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babesia divergens asia lineage is maintained between ixodes persulcatus and sika deer in hokkaido, japan.babesia divergens asia lineage parasites, which are closely related to b. divergens in europe and babesia sp. mo1 in the united states, was recently reported in sika deer (cervus nippon) in eastern japan. to identify the tick vector(s) for this parasite, we conducted a field survey in hokkaido, japan where the infection rate in sika deer is the highest in the country. a specific pcr system which detects and discriminates between lineages within b. divergens and between those lineages and b. vena ...201829374041
borrelia miyamotoi infections in humans and ticks, northeastern china.we conducted an investigation of borrelia miyamotoi infections in humans and ticks in northeastern china. of 984 patients reporting recent tick bites, 14 (1.4%) were found to be infected with b. miyamotoi by pcr and genomic sequencing. the 14 patients had nonspecific febrile manifestations, including fever, headache, anorexia, asthenia, and arthralgia. rash, eschar, and regional lymphadenopathy were each observed in 1 patient. four (28.6%) patients were hospitalized because of severe disease. b. ...201829350133
tick-borne encephalitis virus isolates from natural foci of the irkutsk region: clarification of the genotype landscape.the irkutsk region is the unique territory where all known subtypes of tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) circulate. in the last years, the phenomenon of changes in tbev subtypes (substitution of the far-eastern subtype by the siberian one) was noted in some regions of the russian federation. the results of individual investigation of 11522 ixodes persulcatus ticks and brain specimens from 81 small mammals collected in natural foci of the irkutsk region during 2006-2014 are presented in the ar ...201829323856
comparative analysis of genomes of tick-borne encephalitis virus strains isolated from mosquitoes and ticks.the tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) strain lazo mp36 was isolated from the pool of mosquitoes aedes vexans collected in lazo region of khabarovsk territory in august 2014. phylogenetic analysis of the strain lazo mp36 complete genome (genbank accession number kt001073) revealed its correspondence to the tbev far eastern subtype and differences from the following strains: 1) from ticks ixodes persulcatus p. schulze, 1930 [vaccine strain 205 (jx498939) and strains khekhtzir 1230 (kf880805), c ...201829323844
[exoskeleton abnormalities in taiga tick females from populations of the asiatic part of russia].studies of the phenotypic structure of ixodes persulcatus (schulze, 1930) populations in relation to their exoskeleton abnormalities are important in both theoretical and practical respects. the data on the species' population structure in asiatic part of russia are fragmentary. the goal of the study was to describe taiga tick population structure based on the pattern of females' exoskeleton abnormalities revealed in asiatic part of russia. a total of 3872 i. persulcatus females from 16 geograph ...201729211430
an improved real-time pcr method to identify hybrids between ixodes persulcatus and ixodes ricinus ticks. 201829089248
francisella-like endosymbiont detected in haemaphysalis ticks (acari: ixodidae) from the republic of korea.a total of 6,255 ticks belonging to three genera and six species (haemaphysalis flava neumann, haemaphysalis longicornis neumann, haemaphysalis phasiana saito, ixodes nipponensis kitaoka & saito, ixodes persulcatus schulze, and amblyomma testudinarium koch) collected from may-august, 2013, at four southwestern provinces in the republic of korea (rok) were submitted to the armed forces research institute of medical sciences and assayed for selected tick-borne pathogens. one pool each of h. flava ...201728981682
tick surveillance for borrelia miyamotoi and phylogenetic analysis of isolates in mongolia and japan.borrelia miyamotoi, recently recognized as a human pathogenic spirochete, was isolated from ixodes persulcatus and i. ovatus in northern mongolia and honshu island, a major island in japan. although no human b. miyamotoi infections have been reported in mongolia, the prevalence of b. miyamotoi in ticks from mongolia is higher than that in ticks from hokkaido, japan, where human cases have been reported. moreover, the multi-locus sequence analysis of cultured isolates revealed that b. miyamotoi i ...201728768603
the influence of preprandial insemination on feeding and oviposition of ixodes persulcatus females (acari: ixodidae) and some thoughts concerning mating strategies in ticks of the genus ixodes.prostriate ticks (subfamily ixodinae, genus ixodes) can copulate and the females can be inseminated before attachment to the host. in tests with ixodes persulcatus females collected in the field and fed without males on the host, it was shown that this preprandial insemination is necessary and sufficient for successful engorgement and oviposition if female feeding took place in up to 1 month after collection. a 2-month period between preprandial insemination and female feeding was followed by a ...201728705581
on the core bacterial flora of ixodes persulcatus (taiga tick).ixodes persulcatus is a predominant hard tick species that transmits a wide range of human and animal pathogens. since bacterial flora of the tick dwelling in the wild always vary according to their hosts and the environment, it is highly desirable that species-associated microbiomes are fully determined by using next-generation sequencing and based on comparative metagenomics. here, we examine such metagenomic changes of i. persulcatus starting with samples collected from the wild ticks and fol ...201728692666
a novel zoonotic anaplasma species is prevalent in small ruminants: potential public health implications.tick-borne diseases currently represent an important issue for global health. a number of emerging tick-transmitted microbes continue to be discovered, and some of these are already identified as the cause of human infections. over the past two decades, anaplasma phagocytophilum is considered to be mainly responsible for human anaplasmosis. however, a novel zoonotic pathogen provisionally named "anaplasma capra" has recently been identified in china. in this study, we did an active surveillance ...201728558749
detection and genetic characterization of a wide range of infectious agents in ixodes pavlovskyi ticks in western siberia, russia.the ixodes pavlovskyi tick species, a member of the i. persulcatus/i. ricinus group, was discovered in the middle of the 20(th) century in the russian far east. limited data have been reported on the detection of infectious agents in this tick species. the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and genetic variability of a wide range of infectious agents in i. pavlovskyi ticks collected in their traditional and recently invaded habitats, the altai mountains and novosibirsk province, ...201728545549
a brief history of the discovery of tick-borne encephalitis virus in the late 1930s (based on reminiscences of members of the expeditions, their colleagues, and relatives).tick-borne encephalitis virus is the etiological agent of a severe human disease transmitted by hard ticks. it occurs in large parts of eastern, central, and western asia and in europe with thousands of human cases each year. here, the discovery of the virus by soviet scientists in the late 1930s in the far east is described. the pioneering work involved with this discovery, which resulted in great scientific and epidemiological achievement, was undertaken under the most difficult conditions, an ...201728526419
