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Hiroki Kawabata - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the evolution of hard tick borne relapsing fever Borreliae is correlated with vector species rather than geographical distance
BMC Ecology, 2021Co-Authors: Ranna Nakao, Ai Takano, Hiroki Kawabata, Kentaro Kasama, Bazartseren Boldbaatar, Yoshitoshi Ogura, Atsushi Toyoda, Tetsuya Hayashi, Ken MaedaAbstract:Background Relapsing fever (RF) Borreliae are arthropod-borne spirochetes and some of them cause human diseases, which are characterized by relapsing or recurring episodes of fever. Recently, it has been classified into two groups: soft tick-borne RF (STRF) Borreliae and hard tick-borne RF (HTRF) Borreliae. STRF Borreliae include classical RF agents and HTRF Borreliae, the latter of which include B. miyamotoi, a human pathogen recently identified in Eurasia and North America. Results In this study, we determined the genome sequences of 16 HTRF Borreliae strains: 15 B. miyamotoi strains (9 from Hokkaido Island, Japan, 3 from Honshu Island, Japan, and 3 from Mongolia) and a Borrelia sp. tHM16w. Chromosomal gene synteny was highly conserved among the HTRF strains sequenced in this study, even though they were isolated from different geographic regions and different tick species. Phylogenetic analysis based on core gene sequences revealed that HTRF and STRF Borreliae are clearly distinguishable, with each forming a monophyletic group in the RF Borreliae lineage. Moreover, the evolutionary relationships of RF Borreliae are consistent with the biological and ecological features of each RF Borreliae sublineage and can explain the unique characteristics of Borrelia anserina. In addition, the pairwise genetic distances between HTRF Borreliae strains were well correlated with those of vector species rather than with the geographical distances between strain isolation sites. This result suggests that the genetic diversification of HTRF Borreliae is attributed to the speciation of vector ticks and that this relationship might be required for efficient transmission of HTRF Borreliae within vector ticks. Conclusions The results of the present study, together with those from previous investigations, support the hypothesis that the common ancestor of Borreliae was transmitted by hard-bodied ticks and that only STRF Borreliae switched to using soft-bodied ticks as a vector, which was followed by the emergence of Borrelia recurrentis, lice-borne RF Borreliae. Our study clarifies the phylogenetic relationships between RF Borreliae, and the data obtained will contribute to a better understanding of the evolutionary history of RF Borreliae.
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a relapsing fever group Borrelia sp is widely distributed among wild deer in japan
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2017Co-Authors: Yumi Kumagai, Kyle R. Taylor, Kozue Sato, Aya Zamotoniikura, Koichi Imaoka, Shigeru Morikawa, Makoto Ohnishi, Hiroki KawabataAbstract:A relapsing fever group Borrelia sp. was detected from the blood of wild deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan. The Borrelia sp. was distributed nationwide among deer with an overall prevalence of 26% in blood samples. The prevalence of infection was significantly higher in fawns (48.4%) compared to adult deer (23.6%). Sequencing analysis reveals that this Borrelia sp. belongs to the hard tick-borne relapsing fever Borreliae, and that it forms a single lineage based on sequences of the flagellin and glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase genes. Borrelial genome copy number was estimated at 8.8 × 103 genome copies/μl of blood. Other hard tick-borne relapsing fever Borrelia (e.g. Borrelia miyamotoi) were not detected in deer blood in this study. These findings suggest that wild deer may act as reservoirs for this Borrelia sp. in Japan.
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Borrelia miyamotoi infections among wild rodents show age and month independence and correlation with ixodes persulcatus larval attachment in hokkaido japan
Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 2013Co-Authors: Kyle R. Taylor, Ai Takano, Hiroki Kawabata, Satoru Konnai, Michito Shimozuru, Toshio TsubotaAbstract:Abstract To clarify how Borrelia miyamotoi is maintained in the environment in Hokkaido, we examined Ixodes persulcatus for its prevalence among wild rodents and its tick vector by detecting a portion of the Borrelial flaB gene in rodent urinary bladder and blood samples, and from whole ticks. We compared B. miyamotoi infection rates to Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii, which are human Lyme disease pathogens also carried by wild rodents, and which are transmitted by the same vector tick. Whereas B. garinii and B. afzelii showed age dependence of infection rates among wild rodents (18.4% and 9.9% among adults and 6.0% and 3.4% among sub-adults, respectively) when looking at urinary bladder samples, B. miyamotoi infection rates were not age dependent for either blood (4.2% among adults, and 7.9% among sub-adults) or urinary bladder samples (1.0% among adults, and 1.7% among sub-adults). Moreover, while B. garinii and B. afzelii infection rates showed increases across months (June, July [p<0.05] and Aug...
