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Parasitology Research May 2024The primarily bat-associated argasid tick, Secretargas transgariepinus (White, 1846), is a member of the Afrotropical and southern Palaearctic fauna. Probably because...
The primarily bat-associated argasid tick, Secretargas transgariepinus (White, 1846), is a member of the Afrotropical and southern Palaearctic fauna. Probably because of its secretive life style, little is known about this species and records of its collection are scant. Based on morphological revisions of the available specimens, we report new Middle Eastern records for this tick species that had been misidentified as other bat-associated argasid taxa. These specimens are larvae from three localities, and represent the first records of S. transgariepinus from two countries: one larva from Sabratha (Libya) was collected from an unidentified bat species (possibly Eptesicus isabellinus), seven larvae from Azraq-Shishan (Jordan), and 78 larvae from Shamwari (Jordan) were all collected from Otonycteris hemprichii. Twenty larvae from Shamwari were also tested for the presence of both, viral or bacterial microorganisms by PCR. Three ticks were found to be infected with the Murid gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68), one with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and four with a Rickettsia sp. closely related to Rickettsia slovaca. The findings represent a first evidence for the occurrence of these possible pathogens in S. transgariepinus.
Topics: Animals; Jordan; Larva; Libya; Chiroptera; Argasidae; Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 38805058
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08239-5 -
Microorganisms May 2024Bacterial biofilms are hardy, adaptable colonies, evading immune recognition while triggering and sustaining inflammation. The goals for this study were to present a...
Bacterial biofilms are hardy, adaptable colonies, evading immune recognition while triggering and sustaining inflammation. The goals for this study were to present a method for testing the immunogenicity of secreted metabolites from pathogenic biofilm and to document whether biofilm treated with a nutraceutical enzyme and botanical blend (NEBB) showed evidence of reprogrammed bacterial metabolism, potentially becoming more recognizable to the immune system. We screened immune-modulating properties of metabolites from established biofilm from (Pa), (Ss), and (Bb). Secreted metabolites significantly increased the cytokine production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, including Interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), macrophage inflammatory protein-1-alpha (MIP-1α), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), and interleukin-10 (IL-10). Pa metabolites triggered the most robust increase in IL-1β, whereas Bb metabolites triggered the most robust increase in IL-10. NEBB-disrupted biofilm produced metabolites triggering altered immune modulation compared to metabolites from untreated biofilm. Metabolites from NEBB-disrupted biofilm triggered increased MIP-1α levels and reduced IL-10 levels, suggesting a reduced ability to suppress the recruitment of phagocytes compared to untreated biofilm. The results suggest that nutraceutical biofilm disruption offers strategies for inflammation management in chronic infectious illnesses. Further clinical studies are warranted to evaluate clinical correlations in infected human hosts.
PubMed: 38792820
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050991 -
Microbial Genomics May 2024Lyme disease (LD), caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus , remains the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. outer surface protein A (OspA)...
Lyme disease (LD), caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus , remains the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. outer surface protein A (OspA) is an integral surface protein expressed during the tick cycle, and a validated vaccine target. There are at least 20 recognized genospecies, that vary in OspA serotype. This study presents a new sequence-based method for OspA typing using next-generation sequence data. Using a compiled database of over 400 genomes encompassing the 4 most common disease-causing genospecies, we characterized OspA diversity in a manner that can accommodate existing and new OspA types and then defined boundaries for classification and assignment of OspA types based on the sequence similarity. To accommodate potential novel OspA types, we have developed a new nomenclature: OspA type (IST). Beyond the ISTs that corresponded to existing OspA serotypes 1-8, we identified nine additional ISTs that cover new OspA variants in (IST9-10), (IST11-12), and other genospecies (IST13-17). The IST typing scheme and associated OspA variants are available as part of the PubMLST spp. database. Compared to traditional OspA serotyping methods, this new computational pipeline provides a more comprehensive and broadly applicable approach for characterization of OspA type and genospecies to support vaccine development.