mapping the distribution of tick-borne encephalitis in mainland china.tick-borne encephalitis (tbe) has become an increasing public health threat in recent years, ranging from europe, through far-eastern russia to japan and northern china. however, the neglect of its expansion and scarce analyses of the dynamics have made the overall disease burden and the risk distribution of the disease being unclear in mainland china. in this study, we described epidemiological characteristics of 2117 reported human tbe cases from 2006 to 2013 in mainland china. about 99% of th ...201728461151
detection of rickettsia helvetica and candidatus r. tarasevichiae dna in ixodes persulcatus ticks collected in northeastern european russia (komi republic).the number of tick-borne infections in the northern european regions of russia has increased considerably in the last years. in the present study, 676 unfed adult ixodes persulcatus ticks were collected in the komi republic from 2011 to 2013 to study tick-borne rickettsioses. rickettsia spp. dna was detected by pcr in 51 (7.6%) ticks. the nucleotide sequence analysis of glta fragments (765bp) from 51 ticks indicated that 60.8% and 39.2% of the ticks were infected with rickettsia helvetica and ca ...201728433730
impact of air temperature variation on the ixodid ticks habitat and tick-borne encephalitis incidence in the russian arctic: the case of the komi republic.the causes of the recent rise of tick-borne encephalitis (tbe) incidence in europe are discussed. our objective was to estimate the impact of air temperature change on tbe incidence in the european part of the russian arctic.201728362566
comparative analysis of complete genome sequences of european subtype tick-borne encephalitis virus strains isolated from ixodes persulcatus ticks, long-tailed ground squirrel (spermophilus undulatus), and human blood in the asian part of russia.tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) is divided into three subtypes: european (tbev-eu), siberian (tbev-sib), and far eastern (tbev-fe) subtypes. the geographical range of tbev-eu dominates in europe, but this subtype is present focally across the whole non-tropical forested eurasian belt, through russia to south korea. however, the tbev-eu strains isolated outside europe remain poorly characterized. in this study, full-genome sequences of eight tbev-eu isolates were determined. these strains we ...201728336423
molecular and structural characterization of novel cystatins from the taiga tick ixodes persulcatus.cystatins are cysteine peptidase inhibitors that in ticks mediate processes such as blood feeding and digestion. the ixodid tick ixodes persulcatus is endemic to the eurasia, where it is the principal vector of lyme borreliosis. to date, no i. persulcatus cystatin has been characterized. in the present work, we describe three novel cystatins from i. persulcatus, named jpipcys2a, jpipcys2b and jpipcys2c. in addition, the potential of tick cystatins as cross-protective antigens was evaluated by va ...201728174118
distribution and molecular characteristics of rickettsiae found in ticks across central mongolia.little is known regarding tick-borne diseases in mongolia, despite having 26% of the population still living nomadic pastoral lifestyles. a total of 1497 adult unfed ticks: 261 ixodes persulcatus, 795 dermacentor nuttalli, and 441 hyalomma asiaticum, were collected from three ecologically distinct regions in central mongolia. tick pools (n = 299) containing ~5 ticks each, were tested for rickettsia and tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) using nested polymerase chain reaction, reverse transcrip ...201728153052
molecular detection of anaplasma spp. and ehrlichia spp. in ruminants from twelve provinces of china.anaplasma spp. and ehrlichia spp. are tick-transmitted bacteria that are of significant economic importance as they can infect large and small ruminants and also people. there is little information on anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis in ruminants in china. 16s rrna fret-qpcrs were used to screen convenience whole blood samples from 2,240 domestic ruminants in 12 provinces of china for anaplasma spp. and ehrlichia spp. positive samples were further analyzed with a standard pcr for the glta. anaplasm ...201628096822
bacteria of the family 'candidatus midichloriaceae' in sympatric zones of ixodes ticks: genetic evidence for vertical transmission.ixodes ticks transmit infectious agents and also harbor their own parasites and symbionts. the presumptive endosymbiont of ixodes ricinus, 'candidatus midichloria mitochondrii', has a unique ability to invade mitochondria within tick ovarian cells and is transovarially transmitted with 100% efficiency. a closely related bacterium, provisionally named montezuma (now 'candidatus lariskella arthropodarum'), was isolated from the ixodes persulcatus ticks and human blood in 2004 as well as from ixode ...201728091705
molecular detection of rickettsia species in ticks collected from the southwestern provinces of the republic of korea.rickettsiae constitute a group of arthropod-borne, gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacteria that are the causative agents of diseases ranging from mild to life threatening that impact on medical and veterinary health worldwide.201728069059
molecular detection and characterization of zoonotic and veterinary pathogens in ticks from northeastern china.tick-borne diseases are considered as emerging infectious diseases in humans and animals in china. in this study, ixodes persulcatus (n = 1699), haemaphysalis concinna (n = 412), haemaphysalis longicornis (n = 390), dermacentor nuttalli (n = 253), and dermacentor silvarum (n = 204) ticks were collected by flagging from northeastern china, and detected for infection with anaplasma, ehrlichia, babesia, and hepatozoon spp. by using nested polymerase chain reaction assays and sequencing analysis. an ...201627965644
molecular survey and characterization of a novel anaplasma species closely related to anaplasma capra in ticks, northwestern china.anaplasma spp. are tick-transmitted bacteria that infect a wide variety of wild and domestic animals. these pathogens exhibit a high degree of biological diversity, broad geographical distribution, and represent a serious threat to veterinary and public health worldwide.201627884197
genetic diversity of ixodes ricinus (ixodida: ixodidae) ticks in sympatric and allopatric zones in baltic countries.ixodes ricinus (linnaeus 1758) and ixodes persulcatus (schulze 1930) ticks are involved in the transmission of a wide variety of pathogens with considerable impact on human and animal health. the co-distribution zone of these two tick species is situated in the baltic countries, which provides a special setting for the population studies. in the present study, genetic variability of i. ricinus ticks collected in allopatric and sympatric locations in the baltic countries has been investigated usi ...201627860008
