-
Frontiers in Medicine 2021Lyme disease (also known as Lyme borreliosis) is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States with an estimated 476,000 cases per year. While historically,... (Review)
Review
Lyme disease (also known as Lyme borreliosis) is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States with an estimated 476,000 cases per year. While historically, the long-term impact of Lyme disease on patients has been controversial, mounting evidence supports the idea that a substantial number of patients experience persistent symptoms following treatment. The research community has largely lacked the necessary funding to properly advance the scientific and clinical understanding of the disease, or to develop and evaluate innovative approaches for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Given the many outstanding questions raised into the diagnosis, clinical presentation and treatment of Lyme disease, and the underlying molecular mechanisms that trigger persistent disease, there is an urgent need for more support. This review article summarizes progress over the past 5 years in our understanding of Lyme and tick-borne diseases in the United States and highlights remaining challenges.
PubMed: 34485323
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.666554 -
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia 2019Bartonellosis are diseases caused by any kind of Bartonella species. The infection manifests as asymptomatic bacteremia to potentially fatal disorders. Many species are... (Review)
Review
Bartonellosis are diseases caused by any kind of Bartonella species. The infection manifests as asymptomatic bacteremia to potentially fatal disorders. Many species are pathogenic to humans, but three are responsible for most clinical symptoms: Bartonella bacilliformis, Bartonella quintana, and Bartonella henselae. Peruvian wart, caused by B. bacilliformis, may be indistinguishable from bacillary angiomatosis caused by the other two species. Other cutaneous manifestations include maculo-papular rash in trench fever, papules or nodules in cat scratch disease, and vasculitis (often associated with endocarditis). In addition, febrile morbilliform rash, purpura, urticaria, erythema nodosum, erythema multiforme, erythema marginatus, granuloma annularis, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, granulomatous reactions, and angioproliferative reactions may occur. Considering the broad spectrum of infection and the potential complications associated with Bartonella spp., the infection should be considered by physicians more frequently among the differential diagnoses of idiopathic conditions. Health professionals and researchers often neglected this diseases.
Topics: Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Skin Diseases, Bacterial; Transfusion Reaction
PubMed: 31780437
DOI: 10.1016/j.abd.2019.09.024 -
Veterinary Sciences Feb 2023Wild canids, as well as other wild animal species, are largely exposed to bites by ticks and other hematophagous vectors where the features favoring their presence and... (Review)
Review
Wild canids, as well as other wild animal species, are largely exposed to bites by ticks and other hematophagous vectors where the features favoring their presence and spread are found in wooded and semi-wooded areas. Much of the information about arthropod-borne infections concerns domestic and companion animals, whereas data about these infections in wild canids are not exhaustive. The present study is a narrative review of the literature concerning vector-borne infections in wild canids, highlighting their role in the epidemiology of arthropod-borne bacteria and protozoa.
PubMed: 36851469
DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10020165 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2021are vector-borne parasitic bacteria that cause zoonotic infections in humans. One of the most common infections is cat-scratch disease caused by and . Cats are the...
are vector-borne parasitic bacteria that cause zoonotic infections in humans. One of the most common infections is cat-scratch disease caused by and . Cats are the major reservoir for these two species of bacteria, while cat fleas are vectors for the transmission of infection agents among cats. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of infections in stray and pet cats and in cat fleas in Lithuania. Blood samples were taken from 163 cats presented in pet clinics and animal shelters. A total of 102 fleas representing two species, and , were collected from 12 owned cats that live both outdoors and indoors. DNA in samples was detected using a nested PCR targeting the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer (ITS) region. DNA was detected in 4.9% (8/163) of the cats and 29.4% (30/102) of the fleas. Sequence analysis of the ITS region showed that the cats and fleas were infected with , and sp., closely related to . This study is the first report on the prevalence and molecular characterization of spp. in cats and cat fleas in Lithuania.
