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Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 32117

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gabriele Margos

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Guest Editor

Bavariean Health and Food Safety Authority, National Reference Center for Borrelia, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
Interests: parasitology; vector-borne diseases; bacterial ecology; host-pathogen interaction; genetic; genomics

Dr. Volker Fingerle

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

ESGBOR Steering committee;
Bavariean Health and Food Safety Authority, National Reference Center for Borrelia, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
Interests: Lyme borreliosis; serology; Borrelia-host interaction; Borrelia genomics; microbial ecology

Dr. Anna J Henningsson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

ESGBOR Steering committee;
Clinical Microbiology, Region Jönköping County, Institution for Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 58100 Linköping, Sweden
Interests: Lyme borreliosis; tick-borne pathogens; Borrelia burgdorferi; neuroborreliosis

Dr. Mateusz Markowicz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

ESGBOR Steering committee;
Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Interests: Lyme borreliosis; Borrelia burgdorferi; tick-borne diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims at advancing knowledge in Borrelia ecology and evolution. As a parasitic pathogen, Borrelia’s ecology is intimately intertwined with vector and host ecology. These, in turn, are vulnerable to alterations in their natural environment introduced through human-induced environmental changes or other phenomena that may lead to changes in (micro)habitat conditions. Some of these are likely to be positive in improving survival conditions for vector and host, but others may be negative and deplete tick and/or host populations. The impact of these changes can be found in tick- or host anbundance, Borrelia infection prevalence in ticks, Borrelia population alterations, which may result in stable or changing risks for humans to acquire the bacteria, possibly resulting in Lyme borreliosis or relapsing fever in humans.

In this Special Issue, we welcome papers on field investigations concerning ticks, hosts and Borrelia, Borrelia host and tick interactions, Borrelia population genetics and genomics.

Dr. Gabriele Margos
Dr. Volker Fingerle
Dr. Anna J Henningsson
Dr. Mateusz Markowicz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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

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

Keywords

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato
relapsing-fever spirochetes
hard ticks
soft ticks
Lyme borreliosis
relapsing fever
population genetics
Borrelia genomics
field studies

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 188 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment

by Gabriele Margos, Anna Jonsson Henningsson, Mateusz Markowicz and Volker Fingerle

Microorganisms 2022, 10(8), 1513; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10081513 - 26 Jul 2022

Viewed by 1293

Abstract

The genus Borrelia encompasses bacterial pathogens that can cause Lyme borreliosis (LB) and relapsing fever (RF) [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

Research

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14 pages, 938 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Diagnostic Challenges and Clinical and Serological Outcome in Patients Hospitalized for Suspected Lyme Neuroborreliosis

by Violeta Briciu, Mirela Flonta, Daniel Leucuța and Mihaela Lupșe

Microorganisms 2022, 10(7), 1392; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10071392 - 11 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1474

Abstract

The aim of our study was to evaluate the differential diagnosis and clinical/serological outcome to antibiotic treatment in patients hospitalized for suspected Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB). A prospective study included patients hospitalized in a Romanian hospital between March 2011 and October 2012 with neurological symptoms, positive laboratory tests for Borrelia burgdorferi, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, and no previous treatment for LNB. A questionnaire was completed for each patient at admission, at the end of treatment, and 3 months later. Patients were treated with antibiotic therapy (ceftriaxone/cefotaxime), irrespective of CSF analysis results. A symptomatic scoring scale was used for the follow-up. Out of the 42 patients included, no patient fulfilled criteria for definite LNB; 7 patients were classified as possible LNB; and in 33 patients, LNB was excluded. Two patients could not be classified (insufficient amount of CSF). Clinical follow-up suggested a better response to therapy in the group of patients with possible LNB than in the group with LNB excluded. The patients’ differential diagnosis and serological follow-up are presented. Patients investigated for suspected LNB present diverse clinical manifestations and comorbidities that complicate differential diagnosis. LNB may be misdiagnosed if CSF analysis is not performed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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17 pages, 1564 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multidisciplinary Management of Suspected Lyme Borreliosis: Clinical Features of 569 Patients, and Factors Associated with Recovery at 3 and 12 Months, a Prospective Cohort Study

by Alice Raffetin, Julien Schemoul, Amal Chahour, Steve Nguala, Pauline Caraux-Paz, Giulia Paoletti, Anna Belkacem, Fernanda Medina, Catherine Fabre, Sébastien Gallien, Nicolas Vignier, Yoann Madec and on the behalf of the Tick-Borne Diseases Reference Center-Paris and Northern Region Working Group