occurrence and genetic variability of kemerovo virus in ixodes ticks from different regions of western siberia, russia and kazakhstan.kemerovo virus (kemv), a member of the reoviridae family, orbivirus genus, is transmitted by ixodes ticks and can cause aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis. recently, this virus was observed in certain provinces of european part of russia, ural, and western and eastern siberia. however, the occurrence and genetic diversity of kemv in western siberia remain poorly studied. therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the prevalence and genetic variability of kemv in ixodes ticks from ...201727838528
antiplasmodial activity is an ancient and conserved feature of tick defensins.ancestral sequence reconstruction has been widely used to test evolution-based hypotheses. the genome of the european tick vector, ixodes ricinus, encodes for defensin peptides with diverse antimicrobial activities against distantly related pathogens. these pathogens include fungi, gram-negative, and gram-positive bacteria, i.e., a wide antimicrobial spectrum. ticks do not transmit these pathogens, suggesting that these defensins may act against a wide range of microbes encountered by ticks duri ...201627822206
tick-borne encephalitis: what travelers should know when visiting an endemic country.tick-borne encephalitis (tbe) is an acute febrile illness with neurological manifestations that is prevalent in forested areas of moderate climate in europe and asia. tbe virus is transmitted by ticks and rarely by unpasteurized milk and dairy products. the disease burden is attributed mainly to resulting long-term disability, especially in individuals over 50 y of age. currently, there is no causative treatment, but a very effective vaccination is available with a good safety profile. the vacci ...201627715427
chlamydia-like organisms (clos) in finnish ixodes ricinus ticks and human skin.ticks carry several human pathogenic microbes including borreliae and flavivirus causing tick-born encephalitis. ticks can also carry dna of chlamydia-like organisms (clos). the purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of clos in ticks and skin biopsies taken from individuals with suspected tick bite. dna from clos was detected by pan-chlamydiales-pcr in 40% of adult ticks from southwestern finland. the estimated minimal infection rate for nymphs and larvae (studied in pools) was ...201627681922
nested coevolutionary networks shape the ecological relationships of ticks, hosts, and the lyme disease bacteria of the borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) complex.the bacteria of the borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) (bbg) complex constitute a group of tick-transmitted pathogens that are linked to many vertebrate and tick species. the ecological relationships between the pathogens, the ticks and the vertebrate carriers have not been analysed. the aim of this study was to quantitatively analyse these interactions by creating a network based on a large dataset of associations. specifically, we examined the relative positions of partners in the network, the phylog ...201627662832
characterization of rickettsiae in ticks in northeastern china.tick-borne rickettsioses are considered important emerging zoonoses worldwide, but their etiological agents, rickettsiae, remain poorly characterized in northeastern china, where many human cases have been reported during the past several years. here, we determined the characteristics of rickettsia spp. infections in ticks in this area.201627623998
ixodes persulcatus ticks as vectors for the babesia microti u.s. lineage in japan.the u.s. lineage, one of the major clades in the babesia microti group, is known as a causal agent of human babesiosis mostly in the northeastern and upper midwestern united states. this lineage, however, also is distributed throughout the temperate zone of eurasia with several reported human cases, although convincing evidence of the identity of the specific vector(s) in this area is lacking. here, the goal was to demonstrate the presence of infectious parasites directly in salivary glands of i ...201627590815
tick-borne encephalitis virus induces chemokine rantes expression via activation of irf-3 pathway.tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) is one of the most important flaviviruses that targets the central nervous system (cns) and causes encephalitides in humans. although neuroinflammatory mechanisms may contribute to brain tissue destruction, the induction pathways and potential roles of specific chemokines in tbev-mediated neurological disease are poorly understood.201627576490
activity of tick antimicrobial peptide from ixodes persulcatus (persulcatusin) against cell membranes of drug-resistant staphylococcus aureus.persulcatusin (ip), which is an antimicrobial peptide found in ixodes persulcatus midgut, is active against gram-positive bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus. multidrug-resistant bacteria in particular methicillin-resistant s. aureus (mrsa), vancomycin-intermediate s. aureus (visa) and vancomycin-resistant s. aureus (vrsa) are a worldwide clinical concern. in the present study, to explore the potential of ip as a new agent against multidrug-resistant s. aureus infections, we evaluated the ant ...201727531221
unique strain of borrelia miyamotoi in ixodes pacificus ticks, california, usa. 201627479523
baltic lineage of tick-borne encephalitis virus: a putative evolutionary pathway.tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) is transmitted by ixodid ticks and has three subtypes. the most genetically heterogeneous and widely distributed is the siberian subtype which is subdivided into two main phylogenetic lineages, asian (tbev-sib(asia)) and baltic (tbev-sib(baltic)). according to the hypothesis of quantum evolution of tbev (kovalev et al., 2014b), tbev-sib(asia) originated about 370 years ago in siberia, but the question concerning the time and place of origin of tbev-sib(baltic ...201627478072
the first molecular evidence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in ticks in jilin, northeastern china.severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (sfts) is an emerging tick-borne zoonosis. the aim of this study was to investigate sfts virus (sftsv) infections in ticks in northeastern china. a total of 6427 ticks, including 5450 haemaphysalis longicornis, 463 dermacentor silvarum, 351 dermacentor nuttalli, and 163 ixodes persulcatus, were sampled in the liaoning, jilin, and heilongjiang provinces of northeastern china. viral megagenomic analysis of the ticks revealed 25 contigs targeting the m an ...201627460903
genetic variability of rickettsia spp. in ixodes persulcatus ticks from continental and island areas of the russian far east.rickettsia spp. are intracellular gram-negative bacteria transmitted by arthropods. two potentially pathogenic rickettsiae, candidatus rickettsia tarasevichiae and rickettsia helvetica, have been found in unfed adult ixodes persulcatus ticks. the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and genetic variability of rickettsia spp. in i. persulcatus ticks collected from different locations in the russian far east. in total, 604 adult i. persulcatus ticks collected from four sites in the khaba ...201627424272