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differential tick burdens may explain differential Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii infection rates among four wild rodent species in hokkaido japan
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science, 2013Co-Authors: Kyle R. Taylor, Ai Takano, Hiroki Kawabata, Satoru Konnai, Michito Shimozuru, Toshio TsubotaAbstract:: The ecologies of Lyme disease Borrelia spp. are very specific to location, as they are dependent upon the spirochete species and genotypes, the vectors and the host vertebrates present. In Hokkaido, Japan, where two human pathogenic, Lyme disease Borrelia spp. are present, and human cases are reported annually, the ecologies have been poorly studied. Our goal was to determine whether variation in Borrelial infection rates among rodent species sharing an environment, is due to immunological or ecological differences. To this end, we examined the relationships between tick burden and Borrelial infection, by including examination of agreement between nested PCR, as a test for infection, and serology, as a test for exposure. We collected 868 rodents, comprised of four species commonly found in Hokkaido, and tested for infection rates with Borrelia spp. using PCR for the Borrelial flaB gene, seroprevalence of Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii using ELISA, and attachment of ticks by direct counts. We noted a correlation between differential nymph and larval burdens and the Borrelial infection rates found among the four rodent species. Furthermore, there was significant correlation between infection and seroprevalence of B. afzelii and B. garinii (P<0.01), between infection and Ixodes persulcatus nymph burden (P<0.01), and between seroprevalence and I. persulcatus nymph burden (P<0.01). The close agreement among rodent species seroprevalences with infection rates and tick burdens suggest the differences in infection rates of Borrelia spp. may largely be a direct consequence of differential exposure to vectors.
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isolation and characterization of a novel Borrelia group of tick borne Borreliae from imported reptiles and their associated ticks
Environmental Microbiology, 2010Co-Authors: Ai Takano, Hiromi Fujita, Haruo Watanabe, Koichi Goka, Yumi Une, Yuichi Shimada, Teiichiro Shiino, Hiroki KawabataAbstract:The members of the genus Borrelia are transmitted by arthropods and known to be infectious to vertebrates. Here we found isolates and DNAs belonging to the Borrelia turcica and unknown Borrelia species from imported reptiles and their ectoparasites. The Borrelia strains were isolated from blood and multiple organs of exotic tortoises, and were experimentally infectious to captive-bred tortoises. These findings suggest that these tortoises may be a candidate as the reservoir host of the Borrelia species. In this study, the Borrelia strains were also isolated from and/or detected in hard-bodied ticks, Amblyomma ticks and Hyalomma ticks. In some of these ticks, immunofluorescence imaging analysis revealed that the Borrelia had also invaded into the tick salivary glands. Accordingly, these ticks were expected to be a potential vector of the Borrelia species. Sequencing analyses of both housekeeping genes (flaB gene, gyrB gene and 16S rDNA gene) and 23S rRNA gene-16S rRNA gene intergenic spacer region revealed that these Borrelia strains formed a monophyletic group that was independent from two other Borrelia groups, Lyme disease Borrelia and relapsing fever Borrelia. From these results, the novel group of Borrelia comprises the third major group of arthropod-transmitted Borreliae identified to date.
