Identification of tick-borne pathogens using metagenomic analyses in H. longicornis feeding on humans in downtown Beijing
Abstract On August 14th, 2018, a Beijing resident living in Xicheng District found a female H. longicornis tick attached to the skin at the front of his upper shin. On examination, the patient was afebrile and appeared well. The species of the tick was identified through morphological characteristic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Animal Diseases |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s44149-021-00018-4 |
| _version_ | 1798032983291068416 |
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| author | Jizhou Lv Huiyu Wang Xueqing Han Lin Mei Xiangfen Yuan Yufang Kong Junhua Deng Zhen F. Fu Shaoqiang Wu Xiangmei Lin |
| author_facet | Jizhou Lv Huiyu Wang Xueqing Han Lin Mei Xiangfen Yuan Yufang Kong Junhua Deng Zhen F. Fu Shaoqiang Wu Xiangmei Lin |
| author_sort | Jizhou Lv |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract On August 14th, 2018, a Beijing resident living in Xicheng District found a female H. longicornis tick attached to the skin at the front of his upper shin. On examination, the patient was afebrile and appeared well. The species of the tick was identified through morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis based on cytochrome C oxidase subunit I. This H. longicornis tick was screened for tick-borne pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites. RNA pathogens were screened by PCR and sequencing, while DNA pathogens were screened by metagenomic analyses. It was found that the tick was positive for the DNA sequences of zoonotic and animal pathogens such as A. phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia minasensis and C. burnetii. Considering the good health condition of the patient, we hypothesized that the pathogens originated from the tick specimen itself rather than host blood meal. For the first time, our study reveals the possible risk of transmission of tick-borne pathogens to human beings through tick bit in downtown Beijing. Further research is needed to screen for tick-borne pathogens among unfed ticks collected from central Beijing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:23:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aac2945f77204401b46089fb54dda131 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2731-0442 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:23:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-aac2945f77204401b46089fb54dda1312022-12-22T04:04:46ZengBMCAnimal Diseases2731-04422021-09-01111910.1186/s44149-021-00018-4Identification of tick-borne pathogens using metagenomic analyses in H. longicornis feeding on humans in downtown BeijingJizhou Lv0Huiyu Wang1Xueqing Han2Lin Mei3Xiangfen Yuan4Yufang Kong5Junhua Deng6Zhen F. Fu7Shaoqiang Wu8Xiangmei Lin9Institute of Animal Inspection and Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineInstitute of Animal Inspection and Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineInstitute of Animal Inspection and Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineInstitute of Animal Inspection and Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineInstitute of Animal Inspection and Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineInstitute of Animal Inspection and Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineInstitute of Animal Inspection and Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineDepartment of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of GeorgiaInstitute of Animal Inspection and Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineInstitute of Animal Inspection and Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineAbstract On August 14th, 2018, a Beijing resident living in Xicheng District found a female H. longicornis tick attached to the skin at the front of his upper shin. On examination, the patient was afebrile and appeared well. The species of the tick was identified through morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis based on cytochrome C oxidase subunit I. This H. longicornis tick was screened for tick-borne pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites. RNA pathogens were screened by PCR and sequencing, while DNA pathogens were screened by metagenomic analyses. It was found that the tick was positive for the DNA sequences of zoonotic and animal pathogens such as A. phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia minasensis and C. burnetii. Considering the good health condition of the patient, we hypothesized that the pathogens originated from the tick specimen itself rather than host blood meal. For the first time, our study reveals the possible risk of transmission of tick-borne pathogens to human beings through tick bit in downtown Beijing. Further research is needed to screen for tick-borne pathogens among unfed ticks collected from central Beijing.https://doi.org/10.1186/s44149-021-00018-4Tick-borne pathogensMetagenomic analysesH. longicornisDowntown Beijing |
| spellingShingle | Jizhou Lv Huiyu Wang Xueqing Han Lin Mei Xiangfen Yuan Yufang Kong Junhua Deng Zhen F. Fu Shaoqiang Wu Xiangmei Lin Identification of tick-borne pathogens using metagenomic analyses in H. longicornis feeding on humans in downtown Beijing Animal Diseases Tick-borne pathogens Metagenomic analyses H. longicornis Downtown Beijing |
| title | Identification of tick-borne pathogens using metagenomic analyses in H. longicornis feeding on humans in downtown Beijing |
| title_full | Identification of tick-borne pathogens using metagenomic analyses in H. longicornis feeding on humans in downtown Beijing |
| title_fullStr | Identification of tick-borne pathogens using metagenomic analyses in H. longicornis feeding on humans in downtown Beijing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification of tick-borne pathogens using metagenomic analyses in H. longicornis feeding on humans in downtown Beijing |
| title_short | Identification of tick-borne pathogens using metagenomic analyses in H. longicornis feeding on humans in downtown Beijing |
| title_sort | identification of tick borne pathogens using metagenomic analyses in h longicornis feeding on humans in downtown beijing |
| topic | Tick-borne pathogens Metagenomic analyses H. longicornis Downtown Beijing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s44149-021-00018-4 |
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