PubMed: 34578241
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10091209 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Mar 2023Molecular methods can enable rapid identification of Bartonella spp. infections, which are difficult to diagnose by using culture or serology. We analyzed clinical test... (Review)
Review
Molecular methods can enable rapid identification of Bartonella spp. infections, which are difficult to diagnose by using culture or serology. We analyzed clinical test results of PCR that targeted bacterial 16S rRNA hypervariable V1-V2 regions only or in parallel with PCR of Bartonella-specific ribC gene. We identified 430 clinical specimens infected with Bartonella spp. from 420 patients in the United States. Median patient age was 37 (range 1-79) years; 62% were male. We identified B. henselae in 77%, B. quintana in 13%, B. clarridgeiae in 1%, B. vinsonii in 1%, and B. washoensis in 1% of specimens. B. quintana was detected in 83% of cardiac specimens; B. henselae was detected in 34% of lymph node specimens. We detected novel or uncommon Bartonella spp. in 9 patients. Molecular diagnostic testing can identify Bartonella spp. infections, including uncommon and undescribed species, and might be particularly useful for patients who have culture-negative endocarditis or lymphadenitis.
Topics: Humans; Male; United States; Infant; Child, Preschool; Child; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Aged; Female; Bartonella; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Bartonella Infections; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; Bartonella henselae
PubMed: 36823096
DOI: 10.3201/eid2903.221223 -
Parasites & Vectors Mar 2022Species of the genus Bartonella are facultative intracellular alphaproteobacteria with zoonotic potential. Bartonella infections in humans range from mild with... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Species of the genus Bartonella are facultative intracellular alphaproteobacteria with zoonotic potential. Bartonella infections in humans range from mild with unspecific symptoms to life threatening, and can be transmitted via arthropod vectors or through direct contact with infected hosts, although the latter mode of transmission is rare. Among the small mammals that harbour Bartonella spp., rodents are the most speciose group and harbour the highest diversity of these parasites. Human-rodent interactions are not unlikely as many rodent species live in proximity to humans. However, a surprisingly low number of clinical cases of bartonellosis related to rodent-associated Bartonella spp. have thus far been recorded in humans.
METHODS
The main purpose of this review is to determine explanatory factors for this unexpected finding, by taking a closer look at published clinical cases of bartonellosis connected with rodent-associated Bartonella species, some of which have been newly described in recent years. Thus, another focus of this review are these recently proposed species.
CONCLUSIONS
Worldwide, only 24 cases of bartonellosis caused by rodent-associated bartonellae have been reported in humans. Possible reasons for this low number of cases in comparison to the high prevalences of Bartonella in small mammal species are (i) a lack of awareness amongst physicians of Bartonella infections in humans in general, and especially those caused by rodent-associated bartonellae; and (ii) a frequent lack of the sophisticated equipment required for the confirmation of Bartonella infections in laboratories that undertake routine diagnostic testing. As regards recently described Bartonella spp., there are presently 14 rodent-associated Candidatus taxa. In contrast to species which have been taxonomically classified, there is no official process for the review of proposed Candidatus species and their names before they are published. This had led to the use of malformed names that are not based on the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes. Researchers are thus encouraged to propose Candidatus names to the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes for approval before publishing them, and only to propose new species of Bartonella when the relevant datasets allow them to be clearly differentiated from known species and subspecies.
Topics: Animals; Arthropod Vectors; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Humans; Parasites; Rodentia
PubMed: 35361285
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05162-5 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2021Free-roaming dogs and cats represent potential reservoirs for zoonotic vector-borne pathogens shedding to the human population. Given the health impact of these...
Free-roaming dogs and cats represent potential reservoirs for zoonotic vector-borne pathogens shedding to the human population. Given the health impact of these pathogens, we searched free-roaming dogs and cats included in an animal population control program from Luanda, Angola, for and hemotropic mycoplasma infection. We report the detection of (2/66; 3%), Mycoplasma haemominutum (5/66; 7.5%) and (1/66; 1.5%) in cats. One dog was found positive for (1/20; 5%). This is the first report of infections in stray cats and of hemotropic mycoplasmas in cats and dogs from Angola. Despite the relatively small sample size, our results sustain the hypothesis of uncontrolled circulation of these agents in highly mobile synanthropic animal populations of Luanda. Population and vector control could contribute to reducing the likelihood for animal-to-animal and animal-to-human transmission.
