Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

Background: Infection with tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) causes anemia, jaundice, and growth retardation in cattle. Many studies have conducted antigen (Ag) tests for major TBPs, such as Anaplasma spp. and Theileria spp., in Korean indigenous cattle (KIC); however, few studies have analyzed antibodies (Ab) against these pathogens. Materials and Methods: This study simultaneously tested 15 housed cattle raised indoor for over a year and 67 grazing cattle for Anaplasma spp. and Theileria spp. Ag using polymerase chain reaction analysis and Ab using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay...

Background: Sphaerirostris picae is a parasitic species known for its ability to infect and transmit between hosts in the gastrointestinal tracts of wild avian species. However, there is limited information on its presence and impact on urban avian populations, particularly in China. Materials and Methods: In this study, morphological observations were conducted to detect the presence of Sphaerirostris sp. within the intestinal tract of the Oriental Magpie ( Pica serica ) collected in Beijing, China. Further confirmation of the parasite's identity was achieved through phylogenetic analysis using COX1 gene sequencing to compare with previously documented Sphaerirostris picae isolates...

Background: Spotted fever group rickettsioses, caused by rickettsiae of the spotted fever group, pose a significant zoonotic threat to public health. In endemic areas of Anhui Province, China, the ecology and transmission dynamics of these pathogens remain under investigation. Methods: We isolated a rickettsial strain from Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks collected from a wild hedgehog in the Dabie Mountain area. Molecular identification and phylogenetic analysis were employed to confirm the strain. Pathological examinations of the hedgehog's tissues were conducted to assess the potential impact of the infection...

Data mining and artificial intelligence algorithms can estimate the probability of future occurrences with defined precision. Yet, the prediction of infectious disease outbreaks remains a complex and difficult task. This is demonstrated by the limited accuracy and sensitivity of current models in predicting the emergence of previously unknown pathogens such as Zika, Chikungunya, and SARS-CoV-2, and the resurgence of Mpox, along with their impacts on global health, trade, and security. Comprehensive analysis of infectious disease risk profiles, vulnerabilities, and mitigation capacities, along with their spatiotemporal dynamics at the international level, is essential for preventing their transnational propagation...

Background and Objectives: Malaria airs a life-threatening risk in Tropical African countries, stemming from infection by Plasmodium species. This region is richly endowed by nature with a wealth of diverse and largely unexplored plants that hold the potential for managing this protozoan parasite. The currently accessible over-the-counter drugs for disease management often present affordability challenges for the average person, exacerbated by the parasite's increasing resistance to them. This study investigated the phytoconstituents present in the ethyl acetate fraction of Spilanthes filicaulis (EFSF) and explored the antimalarial effects of EFSF on mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ...

Background: Toxoplasmosis is caused by infection with Toxoplasma gondii. No Symptoms in healthy people. Notably, very dangerous symptoms in immunocompromised, or patients with immune diseases. Previous research has shown that the parasite's resistance to drugs continues to emerge and has indicated this resistance as a cause for concern. In this context, researchers have a great responsibility to search for alternative treatments, as well as to develop existing ones. Essentially, this improves the therapeutic efficacy of drugs and prevents the emergence of resistance to them...

The emergence and spread of infectious diseases, particularly zoonotic diseases originating from wildlife, pose significant threats to global health and economy. This review examines the pivotal role of ticks as vectors in transmitting pathogens to humans, livestock, and wildlife and the use of molecular techniques in their identification. Tick infestations result in economic losses through reduced animal productivity, anemia, and quality deterioration of hides. Furthermore, ticks serve as reservoirs for a wide range of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes, contributing to the transmission of diseases such as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, tick-borne encephalitis, and African swine fever among others...

Background: Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease, caused by the Dengue virus (DENV). It has become a severe problem and is a rising threat to public health. In this study, we have evaluated commercial Merilisa i Dengue NS1 Antigen kit (Meril LifeSciences India Pvt. Ltd.) to detect recombinant dengue virus 2 NS1 antigen (rDNS1Ag) and secreted forms of NS1 antigen (sDNS1Ag). Methods: To determine the detection limit of the kit, 100 nanogram (ng) to 0.001 ng rDNS1Ag was tested. The sensitivity and specificity of the kit was determined using recombinant NS1 antigens of all serotypes of DENV and other flaviviruses...

