Equine abortion associated with the Borrelia parkeri-B. turicatae tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete group.
Abstract: Direct amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and a variable region of the flagellin gene from fetal liver-associated spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia parkeri-B. turicatae tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete group with a late-term abortion in a mare are described.
Publication Date: 2002-03-30 PubMed ID: 11923397PubMed Central: PMC140362DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.4.1558-1562.2002Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The study focuses on understanding why a mare suffered a late-term abortion, attributing it to tick-borne disease caused by spirochetes from the Borrelia parkeri-B. turicatae group.
Study Overview
- The researchers conducted a molecular study revolving around a case of equine abortion associated with Borrelia parkeri-B. turicatae. These are tick-borne relapsing fever spirochetes, which can affect numerous species and cause various medical conditions, including abortion.
Methodology
- Scientists used direct amplification and sequencing from fetal liver-associated spirochetes.
- They focused on two significant genetic markers from these spirochetes: the 16S rRNA gene and a variable region of the flagellin gene.
Importance of Genetic Markers
- The 16S rRNA gene is critical for identifying bacteria, as it is present in all bacteria and has regions of slow and fast evolution which makes it ideal for identifying and classifying microbes.
- In contrast, the flagellin gene, responsible for the production of bacteria’s flagella (movement appendages), provides diversity and has highly variable regions that could be useful for distinguishing between different strains of bacteria.
Study Findings
- Through molecular analysis, researchers managed to sequence these genes from the spirochetes.
- It was established that the spirochetes associated with the mare’s late-term abortion indeed belonged to the Borrelia parkeri-B. turicatae group.
Implications
- This research suggests that the Borrelia parkeri-B. turicatae group of spirochetes can cause equine abortion.
- The findings provide a foundation for future research into how and why these spirochetes can lead to abortion in horses, potentially leading to new strategies for prevention and treatment.
Cite This Article
APA
Walker RL, Read DH, Hayes DC, Nordhausen RW.
(2002).
Equine abortion associated with the Borrelia parkeri-B. turicatae tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete group.
J Clin Microbiol, 40(4), 1558-1562.
https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.40.4.1558-1562.2002 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory-Davis Branch, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA. rlwalker@ucdavis.edu
MeSH Terms
- Abortion, Veterinary / microbiology
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Borrelia / classification
- Borrelia / genetics
- Borrelia / isolation & purification
- DNA, Ribosomal / analysis
- Female
- Fetal Diseases / microbiology
- Fetal Diseases / veterinary
- Fetus / microbiology
- Flagellin / genetics
- Genes, rRNA
- Horse Diseases / embryology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Liver / embryology
- Liver / microbiology
- Liver / pathology
- Microscopy, Electron
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Pregnancy
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
- Relapsing Fever / embryology
- Relapsing Fever / microbiology
- Relapsing Fever / veterinary
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
References
This article includes 10 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Trevisan G, Ruscio M, di Meo N, Nan K, Cinco M, Trevisini S, Forgione P, Bonin S. Case Report: Lyme Borreliosis and Pregnancy - Our Experience.. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022;9:816868.
- Krishnavajhala A, Armstrong BA, Kneubehl AR, Gunter SM, Piccione J, Kim HJ, Ramirez R, Castro-Arellano I, Roachell W, Teel PD, Lopez JE. Diversity and distribution of the tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia turicatae.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021 Nov;15(11):e0009868.
- Embers ME, Krishnavajhala A, Armstrong BA, Curtis MW, Pahar B, Wilder HK, Allen MS, Beare PA, Hasenkampf NR, Lopez JE. Immunological Responses to the Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia turicatae in Infected Rhesus Macaques: Implications for Pathogenesis and Diagnosis.. Infect Immun 2019 Apr;87(4).
- Elelu N. Tick-borne relapsing fever as a potential veterinary medical problem.. Vet Med Sci 2018 Nov;4(4):271-279.
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- Piccione J, Levine GJ, Duff CA, Kuhlman GM, Scott KD, Esteve-Gassent MD. Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever in Dogs.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Jul;30(4):1222-8.
- Donaldson TG, Pèrez de León AA, Li AY, Castro-Arellano I, Wozniak E, Boyle WK, Hargrove R, Wilder HK, Kim HJ, Teel PD, Lopez JE. Assessment of the Geographic Distribution of Ornithodoros turicata (Argasidae): Climate Variation and Host Diversity.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016 Feb;10(2):e0004383.
- Barbour AG, Campeau Miller S. Genome Sequence of Borrelia parkeri, an Agent of Enzootic Relapsing Fever in Western North America.. Genome Announc 2014 Feb 13;2(1).
- Brenner C, Bomans K, Habicht J, Simon MM, Wallich R. Mapping the ligand-binding region of Borrelia hermsii fibronectin-binding protein.. PLoS One 2013;8(5):e63437.
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