Topics: Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; Lyme Disease; Lipoproteins; Antigens, Surface; Borrelia burgdorferi; Computer Simulation; Humans; Genome, Bacterial; Borrelia burgdorferi Group; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Serogroup; Phylogeny; Bacterial Vaccines
PubMed: 38787376
DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001252 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024ticks carry and transmit a wide range of pathogens to vertebrate hosts. Limited information is available about the existence of emerging tick-borne pathogens and the...
ticks carry and transmit a wide range of pathogens to vertebrate hosts. Limited information is available about the existence of emerging tick-borne pathogens and the distribution of in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study aimed to investigate the occurrence and distribution of and to detect the presence of spp., s.l., spp., and spp. in samples originating from questing ticks and ticks collected from domestic animals in various regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A total of 402 collected ticks were widely distributed throughout the country. Of the 41 pools consisting of 205 individual ticks, 21 (51.2%) indicated the presence of spp., 17 (41.4%) of spp., 2 (4.8%) of spp., and 1 (2.4%) of s.l. after real-time PCR screening. Our study indicates that has significantly expanded its distribution and host range in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moreover, our results represent the first detection of spp. in in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Given the demonstrated presence of emerging pathogens in questing and feeding ticks, there is an urge to establish a surveillance system for ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
PubMed: 38787273
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050421 -
Ecology and Evolution May 2024Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere caused by spirochetes belonging to the sensu lato (sl) complex. spirochetes...
Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere caused by spirochetes belonging to the sensu lato (sl) complex. spirochetes circulate in obligatory transmission cycles between tick vectors and different vertebrate hosts. To successfully complete this complex transmission cycle, sl encodes for an arsenal of proteins including the PFam54 protein family with known, or proposed, influences to reservoir host and/or vector adaptation. Even so, only fragmentary information is available regarding the naturally occurring level of variation in the PFam54 gene array especially in relation to Eurasian-distributed species. Utilizing whole genome data from isolates ( = 141) originated from three major LB-causing species across Eurasia (, , and ), we aimed to characterize the diversity of the PFam54 gene array in these isolates to facilitate understanding the evolution of PFam54 paralogs on an intra- and interspecies level. We found an extraordinarily high level of variation in the PFam54 gene array with 39 PFam54 paralogs belonging to 23 orthologous groups including five novel paralogs. Even so, the gene array appears to have remained fairly stable over the evolutionary history of the studied species. Interestingly, genes outside Clade IV, which contains genes encoding for proteins associated with pathogenesis, more frequently displayed signatures of diversifying selection between clades that differ in hypothesized vector or host species. This could suggest that non-Clade IV paralogs play a more important role in host and/or vector adaptation than previously expected, which would require future lab-based studies to validate.
PubMed: 38779535
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11397 -
Cureus Apr 2024Lyme disease (LD), or Lyme borreliosis, is a vector-borne disease that is caused by the transmission of the bacterium through a tick bite. The symptoms of LD can... (Review)
Review
Lyme disease (LD), or Lyme borreliosis, is a vector-borne disease that is caused by the transmission of the bacterium through a tick bite. The symptoms of LD can persist in individuals chronically, even after the treatment and resolution of the initial infection. These symptoms include various neuropsychiatric manifestations and cognitive decline. The purpose of this review was to report the neuropsychiatric manifestations, cognitive decline, and effects of a delayed diagnosis on symptom severity in patients with long-standing LD (LSLD). A scoping review was conducted utilizing the electronic databases Embase, Ovid Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), and Web of Science. A total of 744 articles were retrieved and considered for inclusion. After a rigorous screening process, 10 articles that met the inclusion criteria for this review were included (i.e., reported neuropsychiatric manifestations and cognitive decline in patients with LSLD and the effects of a delayed diagnosis). Neuropsychiatric manifestations in the patients consisted of suicidal ideation, homicidal tendencies, extreme anger, depressive symptoms, aggression, and anxiety. Cognitive symptoms included dysfunctions in working memory, verbal learning/memory, non-verbal learning/memory, alertness, visuoconstructive, and frontal executive functioning. A delayed LD diagnosis increased symptom severity in most patients. The findings of this review indicate that neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms tend to present for a chronic period, even after disease recovery. Although researchers have established a link between a delayed LD diagnosis and increased symptom severity, LSLD is often an overlooked diagnosis in patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive decline. More research is needed to compare the time to diagnosis and symptom severity in patients with LSLD.
PubMed: 38752040
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58308 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... May 2024ticks are an important vector for at least six tick-borne human pathogens, including the predominant North American Lyme disease spirochete . The ability for these...
UNLABELLED
ticks are an important vector for at least six tick-borne human pathogens, including the predominant North American Lyme disease spirochete . The ability for these ticks to survive in nature is credited, in part, to their ability to feed on a variety of hosts without excessive activation of the proinflammatory branch of the vertebrate immune system. While the ability for nymphal ticks to feed on a variety of hosts has been well-documented, the host-parasite interactions between larval and different vertebrate hosts is relatively unexplored. Here we report on the changes in the vertebrate transcriptome present at the larval tick bite site using the natural host deermouse, a non-natural rodent host (BALB/c), and humans. We note substantially less evidence of activation of canonical proinflammatory pathways in compared to BALB/c mice and pronounced evidence of inflammation in humans. Pathway enrichment analyses revealed a particularly strong signature of interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin 1 signaling at the BALB/c and human tick bite site. We also note that bite sites on BALB/c mice and humans, but not deermice, show activation of wound-healing pathways. These data provide molecular evidence of the coevolution between larval and as well as expand our overall understanding of feeding.