Microorganisms 2022, 10(3), 607; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10030607 - 12 Mar 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2847

Abstract

Introduction. Because patients with a suspicion of Lyme borreliosis (LB) may have experienced difficult care paths, the Tick-Borne Diseases Reference Center (TBD-RC) was started in 2017. The aim of our study was to compare the clinical features of patients according to their final diagnoses, and to determine the factors associated with recovery in the context of multidisciplinary management for suspected LB. Methods. We included all adult patients who were seen at the TBD-RC (2017–2020). Four groups were defined: (i) confirmed LB, (ii) possible LB, (iii) Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS) or sequelae, and (iv) other diagnoses. Their clinical evolution at 3, 6, and 9–12 months after care was compared. Factors associated with recovery at 3 and at 9–12 months were identified using logistic regression models. Results. Among the 569 patients who consulted, 72 (12.6%) had confirmed LB, 43 (7.6%) possible LB, 58 (10.2%) PTLDS/sequelae, and 396 (69.2%) another diagnosis. A favorable evolution was observed in 389/569 (68.4%) at three months and in 459/569 (80.7%) at 12 months, independent of the final diagnosis. A longer delay between the first symptoms and the first consultation at the TBD-RC (p = 0.001), the multiplicity of the diagnoses (p = 0.004), and the inappropriate prescription of long-term antibiotic therapy (p = 0.023) were negatively associated with recovery, reflecting serial misdiagnoses. Conclusions. A multidisciplinary team dedicated to suspicion of LB may achieve a more precise diagnosis and better patient-centered medical support in the adapted clinical sector with a shorter delay, enabling clinical improvement and avoiding inappropriate antimicrobial prescription. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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19 pages, 1181 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Early Transcriptional Changes in the Midgut of Ornithodoros moubata after Feeding and Infection with Borrelia duttonii

by Mandy Schäfer, Florian Pfaff, Dirk Höper and Cornelia Silaghi

Microorganisms 2022, 10(3), 525; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10030525 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2208

Abstract

Studies on tick-pathogen-host interactions are helping to identify candidates for vaccines against ticks and tick-borne diseases and to discover potent bioactive tick molecules. The tick midgut is the main tissue involved in blood feeding and, moreover, the first organ to have contact with pathogens ingested through the blood meal. As little is known about the molecular biology of feeding and tick defence mechanisms against microorganisms, but important for understanding vector-pathogen interactions, we explored the early transcriptional changes in the midgut of Ornithodoros moubata after feeding and in response to challenge with the relapsing-fever spirochete Borrelia duttonii using the Ion S5XL platform. Besides transcripts with metabolic function and immune-related transcripts we discovered numerous putative and uncharacterized protein sequences. Overall, our analyses support previous studies and provides a valuable reference database for further functional proteomic analysis of midgut proteins of O. moubata. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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13 pages, 1290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Different Anthropogenic Environments on Ticks and Tick-Associated Pathogens in Alsace, a French Region Highly Endemic for Tick-Borne Diseases

by Pierre H. Boyer, Cathy Barthel, Mahsa Mohseni-Zadeh, Emilie Talagrand-Reboul, Mathieu Frickert, Benoit Jaulhac and Nathalie Boulanger

Microorganisms 2022, 10(2), 245; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10020245 - 23 Jan 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2745

Abstract

Ticks and tick-borne diseases have spread over the last decades. In parallel, the incidence in humans, accidental hosts for most of these zoonotic diseases, has increased. This epidemiological intensification can be associated with anthropogenic alterations of forest ecosystems and animal biodiversity, but also with socioeconomic changes. Their proliferation is largely due to human-induced effects on the factors that favor the circulation of these infectious agents. We selected different types of anthropogenic environments in Alsace, a region endemic for tick-borne diseases in France, to better understand the impact of human interventions on tick populations and tick-borne disease incidence. Ticks were collected in one golf course, three urban parks, one mid-mountain forest, and one alluvial forest that is currently part of a protected natural area. Ixodes ricinus was found primarily in humid vegetation, which is favorable for tick survival, such as grounds populated with trees and covered with leaf litter. We also observed that reforestation and high animal biodiversity in a protected area such as the alluvial forest led to a greater number of ticks, including both Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus, as well as to a higher prevalence of pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Rickettsia raoulti. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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9 pages, 1077 KiB

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A Novel Genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Associated with Cricetid Rodents in Brazil

by Bárbara C. Weck, Maria Carolina A. Serpa, Marcelo B. Labruna and Sebastián Muñoz-Leal

