Epidemiological Study of Thogoto and Dhori Virus Infection in People Bitten by Ticks, and in Sheep, in an Area of Northern Spain

Abstract

There is little information on Thogoto virus (THOV) and Dhori virus (DHOV)infection in Spain. A total of 283 serum samples from 150 human subjects (78 males, 72 females) bitten by ticks, as well as samples from 120 sheep (one per animal), were studied by immunofluorescence assay. All human and animal subjects were from the province of Palencia in northern Spain. Eight human subjects had antibodies against THOV (seroprevalence: 5.3%) and six had antibodies against DHOV (seroprevalence: 4%); titers ranged between 1/32–1/256 and 1/32–1/128, respectively. No significant differences were seen in seroprevalence in terms of gender or age, although people with antibodies were significantly more likely to have had contact with livestock for professional reasons. One subject with an acute infection had IgM antibodies to both viruses and seroconverted to IgG. For the sheep, 24 serum samples were positive for antibodies to THOV (seroprevalence: 20%) and 32 for antibodies to DHOV (seroprevalence: 26.8%); titers ranged between 1/16 and 1/128. The seroprevalence of both viruses was significantly higher in animals < 4 years of age. Together, these results reveal the circulation of DHOV and THOV in humans and sheep in the province of Palencia. Sheep might be used as indicators of the presence of these organisms.

Tick-transmitted thogotovirus gains high virulence by a single MxA escape mutation in the viral nucleoprotein

“…Thogotoviruses show a broad host range and serological studies provide evidences for sporadic zoonotic contacts [ 6 – 8 ]. However, we show that human MxA represents a potent antiviral barrier against THOV-like viruses and might protect humans from zoonotic infections.…”

“…Many members are important animal and human pathogens like, for example, the aerosol-transmitted influenza A viruses (IAV) that are responsible for up to 600,000 deaths in the human population annually [3]. Thogotoviruses are unique within this family because they are transmitted by ticks and circulate in diverse mammalian species including rodents, wild big game, sheep, cattle, and camels [4][5][6][7][8], causing a febrile illness and occasional abortions [9]. They phylogenetically cluster into Thogoto (THOV)-like and Dhori (DHOV)-like representatives of the genus Thogotovirus [1] and possess an envelope and a segmented single-stranded RNA genome of negative polarity [10].…”

“…The patients regularly developed a febrile illness accompanied by neurological symptoms [ 15 , 16 ]. These infections might be more frequent than previously thought as a recent study from Spain showed a thogotovirus seroprevalence of around 5% in individuals with a history of tick bites [ 8 ]. The severity of such a disease was exemplified in 2015 and 2017, when two patients died in the United States due to an infection with Bourbon virus (BRBV), a recent thogotovirus isolate.…”

A review on Hyalomma species infestations on human and animals and progress on management strategies

“… Pathogens Hyalomma species Countries where pathogens detected in Hyalomma tick Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus H. marginatum ( Jameson et al., 2012 ; Gargili et al., 2017 ; Duscher et al., 2018 ) H. anatolicum ( Tajeri and Razmi, 2011 ; Gargili et al., 2017 ) H. asiaticum ( Teng and Jiang, 1991 ) H. dromedarii ( Hoogstraal et al., 1981 ) H. rufipes ( Hornok and Horváth, 2012 ; Gargili et al., 2017 ) H. truncatum ( Linthicumlt and Logan, 1994 ; Gargili et al., 2017 ) H. turanicum ( Gargili et al., 2017 ) H. impeltatum ( Bakheit et al., 2012 ) Africa, Asia and Europe. like Crimea, Astrakhan, Rostov, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Mauritania, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia, Spain and India ( Whitehouse, 2004 ; Aradaib et al., 2010 ; Patel et al., 2011 ; Estrada-Peña et al., 2012 ; Messina et al., 2015 ; Akuffo et al., 2016 ; Al-Abri et al., 2017 ; Dowall et al., 2017 ; Negredo et al., 2017 ) Dhori virus H. marginatum H. dromedarii ( Hoogstraal et al., 1981 ; Labuda and Nuttall, 2004 ; Lledó et al., 2020 ); H. impeltatum and H. schulzei ( Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ) Egypt ( Williams et al., 1973 ), Saudi Arabia ( Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ), Portugal, Russia ( Lledó et al., 2020 ) Kadam virus H. dromedarii and H. anatolicum ( Wood et al., 1982 ; Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ) ...…”

“…like Crimea, Astrakhan, Rostov, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Mauritania, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia, Spain and India ( Whitehouse, 2004 ; Aradaib et al., 2010 ; Patel et al., 2011 ; Estrada-Peña et al., 2012 ; Messina et al., 2015 ; Akuffo et al., 2016 ; Al-Abri et al., 2017 ; Dowall et al., 2017 ; Negredo et al., 2017 ) Dhori virus H. marginatum H. dromedarii ( Hoogstraal et al., 1981 ; Labuda and Nuttall, 2004 ; Lledó et al., 2020 ); H. impeltatum and H. schulzei ( Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ) Egypt ( Williams et al., 1973 ), Saudi Arabia ( Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ), Portugal, Russia ( Lledó et al., 2020 ) Kadam virus H. dromedarii and H. anatolicum ( Wood et al., 1982 ; Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ) Kenya, Uganda ( Wood et al., 1982 ), Saudi Arabia ( Wood et al., 1982 ; Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ) Sindbis virus H. dromedarii and H. impeltatum ( Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ) Saudi Arabia ( Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ) Chick Ross virus H. dromedarii ( Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ) Saudi Arabia ( Al-Khalifa et al., 2007 ) Thogoto virus Hyalomma spp. ( Labuda and Nuttall, 2004 ; Mueller and Lormeau, 2018 ), H. dromedarii , H. rufipes ( Kazimírová et al., 2017 ), H. nitidum ( Lledó et al., 2020 ) Egypt, Nigeria ( Mueller and Lormeau, 2018 ), Central African Republic ( Lledó et al., 2020 ...…”