Longitudinal Analysis of Tick Densities and Borrelia , Anaplasma , and Ehrlichia Infections of Ixodes ricinus Ticks in Different Habitat Areas in The Netherlands

Abstract

). The infection rates varied significantly for the four study areas and years, ranging from 0.8 to 11. 5% for Borrelia spp. and 1 to 16% for Ehrlichia or Anaplasma (Ehrlichia/Anaplasma) spp. Borrelia infection rates were highest in the dunes, followed by the forest, the city park, and heather area. In contrast, Ehrlichia/Anaplasma was found most often in the forest and less often in the city park. The following Borrelia species were found: Borrelia sensu lato strains not identified to the species level (2.5%), B. afzelii (2.5%), B. valaisiana (0.9%), B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (0.13%), and B. garinii (0.13%). For Ehrlichia/ Anaplasma species, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma spp. not identified to the species level (2.5%), Anaplasma schotti variant (3.5%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum variant (0.3%), and Ehrlichia canis (0.19%) were found. E. canis is reported for the first time in ticks in The Netherlands in this study. Borrelia lusitaniae, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and the human granylocytic anaplasmosis agent were not detected. About 1.6% of the ticks were infected with both Borrelia and Ehrlichia/Anaplasma, which was higher than the frequency predicted from the individual infection rates, suggesting hosts with multiple infections or a possible selective advantage of coinfection.

Similarities and seasonal variations in bacterial communities from the blood of rodents and from their flea vectors

“…Finally, we show that, whereas the structure of communities in both the rodent blood and the fleas is largely independent of host characteristics, both these communities are prone to seasonal variations. These findings are consistent with data on other vector-borne microbes (Philip et al, 1976;Pumpuni et al, 1993;Kirstein et al, 1997;Noda et al, 1997;Roper et al, 1998;Aksoy, 2000;Cox, 2001;Macaluso et al, 2002;Gonzalez-Ceron et al, 2003;Sutherst, 2004;Scarborough et al, 2005;Clay et al, 2006;Steiner et al, 2006;Wielinga et al, 2006;Ostfeld, 2009;Jones et al, 2010;Telfer et al, 2010;Cirimotich et al, 2011;Lalzar et al, 2012). Collectively, they highlight the following candidate factors as affecting the overall abundance of a specific vector-borne microbe: (1) the abundance of microbial endosymbionts of vectors, (2) the abundance of other vector-borne microbes that co-occur in the vector and in the blood of its host and (3) seasonal variation in the host environment.…”

“…To determine whether the observed spring-to-summer variations in fleaborne bacteria reflect a more general temporal pattern, one should sample microbes in additional timeframes and in multiple years and vector species. Reports of climatic influences on microbial abundance and composition in flies, mosquitoes and ticks support a general role of seasonality (Kirstein et al, 1997;Roper et al, 1998;Sutherst, 2004;Wielinga et al, 2006;Ostfeld, 2009;Lalzar et al, 2012). If seasonal variability in microbial community structure Vector-borne bacterial communities C Cohen et al indeed plays an important role in determining the overall abundance of vector-borne bacteria, then future investigations of the specific causes of seasonal variability are encouraged.…”

“…Diverse microbial communities were found in these vectors, and most microbial species were represented sparsely or occurred in only a few individual vectors. Some studies also indicated that the composition of these microbial communities often varies across time and space (Kirstein et al, 1997;Wielinga et al, 2006;van Overbeek et al, 2008;Jones et al, 2010) and that these variations are linked largely to the characteristics of the arthropod (for example, its species, life stage, diet and blood engorgement level; Pidiyar et al, 2004;Moreno et al, 2006;Heise et al, 2010;Jones et al, 2010;Hawlena et al, 2013). Nevertheless, because vector-borne microbes spend a part of their lives in the blood of the vertebrate host, it is important to consider also the internal environment of this host.…”

Infections and Coinfections of Questing Ixodes ricinus Ticks by Emerging Zoonotic Pathogens in Western Switzerland

“…Afterwards, a similar organism, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis," was isolated from wild rats in Japan, representing a novel genetic cluster together with the Ehrlichialike Schotti variant (34). Ticks infected by members of this cluster were reported in Japan (34) and in Europe (1,50,59,62) but never in Switzerland.…”

Human pathogenic borreliae in Ixodes ricinus ticks in natural and urban ecosystem (Czech Republic)

“…Figures reported from countries situated mostly in Western and Northern Europe only rarely exceeded 20% prevalence: Germany -15.8% (Vögerl et al 2012), Austria -14.5% (Blaschitz et al 2008), Luxembourg -11.3% (Reye et al 2010), Norway -16% (Jenkins et al 2001), Lithuania -13.3% (Paulauskas et al 2008), Denmark -11% (Skarphédinsson et al 2007), the Netherlands -7.6% (Wielinga et al 2006), Switzerland -17.4% (Gern et al 2010). In Ireland prevalence ranged between 11.5% -28.9% according to study site (Kirstein et al 1997).…”