Microorganisms 2022, 10(2), 204; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10020204 - 19 Jan 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1852

Abstract

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) spirochetes thrive in sylvatic transmission cycles infecting vertebrates and their ticks. Rodents and ticks of the genus Ixodes are important hosts of these spirochetes globally. Although evidence suggests that Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto does not exist in South America, genospecies of the group (Bbsl) can be found in this region but have been poorly characterized from a genetic viewpoint, and data on their ecoepidemiology are still incipient. Aiming to detect the natural foci of Borrelia in Brazil, we targeted small mammals inhabiting seven forests fragments during a period of three years (2015–2018). Organs (lung) from two Oligoryzomys rodents over a total of 382 sampled mammals were positive, and we performed a molecular characterization of 10 borrelial genes to achieve a robust analysis. Phylogenetic trees inferred from 16S rRNA, flaB, ospC, and seven MLST loci (clpA, nifS, pepX, pyrG, recG, rlpB, and uvrA) support the characterization of a novel genospecies of Bbsl that we herein name “Candidatus Borrelia paulista” Rp42. Remarkably, “Ca. B. paulista” is phylogenetically related to Borrelia carolinensis, a genospecies that infects Ixodes ticks and cricetid rodents in North America. A previous study performed in the same area identified Ixodes schulzei feeding on Oligoryzomys rodents. Although this tick species could be considered a probable host for this novel Borrelia sp., further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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11 pages, 912 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Borrelia Infections in Ageing Ticks: Relationship with Morphometric Age Ratio in Field-Collected Ixodes ricinus Nymphs

by Andrea Springer, Daniela Jordan, Antje Glass, Olaf Kahl, Volker Fingerle, Philipp Girl, Lidia Chitimia-Dobler and Christina Strube

Microorganisms 2022, 10(1), 166; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10010166 - 13 Jan 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1906

Abstract

In Europe, Ixodes ricinus plays a major role as a vector of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) spirochaetes, the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis, among other pathogens. In unfed ticks, Borrelia spirochaetes experience prolonged nutrient restriction. However, only few studies exist with regard to Borrelia infections in unfed ticks of different physiological ages. Changing body dimensions of unfed ticks, due to the consumption of energy reserves, allow physiological age estimation. The present study investigated the relationship of morphometric age with Borrelia prevalence and spirochaete load in 1882 questing I. ricinus nymphs, collected at two different locations in northern Germany in 2020. In addition, Borrelia species composition was investigated by employing a reverse line blot (RLB) probe panel suitable for the detection of ten different B. burgdorferi s.l. species, as well as the relapsing-fever spirochaete B. miyamotoi. Overall, Borrelia prevalence was 25.8% (485/1882). Whilst there was no statistically significant difference in Borrelia prevalence between the different morphometric age groups, Borrelia infection intensity as determined by probe-based quantitative real-time PCR significantly declined with increasing morphometric age. Borrelia species differentiation by RLB was successful in 29.5% of positive ticks, and revealed B. afzelii as the dominating species (65.0% of the differentiated infections). Additionally, B. garinii, B. valaisiana, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. spielmanii, and B. miyamotoi were detected. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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10 pages, 1134 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evidence of Borrelia theileri in Wild and Domestic Animals in the Kafue Ecosystem of Zambia

by Yongjin Qiu, David Squarre, Yukiko Nakamura, Alice C. C. Lau, Lavel Chinyama Moonga, Naoko Kawai, Aiko Ohnuma, Kyoko Hayashida, Ryo Nakao, Junya Yamagishi, Hirofumi Sawa, Boniface Namangala and Hiroki Kawabata

Microorganisms 2021, 9(11), 2405; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9112405 - 22 Nov 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2267

Abstract

Members of the genus Borrelia are arthropod-borne spirochetes that are human and animal pathogens. Vertebrate hosts, including wild animals, are pivotal to the circulation and maintenance of Borrelia spirochetes. However, information on Borrelia spirochetes in vertebrate hosts in Zambia is limited. Thus, we aimed to investigate the presence of Borrelia spirochetes in wild animals and cattle in Zambia. A total of 140 wild animals of four species and 488 cattle DNA samples from /near the Kafue National Park were collected for real-time PCR screening, followed by characterization using three different genes with positive samples. Five impalas and 20 cattle tested positive using real-time PCR, and sequence analysis revealed that the detected Borrelia were identified to be Borrelia theileri, a causative agent of bovine borreliosis. This is the first evidence of Borrelia theileri in African wildlife and cattle in Zambia. Our results suggest that clinical differentiation between bovine borreliosis and other bovine diseases endemic in Zambia is required for better treatment and control measures. As this study only included wild and domestic animals in the Kafue ecosystem, further investigations in other areas and with more wildlife and livestock species are needed to clarify a comprehensive epidemiological status of Borrelia theileri in Zambia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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18 pages, 2035 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transovarial Transmission of Borrelia hermsii by Its Tick Vector and Reservoir Host Ornithodoros hermsi

by Tom G. Schwan and Sandra J. Raffel

Microorganisms 2021, 9(9), 1978; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9091978 - 17 Sep 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2396

