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Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 2023Human lice have always been a major public health concern due to their vector capacity for louse-borne infectious diseases, like trench fever, louse-borne relapsing... (Review)
Review
Human lice have always been a major public health concern due to their vector capacity for louse-borne infectious diseases, like trench fever, louse-borne relapsing fever, and epidemic fever, which are caused by Bartonella quintana, Borrelia recurrentis, and Rickettsia prowazekii, respectively. Those diseases are currently re-emerging in the regions of poor hygiene, social poverty, or wars with life-threatening consequences. These louse-borne diseases have also caused outbreaks among populations in jails and refugee camps. In addition, antibodies and DNAs to those pathogens have been steadily detected in homeless populations. Importantly, more bacterial pathogens have been detected in human lice, and some have been transmitted by human lice in laboratories. Here, we provide a comprehensive review and update on louse-borne infectious diseases/bacterial pathogens.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Typhus, Epidemic Louse-Borne; Relapsing Fever; Pediculus; Phthiraptera; Communicable Diseases
PubMed: 37567429
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2023.102630 -
Tropical Medicine and Health Sep 2023Body lice and head lice are the most common ectoparasites of humans. Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) occur worldwide in children and their caretakers, irrespective... (Review)
Review
Body lice and head lice are the most common ectoparasites of humans. Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) occur worldwide in children and their caretakers, irrespective of their social status. In contrast, body lice (Pediculus humanus corporis) are confined to marginalized population groups in countries of the Global South, homeless people, and refugees. Body lice are known to transmit an array of bacterial pathogens, such as R. prowazekii, R. rickettsii, C. burneti, B. quintana, B. recurrentis, and Y. pestis. The vector capacity of head lice is still a matter of debate. The objective of the review was to scrutinize the existing evidence on the vector capacity of head lice for the transmission of bacterial pathogens. The PUBMED database was searched using a combination of the terms "pediculus humanus" OR "body lice" OR "head lice" AND "pathogen" OR "Rickettsia prowazekii" OR "Bartonella quintana" OR "Borrelia recurrentis" OR "Coxiella burneti" without a time limit. Data from epidemiological studies as well as historical observations demonstrate that body lice and head lice can carry the same array of pathogens. Since the presence of a bacterial pathogen in an arthropod is not sufficient to state that it can be transmitted to humans, and since experimental models are lacking, as yet one cannot conclude with certainty that head lice serve as vectors, although this review presents circumstantial evidence that they do. Adequately designed experimental and epidemiological studies are needed to ascertain the exact transmission potential of head lice.
PubMed: 37730694
DOI: 10.1186/s41182-023-00545-5 -
Microbiology Spectrum Apr 2024Vector-borne infections may underlie some rheumatic diseases, particularly in people with joint effusions. This study aimed to compare serum and synovial fluid... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
UNLABELLED
Vector-borne infections may underlie some rheumatic diseases, particularly in people with joint effusions. This study aimed to compare serum and synovial fluid antibodies to and spp. in patients with rheumatic diseases. This observational, cross-sectional study examined paired synovial fluid and serum specimens collected from 110 patients with joint effusion between October 2017 and January 2022. Testing for antibodies to (using CDC criteria) and spp. two indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assays was performed as part of routine patient care at the Institute for Specialized Medicine (San Diego, CA, USA). There were 30 participants (27%) with positive two-tier serology and 26 participants (24%) with IFA seroreactivity (≥1:256) to and/or . Both IgM and IgG were detected more frequently in synovial fluid than serum: 27% of patients were either IgM or IgG positive in synovial fluid, compared to 15.5% in serum ( = 0.048). Conversely, and antibodies were detected more frequently in serum than synovial fluid; overall only 2% of patients had positive IFA titers in synovial fluid, compared to 24% who had positive IFA titers in serum ( < 0.001). There were no significant associations between or spp. seroreactivity with any of the clinical rheumatological diagnoses. This study provides preliminary support for the importance of synovial fluid antibody testing for documenting exposure to but not for documenting exposure to spp.
IMPORTANCE
This study focuses on diagnostic testing for two common vector-borne diseases in an affected patient population. In it, we provide data showing that antibodies to , but not spp., are more commonly found in synovial fluid than serum of patients with joint effusion. Since Lyme arthritis is a common-and sometimes difficult to diagnose-rheumatic disease, improving diagnostic capabilities is of utmost importance. While our findings are certainly not definitive for changes to practice, they do suggest that synovial fluid could be a useful sample for the clinical diagnosis of Lyme disease, and future prospective studies evaluating this claim are warranted.
Topics: Humans; Bartonella; Borrelia burgdorferi; Synovial Fluid; Cross-Sectional Studies; Prospective Studies; Lyme Disease; Immunoglobulin G; Antibodies, Bacterial; Immunoglobulin M; Rheumatic Diseases
PubMed: 38483477
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01653-23 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Jan 2024
Review
Topics: Humans; Bartonella quintana; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Mitral Valve; Endocarditis, Bacterial; Aortic Valve; Endocarditis; Bartonella Infections; Bartonella; Trench Fever
PubMed: 38230945
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00402-23 -
Frontiers in Nephrology 2023Although is the leading cause of acute infective endocarditis (IE) in adults, spp. has concomitantly emerged as the leading cause of "blood culture-negative IE"... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Although is the leading cause of acute infective endocarditis (IE) in adults, spp. has concomitantly emerged as the leading cause of "blood culture-negative IE" (BCNE). Pre-disposing factors, clinical presentation and kidney biopsy findings in Bartonella IE-associated glomerulonephritis (GN) show subtle differences and some unique features relative to other bacterial infection-related GNs. We highlight these features along with key diagnostic clues and management approach in Bartonella IE-associated GN.
