First molecular evidence of Coxiella burnetii infecting ticks in Cuba.
Abstract: Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever. In order to explore the occurrence of C. burnetii in ticks, samples were collected from horses, dogs and humans living in a Cuban occidental community. The species most commonly recovered were Amblyomma mixtum (67%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (27%) and Dermacentor nitens (6%). Specific IS1111 PCR and amplicon sequencing allowed the identification of C. burnetii DNA in A. mixtum collected from a domestic horse. These findings, for first time in Cuba, indicate the need for an in-depth assessment of the C. burnetii occurrence in hosts and humans at risk of infection.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2015-08-25 PubMed ID: 26372520DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.08.008Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research focuses on the first evidence of Coxiella burnetii, the bacteria causing Q fever, found in ticks in Cuba. This discovery indicates a need to further investigate the potential risks this may pose to humans and animals in the region.
Objective and Methodology
The researchers sought to examine the occurrence of Coxiella burnetii in ticks obtained from three different sources: horses, dogs, and humans. To do this, they used a method called IS1111 PCR and subsequently sequenced the resulting amplicons to detect the presence of C. burnetii DNA.
- IS1111 PCR: This is a molecular technique used to amplify a specific DNA sequence to enable its detection. In this study, it is used to identify the presence of C. burnetii DNA in the collected tick samples.
- Amplicon sequencing: Following the PCR amplification, the researchers conducted amplicon sequencing to confirm the identification of the C. burnetii DNA.
Key Findings
The study identified the tick species Amblyomma mixtum as the most frequently found one at 67%, followed by Rhipicephalus sanguineus at 27% and Dermacentor nitens at 6%. Notably, the DNA of C. burnetii was found in an A. mixtum tick collected from a domestic horse.
- Amblyomma mixtum, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and Dermacentor nitens are all tick species that can potentially act as vectors for various pathogens, including those causing Q fever.
- Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a highly infectious disease that can be transmitted to humans and other animals mainly through infected ticks.
Implications and Future Directions
This discovery is the first of its kind in Cuba and signals a need for further investigations on the spread of C. burnetii among ticks in the country. Given the potential health impacts of Q fever on both animals and humans at risk of infection, in-depth assessment and monitoring are essential.
- Identifying potential reservoirs and vectors of C. burnetii in Cuba can help guide epidemiological studies and public health efforts to control and prevent the spread of Q fever.
- These findings can also aid in raising public awareness about the risks of tick-borne diseases, leading to better preventive measures against these conditions.
Cite This Article
APA
(2015).
First molecular evidence of Coxiella burnetii infecting ticks in Cuba.
Ticks Tick Borne Dis, 7(1), 68-70.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.08.008 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Coxiella burnetii / isolation & purification
- Coxiella burnetii / physiology
- Cuba / epidemiology
- Dog Diseases / epidemiology
- Dog Diseases / parasitology
- Dogs
- Female
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Host-Pathogen Interactions
- Humans
- Ixodidae / microbiology
- Male
- Tick Infestations / epidemiology
- Tick Infestations / parasitology
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Conan A, Gallagher CA, Erskine N, Howland M, Smith-Anthony M, Marchi S, Magouras I, Müller A, Becker AAMJ. Is there a higher risk of exposure to Coxiella burnetii for pre-clinical veterinary students?. One Health 2023 Jun;16:100485.
- Grostieta E, Zazueta-Islas HM, Cruz-Valdez T, Ballados-González GG, Álvarez-Castillo L, García-Esparza SM, Cruz-Romero A, Romero-Salas D, Aguilar-Domínguez M, Becker I, Sánchez-Montes S. Molecular detection of Coxiella-like endosymbionts and absence of Coxiella burnetii in Amblyomma mixtum from Veracruz, Mexico. Exp Appl Acarol 2022 Sep;88(1):113-125.
- Hussain S, Hussain A, Aziz MU, Song B, Zeb J, Hasib FMY, Li J, Rehman A, George D, Cabezas-Cruz A, Sparagano O. First serological evidence of Q fever in large ruminants and its associated risk factors in Punjab, Pakistan. Sci Rep 2022 Oct 14;12(1):17278.
- Charles RA, Bermúdez S, Banović P, Alvarez DO, Díaz-Sánchez AA, Corona-González B, Etter EMC, Rodríguez González I, Ghafar A, Jabbar A, Moutailler S, Cabezas-Cruz A. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Central America and the Caribbean: A One Health Perspective. Pathogens 2021 Oct 2;10(10).
- Körner S, Makert GR, Ulbert S, Pfeffer M, Mertens-Scholz K. The Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Hard Ticks in Europe and Their Role in Q Fever Transmission Revisited-A Systematic Review. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:655715.
- Bezerra-Santos MA, Ramos RAN, Campos AK, Dantas-Torres F, Otranto D. Didelphis spp. opossums and their parasites in the Americas: A One Health perspective. Parasitol Res 2021 Dec;120(12):4091-4111.
- Conan A, Becker AAMJ, Alava V, Chapwanya A, Carter J, Roman K, Avsaroglu H, Gallagher CA. Detection of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in sheep and cattle on a veterinary campus in St. Kitts: Implications for one health in the Caribbean region. One Health 2020 Dec;10:100163.
- Alvarez DO, Corona-González B, Rodríguez-Mallón A, Rodríguez Gonzalez I, Alfonso P, Noda Ramos AA, Díaz-Sánchez AA, González Navarrete M, Rodríguez Fernández R, Méndez Mellor L, Catanese HN, Peláez M, Gainza YA, Marrero-Perera R, Roblejo-Arias L, Lobo-Rivero E, Silva CB, Fonseca AH, López ER, Cabezas-Cruz A. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Cuba, Half a Century of Scientific Research. Pathogens 2020 Jul 28;9(8).
- Weisenberg S, Perlada D, Peatman T. Q fever prosthetic joint infection. BMJ Case Rep 2017 Jul 24;2017.
- Bastos RG, Howard ZP, Hiroyasu A, Goodman AG. Host and Bacterial Factors Control Susceptibility of Drosophila melanogaster to Coxiella burnetii Infection. Infect Immun 2017 Jul;85(7).
- Battisti JM, Watson LA, Naung MT, Drobish AM, Voronina E, Minnick MF. Analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans innate immune response to Coxiella burnetii. Innate Immun 2017 Feb;23(2):111-127.
- Antúnez MP, Marín Montesinos JC, Corduneanu A, Obregón D, Moutailler S, Cabezas-Cruz A. Tick-borne viruses and their risk to public health in the Caribbean: Spotlight on bats as reservoirs in Cuba. Heliyon 2024 Feb 29;10(4):e26118.
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