Abstract

Transovarial passage of relapsing fever spirochetes (Borrelia species) by infected female argasid ticks to their progeny is a widespread phenomenon. Yet this form of vertical inheritance has been considered rare for the North American tick Ornithodoros hermsi infected with Borrelia hermsii. A laboratory colony of O. hermsi was established from a single infected female and two infected males that produced a population of ticks with a high prevalence of transovarial transmission based on infection assays of single and pooled ticks feeding on mice and immunofluorescence microscopy of eggs and larvae. Thirty-eight of forty-five (84.4%) larval cohorts (groups of larvae originating from the same egg clutch) transmitted B. hermsii to mice over four and a half years, and one hundred and three single and one hundred and fifty-three pooled nymphal and adult ticks transmitted spirochetes during two hundred and fourteen of two hundred and fifty-six (83.6%) feedings on mice over seven and a half years. The perpetuation of B. hermsii for many years by infected ticks only (without acquisition of spirochetes from vertebrate hosts) demonstrates the reservoir competence of O. hermsi. B. hermsii produced the variable tick protein in eggs and unfed larvae infected by transovarial transmission, leading to speculation of the possible steps in the evolution of borreliae from a tick-borne symbiont to a tick-transmitted parasite of vertebrates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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17 pages, 1700 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Presence of Human Pathogens of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato Complex Shifts the Sequence Read Abundances of Tick Microbiomes in Two German Locations

by Angeline Hoffmann, Thomas Müller, Volker Fingerle and Matthias Noll

Microorganisms 2021, 9(9), 1814; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9091814 - 26 Aug 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2076

Abstract

The distribution of human Lyme borreliosis (LB) is assumed random in Germany, indicating that the human pathogenic species of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex (Bb) are similarly distributed as part of the tick microbiome. The aim of this study was to differentiate if the presence of Bb occurs with a defined tick microbiome composition. Furthermore, the effect of location on tick microbiome composition was addressed for two German locations. Therefore, nucleic acid extracts from 82 Borrelia-positive and 118 Borrelia-negative Ixodes ricinus ticks sampled from human hosts in both districts were selected. Nucleic acid extracts were used for human pathogenic Bb species diagnostics based on qPCR and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing followed by network analyses. As a result, the presence of Bb shifted the sequence read abundances of Candidatus Midichloria, Rickettsia, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and Candidatus Neoehrlichia and their topological roles in the tick microbiome. Moreover, the location was less important in the tick microbiome composition but shifted significantly sequence read abundances of Pseudomonas and Wolbachia as well as the topological role of microbial members. Since the presence of human pathogenic Bb species with other tick-associated pathogens varies regionally, we suggest that a bacterial 16S rRNA gene-based microbiome survey should be implemented in the routine diagnostics for both tick and host if human pathogenic species of Bb were detected. This diagnostic extension will help to optimize therapeutic approaches against Bb infection and co-occurring pathogens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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12 pages, 1122 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceptions, Representations, and Experiences of Patients Presenting Nonspecific Symptoms in the Context of Suspected Lyme Borreliosis

by Alice Raffetin, Aude Barquin, Steve Nguala, Giulia Paoletti, Christian Rabaud, Olivier Chassany, Pauline Caraux-Paz, Sarah Covasso and Henri Partouche

Microorganisms 2021, 9(7), 1515; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9071515 - 15 Jul 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2584