first evidence of established populations of the taiga tick ixodes persulcatus (acari: ixodidae) in sweden.the tick species ixodes ricinus and i. persulcatus are of exceptional medical importance in the western and eastern parts, respectively, of the palaearctic region. in russia and finland the range of i. persulcatus has recently increased. in finland the first records of i. persulcatus are from 2004. the apparent expansion of its range in finland prompted us to investigate if i. persulcatus also occurs in sweden.201627370406
tick-borne encephalitis virus diversity in ixodid ticks and small mammals in south-western siberia, russia.the persistence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) in nature is maintained by numerous species of reservoir hosts, multiple transmissions between vertebrates and invertebrates, and the virus adaptation to its hosts. our aim: was to compare tbev isolates from ticks and small wild mammals to estimate their roles in the circulation of the viral subtypes.201627303915
novel borrelia species detected in echidna ticks, bothriocroton concolor, in australia.to date, little has been documented about microorganisms harboured within australian native ticks or their pathogenic potential. recently, a borrelia sp. related to the relapsing fever (rf) group was identified in a single tick removed from a wild echidna (tachyglossus aculeatus). the present study investigated the presence of borrelia in 97 bothriocroton concolor ticks parasitizing echidnas in queensland, new south wales, and victoria, australia, using nested pcr with borrelia-specific primers ...201627301754
[detection of the siberian tick-borne encephalitis virus in the xinjiang uygur autonomous region, northwestern china].until the recent emergence/re-emergence of human-pathogenic viruses in ticks, tick-borne viruses have been neglected as causative agents of human disease (particularly in china). to gain insight into the diversity of tick-borne viruses in xinjiang uygur autonomous region (northwestern china), we conducted illumina deep sequencing-based screening for virus-derived small rnas in field-collected ixodes persulcatus ticks. we found 32, 631 unique virus-matched reads. in particular, 77 reads mapped to ...201627295880
diapause in ticks of the medically important ixodes ricinus species complex.four members of the ixodes ricinus species complex, ixodes pacificus, ixodes persulcatus, ixodes ricinus and ixodes scapularis, have, between them, a worldwide distribution within the northern hemisphere. they are responsible for the transmission of several animal and human pathogens, including the causal agents of lyme borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis and human babesiosis. despite the importance of these ticks as vectors, the knowledge and understanding of t ...201627263092
high prevalence of babesia microti 'munich' type in small mammals from an ixodes persulcatus/ixodes trianguliceps sympatric area in the omsk region, russia.babesia microti is a genetically diverse group of protozoan parasites whose life cycle is associated with both small mammals and ixodes spp. ticks. in this study, the prevalence of different b. microti genetic groups in ticks and small rodents in an area with ixodes persulcatus and ixodes trianguliceps occurring in sympatry was examined. a total of 541 small mammals were captured during eight sampling periods between 2013 and 2015 at a site in the omsk region of russia and tested for the presenc ...201627212463
babesia spp. in ticks and wildlife in different habitat types of slovakia.babesiosis is an emerging and potentially zoonotic disease caused by tick-borne piroplasmids of the babesia genus. new genetic variants of piroplasmids with unknown associations to vectors and hosts are recognized. data on the occurrence of babesia spp. in ticks and wildlife widen the knowledge on the geographical distribution and circulation of piroplasmids in natural foci. questing and rodent-attached ticks, rodents, and birds were screened for the presence of babesia-specific dna using molecu ...201627207099
tick repellents and acaricides of botanical origin: a green roadmap to control tick-borne diseases?arthropods are dangerous vectors of agents of deadly diseases, which may hit as epidemics or pandemics in the increasing world population of humans and animals. among them, ticks transmit more pathogen species than any other group of blood-feeding arthropods worldwide. thus, the effective and eco-friendly control of tick vectors in a constantly changing environment is a crucial challenge. a number of novel routes have been attempted to prevent and control tick-borne diseases, including the devel ...201627146901
genomic characteristics of chinese borrelia burgdorferi isolates.in china, b. burgdorferi, b.garinii, b. afzelii and b. yangtze sp. nov have been reported; b.garinii and b. afzelii are the main pathogenic genotypes. but until now only one chinese strain was reported with whole genome sequence. in order to further understand the genomic characteristics and diversity of chinese borrelia strains, 5 isolates from china were sequenced and compared with the whole genome sequences of strains in other areas. the results showed a high degree of conservation within the ...201627093540
tick-borne infections in human and animal population worldwide.the abundance and activity of ectoparasites and its hosts are affected by various abiotic factors, such as climate and other organisms (predators, pathogens and competitors) presenting thus multiples forms of association (obligate to facultative, permanent to intermittent and superficial to subcutaneous) developed during long co-evolving processes. ticks are ectoparasites widespread globally and its eco epidemiology are closely related to the environmental conditions. they are obligatory hematop ...201527047089
[effect of pyrethroids on taiga ticks (ixodes persulcatus ixodidae)].nonspecific prevention of infections, the agents of which are transmitted by ixodes ticks, is aimed at stopping the suction of the ticks to humans and is substantially based one the use of acaricides. the most interesting group of compounds to be used to individually protect humans is pyrethroids that cause different nerve conduction disturbances in the ticks, which result in their paralysis and death more significantly rapidly than the compounds from other chemical groups. the effect of 8 pyret ...201627029149
tick-borne bacterial pathogens in southwestern finland.ixodes ricinus and ixodes persulcatus are the main vectors of lyme borreliosis spirochetes and several other zoonotic bacteria in northern europe and russia. however, few studies screening bacterial pathogens in finnish ticks have been conducted. therefore, reports on the occurrence and prevalence of several bacterial pathogens detected from ticks elsewhere in europe and russia are altogether missing from finland. the main aim of the current study was to produce novel data on the occurrence and ...201627004834
morphological features of ixodes persulcatus and i. ricinus hybrids: nymphs and adults.our aim was to reveal morphological features of first-generation ixodes persulcatus and i. ricinus hybrids (nymphs and adults) obtained under laboratory conditions for further study of natural populations of these species in sympatry foci. in 65 nymphs of three groups i. ricinus (23 specimens), i. persulcatus (21 specimens), and hybrids (21 specimens), 16 parameters were evaluated (length/width of the scutum and capitulum, length of the hypostome, palp, tarsus i, coxa i, sternal setae, and vario ...201626984610
