Detection of multiple tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis from Hunterdon County, NJ, USA
Several human pathogens vectored by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say; Acari: Ixodidae) are endemic in the state of New Jersey. Disease incidence data suggest that these conditions occur disproportionately in the northwestern portion of the state, including in the county of Hunterdon. We c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667114X23000286 |
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| author | Zoe E. Narvaez Tadhgh Rainey Rose Puelle Arsala Khan Robert A. Jordan Andrea M. Egizi Dana C. Price |
| author_facet | Zoe E. Narvaez Tadhgh Rainey Rose Puelle Arsala Khan Robert A. Jordan Andrea M. Egizi Dana C. Price |
| author_sort | Zoe E. Narvaez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Several human pathogens vectored by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say; Acari: Ixodidae) are endemic in the state of New Jersey. Disease incidence data suggest that these conditions occur disproportionately in the northwestern portion of the state, including in the county of Hunterdon. We conducted active surveillance at three forested sites in Hunterdon County during 2020 and 2021, collecting 662 nymphal and adult I. scapularis. Ticks were tested for five pathogens by qPCR/qRT-PCR: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Powassan virus (POWV) lineage 2. Over 2 years, 25.4% of nymphs and 58.4% of adults were found infected with at least one pathogen, with 10.6% of all ticks infected with more than one pathogen. We report substantial spatial and temporal variability of A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi, with high relative abundance of the human-infective A. phagocytophilum variant Ap-ha. Notably, POWV was detected for the first time in Hunterdon, a county where human cases have not been reported. Based on comparisons with active surveillance initiatives in nearby counties, further investigation of non-entomological factors potentially influencing rates of tick-borne illness in Hunterdon is recommended. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:29:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ae956fe03514b0b84ddde6e58945ed9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2667-114X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:29:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ae956fe03514b0b84ddde6e58945ed92023-12-30T04:45:18ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases2667-114X2023-01-014100140Detection of multiple tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis from Hunterdon County, NJ, USAZoe E. Narvaez0Tadhgh Rainey1Rose Puelle2Arsala Khan3Robert A. Jordan4Andrea M. Egizi5Dana C. Price6Rutgers University Center for Vector Biology, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA; Corresponding author.Hunterdon County Department of Health, 314 State Route 12, Flemington, NJ, 08822, USAHunterdon Healthcare Partners, 114 Broad St, Flemington, NJ, 08822, USARutgers University Center for Vector Biology, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USATick-borne Diseases Laboratory, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Rd, Tinton Falls, NJ, 07724, USARutgers University Center for Vector Biology, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA; Tick-borne Diseases Laboratory, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Rd, Tinton Falls, NJ, 07724, USA; Corresponding author. Tick-borne Diseases Laboratory, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, 1901 Wayside Rd, Tinton Falls, NJ, 07724, USA.Rutgers University Center for Vector Biology, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USASeveral human pathogens vectored by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say; Acari: Ixodidae) are endemic in the state of New Jersey. Disease incidence data suggest that these conditions occur disproportionately in the northwestern portion of the state, including in the county of Hunterdon. We conducted active surveillance at three forested sites in Hunterdon County during 2020 and 2021, collecting 662 nymphal and adult I. scapularis. Ticks were tested for five pathogens by qPCR/qRT-PCR: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Powassan virus (POWV) lineage 2. Over 2 years, 25.4% of nymphs and 58.4% of adults were found infected with at least one pathogen, with 10.6% of all ticks infected with more than one pathogen. We report substantial spatial and temporal variability of A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi, with high relative abundance of the human-infective A. phagocytophilum variant Ap-ha. Notably, POWV was detected for the first time in Hunterdon, a county where human cases have not been reported. Based on comparisons with active surveillance initiatives in nearby counties, further investigation of non-entomological factors potentially influencing rates of tick-borne illness in Hunterdon is recommended.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667114X23000286Anaplasma phagocytophilumBabesia microtiBorreliaCo-infectionIxodes scapularisTick-borne disease |
| spellingShingle | Zoe E. Narvaez Tadhgh Rainey Rose Puelle Arsala Khan Robert A. Jordan Andrea M. Egizi Dana C. Price Detection of multiple tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis from Hunterdon County, NJ, USA Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases Anaplasma phagocytophilum Babesia microti Borrelia Co-infection Ixodes scapularis Tick-borne disease |
| title | Detection of multiple tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis from Hunterdon County, NJ, USA |
| title_full | Detection of multiple tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis from Hunterdon County, NJ, USA |
| title_fullStr | Detection of multiple tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis from Hunterdon County, NJ, USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of multiple tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis from Hunterdon County, NJ, USA |
| title_short | Detection of multiple tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis from Hunterdon County, NJ, USA |
| title_sort | detection of multiple tick borne pathogens in ixodes scapularis from hunterdon county nj usa |
| topic | Anaplasma phagocytophilum Babesia microti Borrelia Co-infection Ixodes scapularis Tick-borne disease |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667114X23000286 |
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