Franc Strle - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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RESEARCH ARTICLE Correlation of Culture Positivity, PCR Positivity, and Burden of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Skin Samples of Erythema Migrans Patients with Clinical Findings
2016Co-Authors: Daša Stupica, Vera Maraspin, Lara Lusa, Petra Bogovic, Darja Vidmar, Ian Livey, Franc StrleAbstract:Background Limited data are available regarding the relationship of Borrelia burden in skin of patients with erythema migrans (EM) and the disease course and post-treatment outcome. Methods We studied 121 adult patients with EM in whom skin biopsy specimens were cultured and analyzed by quantitative PCR for the presence of Borreliae. Evaluation of clinical and micro-biological findings were conducted at the baseline visit, and 14 days, 2, 6, and 12 months after treatment with either amoxicillin or cefuroxime axetil. Results In 94/121 (77.7%) patients Borrelia was detected in skin samples by PCR testing and 65/118 (55.1%) patients had positive skin culture result (96.8 % B. afzelii, 3.2 % B. garinii). Borrelia culture and PCR results correlated significantly with the presence of central clearing and EM size, while Borrelia burden correlated significantly with central clearing, EM size, and pres-ence of newly developed or worsened symptoms since EM onset, with no other knownmedi
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comparison of growth of Borrelia afzelii Borrelia garinii and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto at five different temperatures
PLOS ONE, 2016Co-Authors: Gorana Veinovic, Eva Ružicsabljic, Franc Strle, Tjasa CerarAbstract:Lyme borreliosis is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, a fastidious bacterium that replicates slowly and requires special conditions to grow in the laboratory. Borrelia isolation from clinical material is a golden standard for microbiological diagnosis of Borrelial infection. Important factors that affect in vitro Borrelia growth are temperature of incubation and number of Borrelia cells in the sample. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of temperature on Borrelia growth and survival by evaluation and comparison of growth of 31 different Borrelia strains at five different temperatures and to determine the influence of different inoculums on Borrelia growth at different temperatures. Borreliae were cultured in the MKP medium; the initial and final number of spirochetes was determined by dark field microscopy using Neubauer counting chamber. The growth of Borrelia was defined as final number of cells/mL after three days of incubation. For all three Borrelia species, the best growth was found at 33°C, followed by 37, 28, and 23°C, while no growth was detected at 4°C (P 0.05), respectively. Inoculum had statistically significant influence on growth of all three Borrelia species at all tested temperatures except at 4°C.
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correlation of culture positivity pcr positivity and burden of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in skin samples of erythema migrans patients with clinical findings
PLOS ONE, 2015Co-Authors: Daša Stupica, Vera Maraspin, Lara Lusa, Petra Bogovic, Darja Vidmar, Maria Orourke, Andreas Traweger, Ian Livey, Franc StrleAbstract:Background Limited data are available regarding the relationship of Borrelia burden in skin of patients with erythema migrans (EM) and the disease course and post-treatment outcome. Methods We studied 121 adult patients with EM in whom skin biopsy specimens were cultured and analyzed by quantitative PCR for the presence of Borreliae. Evaluation of clinical and microbiological findings were conducted at the baseline visit, and 14 days, 2, 6, and 12 months after treatment with either amoxicillin or cefuroxime axetil. Results In 94/121 (77.7%) patients Borrelia was detected in skin samples by PCR testing and 65/118 (55.1%) patients had positive skin culture result (96.8% B. afzelii, 3.2% B. garinii). Borrelia culture and PCR results correlated significantly with the presence of central clearing and EM size, while Borrelia burden correlated significantly with central clearing, EM size, and presence of newly developed or worsened symptoms since EM onset, with no other known medical explanation (new or increased symptoms, NOIS). In addition, the logistic regression model for repeated measurements adjusted for time from inclusion, indicated higher Borrelia burden was a risk factor for incomplete response (defined as NOIS and/or persistence of EM beyond 14 days and/or occurrence of new objective signs of Lyme borreliosis). The estimated association between PCR positivity and unfavorable outcome was large but not statistically significant, while no corresponding relationship was observed for culture positivity. Conclusions Higher Borrelia burden in EM skin samples was associated with more frequent central clearing and larger EM lesions at presentation, and with a higher chance of incomplete response.
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suspected early lyme neuroborreliosis in patients with erythema migrans
Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2013Co-Authors: Katarina Ogrinc, Vera Maraspin, Stanka Lotricfurlan, Eva Ružicsabljic, Tjasa Cerar, Lara Lusa, Franc StrleAbstract:Background Our objective was to obtain data on patients with erythema migrans (EM) who have symptoms/signs suggesting nervous system involvement and to compare epidemiologic, clinical, and microbiologic findings in patients with and without cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis. Methods Adult patients with EM and suspected early Lyme neuroborreliosis were included in this study. Results Of 161 patients, 31 (19%) had elevated and 130 (81%) had normal CSF cell counts. In contrast to patients with normal CSF cell counts, those with pleocytosis (1) more often reported radicular pain and more often presented with meningeal signs but less frequently complained of malaise; (2) had larger EM skin lesions despite similar duration; (3) more commonly had Borrelia garinii isolated from EM skin lesions (odds ratio for pleocytosis was 31 times higher in patients with established B. garinii skin infection compared to patients with other Borrelia species isolated from their EM skin lesion) and from CSF; and (4) more frequently fulfilled microbiologic criteria for established Borrelial infection of the central nervous system. The positive predictive value of pleocytosis for microbiologically proven Borrelial infection of the central nervous system (defined by isolation of Borrelia from CSF and/or demonstration of intrathecal synthesis of Borrelial antibodies) was 67.9%, whereas normal CSF white cell counts ruled out Lyme neuroborreliosis with a predictive value of 91.9%. Conclusions Comparison of European patients with EM who had symptoms/signs suggesting early Lyme neuroborreliosis revealed several differences in the clinical presentation and in microbiologic test results according to CSF findings.
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isolation of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from blood of adult patients with Borrelial lymphocytoma lyme neuroborreliosis lyme arthritis and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans
Infection, 2011Co-Authors: Vera Maraspin, Stanka Lotricfurlan, Eva Ružicsabljic, Katarina Ogrinc, Franc StrleAbstract:Reports on patients with European Lyme borreliosis in whom Borreliae were isolated from the blood are rare and nearly exclusively limited to those with solitary or multiple erythema migrans. Here we report on patients with other manifestations of Lyme borreliosis in whom Borreliae were isolated from their blood. This is a retrospective review of the medical files of patients diagnosed with Borrelial lymphocytoma, Lyme neuroborreliosis, Lyme arthritis and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans at the Department of Infectious Diseases of the UMC Ljubljana, Slovenia, for whom a Borrelia blood culture was ordered. The clinical features of patients whose blood culture tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato were reviewed, and the association between the proportion of patients with a positive blood culture and various clinical manifestations was examined. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was isolated from the blood of 1/53 (1.9%) patients with Borrelial lymphocytoma, 6/176 (3.4%) patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis, 1/13 (7.7%) patients with Lyme arthritis, and 3/200 (1.5%) patients with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. The time interval from the onset of symptoms attributed to Lyme borreliosis and the blood culture ranged from 1 day to >2 years (median 3.5 weeks). At the time of the blood culture, erythema migrans was present in 4/11 (36.4%) Borrelia blood culture-positive patients, i.e. in the patient with Borrelial lymphocytoma, the patient with Lyme arthritis and the 2/6 patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis. Only two of these 11 (18.2%) patients had fever at the time of the blood culture. In European patients with Lyme borreliosis, Borreliae can be cultured from the blood not only early in the course of the disease but also occasionally later during disease progression.
Oleg Mediannikov - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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detection of Borrelia crocidurae in a vaginal swab after miscarriage rural senegal western africa
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2020Co-Authors: Ndeye Safietou Fall, Oleg Mediannikov, Nafissatou Diagne, Cheikh Sokhna, Jean Christophe LagierAbstract:Abstract Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) Borrelias are one of the main causes of fever in rural Africa and can cause miscarriages. Here, we detected, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, Borrelia crocidurae in a self-vaginal sampling as a probable cause of spontaneous miscarriage.
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detection of Borrelia crocidurae in a vaginal swab after miscarriage rural senegal western africa
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2020Co-Authors: Ndeye Safietou Fall, Oleg Mediannikov, Nafissatou Diagne, Cheikh Sokhna, Philippe Parola, Florence Fenollar, Jean Christophe LagierAbstract:Abstract Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) Borreliae are one of the main causes of fever in rural Africa and can cause miscarriages. This article reports Borrelia crocidurae as a probable cause of spontaneous miscarriage, which was detected through vaginal self-sampling. This appears to be the first such report.
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Multiple Pathogens Including Potential New Species in Tick Vectors in Côte d'Ivoire.
Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2016Co-Authors: Cyrille Bile Ehounoud, Yaba Louise Achi, Mustapha Dahmani, Nadia Amanzougaghene, Florence Fenollar, Kouassi Patrick Yao, Adèle Kacou N'douba, Jean David N'guessan, Oleg MediannikovAbstract:Our study aimed to assess the presence of different pathogens in ticks collected in two regions in Côte d'Ivoire.Real-time PCR and standard PCR assays coupled to sequencing were used. Three hundred and seventy eight (378) ticks (170 Amblyomma variegatum, 161 Rhipicepalus microplus, 3 Rhipicephalus senegalensis, 27 Hyalomma truncatum, 16 Hyalomma marginatum rufipes, and 1 Hyalomma impressum) were identified and analyzed. We identified as pathogenic bacteria, Rickettsia africae in Am. variegatum (90%), Rh. microplus (10%) and Hyalomma spp. (9%), Rickettsia aeschlimannii in Hyalomma spp. (23%), Rickettsia massiliae in Rh. senegalensis (33%) as well as Coxiella burnetii in 0.2%, Borrelia sp. in 0.2%, Anaplasma centrale in 0.2%, Anaplasma marginale in 0.5%, and Ehrlichia ruminantium in 0.5% of all ticks. Potential new species of Borrelia, Anaplasma, and Wolbachia were detected. Candidatus Borrelia africana and Candidatus Borrelia ivorensis (detected in three ticks) are phylogenetically distant from both the relapsing fever group and Lyme disease group Borreliae; both were detected in Am. variegatum. Four new genotypes of bacteria from the Anaplasmataceae family were identified, namely Candidatus Anaplasma ivorensis (detected in three ticks), Candidatus Ehrlichia urmitei (in nine ticks), Candidatus Ehrlichia rustica (in four ticks), and Candidatus Wolbachia ivorensis (in one tick).For the first time, we demonstrate the presence of different pathogens such as R. aeschlimannii, C. burnetii, Borrelia sp., A. centrale, A. marginale, and E. ruminantium in ticks in Côte d'Ivoire as well as potential new species of unknown pathogenicity
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maldi tof mass spectrometry detection of pathogens in vectors the Borrelia crocidurae ornithodoros sonrai paradigm
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2014Co-Authors: Aurelien Fotso Fotso, Oleg Mediannikov, Philippe Parola, Georges Diatta, Lionel Almeras, Christophe Flaudrops, Michel DrancourtAbstract:Background In Africa, relapsing fever Borreliae are neglected vector-borne pathogens that cause mild to deadly septicemia and miscarriage. Screening vectors for the presence of Borreliae currently requires technically demanding, time- and resource-consuming molecular methods. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) has recently emerged as a tool for the rapid identification of vectors and the identification of cultured Borreliae. We investigated whether MALDI-TOF-MS could detect relapsing fever Borreliae directly in ticks. Methodology/Principal Findings As a first step, a Borrelia MALDI-TOF-MS database was created to house the newly determined Mean Spectrum Projections for four Lyme disease group and ten relapsing fever group reference Borreliae. MALDI-TOF-MS yielded a unique protein profile for each of the 14 tested Borrelia species, with 100% reproducibility over 12 repeats. In a second proof-of-concept step, the Borrelia database and a custom software program that subtracts the uninfected O. sonrai profile were used to detect Borrelia crocidurae in 20 Ornithodoros sonrai ticks, including eight ticks that tested positive for B. crocidurae by PCR-sequencing. A B. crocidurae-specific pattern consisting of 3405, 5071, 5898, 7041, 8580 and 9757-m/z peaks was found in all B. crocidurae-infected ticks and not found in any of the un-infected ticks. In a final blind validation step, MALDI-TOF-MS exhibited 88.9% sensitivity and 93.75% specificity for the detection of B. crocidurae in 50 O. sonrai ticks, including 18 that tested positive for B. crocidurae by PCR-sequencing. MALDI-TOF-MS took 45 minutes to be completed. Conclusions/Significance After the development of an appropriate database, MALDI-TOF-MS can be used to identify tick species and the presence of relapsing fever Borreliae in a single assay. This work paves the way for the use of MALDI-TOF-MS for the dual identification of vectors and vectorized pathogens.
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multiplex real time pcr diagnostic of relapsing fevers in africa
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2013Co-Authors: Haitham Elbir, Oleg Mediannikov, Cheikh Sokhna, Sally J. Cutler, Mireille Henry, Georges Diatta, Adama Tall, Cristina Socolovschi, Kassahun Desalegn BilchaAbstract:Background: In Africa, relapsing fever Borreliae are neglected arthropod-borne pathogens causing mild to deadly septicemia and miscarriage. The closely related Borrelia crocidurae, Borrelia duttonii, Borrelia recurrentis and Borrelia hispanica are rarely diagnosed at the species level, hampering refined epidemiological and clinical knowledge of the relapsing fevers. It would be hugely beneficial to have simultaneous detection and identification of Borrelia to species level directly from clinical samples. Methodology/Principal Findings: We designed a multiplex real-time PCR protocol targeting the 16S rRNA gene detecting all four Borrelia, the glpQ gene specifically detecting B. crocidurae, the recN gene specifically detecting B. duttonii/B. recurrentis and the recC gene specifically detecting B. hispanica. Compared to combined 16S rRNA gene and flaB gene sequencing as the gold standard, multiplex real-time PCR analyses of 171 Borrelia-positive and 101 Borrelia-negative control blood specimens yielded 100% sensitivity and specificity for B. duttonii/B. recurrentis and B. hispanica and 99% sensitivity and specificity for B. crocidurae. Conclusions/Significance: The multiplex real-time PCR developed in this study is a rapid technique for both molecular detection and speciation of relapsing fever Borreliae from blood in Africa. It could be incorporated in point-of-care laboratory to confirm diagnosis and provide evidence of the burden of infection attributed to different species of known or potentially novel relapsing fever Borreliae.