Background: Soft ticks (Family: Argasidae) are vectors of relapsing fever Borrelia in the United States and are potential vectors of African swine fever virus, a pathogen that could have a devastating effect on the U.S. swine industry if introduced to the U.S. mainland. Much of the tick-borne disease research in the U.S. focuses on hard ticks, and less is known about the ecology of soft ticks. Some soft tick species found in the southern U.S. have a wide host range and may feed on cattle, swine, native and exotic ungulates, small mammals, reptiles, and humans...

Introduction: Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and Canada. The primary vector for the causative agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, in the Pacific Northwest is the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus. Materials and Methods: Using active tick surveillance data from British Columbia, Canada, and Washington State, USA, habitat suitability models using MaxEnt (maximum entropy) were developed for I. pacificus to predict its current and mid-century geographic distributions...

Background: Tamdy Virus (TAMV) is a pathogenic nairovirus widely distributed in central Asia and northwestern China. However, the host range of TAMV remains unclear, which limits our understanding the transmission cycle and cross-species patterns of this virus. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 serum samples were collected from livestock animals of camels, cattle, and sheep in Xinjiang, China between 2018 and 2021. An indirect immunofluorescence assay for TAMV were developed in this study, and have been employed to test TAMV-specific antibodies in these serum samples...

Female phlebotomine sandflies serve as vectors for the transmission of Leishmania parasites, perpetuating an enzootic cycle by disseminating between sylvatic and domestic animals. Humans form a part of this cycle because the sandflies search for a blood source required for egg development. The present study aimed to identify the feeding preferences of different sandfly fauna from six districts of Kerala, India, using molecular tools. An entomological survey was conducted during 2021-2023 in Kollam, Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Malappuram, and Palakkad...

Background: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto is the causative agent of Lyme disease (LD). Possible early symptoms include flu-like symptoms and erythema migrans and later, the risk of disruption of the nervous system, joints, and heart. A two-tiered testing method is employed for serological diagnostics. The Public Health Agency of Canada guidelines recommend that samples tested negative on first-tiered test need not be confirmed by second-tiered test. Due to the challenging nature of diagnosis leading to misconceptions among physicians about false negatives, confirmatory testing is requested despite the initial negative result...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne disease caused by Bandavirus dabieense . Initially identified in China, this disease has spread throughout Asian countries via tick bites and animal-to-human transmission. However, reports of the prevalence of SFTS virus (SFTSV) in cattle in Korea are lacking. This study aimed to investigate SFTSV infections in grazing cattle in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Materials and Methods: In total, 845 grazing cattle serum samples were collected over 2 years (2019 and 2020) in the ROK, and viral RNA was extracted using a kit...

Background : Leptospira is a genus of bacteria that causes the zoonotic disease known as leptospirosis, which mainly affects countries with tropical and subtropical climates. Its prevalence may be underestimated because the initial stage of the infection is characterized by presenting a febrile condition that is easily confused with other diseases, such as dengue. This work reports the frequency of leptospirosis in the blood of patients with febrile symptoms of unknown origin. Materials and Methods: A total of 218 peripheral blood samples were analyzed from volunteer participants from Culiacan Sinaloa in June 2019, one half corresponded to patients with undiagnosed febrile symptoms and the other half to asymptomatic volunteers...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Background: Lyme borreliosis (LB) remains a public health concern in France despite improved patient management and medical care. Stay-at-home restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected participation in outdoor recreational activities and disrupted access to health care services, may have impacted the risk of developing LB. Methods: We analyzed data from two general practitioner networks in France (Sentinel Network and an electronic medical records database [EMR]) and the national hospital discharge database to describe LB epidemiology in 2020-2021 and compare it to previous years...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Detection of Helcococcus kunzii and Ignatzschineria ureiclastica / larvae has been made possible by recent advancements in microbiologic diagnostics. We report the first described case of polymicrobial bacteremia secondary to these two unique pathogens, and only the third case of I. ureiclastica / larvae bacteremia described in the United States. Myiasis has historically been thought of as an infestation. This case adds to the growing body of evidence that myiasis is potentially a vector for bacteria, and bacteremia, and the potential for the spread of other vector-borne diseases...