Ticks climb the mountains: Ixodid tick infestation and infection by tick-borne pathogens in the Western Alps

Garcia-Vozmediano, Aitor; Krawczyk, Aleksandra I.; Sprong, Hein; Rossi, Luca; Ramassa, Elisa; Tomassone, Laura

doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101489

Cited by 57 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 45 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In contrast with the other species, most common in the south and insular regions, R. monacensis is most common in the inland. I. ricinus [22,48,49,52,54,55,64,66,[68][69][70][71][72][74][75][76]78,[80][81][82]84] and I. ventalloi [75] were found infect by this species. Less often R. monacensis was found in D. marginatus [51,53], Ha.…”

Section: R Monacensismentioning

confidence: 89%

“…helvetica has been identified mountainous territory, more often in northern Italy and in areas far from the coast. It was identified in I. ricinus removed from small animals [22,55,62,67,72,74,76], deers [62,76], vegetation [64][65][66]68,70,71,73] and human [14,23,51,77]. It was also identified in I. festai [32,34,45] I. acuminatus [50], I. ventalloi [50,51,75] and I. trianguliceps [62].…”

Section: R Helveticamentioning

confidence: 98%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Rickettsiales in Italy

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There is no updated information on the spread of Rickettsiales in Italy. The purpose of our study is to take stock of the situation on Rickettsiales in Italy by focusing attention on the species identified by molecular methods in humans, in bloodsucking arthropods that could potentially attack humans, and in animals, possible hosts of these Rickettsiales. A computerized search without language restriction was conducted using PubMed updated as of December 31, 2020. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was followed. Overall, 36 species of microorganisms belonging to Rickettsiales were found. The only species identified in human tissues were Anaplasma phagocytophilum,Rickettsia conorii, R. conorii subsp. israelensis, R. monacensis, R. massiliae, and R. slovaca. Microorganisms transmissible by bloodsucking arthropods could cause humans pathologies not yet well characterized. It should become routine to study the pathogens present in ticks that have bitten a man and at the same time that molecular studies for the search for Rickettsiales can be performed routinely in people who have suffered bites from bloodsucking arthropods.

show abstract

Section: R Monacensismentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: R Helveticamentioning

confidence: 98%

Rickettsiales in Italy

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…During the last decades increasing temperatures have been shown to have an impact on the distribution of species across a wide range of taxonomic groups [ 1 , 2 ]. Depending on the species’ adaptability to a warmer climate and the ability to disperse, species may either (i) increase their distribution range due to conditions becoming more favourable in areas that were previously inhospitable [ 3 , 4 ]; (ii) contract in range as their habitat becomes increasingly unsuitable [ 5 , 6 ]; or (iii) move away from areas that have become unsuitable towards habitats that have become more favourable [ 7 , 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-elevational occurrence of two tick species, Ixodes ricinus and I. trianguliceps, at their northern distribution range

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background During the last decades a northward and upward range shift has been observed among many organisms across different taxa. In the northern hemisphere, ticks have been observed to have increased their latitudinal and altitudinal range limit. However, the elevational expansion at its northern distribution range remains largely unstudied. In this study we investigated the altitudinal distribution of the exophilic Ixodes ricinus and endophilic I. trianguliceps on two mountain slopes in Norway by assessing larval infestation rates on bank voles (Myodes glareolus). Methods During 2017 and 2018, 1325 bank voles were captured during the spring, summer and autumn at ten trapping stations ranging from 100 m to 1000 m.a.s.l. in two study areas in southern Norway. We used generalized logistic regression models to estimate the prevalence of infestation of both tick species along gradients of altitude, considering study area, collection year and season, temperature, humidity and altitude interactions as extrinsic variables, and host body mass and sex as intrinsic predictor variables. Results We found that both I. ricinus and I. trianguliceps infested bank voles at altitudes up to 1000 m.a.s.l., which is a substantial increase in altitude compared to previous findings for I. ricinus in this region. The infestation rates declined more rapidly with increasing altitude for I. ricinus compared to I. trianguliceps, indicating that the endophilic ecology of I. trianguliceps may provide shelter from limiting factors tied to altitude. Seasonal effects limited the occurrence of I. ricinus during autumn, but I. trianguliceps was found to infest rodents at all altitudes during all seasons of both years. Conclusions This study provides new insights into the altitudinal distribution of two tick species at their northern distribution range, one with the potential to transmit zoonotic pathogens to both humans and livestock. With warming temperatures predicted to increase, and especially so in the northern regions, the risk of tick-borne infections is likely to become a concern at increasingly higher altitudes in the future.

show abstract

“…Nevertheless, field studies are good evidence of the geographical expansion of Ixodes ricinus and Borrelia in Europe, especially in northern areas and at a higher altitude, which may be related to global warming, landscape alteration, biodiversity change, or a combination of these, increasing public health concerns [12][13][14][15][16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploratory Space–Time Analyses of Reported Lyme Borreliosis Cases in France, 2016–2019

Bonnet

Figoni

et al. 2021

Pathogens

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In recent decades, the incidence of Lyme borreliosis (LB) in Europe seems to have increased, underpinning a growing public health concern. LB surveillance systems across the continent are heterogeneous, and the spatial and temporal patterns of LB reports have been little documented. In this study, we explored the spatio-temporal patterns of LB cases reported in France from 2016 to 2019, to describe high-risk clusters and generate hypotheses on their occurrence. The space–time K-function and the Kulldorf’s scan statistic were implemented separately for each year to evaluate space–time interaction between reported cases and searching clusters. The results show that the main spatial clusters, of radius size up to 97 km, were reported in central and northeastern France each year. In 2017–2019, spatial clusters were also identified in more southern areas (near the Alps and the Mediterranean coast). Spatio-temporal clustering occurred between May and August, over one-month to three-month windows in 2016–2017 and in 2018–2019. A strong spatio-temporal interaction was identified in 2018 within 16 km and seven days, suggesting a potential local and intense pathogen transmission process. Ongoing improved surveillance and accounting for animal hosts, vectors, meteorological factors and human behaviors are keys to further elucidate LB spatio-temporal patterns.

show abstract

Ticks climb the mountains: Ixodid tick infestation and infection by tick-borne pathogens in the Western Alps

Cited by 57 publications

References 45 publications

Rickettsiales in Italy

Rickettsiales in Italy

High-elevational occurrence of two tick species, Ixodes ricinus and I. trianguliceps, at their northern distribution range

Exploratory Space–Time Analyses of Reported Lyme Borreliosis Cases in France, 2016–2019

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About