Ai Takano - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the evolution of hard tick borne relapsing fever Borreliae is correlated with vector species rather than geographical distance
BMC Ecology, 2021Co-Authors: Ranna Nakao, Ai Takano, Hiroki Kawabata, Kentaro Kasama, Bazartseren Boldbaatar, Yoshitoshi Ogura, Atsushi Toyoda, Tetsuya Hayashi, Ken MaedaAbstract:Background Relapsing fever (RF) Borreliae are arthropod-borne spirochetes and some of them cause human diseases, which are characterized by relapsing or recurring episodes of fever. Recently, it has been classified into two groups: soft tick-borne RF (STRF) Borreliae and hard tick-borne RF (HTRF) Borreliae. STRF Borreliae include classical RF agents and HTRF Borreliae, the latter of which include B. miyamotoi, a human pathogen recently identified in Eurasia and North America. Results In this study, we determined the genome sequences of 16 HTRF Borreliae strains: 15 B. miyamotoi strains (9 from Hokkaido Island, Japan, 3 from Honshu Island, Japan, and 3 from Mongolia) and a Borrelia sp. tHM16w. Chromosomal gene synteny was highly conserved among the HTRF strains sequenced in this study, even though they were isolated from different geographic regions and different tick species. Phylogenetic analysis based on core gene sequences revealed that HTRF and STRF Borreliae are clearly distinguishable, with each forming a monophyletic group in the RF Borreliae lineage. Moreover, the evolutionary relationships of RF Borreliae are consistent with the biological and ecological features of each RF Borreliae sublineage and can explain the unique characteristics of Borrelia anserina. In addition, the pairwise genetic distances between HTRF Borreliae strains were well correlated with those of vector species rather than with the geographical distances between strain isolation sites. This result suggests that the genetic diversification of HTRF Borreliae is attributed to the speciation of vector ticks and that this relationship might be required for efficient transmission of HTRF Borreliae within vector ticks. Conclusions The results of the present study, together with those from previous investigations, support the hypothesis that the common ancestor of Borreliae was transmitted by hard-bodied ticks and that only STRF Borreliae switched to using soft-bodied ticks as a vector, which was followed by the emergence of Borrelia recurrentis, lice-borne RF Borreliae. Our study clarifies the phylogenetic relationships between RF Borreliae, and the data obtained will contribute to a better understanding of the evolutionary history of RF Borreliae.
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Borrelia miyamotoi infections among wild rodents show age and month independence and correlation with ixodes persulcatus larval attachment in hokkaido japan
Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 2013Co-Authors: Kyle R. Taylor, Ai Takano, Hiroki Kawabata, Satoru Konnai, Michito Shimozuru, Toshio TsubotaAbstract:Abstract To clarify how Borrelia miyamotoi is maintained in the environment in Hokkaido, we examined Ixodes persulcatus for its prevalence among wild rodents and its tick vector by detecting a portion of the Borrelial flaB gene in rodent urinary bladder and blood samples, and from whole ticks. We compared B. miyamotoi infection rates to Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii, which are human Lyme disease pathogens also carried by wild rodents, and which are transmitted by the same vector tick. Whereas B. garinii and B. afzelii showed age dependence of infection rates among wild rodents (18.4% and 9.9% among adults and 6.0% and 3.4% among sub-adults, respectively) when looking at urinary bladder samples, B. miyamotoi infection rates were not age dependent for either blood (4.2% among adults, and 7.9% among sub-adults) or urinary bladder samples (1.0% among adults, and 1.7% among sub-adults). Moreover, while B. garinii and B. afzelii infection rates showed increases across months (June, July [p<0.05] and Aug...
