in free-grazing cattle (190/412, 42.2%); those kept in unhygienic conditions (246/405, 60.7%); cattle in combined farming systems (165/255, 64.8%); and those in congested stall systems (150/218, 68.8%). Seasonal patterns were found to be significantly associated with infection, and a higher infection rate was observed in summer (215/350, 61.4%) than in winter (79/205, 38.5%). Identified risk factors should be considered in designing practical control approaches to reduce the burden of Theileria infection. Large scale studies are required to explore the diversity of Theileria species in KP, Pakistan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Detection and Genotypic Analysis of Tick-Borne Pathogens)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop