Detection of Babesia spp. in ticks and in blood of dogs and red deer in the Czech Republic
Authors:
A. Lukavská 1; K. Kybicová 1; P. Míchalová 1; J. Navrátil 1; J. Lamka 2; P. Schánilec 3
Authors‘ workplace:
Národní referenční laboratoř pro lymeskou borreliózu, Centrum epidemiologie a mikrobiologie, Státní zdravotní ústav, Praha
1; Farmaceutická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy, Hradec Králové
2; Klinika chorob psů a koček, Veterinární univerzita Brno
3
Published in:
Epidemiol. Mikrobiol. Imunol. 73, 2024, č. 3, s. 124-130
Category:
Original Papers
doi:
https://doi.org/10.61568/emi/11-6352/20240726/138063
Overview
Aim: To determine the occurrence of species of Babesia potentially pathogenic for humans in ticks and in the blood of dogs and deer in selected regions of the Czech Republic. To compare the prevalence of Babesia spp. in ticks with that of other tick-borne pathogens, such as Borrelia spp., Anaplasma spp., and Rickettsia spp.
Material and Methods: Tick samples were individually homogenized. DNA was isolated from tick samples and animal blood. The detection of Babesia spp. was based on PCR of the 18S rRNA gene, and the identification to the species level was done by sequencing analysis of the PCR products.
Results: In 2014–2016, ticks and blood of dogs and deer collected in various areas of the Czech Republic were analyzed. In a set of 675 Ixodes ricinus ticks, the positivity rate for Babesia spp. varied from 0.0 to 3.3 %. The species Babesia venatorum, Babesia microti (both pathogenic for humans), and Babesia capreoli were identified in ticks by sequencing analysis. The prevalence of Babesia spp. in ticks compared to that of other pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. (29.3 %) or Anaplasma phagocytophilum (4.9 %) was lower and comparable to that of Rickettsia spp. (1.6 %). Co-infection with Borrelia burgdorferi s.l (B. venatorum – Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii, and B. microti – B. afzelii) was found in a third of Babesia spp. positive ticks. Out of 109 dog blood samples, 3.7 % were positive for Babesia spp., specifically Babesia gibsoni and Babesia vulpes. Of 50 blood samples of wild deer from the natural ecosystem, the positivity rate reached 4.0 %. The species Babesia divergens, a major human pathogen, was identified. Out of 80 blood samples from farmed deer, 5.0 % were positive for the species Babesia odocoilei. Nucleotide sequences of the agents causing human babesiosis were deposited in the gene bank under accession numbers ON892053 (B. venatorum), ON892061 (B. microti), and ON892067 (B. divergens).
Conclusions: Using PCR of the 18S rRNA gene and amplicon sequencing, three species of Babesia causing human babesiosis were detected in the Czech Republic: B. divergens, B. venatorum, and B. microti. Babesia spp. pathogenic for humans pose a potential risk especially in asplenic and immunocompromised patients. The detected co-infections with Borrelia spp. can be the cause of a complicated course of the disease.
Keywords:
dog – Sequence analysis – Deer – Czech Republic – PCR – tick – Babesia spp. – Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. – Anaplasma spp. – Rickettsia spp. – co-infection
Sources
1. Cézanne R, Mrowietz N, Eigner B, et al. Molecular analysis of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia divergens in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Western Austria. Molecular and Cellular Probes, 2017;31:55–58.
2. Silaghi C, Woll D, Hamel D, et al. Babesia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in questing ticks, ticks parasiting rodents and the parasitized rodents-Analyzing the host-pathogen-vector interface in metropolitan area. Parasit Vectors, 2012;5:191.
3. Zimmer AJ, Simonsen KA. Babesiosis. NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, StatPearls Publishing 2021.
4. Yabsley MJ, Shock BC. Natural history of Zoonotic Babesia: Role of wildlife reservoirs. International Journal for Parasitology. Parasites and Wildlife, 2013;2:18–31.
5. Víchová B, Horská M, Blaňarová L, et al. First molecular identification of Babesia gibsoni in dogs from Slovakia, central Europe. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2016;7(1):54–59.
6. Hofmann-Lehmann R, Meli ML, Dreher UM, et al. Concurrent Infections with Vector-Borne Pathogens Associated with Fatal Hemolytic Anemia in a Cattle Herd in Switzerland. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 2004;42:8.
7. Hildebrandt A, Zintl A, Montero E, et al. Human Babesiosis in Europe. Pathogens, 2021;10,1165:1–29.
8. Krause PJ. Human babesiosis. Int J Parasitol, 2019;49(2):165–174.
9. Iyer S, Goodman K. Congenital babesiosis from maternal exposure: a case report. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2019;56:39–41.
10. Casati S, Sager H, Gern L, et al. Presence of potentially pathogenic Babesia sp. for human in Ixodes ricinus in Switzerland. Ann Agric Environ Med, 2006;13:65–70.
11. Hildebrandt A, Hunfeld KP, Baier M, et al. First confirmed autochthonous case of human Babesia microti infection in Europe. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 2007;26:595–601.
12. Häselbarth K, Tenter AM, Brade V, et al. First case of human babesiosis in Germany – Clinical presentation and molecular charakterisation of the pathogen. Int J Med Microbiol, 2007;297:197– 204.
13. Víchová B, Miterpáková M, Iglódyová A. Molecular detection of co-infections with Anaplasma phagocytophilum and/or Babesia canis canis in Dirofilaria-positive dogs from Slovakia. Vet Parasitol., 2014;16;203(1–2):167–172.