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differential tick burdens may explain differential Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii infection rates among four wild rodent species in hokkaido japan
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science, 2013Co-Authors: Kyle R. Taylor, Ai Takano, Hiroki Kawabata, Satoru Konnai, Michito Shimozuru, Toshio TsubotaAbstract:: The ecologies of Lyme disease Borrelia spp. are very specific to location, as they are dependent upon the spirochete species and genotypes, the vectors and the host vertebrates present. In Hokkaido, Japan, where two human pathogenic, Lyme disease Borrelia spp. are present, and human cases are reported annually, the ecologies have been poorly studied. Our goal was to determine whether variation in Borrelial infection rates among rodent species sharing an environment, is due to immunological or ecological differences. To this end, we examined the relationships between tick burden and Borrelial infection, by including examination of agreement between nested PCR, as a test for infection, and serology, as a test for exposure. We collected 868 rodents, comprised of four species commonly found in Hokkaido, and tested for infection rates with Borrelia spp. using PCR for the Borrelial flaB gene, seroprevalence of Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii using ELISA, and attachment of ticks by direct counts. We noted a correlation between differential nymph and larval burdens and the Borrelial infection rates found among the four rodent species. Furthermore, there was significant correlation between infection and seroprevalence of B. afzelii and B. garinii (P<0.01), between infection and Ixodes persulcatus nymph burden (P<0.01), and between seroprevalence and I. persulcatus nymph burden (P<0.01). The close agreement among rodent species seroprevalences with infection rates and tick burdens suggest the differences in infection rates of Borrelia spp. may largely be a direct consequence of differential exposure to vectors.
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a novel relapsing fever Borrelia sp infects the salivary glands of the molted hard tick amblyomma geoemydae
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2012Co-Authors: Ai Takano, Kyle R. Taylor, Satoru Konnai, Toshio Tsubota, Chieko Sugimori, Hiromi Fujita, Teruki Kadosaka, Tomoko Tajima, Kozue Sato, Haruo WatanabeAbstract:A novel relapsing fever Borrelia sp. was found in Amblyomma geoemydae in Japan. The novel Borrelia sp. was phylogenetically related to the hard (ixodid) tick-borne relapsing fever Borrelia spp. Borrelia miyamotoi and B. lonestari. The novel relapsing fever Borrelia sp. was detected in 39 A. geoemydae (39/274: 14.2%), of which 14 (14/274: 5.1%) were co-infected with the novel relapsing fever Borrelia sp. and Borrelia sp. tAG, one of the reptile-associated Borreliae. Transstadial transmission of the novel relapsing fever Borrelia sp. occurred in the tick midgut and the salivary glands, although Borrelia sp. tAG was only detected in the tick midgut. The difference of the Borrelial niche in molted ticks might be associated with Borrelial characterization.
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isolation and characterization of a novel Borrelia group of tick borne Borreliae from imported reptiles and their associated ticks
Environmental Microbiology, 2010Co-Authors: Ai Takano, Hiromi Fujita, Haruo Watanabe, Koichi Goka, Yumi Une, Yuichi Shimada, Teiichiro Shiino, Hiroki KawabataAbstract:The members of the genus Borrelia are transmitted by arthropods and known to be infectious to vertebrates. Here we found isolates and DNAs belonging to the Borrelia turcica and unknown Borrelia species from imported reptiles and their ectoparasites. The Borrelia strains were isolated from blood and multiple organs of exotic tortoises, and were experimentally infectious to captive-bred tortoises. These findings suggest that these tortoises may be a candidate as the reservoir host of the Borrelia species. In this study, the Borrelia strains were also isolated from and/or detected in hard-bodied ticks, Amblyomma ticks and Hyalomma ticks. In some of these ticks, immunofluorescence imaging analysis revealed that the Borrelia had also invaded into the tick salivary glands. Accordingly, these ticks were expected to be a potential vector of the Borrelia species. Sequencing analyses of both housekeeping genes (flaB gene, gyrB gene and 16S rDNA gene) and 23S rRNA gene-16S rRNA gene intergenic spacer region revealed that these Borrelia strains formed a monophyletic group that was independent from two other Borrelia groups, Lyme disease Borrelia and relapsing fever Borrelia. From these results, the novel group of Borrelia comprises the third major group of arthropod-transmitted Borreliae identified to date.
