Increasing Incidence of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses in the United States, 2010–2018

Bishop, Alexandra; Borski, Jennifer; Wang, Hsiao‐Hsuan; Donaldson, Taylor G.; Michalk, Avery; Montgomery, Annie; Heldman, Samantha; Mogg, Michael; Derouen, Zakary; Grant, William E.; Teel, Pete D.

doi:10.1089/vbz.2022.0021

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…The purpose of this study was to identify the patterns of tick-associated microbial communities and their diversity in invasive H. longicornis collected in NC, the state with some of the highest reported rates of SFGR and ehrlichiosis in the USA [ 48 , 49 , 50 ]. We did not find evidence that H. longicornis in NC harbored known, endemic pathogens, although we did clearly demonstrate closely related taxa in these ticks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiome of Invasive Tick Species Haemaphysalis longicornis in North Carolina, USA

Ponnusamy,

Travanty,

Watson

et al. 2024

Insects

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Ticks are one of the most important vectors of human and animal disease worldwide. In addition to pathogens, ticks carry a diverse microbiota of symbiotic and commensal microorganisms. In this study, we used next-generation sequencing (NGS) to survey the microbiomes of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) at different life stages collected from field populations in North Carolina (NC), USA. Sequence analyses were performed using QIIME2 with the DADA2 plugin and taxonomic assignments using the Greengenes database. Following quality filtering and rarefaction, the bacterial DNA sequences were assigned to 4795 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in 105 ticks. A core microbiome of H. longicornis was conserved across all ticks analyzed, and included bacterial taxa: Coxiella, Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Sphingomonadaceae, Actinomycetales, and Sphingobium. Less abundant bacterial taxa, including Rickettsia and Aeromonas, were also identified in some ticks. We discovered some ASVs that are associated with human and animal infections among the identified bacteria. Alpha diversity metrics revealed significant differences in bacterial diversity between life stages. Beta diversity metrics also revealed that bacterial communities across the three life stages were significantly different, suggesting dramatic changes in the microbiome as ticks mature. Based on these results, additional investigation is necessary to determine the significance of the Haemaphysalis longicornis microbiome for animal and human health.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiome of Invasive Tick Species Haemaphysalis longicornis in North Carolina, USA

Ponnusamy,

Travanty,

Watson

et al. 2024

Insects

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“…We found a number of likely false-positive cases of RMSF serology, single-time point-positives, in this endemic area of New York, which may have implications for clinical diagnostic interpretation. Positive serologies for RMSF can result from infection with spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR), which includes R. rickettsii , as well as other pathogens such as R. parkerii ; this may explain the increases in SFR in the U.S. from 2010 to 2018 [ 14 ]. R. amblyommatis, which is related to members of the SFGR, is widely present in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

False-Positive Serology for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Long Island, New York, during 2011–2021

et al. 2023

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Cases of rocky mountain spotted fever (RMSF) are increasingly reported every year in Long Island, New York. In clinical practice, an uncommonly high number of referrals with a positive RMSF IgG test result have been seen in our tick-borne disease clinic. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical–epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with positive serologies for RMSF in our academic center in Long Island, NY. We found that out of twenty-four patients with a positive serology for RMSF, only one case met the case definition per CDC criteria, two had suspected RMSF, and the other twenty-one did not have a clinical picture consistent with RMSF. A high number of false-positive RMSF serology may be due to other spotted fever rickettsioses in Long Island. Further studies are needed to investigate the presence of another Rickettsia spp. (such as Rickettsia amblyommatis) in this area that may affect humans.

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“…Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), caused by Rickettsia rickettsii , is the most pathogenic and prevalent rickettsiosis in the Americas and is associated with considerable fatalities (Blanton 2019; Bishop et al 2022). In the last two decades, more than 2,000 human cases have been reported in states on both sides of the western US-Mexico border, with mortality rates up to 40% (Álvarez-Hernández et al 2017, 2020; Foley et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Shared Disease Risk Among Dogs and Coyotes (Canis Latrans) Exemplified by the Ecology of Rickettsiosis in a Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever-Epidemic Region in Northern Mexico

Marcek,

Foley,

Backus

et al. 2023

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii, is a re-emerging tick-borne zoonosis in North America, with hundreds of human fatalities in multiple outbreaks in northern Mexico and the southwestern US in the past few decades. Free-roaming dogs are key because they are reservoirs for the pathogen and the main hosts of the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which vectors RMSF in this region. Because coyotes (Canis latrans) can be infected with R. rickettsii and infested with Rh. sanguineus, we hypothesized that space sharing among dogs and coyotes could enhance disease risks. In summer 2021, we captured and sampled 11 coyotes at two sites in Baja California, Mexico, near population centers with human cases of RMSF, and fitted seven individuals with GPS logging collars. We also tested tissue samples, sera, and ectoparasites for DNA of R. rickettsii with PCR and used serology to detect antibodies to R. rickettsii. Finally, we deployed an array of cameras to document dog-coyote interactions. Mean home range size was 40.37 km 2 . Both GPS and camera data showed considerable home range overlap both between individual coyotes and between coyotes and dogs. Coyotes were active in areas where dogs occur including the domestic interface surrounding human settlements. Although none of our samples were positive for R. rickettsii on PCR, 72.7% (8/11) of the samples were seropositive with titers $64. Our data confirm shared space use and risk of shared parasites and disease between coyotes and dogs.

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Increasing Incidence of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses in the United States, 2010–2018

Cited by 13 publications

References 35 publications

Microbiome of Invasive Tick Species Haemaphysalis longicornis in North Carolina, USA

Microbiome of Invasive Tick Species Haemaphysalis longicornis in North Carolina, USA

False-Positive Serology for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Long Island, New York, during 2011–2021

Potential Shared Disease Risk Among Dogs and Coyotes (Canis Latrans) Exemplified by the Ecology of Rickettsiosis in a Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever-Epidemic Region in Northern Mexico

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