life cycle of the taiga tick ixodes persulcatus (acari: ixodidae) in the north-west of russia.the life cycle of ixodes persulcatus lasts 3 years in the conditions of the leningrad province (north-west russia), the development of each phase taking a year. the normal age of the taiga tick is 3 years. the calendar age of larvae and nymphs reaches 11-12 months under favorable abiotic and biotic factors, while the calendar age of adults does not exceed 11 months. at the preimaginal phases of development the ticks that breed in august can feed before or after winter. however, their metamorphos ...201626979586
diversity of spotted fever group rickettsia infection in hard ticks from suifenhe, chinese-russian border.in order to investigate the diversity of spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsia infection in hard ticks, ticks were harvested from the forest areas in suifenhe city, along the chinese-russian border and conventional pcr was carried out using universal sfg rickettsia primers targeting glta and ompa genes to screen for their infection with sfg rickettsia organisms. results showed that of the 215 ticks belonging to ixodes persulcatus, haemaphysalis concinna and haemaphysalis japonica warburton, 1908 ...201626976703
genetic diversity and molecular characterization of babesia motasi-like in small ruminants and ixodid ticks from china.ovine babesioses, an important tick-borne disease of sheep and goats in china, is caused by the reproduction of intraerythrocytic protozoa of the babesia genus. babesia motasi-like is a babesia parasite that infects small ruminant in china, and two sub-groups of b. motasi-like can be subdivided based on differences in the rhoptry-associated-protein-1 gene. this study aimed to characterize the distribution, epidemiology and genetics of b. motasi-like in animals and ticks. a molecular investigatio ...201626976477
trans-atlantic exchanges have shaped the population structure of the lyme disease agent borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto.the origin and population structure of borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), the agent of lyme disease, remain obscure. this tick-transmitted bacterial species occurs in both north america and europe. we sequenced 17 european isolates (representing the most frequently found sequence types in europe) and compared these with 17 north american strains. we show that trans-atlantic exchanges have occurred in the evolutionary history of this species and that a european origin of b. burgdorferi s. ...201626955886
prevalence of anaplasma and bartonella spp. in ticks collected from korean water deer (hydropotes inermis argyropus).deer serve as reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens that impact on medical and veterinary health worldwide. in the republic of korea, the population of korean water deer (kwd, hydropotes inermis argyropus) has greatly increased from 1982 to 2011, in part, as a result of reforestation programs established following the korean war when much of the land was barren of trees. eighty seven haemaphysalis flava, 228 haemaphysalis longicornis, 8 ixodes nipponensis, and 40 ixodes persulcatus (21 larvae, 114 ...201626951985
[ixodid ticks (parasitiformes: ixodidae) from small mammals in deforested boreal habitats in the northern european russia].changes in the population density of two hard tick species, ixodes (exopalpiger) trianguliceps birula, 1895 and ixodes persulcatus schulze, 1930, were examined in 1998-2001, and in 2003-2004 near gomselga village (kondopoga district, 62° 04' n, 33° 55' e) in central karelia. data on the abundance of ixodid ticks and the species composition of their hosts in 4 forest sites at different stages of post-felling regeneration (secondary succession), i. e. 7-14, 12-19, 25-32, and 80-87 after logging we ...201626946827
molecular epidemiological surveillance to assess emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne infections in tick samples from china evaluated by nested pcrs.an investigation was performed to detect eight pathogens in ticks collected from grass tips or animals in the southern, central and northeast regions of china. dna samples extracted from ticks were collected from ten different locations in eight provinces of china and subjected to screening for tick-borne pathogens, including borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, ehrlichia spp., rickettsia spp., babesia/theileria spp., ehrlichia ruminantium, coxiella burnetii, and francisella tularensis, using nested ...201626943995
evaluation of different nested pcrs for detection of anaplasma phagocytophilum in ruminants and ticks.anaplasma phagocytophilum is a causative agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis in mammals, which has a broad geographical distribution and a high degree of clinical diversity. currently, numerous pcr assays have been developed and used for the detection of a. phagocytophilum in various specimens. however, their performance varies. the aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of five nested pcr assays by detection of 363 ruminant and tick samples, and to select the most appropriate methods ...201626911835
the role of particular tick developmental stages in the circulation of tick-borne pathogens affecting humans in central europe. 1. the general pattern.tick-borne pathogens are common in the natural environment, but their occurrence has a focal character. they occur in the natural environment in the form of the enzootic sources of infection. the general components include the animal reservoir, amplifiers and the efficient vector. however, the particular role of components can differ depending on the pathogen, the host range and possible transmission routes. animal reservoir of pathogen are vertebrate animals, being the hosts of pathogens. in eu ...201526878618
functional structure and antimicrobial activity of persulcatusin, an antimicrobial peptide from the hard tick ixodes persulcatus.antimicrobial peptides (amps) are considered promising candidates for the development of novel anti-infective agents. in arthropods such as ticks, amps form the first line of defense against pathogens in the innate immune response. persulcatusin (ip) was found in the ixodes persulcatus midgut, and its amino acid sequence was reported. however, the complete structure of ip has not been identified. we evaluated the relation between structural features and antimicrobial activity of ip, and its pote ...201626873587
biosurveillance in central asia: successes and challenges of tick-borne disease research in kazakhstan and kyrgyzstan.central asia is a vast geographic region that includes five former soviet union republics: kazakhstan, kyrgyzstan, tajikistan, turkmenistan, and uzbekistan. the region has a unique infectious disease burden, and a history that includes silk road trade routes and networks that were part of the anti-plague and biowarfare programs in the former soviet union. post-soviet union biosurveillance research in this unique area of the world has met with several challenges, including lack of funding and res ...201626870722
[study on co-infection of tick-borne pathogens in ixodes persulcatus in charles hilary, xinjiang uygur autonomous region].to study the co-infection of tick-borne pathogens in ixodes persulcatus collected in charles hilary, xinjiang uygur autonomous region (xinjiang).201526837364