SIGNIFICANCE
tick bites expose humans to numerous diseases in North America. While larval tick feeding enables pathogens to enter the tick population and eventually spread to humans, how larval ticks interact with mammals has been understudied compared to other tick stages. Here we examined the transcriptomic response of a natural rodent host ( ), a non-native rodent host ( ), and an incidental host (humans). We find that there are differences in how all three species respond to larval , with the natural host producing the smallest transcriptomic signature of a canonical proinflammatory immune response and the incidental human host producing the most robust signature of inflammation in response to the larval tick. These data expand our understanding of the pressures on ticks in the wild and inform our ability to model these interactions in laboratory settings.
PubMed: 38746284
DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.02.592193 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Apr 2024Innate immunity, the first line of defense against pathogens, relies on efficient elimination of invading agents by phagocytes. In the co-evolution of host and pathogen,...
Innate immunity, the first line of defense against pathogens, relies on efficient elimination of invading agents by phagocytes. In the co-evolution of host and pathogen, pathogens developed mechanisms to dampen and evade phagocytic clearance. Here, we report that bacterial pathogens can evade clearance by macrophages through mimicry at the mammalian anti-phagocytic "don't eat me" signaling axis between CD47 (ligand) and SIRPα (receptor). We identified a protein, P66, on the surface of that, like CD47, is necessary and sufficient to bind the macrophage receptor SIRPα. Expression of the gene encoding the protein is required for bacteria to bind SIRPα or a high-affinity CD47 reagent. Genetic deletion of increases phagocytosis by macrophages. Blockade of P66 during infection promotes clearance of the bacteria. This study demonstrates that mimicry of the mammalian anti-phagocytic protein CD47 by inhibits macrophage-mediated bacterial clearance. Such a mechanism has broad implications for understanding of host-pathogen interactions and expands the function of the established innate immune checkpoint receptor SIRPα. Moreover, this report reveals P66 as a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of Lyme Disease.
PubMed: 38746193
DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.29.591704 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that affects mainly young people. It is believed that the autoimmune process...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that affects mainly young people. It is believed that the autoimmune process observed in the pathogenesis of MS is influenced by a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors, including infectious agents. The results of this study suggest the protective role of Toxoplasma gondii infections in MS. Interestingly, high Toxoplasma IgM seropositivity in MS patients receiving immunomodulatory drugs (IMDs) was identified. On the other hand, Borrelia infections seem to be positively associated with MS. Although the interpretation of our results is limited by the retrospective nature of the studies, the results strongly indicate that further experimental and clinical studies are needed to explain the role of infectious agents in the development and pathophysiological mechanisms of MS.
Topics: Humans; Multiple Sclerosis; Toxoplasmosis; Poland; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Female; Toxoplasma; Male; Adult; Lyme Disease; Borrelia burgdorferi; Middle Aged; Immunoglobulin M; Retrospective Studies; Young Adult
PubMed: 38744898
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61714-y -
Cureus Apr 2024Infection with spirochetes can cause Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB). Neuroborreliosis presenting as encephalitis is a rare manifestation. We present a 72-year-old...
Infection with spirochetes can cause Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB). Neuroborreliosis presenting as encephalitis is a rare manifestation. We present a 72-year-old male patient hospitalized after three days of confusion and altered mental status. Initial computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain were both unremarkable. Lumbar puncture showed an elevated number of white blood cells, elevated protein, and normal glucose levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), normal electroencephalogram (EEG), and negative tests for common microorganisms in the CSF. The patient received treatment with acyclovir and ceftriaxone. Lumbar puncture repeated on day 16 showed a decreasing number of white blood cells. A repeated MRI showed white matter edema, interpreted as encephalitis, while a repeated EEG showed signs of a non-specific cerebral lesion. The first lumbar puncture revealed intrathecal immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies against and was positive for DNA using real-time PCR, and the following lumbar puncture showed both IgM and IgG intrathecal antibody production. These results thus confirmed the diagnosis of Lyme encephalitis. The patient improved clinically and was discharged after treatment with ceftriaxone for three weeks. Encephalitis due to LNB should be considered as a differential diagnosis in cases with unexplained neurological symptoms. Changes in MRI and/or EEG might occur late in the course of the disease, underlining the need for repeated tests in unresolved cases.
PubMed: 38725777
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57882