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detection of Borrelia duttonii a tick borne relapsing fever agent in central tanzania within ticks by flagellin gene based nested polymerase chain reaction
Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 2001Co-Authors: Masahito Fukunaga, Yoko Ushijima, Yayoi Aoki, Alison TalbertAbstract:Argasid ticks collected in the site near Mvumi Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania, were subjected to flagellin gene-based nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification for examination of Borrelial infections. Eight of 13 ticks gave a strong 350-bp signal; three had a weak signal at the same size, and the rest were negative. Sequence determination of eight of the positive samples resulted in three types of flagellin gene sequences. The first type of sequence (shown by three individuals) was identical to that of Borrelia duttonii strain Ly. The second type of sequence from PCR products from four individual ticks had only one base substitution without amino acid alteration in deduced protein sequence. The third type of sequence was different from that of any other Old World relapsing fever Borreliae, and the tick was thought to be infected with an unknown Borrelia species. Ticks were also examined to determine the nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. The partial sequence of approximately 470 bases was aligned for comparison with previously published sequences to identify the species. The sequences of 13 individual ticks were all identical, and the sequence similarity analysis revealed the ticks should be classified as members of the Ornithodoros porcinus species. The PCR method described in this report appears to be a reliable tool for the detection of Borreliae and epidemiological study of tick-borne relapsing fever.
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genetic and phenotypic analysis of Borrelia miyamotoi sp nov isolated from the ixodid tick ixodes persulcatus the vector for lyme disease in japan
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 1995Co-Authors: Masahito Fukunaga, Yukie Takahashi, Yasuto Tsuruta, Osamu Matsushita, David Ralph, Michael Mcclelland, Minoru NakaoAbstract:The ixodid tick Ixodes Persulcatus is the most important vector of Lyme disease in Japan. Most spirochete isolates obtained from I. persulcatus ticks have been classified as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato because of their genetic, biological, and immunological characteristics. However, we found that a small number of isolates obtained from I. persulcatus contained a smaller 38-kDa endoflagellar protein and single 23S-5S rRNA gene unit. Representative isolate HT31T (T = type strain) had the same 23S rRNA gene physical map as Borrelia turicatae. The DNA base composition of strain HT31T was 28.6 mol% G+C. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed that strain HT31T exhibited moderate levels of DNA relatedness (24 to 51%) with Borrelia hermsii, B. turicatae, Borrelia parkeri, and Borrelia coriaceae. However, the levels of DNA reassociation with the previously described Lyme disease Borreliae (B. burgdorferi, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia afzelii) were only 8 to 13%. None of the previously described species examined exhibited a high level of DNA relatedness with strain HT31T. In addition, the 16S rRNA gene sequence (length, 1,368 nucleotides) of strain HT31T was determined and aligned with the 16S rRNA sequences of other Borrelia species. Distance matrix analyses were performed, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. The results showed that isolate HT31T is only distantly related to both previously described Lyme disease Borreliae and relapsing fever Borreliae. Thus, the spirochetes isolated from I. persulcatus and closely related isolates should be classified as members of a new Borrelia species. We propose the name Borrelia miyamotoi sp. nov. for this spirochete; strain HT31 is the type strain.
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lyme disease spirochetes in japan enzootic transmission cycles in birds rodents and ixodes persulcatus ticks
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1994Co-Authors: Kenji Miyamoto, Masahito FukunagaAbstract:The ixodid tick, Ixodes persulcatusf serves as a vector ofBorrelia species associated with Lyme disease in Hokkaido, Japan. The migratory birds of genera Emberiza and Turdus and the woodland rodents of genera Apodemus and Clethrionomys are the wildlife reservoirs. To systemize the enzootic transmission cycles, Borreliae isolates were classified by ribosomal RNA gene restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Most ^6007o) isolates from the bird-feeding 7. persulcatus larvae belonged to Borrelia garinii; the rest were classified as RFLP ribotype group IV (unknown species). In contrast, no B. garinii were found among isolates from rodentfeeding 7. persulcatus larvae. These isolates were classified as Borrelia afzelii, group IV, and group V (unknown species). These observations suggest that two enzootic cycles in nature (birdtick and rodent-tick) maintain Borreliae specifically. The group IV species, which was predominant among clinical isolates from Lyme disease patients in Hokkaido, appears to be the most important pathogen for humans.