climate change, biodiversity, ticks and tick-borne diseases: the butterfly effect.we have killed wild animals for obtaining food and decimated forests for many reasons. nowadays, we are burning fossil fuels as never before and even exploring petroleum in deep waters. the impact of these activities on our planet is now visible to the naked eye and the debate on climate change is warming up in scientific meetings and becoming a priority on the agenda of both scientists and policy decision makers. on the occasion of the impact of environmental changes on infectious diseases (iec ...201526835253
prevalence of borrelia miyamotoi in ixodes persulcatus in irkutsk city and its neighboring territories, russia.adult ixodes persulcatus were collected in highly populated districts in irkutsk city, russia, and in popular recreational and professional areas in its neighboring territories. borrelia miyamotoi infection in i. persulcatus was examined using multiplex taqman-pcr targeting 16s rdna, and nested pcr and sequencing analyses targeting flab and 16s rdna. b. miyamotoi and lyme disease borrelia species were detected in 13 (infection rate, 2.9%) and 77 (17.3%) out of 445 i. persulcatus ticks, respectiv ...201626750571
detection of babesia venatorum, anaplasma phagocytophilum and candidatus neoehrlichia mikurensis in ixodes persulcatus ticks from mongolia.information about the prevalence and geographical distribution of tick-borne pathogens anaplasma phagocytophilum, candidatus neoehrlichia mikurensis, and babesia spp. is still rare in mongolia. we tested 275 ixodes persulcatus ticks for a. phagocytophilum, cand. n. mikurensis and babesia spp. and 125 dermacentor nuttalli ticks especially for babesia spp. using different pcr methods. ticks were collected from three provinces (selenge, arkhangai, khentii) in mongolia. dna of a. phagocytophilum, ca ...201626739031
[polymorphism in the phenotypic structure of a population of taiga tick and its epidemiological significance].the paper presents the results of 10-year (2005-2014) observations of an ixodespersulcatus schulze population. the purpose of this investigation was to trace long-term changes in the structure of the taiga tick population from the proportion of specimens with external skeletal anomalies and to assess a relationship between the pattern of imago phenotypic variation and the virus percentage of a carrier. there were a total of reports of the external skeletal structure of 1123 females gathered from ...201626720971
neurotropic virus infections as the cause of immediate and delayed neuropathology.a wide range of viruses from different virus families in different geographical areas, may cause immediate or delayed neuropathological changes and neurological manifestations in humans and animals. infection by neurotropic viruses as well as the resulting immune response can irreversibly disrupt the complex structural and functional architecture of the central nervous system, frequently leaving the patient or affected animal with a poor or fatal prognosis. mechanisms that govern neuropathogenes ...201526659576
diversity of haemaphysalis-associated piroplasms of ruminants in central-eastern europe, hungary.increasing numbers of genetic variants are being recognized among piroplasms, but the precise taxonomical status, the tick vector and the geographical range of several species or genotypes are still unknown. bovine piroplasmosis was reported to re-emerge in north-east hungary. because theileria-infection was newly diagnosed in one cattle herd in the same region of the country, the aim of this study was to molecularly identify the relevant agent, to find its local vector tick species, and to exam ...201526652614
gis and remote sensing use in the exploration of lyme disease epidemiology.given the relatively recent recognition of lyme disease (ld) by cdc in 1990 as a nationally notifiable infectious condition, the rise of reported human cases every year argues for a better understanding of its geographic scope. the aim of this inquiry was to explore research conducted on spatiotemporal patterns of lyme disease in order to identify strategies for implementing vector and reservoir-targeted interventions. the focus of this review is on the use of gis-based methods to study populati ...201526633445
coinfection by ixodes tick-borne pathogens: ecological, epidemiological, and clinical consequences.ixodes ticks maintain a large and diverse array of human pathogens in the enzootic cycle, including borrelia burgdorferi and babesia microti. despite the poor ecological fitness of b. microti, babesiosis has recently emerged in areas endemic for lyme disease. studies in ticks, reservoir hosts, and humans indicate that coinfection with b. burgdorferi and b. microti is common, promotes transmission and emergence of b. microti in the enzootic cycle, and causes greater disease severity and duration ...201526613664
borrelia miyamotoi disease: neither lyme disease nor relapsing fever.borrelia miyamotoi disease (bmd) is a newly recognized borreliosis globally transmitted by ticks of the ixodes persulcatus species complex. once considered to be a tick symbiont with no public health implications, b miyamotoi is increasingly recognized as the agent of a nonspecific febrile illness often misdiagnosed as acute lyme disease without rash, or as ehrlichiosis. the frequency of its diagnosis in the northeastern united states is similar to that of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis. a diag ...201526593262
ixodes scapularis and ixodes ricinus tick cell lines respond to infection with tick-borne encephalitis virus: transcriptomic and proteomic analysis.ixodid ticks are important vectors of a wide variety of viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. although several studies have elucidated tick responses to bacteria, little is known about the tick response to viruses. to gain insight into the response of tick cells to flavivirus infection, the transcriptomes and proteomes of two ixodes spp cell lines infected with the flavivirus tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) were analysed.201526582129
serological survey of borrelia infection of dogs in sapporo, japan, where borrelia garinii infection was previously detected.a serological survey of borrelia infection of dogs was performed in sapporo, japan, where borrelia garinii infection in dogs was detected in 2011. a total of 314 serum samples were collected from dogs that visited three animal hospitals in sapporo from 2012 to 2014. the two-step evaluation method, involving screening elisa followed by western blot analysis, was used to detect antibodies against borrelia species. a total of 34 samples were positive by elisa. among those 34 samples, 32 were positi ...201526522809
prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of babesia spp. in ixodes ricinus and ixodes persulcatus ticks in latvia.babesia spp. are tick-borne protozoan parasites that have been reported in many european countries and are considered to be emerging pathogens. several babesia spp. have been identified in ticks in latvia. recently, canine babesiosis cases were diagnosed for the first time in latvia; therefore, continued studies on the prevalence and occurrence of new species are warranted. in the present study, questing tick samples collected in 2005-2007 were screened for the presence of babesia spp.; in total ...201626481239