14. Smith FD, Ellse L, Wall R. Prevalence of Babesia and Anaplasma in ticks infesting dogs in Great Britain. Veterinary Parasitology, 2013;198:18–23.
15. Beck R, Vojta L, Mrljak V, et al. Diversity of Babesia and Theileria species in symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs in Croatia. Int J Parasitol, 2009;39:843–848.
16. Hamel D, Silaghi C, Lescai D, Pfister K. Epidemiological aspects on vector-borne infections in stray and pet dogs from Romania and Hungary with focus on Babesia spp. Parasitol Res, 2012;110:1537–1545.
17. Hartelt K, Rieker T, Oehme RM, et al. First evidence of Babesia gibsoni (Asian genotype) in dogs in Western Europe. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis, 2007;7(2):163–166.
18. Medlock JM, Hansford KM, Bormane A, et al. Driving forces for changes in geographical distribution of Ixodes ricinus ticks in Europe. Parasites &Vectors, 2013;6:1.
19. Mosqueda J, Olvera-Ramirez A, Aguilar-Tipacamu G, Canto GJ. Current advances in detection and treatment of babesiosis. Curr Med Chem, 2012;19(10):1504–1518.
20. Zintl A, Finnerty E, Murphy TM, et al. Babesias of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Ireland. Veterinary Research, 2011;42:7.
21. Sonnleitner ST, Baumgartner R, Edelhofer R, et al. Are Babesia a risk factor for blood products in an alpine area? Parasites & Vectors, 2014;7:O37.
22. Asensi V, Gonzáles LM, Fernández-Suárez J, et al. A fatal case of Babesia divergens infection in Northwestern Spain. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2018;9:730–734.
23. Gonzalez LM, Rojo S, Gonzalez-Camacho F, et al. Severe babesiosis in immunocompetent man, Spain, 2011. Emerg Infect Dis, 2014;20(4):724–726.
24. Kukina IV, Zelya OP, Guzeeva (tm), et al. Severe babesiosis caused by Babesia divergens in a host with intact spleen. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2019;10:101262.
25. Rudolf I, Golovchenko M, Šikutová S, et al. Babesia microti (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) in nymphal Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Czech Republic. Folia Parasitologica, 2005;52:274– 276.
26. Venclíková K, Mendel J, Betasova L, et al. First evidence of Babesia venatorum and Babesia capreoli in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Czech republic. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 2015;22:212–214.
27. Cieniuch S, Stańczak J, Ruczaj A. The first Detection of Babesia EU1 and Babesia canis canis in Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) collected in urban and rural areas in northern Poland. Polish Journal of Microbiology, 2009;58:231–236.
28. Swanson SJ, Neitzel D, Reed KD, et al. Coinfections Acquired from
Ixodes Ticks. Clinical microbiology reviews, 2006;19(4):708–727.
29. Jahfari S, Hofhuis A, Fonville M, et al. Molecular Detection of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Humans with Tick Bites and Erythema Migrans, in the Netherlands. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2016:1–15. doi:10.1371.
30. Lernout T, De Regge N, Tersago K, et al. Prevalence of pathogens in ticks collected from humans through citizen science in Belgium. Parasites Vectors, 2019; 12:550:1–11.
31. Kybicová K, Baštová K, Malý M. Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in questing ticks Ixodes ricinus from the Czech Republic. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, 2017;8(4):483–487.
32. Richtrova E, Míchalová P, Lukavská A, et al. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection in Ixodes ricinus ticks in urban green areas in Prague. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2022;13:1–6.
33. Bhanot P, Parveen N. Investigating disease severity in an animal model of concurrent babesiosis and Lyme disease. International Journal for Parasitology, 2019;49:145–151.
34. Diuk-Wasser MA, Vannier E, Krause PJ. Coinfection by the tick-
-borne pathogens Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi: ecological, epidemiological and clinical consequences. Trends Parasitol., 2016;32(1):30–42.
35. Boyer PH, Lenormand C, Jaulhac B, et al. Human Co-Infections between Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Other Ixodes-Borne Microorganisms: A Systematic Review. Pathogens, 2022;11,282:1–12.
36. Nohýnková E, Kubek J, Měšťánková O, et al. Případ infekce Babesia microti importované do České republiky z USA. Časopis lékařů českých, 2003;6:377–381.
37. Strizova Z, Havlova K, Patek O, et al. The first human case of babesiosis mimicking Reiter‘s syndrome. Folia Parasitologica, 2020;67:031.
Do redakce došlo dne 11. 1. 2024.
Adresa pro korespondenci:
Mgr. Kateřina Kybicová, Ph.D.
Národní referenční laboratoř pro lymeskou boreliózu CEM
Státní zdravotní ústav Šrobárova 49/48 100 00 Praha 10
e-mail: katerina.kybicova@szu.cz
Labels
Hygiene and epidemiology Medical virology Clinical microbiologyArticle was published in
Epidemiology, Microbiology, Immunology
Most read in this issue
- Piloting an integrated HIV, HCV and syphilis testing approach in community-based voluntary counselling and testing services in Slovakia
- Detection of Babesia spp. in ticks and in blood of dogs and red deer in the Czech Republic
- An outbreak of septic conditions following surgery in the operating theatres of a primary hospital
- MUDr. Josef Richter, CSc. (*8. 2. 1935–†13. 8. 2024)