METHODS
We conducted a pooled analysis of 89 cases of Bartonella IE-associated GN (54 published case reports and case series; 18 published conference abstracts identified using an English literature search of several commonly used literature search modalities); and four unpublished cases from our institution.
RESULTS
and are the most commonly implicated species causing IE in humans. Subacute presentation, affecting damaged native and/or prosthetic heart valves, high titer anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), mainly proteinase-3 (PR-3) specificity, fastidious nature and lack of positive blood cultures of these Gram-negative bacilli, a higher frequency of focal glomerular crescents compared to other bacterial infection-related GNs are some of the salient features of Bartonella IE-associated GN. C3-dominant, but frequent C1q and IgM immunofluorescence staining is seen on biopsy. A "full-house" immunofluorescence staining pattern is also described but can be seen in IE -associated GN due to other bacteria as well. Non-specific generalized symptoms, cytopenia, heart failure and other organ damage due to embolic phenomena are the highlights on clinical presentation needing a multi-disciplinary approach for management. Awareness of the updated modified Duke criteria for IE, a high index of suspicion for underlying infection despite negative microbiologic cultures, history of exposure to animals, particularly infected cats, and use of send-out serologic tests for spp. early in the course of management can help in early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment.
CONCLUSION
Diagnosis of IE-associated GN can be challenging particularly with BCNE. The number of Bartonella IE-associated GN cases in a single institution tends to be less than IE due to gram positive cocci, however Bartonella is currently the leading cause of BCNE. We provide a much-needed discussion on this topic.
PubMed: 38288381
DOI: 10.3389/fneph.2023.1322741 -
Journal of Infection and Public Health Apr 2024Bartonellosis is a vector-borne and zoonotic diseases in humans, especially in immunocompromised individuals. However, there is no complete data about the geographical... (Review)
Review
Bartonellosis is a vector-borne and zoonotic diseases in humans, especially in immunocompromised individuals. However, there is no complete data about the geographical distribution of different species of Bartonella, as well as the status of its reservoirs, vectors, and human cases in most parts of the world. In this study, published reports related to Bartonella species from WHO-EMRO region countries were searched in different databases until October 2023. The eighteens different species of Bartonella were reported in WHO-EMRO countries including Bartonella henselae, Bartonella quintana, Bartonella elizabethae, Bartonella bovis, Bartonella clarridgeiae, Bartonella vinsonii, Bartonella doshiae, Bartonella taylorii, Bartonella rochalimae, Bartonella tribocorum, Bartonella rattimassiliensis, candidatus Bartonella merieuxii, candidatus Bartonella dromedarii, Bartonella acomydis, Bartonella jaculi, Bartonella coopersplainsensis and Bartonella koehlerae. Also, only human cases of B. henselae and B. quintana infections were reported from WHO-EMRO countries. The infections of Bartonella are important in the WHO-EMRO region, but they have been neglected by clinicians and healthcare systems.
Topics: Humans; Bartonella; World Health Organization; Mediterranean Region
PubMed: 38417187
DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.02.009 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023Human lice, , can transmit various pathogens, including , , and . Xenosurveillance is an epidemiological approach to assessing human infection risks performed by...
Human lice, , can transmit various pathogens, including , , and . Xenosurveillance is an epidemiological approach to assessing human infection risks performed by screening vectors of infectious disease agents. In the proof-of-principle study reported herein, the DNA of 23 human lice was collected from the clothes of 30 homeless Ethiopian individuals. These samples were assessed using 16S rRNA gene-specific pan-eubacterial PCR for screening, followed by genus 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence-specific PCR, genus gene-specific PCR, and 16S rRNA gene PCR with specificity for relapsing-fever-associated spp. with subsequent sequencing of the amplicons. In one sample, the pan-eubacterial 16S rRNA gene-specific screening PCR, the genus 16S-23S ITS sequence-specific PCR, and the genus gene-specific PCR allowed for the sequencing of -specific amplicons. In two additional samples, genus gene-specific PCR also provided sequences showing 100% sequence identity with . In total, 3/23 (13.0%) of the assessed lice were found to be positive for . Correlating clinical data were not available; however, the assessment confirmed the presence of in the local louse population and thus an associated infection pressure. Larger-sized cross-sectional studies seem advisable to more reliably quantify the infection risk of lice-infested local individuals. The need for prevention by providing opportunities to maintain standard hygiene for Ethiopian homeless individuals is stressed by the reported findings, especially in light of the ongoing migration of refugees.
PubMed: 38003765
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12111299 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jan 2024Transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications play a crucial role in maintaining translational fidelity and efficiency, and they may function as regulatory elements in stress...
Transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications play a crucial role in maintaining translational fidelity and efficiency, and they may function as regulatory elements in stress response and virulence. Despite their pivotal roles, a comprehensive mapping of tRNA modifications and their associated synthesis genes is still limited, with a predominant focus on free-living bacteria. In this study, we employed a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating comparative genomics, mass spectrometry, and next-generation sequencing, to predict the set of tRNA modification genes responsible for tRNA maturation in two intracellular pathogens- Houston I and Toulouse, which are causative agents of cat-scratch disease and trench fever, respectively. This analysis presented challenges, particularly because of host RNA contamination, which served as a potential source of error. However, our approach predicted 26 genes responsible for synthesizing 23 distinct tRNA modifications in and 22 genes associated with 23 modifications in . Notably, akin to other intracellular and symbiotic bacteria, both species have undergone substantial reductions in tRNA modification genes, mostly by simplifying the hypermodifications present at positions 34 and 37. exhibited the additional loss of four modifications and these were linked to examples of gene decay, providing snapshots of reductive evolution.
PubMed: 38260440
DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.08.574729