identification and the preliminary in vitro characterization of iris homologue from salivary glands of ixodes persulcatus schulze.ixodes ricinus immunosuppressor (iris) is a tick salivary gland protein derived from i. ricinus. in this study, iris homolog was identified in the salivary glands of ixodes persulcatus, which is the specific vector of the lyme disease agent in japan. the homolog was named ipis-1. to investigate the function of ipis-1, we prepared a recombinant ipis-1 expressed in cos-7 cells as a rabbit igg fc-fused protein (ipis-1-ig). cell proliferation assay and ifn-γ elisa showed that ipis-1-ig inhibits the ...201626460162
natural hybridization between ixodes ricinus and ixodes persulcatus ticks evidenced by molecular genetics methods.the recently shown phenomenon of natural hybridization between ixodes persulcatus and ixodes pavlovskyi ticks (kovalev et al., 2015) stimulated similar studies in the sympatric zones of other tick species. in the present paper, 265 ixodes ricinus and i. persulcatus ticks from estonia were subjected to a search for interspecific hybrids based on nuclear (its2) and mitochondrial (cox1) markers as well as morphological features. surprisingly, only 72.1% of ticks morphologically identified as i. ric ...201626460161
emerging tick-borne infections in mainland china: an increasing public health threat.since the beginning of the 1980s, 33 emerging tick-borne agents have been identified in mainland china, including eight species of spotted fever group rickettsiae, seven species in the family anaplasmataceae, six genospecies in the complex borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, 11 species of babesia, and the virus causing severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. in this review we have mapped the geographical distributions of human cases of infection. 15 of the 33 emerging tick-borne agents have be ...201526453241
the diversity and prevalence of hard ticks attacking human hosts in eastern siberia (russian federation) with first description of invasion of non-endemic tick species.hard ticks are the vectors of many pathogens including tick-borne encephalitis virus and the lyme disease agent borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. in eastern siberia, ixodes persulcatus, dermacentor nuttalli, dermacentor silvarum and haemaphysalis concinna are regarded as aggressive to humans. recently, significant changes in world tick fauna have been reported and this affects the spread of tick-borne pathogens. we studied the current species diversity, population structure and prevalence of tick ...201626443685
molecular detection of vector-borne agents in dogs from ten provinces of china.although many vector-borne agents are potential zoonoses and cause substantial morbidity and mortality in dogs worldwide, there are limited data on these organisms in dogs of china.201526428085
molecular survey of anaplasma species in small ruminants reveals the presence of novel strains closely related to a. phagocytophilum in tunisia.a survey of anaplasma species in small ruminants is still lacking in north african countries. in this study, the presence of a. phagocytophilum, a. phagocytophilum-related species, and a. ovis was investigated in a total of 563 healthy small ruminants (303 goats and 260 sheep), from 25 randomly selected flocks sampled in tunisia. anaplasma spp. and a. ovis overall infection rates were 95.0% and 93.8% in sheep and 69.6% and 65.3% in goats, respectively. a. phagocytophilum was not detected in any ...201526394065
rickettsia raoultii in haemaphysalis erinacei from marbled polecats, china-kazakhstan border.we found rickettsia raoultii dna in 2 out of 32 (6.25 %) haemaphysalis erinacei ticks. result showed that the sequences of five genes (17-kda, glta, ompa, rrs, and ompb) were 100 % identity with that of r. raoultii in genbank. this study is the first report on the presence of r. raoultii in h. erinacei from wild marbled polecat, vormela peregusna. our findings suggest that h. erinacei parasitizing wild marbled polecat may serve as reservoir and carriers for r. raoultii in areas around the china- ...201526383238
effects of parasites and antigenic challenge on metabolic rates and thermoregulation in northern red-backed voles (myodes rutilus).perturbations in host energetics are considered to be an essential pathway for parasite impact on host fitness. however, direct estimations of parasite-induced variations in basal metabolic rates of vertebrate hosts have so far provided contradictory results. the energy requirements of immunity and other vital functions may be compromised in energy-demanding conditions in comparison to comfortable conditions; therefore, in our study performed on the wild red-backed vole, myodes rutilus, we compa ...201526341798
a broad-range survey of ticks from livestock in northern xinjiang: changes in tick distribution and the isolation of borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto.borreliosis is highly prevalent in xinjiang uygur autonomous region, china. however, little is known about the presence of borrelia pathogens in tick species in this region, in addition borrelia pathogens have not been isolated from domestic animals.201526337627
opening the black box of anaplasma phagocytophilum diversity: current situation and future perspectives.anaplasma phagocytophilum is a zoonotic obligate intracellular bacterium known to be transmitted by ticks belonging to the ixodes persulcatus complex. this bacterium can infect several mammalian species, and is known to cause diseases with variable symptoms in many domestic animals. specifically, it is the causative agent of tick-borne fever (tbf), a disease of important economic impact in european domestic ruminants, and human granulocytic anaplasmosis (hga), an emerging zoonotic disease in asi ...201526322277
prevalence of candidatus rickettsia tarasevichiae-like bacteria in ixodid ticks at 13 sites on the chinese-russian border.to investigate the likely source population and candidate vectors of candidatus rickettsia tarasevichiae, the prevalence of this bacteria was quantified in specimens of four tick species that mainly parasitize humans collected from 13 sites along the chinese-russian border. the presence of the bacteria was determined by detecting its specific citrate synthase (glta) partial gene and outer membrane protein a (ompa) partial gene. only ixodes persulcatus schulze was found to be naturally infected w ...201426309321
detection, identification and genotyping of borrellia spp. in rodents in slovenia by pcr and culture.borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the agent of lyme borreliosis, is mainly maintained in natural foci through the transmission cycles of competent tick vectors (ixodes sp.) and a vertebrate reservoir. specific rodents have been identified as the principal reservoir of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in europe. borrelia miyamotoi is the only relapsing fever spirochete transmitted by the same tick. the aim of the present study was to perform an epidemiological survey to determine the presence of b. ...201526253121