Abstract

Background: Some subjective symptoms may be reported at all stages of Lyme borreliosis (LB) and may persist for several months after treatment. Nonspecific symptoms without any objective manifestation of LB are sometimes attributed by patients to a possible tick bite. The aim of our study was to explore the perceptions, representations, and experiences that these patients had of their disease and care paths. Methods: We performed a qualitative study through individual interviews (October 2017–May 2018), based on grounded theory, following the COREQ checklist. A balanced sample of patients with diverse profiles was recruited at consultations with general practitioners and infectious disease physicians. Results: Twelve patients were interviewed. Data saturation was reached at the twelfth interview. For codes, 293 were identified, and classified into 5 themes: (1) the experience of disabling nonspecific symptoms, especially pain, causing confusion and fear, (2) long and difficult care paths for the majority of the patients, experienced as an obstacle course, (3) a break with the previous state of health, causing a negative impact on every sphere of the patient’s life, (4) empowerment of the patients and the self-management of their disease, and (5) the strong expression of a desire for change, with better listening, greater recognition of the symptoms, and simpler care paths. Conclusions: This study allows for the understanding of a patient’s behaviours and the obstacles encountered, the way they are perceived, and the necessary solutions. The patients’ expectations identified here could help physicians better understand the doctor–patient relationship in these complex management situations, which would reduce the burden of the disease. The current development of specialised reference centres could help meet the patients’ demands and those of family physicians. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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10 pages, 491 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novel Protozoans in Austria Revealed through the Use of Dogs as Sentinels for Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens

by Michiel Wijnveld, Anna-Margarita Schötta, Theresa Stelzer, Georg Duscher, Michael Leschnik, Hannes Stockinger, Per-Eric Lindgren and Gerold Stanek

Microorganisms 2021, 9(7), 1392; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9071392 - 28 Jun 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2727

Abstract

We previously isolated and cultivated the novel Rickettsia raoultii strain Jongejan. This prompted us to ask whether this strain is unique or more widely present in Austria. To assess this issue, we retrospectively screened ticks collected from dogs in 2008. Of these collected ticks, we randomly selected 75 (47 females and 28 males) Dermacentor reticulatus, 44 (21 females, 7 males, and 16 nymphs) Haemaphysalis concinna, and 55 (52 females and 3 males) ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex. Subsequently, these ticks were individually screened for the presence of tick-borne pathogens using the reverse line blot hybridization assay. In our current study, we detected DNA from the following microbes in D. reticulatus: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia lusitaniae, Borrelia spielmanii, Borrelia valaisiana, and R. raoultii, all of which were R. raoultii strain Jongejan. In H. concinna, we found DNA of a Babesia sp., Rickettsia helvetica, and an organism closely related to Theileria capreoli. Lastly, I. ricinus was positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii/Borrelia bavariensis, B. lusitaniae, B. spielmanii, B. valaisiana, Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsia monacensis, and Theileria (Babesia) microti DNA. The detection of DNA of the Babesia sp. and an organism closely related to Theileria capreoli, both found in H. concinna ticks, is novel for Austria. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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22 pages, 2193 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Population Structure of Borrelia lusitaniae Is Reflected by a Population Division of Its Ixodes Vector

by Ana Cláudia Norte, Pierre H. Boyer, Santiago Castillo-Ramirez, Michal Chvostáč, Mohand O. Brahami, Robert E. Rollins, Tom Woudenberg, Yuliya M. Didyk, Marketa Derdakova, Maria Sofia Núncio, Isabel Lopes de Carvalho, Gabriele Margos and Volker Fingerle

Microorganisms 2021, 9(5), 933; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9050933 - 27 Apr 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3421

Abstract

Populations of vector-borne pathogens are shaped by the distribution and movement of vector and reservoir hosts. To study what impact host and vector association have on tick-borne pathogens, we investigated the population structure of Borrelia lusitaniae using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Novel sequences were acquired from questing ticks collected in multiple North African and European locations and were supplemented by publicly available sequences at the Borrelia Pubmlst database (accessed on 11 February 2020). Population structure of B. lusitaniae was inferred using clustering and network analyses. Maximum likelihood phylogenies for two molecular tick markers (the mitochondrial 16S rRNA locus and a nuclear locus, Tick-receptor of outer surface protein A, trospA) were used to confirm the morphological species identification of collected ticks. Our results confirmed that B. lusitaniae does indeed form two distinguishable populations: one containing mostly European samples and the other mostly Portuguese and North African samples. Of interest, Portuguese samples clustered largely based on being from north (European) or south (North African) of the river Targus. As two different Ixodes species (i.e., I. ricinus and I. inopinatus) may vector Borrelia in these regions, reference samples were included for I. inopinatus but did not form monophyletic clades in either tree, suggesting some misidentification. Even so, the trospA phylogeny showed a monophyletic clade containing tick samples from Northern Africa and Portugal south of the river Tagus suggesting a population division in Ixodes on this locus. The pattern mirrored the clustering of B. lusitaniae samples, suggesting a potential co-evolution between tick and Borrelia populations that deserve further investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borrelia Ecology and Evolution: Ticks and Hosts and the Environment)

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