PubMed: 34200906
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060735 -
Diagnostic Pathology Jan 2022Immunohistochemistry (IHC) using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies is a useful diagnostic method for detecting pathogen antigens in fixed tissues, complementing the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies is a useful diagnostic method for detecting pathogen antigens in fixed tissues, complementing the direct diagnosis of infectious diseases by PCR and culture on fresh tissues. It was first implemented in a seminal publication by Albert Coons in 1941.
MAIN BODY
Of 14,198 publications retrieved from the PubMed, Google, Google Scholar and Science Direct databases up to December 2021, 230 were selected for a review of IHC techniques, protocols and results. The methodological evolutions of IHC and its application to the diagnosis of infectious diseases, more specifically lice-borne diseases, sexually transmitted diseases and skin infections, were critically examined. A total of 59 different pathogens have been detected once in 22 different tissues and organs; and yet non-cultured, fastidious and intracellular pathogens accounted for the vast majority of pathogens detected by IHC. Auto-IHC, incorporating patient serum as the primary antibody, applied to diseased heart valves surgically collected from blood culture-negative endocarditis patients, detected unidentified Gram-positive cocci and microorganisms which were subsequently identified as Coxiella burnetii, Bartonella quintana, Bartonella henselae and Tropheryma whipplei. The application of IHC to ancient tissues dated between the ends of the Ptolemaic period to over 70 years ago, have also contributed to paleomicrobiology diagnoses.
CONCLUSION
IHC plays an important role in diagnostic of infectious diseases in tissue samples. Paleo-auto-IHC derived from auto-IHC, is under development for detecting non-identified pathogens from ancient specimens.
Topics: Bartonella quintana; Communicable Diseases; Coxiella burnetii; Heart Valves; Humans; Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 35094696
DOI: 10.1186/s13000-022-01197-5 -
Parasites & Vectors Jun 2023Hedgehogs are small synanthropic mammals that live in rural areas as well as in urban and suburban areas. They can be reservoirs of several microorganisms, including... (Review)
Review
Hedgehogs are small synanthropic mammals that live in rural areas as well as in urban and suburban areas. They can be reservoirs of several microorganisms, including certain pathogenic agents that cause human and animal public health issues. Hedgehogs are often parasitized by blood-sucking arthropods, mainly hard ticks and fleas, which in turn can also carry various vector-born microorganisms of zoonotic importance. Many biotic factors, such as urbanization and agricultural mechanization, have resulted in the destruction of the hedgehog's natural habitats, leading these animals to take refuge near human dwellings, seeking food and shelter in parks and gardens and exposing humans to zoonotic agents that can be transmitted either directly by them or indirectly by their ectoparasites. In this review, we focus on the microorganisms detected in arthropods sampled from hedgehogs worldwide. Several microorganisms have been reported in ticks collected from these animals, including various Borrelia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Rickettsia spp. species as well as Coxiella burnetii and Leptospira spp. As for fleas, C. burnetii, Rickettsia spp., Wolbachia spp., Mycobacterium spp. and various Bartonella species have been reported. The detection of these microorganisms in arthropods does not necessarily mean that they can be transmitted to humans and animals. While the vector capacity and competence of fleas and ticks for some of these microorganisms has been proven, in other cases the microorganisms may have simply been ingested with blood taken from an infected host. Further investigations are needed to clarify this issue. As hedgehogs are protected animals, handling them is highly regulated, making it difficult to conduct epidemiological studies on them. Their ectoparasites represent a very interesting source of information on microorganisms circulating in populations of these animals, especially vector-born ones.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Arthropods; Hedgehogs; Rickettsia; Bartonella; Mammals; Siphonaptera; Ticks; Flea Infestations
PubMed: 37349802
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05764-7