the pcr detection and phylogenetic characterization of babesia microti in questing ticks in mongolia.babesia microti is a tick-transmitted zoonotic hemoprotozoan parasite. in the present study, we investigated b. microti infection in questing ticks in mongolia. a total of 219 questing ticks were collected from three different mongolian provinces (bayan-olgii, khovsgol, and selenge). of these, 63 from selenge were identified as ixodes persulcatus, while the remaining 156 (from all three provinces) were identified as dermacentor nuttalli. when the tick dna samples were screened using a b. microti ...201526225461
seroprevalence of lyme disease and associated risk factors in rural population of beijing.a seroepidemiological survey of 801 local residents from 28 villages was conducted to assess the seroprevalence of lyme disease and to identify the risk factors of becoming seropositive for lyme disease in the northern suburb of beijing. forty-one serum samples were positive for igg against b burgdorferi and the seroprevalence was 5.1% (41/801), indicating that lyme disease is endemic in the rural population. in the multivariable analysis, sowing and harvesting in summer (or, 2.377, 95% ci, 1.23 ...201526221360
genetic diversity of ixodes pavlovskyi and i. persulcatus (acari: ixodidae) from the sympatric zone in the south of western siberia and kazakhstan.the most epidemiologically significant tick species in siberia involved in transmission of a large number of pathogens causing human infectious diseases is ixodes persulcatus. ixodes pavlovskyi, being more active, also poses epidemiological threats. these tick species share morphology, activity seasons and geographic distribution range. in this paper, we characterize the geographic and genetic structures of i. persulcatus and i. pavlovskyi populations inhabiting the southern part of western sibe ...201526201397
genetic variability of rickettsia spp. in ixodes persulcatus/ixodes trianguliceps sympatric areas from western siberia, russia: identification of a new candidatus rickettsia species.rickettsia spp. are the causative agents of a number of diseases in humans. these bacteria are transmitted by arthropods, including ixodid ticks. dna of several rickettsia spp. was identified in ixodes persulcatus ticks, however, the association of ixodes trianguliceps ticks with rickettsia spp. is unknown. in our study, blood samples of small mammals (n=108), unfed adult i. persulcatus ticks (n=136), and i. persulcatus (n=12) and i. trianguliceps (n=34) ticks feeding on voles were collected in ...201526190452
comparative metagenomic profiling of symbiotic bacterial communities associated with ixodes persulcatus, ixodes pavlovskyi and dermacentor reticulatus ticks.ixodes persulcatus, ixodes pavlovskyi, and dermacentor reticulatus ticks inhabiting western siberia are responsible for the transmission of a number of etiological agents that cause human and animal tick-borne diseases. because these ticks are abundant in the suburbs of large cities, agricultural areas, and popular tourist sites and frequently attack people and livestock, data regarding the microbiomes of these organisms are required. using metagenomic 16s profiling, we evaluate bacterial commun ...201526154300
c6 peptide-based multiplex phosphorescence analysis (phosphan) for serologic confirmation of lyme borreliosis.a single-tier immunoassay using the c6 peptide of vlse (c6) from borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (bb) has been proposed as a potential alternative to conventional two-tier testing for the serologic diagnosis of lyme disease in the united states and europe.201526147441
detection and identification of rickettsia species in ixodes tick populations from estonia.a total of 1640 ticks collected in different geographical parts of estonia were screened for the presence of rickettsia species dna by real-time pcr. dna of rickettsia was detected in 83 out of 1640 questing ticks with an overall prevalence of 5.1%. the majority of the ticks infected by rickettsiae were ixodes ricinus (74 of 83), while 9 of the 83 positive ticks were ixodes persulcatus. for rickettsial species identification, a part of the citrate synthase glta gene was sequenced. the majority o ...201526096853
complete genome sequences of four european subtype strains of tick-borne encephalitis virus from eastern siberia, russia.three tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) strains were isolated from ixodes persulcatus ticks, and one was isolated from a shrew in the territory of eastern siberia (russia). the level of sequence identity compared to neudoerfl (the european prototype strain) is 97.2 to 97.3%.201526089416
neoehrlichiosis: an emerging tick-borne zoonosis caused by candidatus neoehrlichia mikurensis.candidatus neoehrlichia mikurensis is an emerging tick-borne pathogen causing a systemic inflammatory syndrome mostly in persons with underlying hematologic or autoimmune diseases. as it is neither well-known nor well-recognized, it might be misdiagnosed as recurrence of the underlying disease or as an unrelated arteriosclerotic vascular event. the pathogen is transmitted by hard ticks of the genus ixodes and is closely associated with rodents in which transplacental transmission occurs. transov ...201626081117
field and laboratory evaluations of the efficacy of deet repellent against ixodes ticks.the objective of this study was to clarify the efficacy of a currently available n,n-diethyl-m-toluamide (deet) repellent against tick species in japan. we performed 2 different field trials: "human trap," and "flag-dragging." in total, 482 ticks were collected from white flannel cloths in the field studies. the collected tick species were ixodes persulcatus and i. ovatus, which accounted for 5.3% and 94.7% of the ticks in the human trap test and 31.4% and 68.6% in the flag-dragging test, respec ...201626073735
vaccination with cyclin-dependent kinase tick antigen confers protection against ixodes infestation.among arthropods, ticks lead as vectors of animal diseases and rank second to mosquitoes in transmitting human pathogens. cyclin-dependent kinases (cdk) participate in cell cycle control in eukaryotes. cdks are serine/threonine protein kinases and these catalytic subunits are activated or inactivated at specific stages of the cell cycle. to determine the potential of using cdks as anti-tick vaccine antigens, hamsters were immunized with recombinant ixodes persulcatus cdk10, followed by a homolog ...201526073111
eco-epidemiology of borrelia miyamotoi and lyme borreliosis spirochetes in a popular hunting and recreational forest area in hungary.borrelia miyamotoi, the newly discovered human pathogenic relapsing fever spirochete, and borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato are maintained in natural rodent populations. the aim of this study was to investigate the natural cycle of b. miyamotoi and b. burgdorferi s.l. in a forest habitat with intensive hunting, forestry work and recreational activity in southern hungary.201526048373
chronic lyme disease: misconceptions and challenges for patient management.lyme disease, infection with the tick-borne spirochete borrelia burgdorferi, causes both specific and nonspecific symptoms. in untreated chronic infection, specific manifestations such as a relapsing large-joint oligoarthritis can persist for years, yet subside with appropriate antimicrobial therapy. nervous system involvement occurs in 10%-15% of untreated patients and typically involves lymphocytic meningitis, cranial neuritis, and/or mononeuritis multiplex; in some rare cases, patients have p ...201526028977
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