Tick-borne Diseases Research Articles

Abstract 4129453: Comparing Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Lyme Disease and Babesiosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Intro: In the U.S, Lyme disease and Babesiosis are among the four most common tick-borne illnesses, with an annual average of 36,000 and 2200 cases respectively from 2016-2019. Both have cardiac involvement; 1% of lyme disease cases result in lyme carditis, while babesiosis is associated with arrhythmias and heart failure. Little research has explored the comparative risk of developing cardiac complications between the two. This study investigates cardiovascular complications in cases of Lyme and Babesiosis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study utilizing data from the TriNetX database and the US Collaborative Network, which together cover 60 healthcare organizations providing real-world electronic health records. We included all individuals diagnosed with either Lyme disease (Cohort A, pre-match n = 317368/post-match n = 4115 ) or babesiosis (Cohort B, pre-match n=4173/post-match n = 4115), identified using ICD-10-CM codes. Patients under 18 years of age, diagnosed with both diseases, or with incomplete follow-up data were excluded. We employed propensity score matching to adjust for age, race, sex, and other clinical parameters to compare the two cohorts equitably. We focused on 4 key outcomes over a 5-year period: arrhythmias, the need for PPM implantation, ACS and HF, utilizing both risk analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results: Interestingly, patients with babesia exhibited a greater likelihood of developing HF (OR: 1.279, 95% CI (1.073,1.524)). The development of arrhythmias between the two groups was not statistically significant with an OR of 1.013 (95% CI (0.837, 1.227)). The need for PPM implantation was not statistically significant between the two groups with an OR of 1.269 (95% CI (0.785, 2.052)). The risk of developing ACS was not statistically significant with an OR of 1.103 (95% CI (0.838, 1.451)) . Conclusion/Discussion: Our findings indicate that patients with babesiosis have a higher likelihood of developing HF compared to those with lyme disease. Surprisingly, there were no significant differences in the rates of arrhythmias or pacemaker implantations between the two cohorts. These results suggest that while overall cardiovascular risks are comparable between the groups, the increased risk of HF in babesiosis needs to be further explored.

Why an Integrated Approach to Tick-Borne Pathogens (Bacterial, Viral, and Parasitic) Is Important in the Diagnosis of Clinical Cases

Tick-borne diseases have emerged as a major global public health problem in recent decades. The increasing incidence and geographical dissemination of these diseases requires the implementation of robust surveillance systems to monitor their prevalence, distribution, and public health impact. It is therefore not unexpected that tick-borne pathogens coexist in the same vectors, but the interactions of these agents between vectors and vertebrate hosts, including humans, remain poorly understood. The impact of infection in humans extends to the diagnostic challenges that arise when the same symptomatology can be associated with any tick-borne pathogen, and therapeutic recommendations only focus on the major or best-known tick-borne diseases, ignoring other lesser-known or less prevalent infections. Both surveillance systems and the holistic diagnosis of tick-borne pathogens are necessary tools to address the emergence of vector-borne diseases. In this study, we will focus on the main tick-borne viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases in Spain to reflect the need to establish syndromic diagnostics in samples from patients with a history of tick bites and symptomatology compatible with them. On the other hand, and highlighting this need, innovations in molecular techniques, syndromic surveillance, and surveillance programs for ticks and tick-borne pathogens with public health implications are expected to be developed.

Vectorial dynamics underpinning current and future tick-borne virus emergence in Europe.

Tick-borne diseases pose a growing threat to human and animal health in Europe, with tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), vectored by Ixodes ricinus and Hyalomma marginatum, respectively, emerging as primary public health concerns. The ability of ticks to transmit pathogens to multiple hosts and maintain infections across life stages makes them highly efficient vectors. However, many aspects of tick ecology and vectorial capacity remain understudied. This review examines key factors contributing to the vectorial competence of European ticks and their associated viruses. We first explore the influence of climate change on vector and disease ecology, using TBEV and CCHFV as case studies. We then analyse the role of the tick antiviral response in shaping vector competence. By integrating these elements, this review aims to enhance our understanding of tick-borne viral diseases and support the development of public health strategies, particularly through the One Health framework, to mitigate their impact in Europe.

Vector-borne diseases on Borneo island: a scoping review.

Borneo, the third largest island in the world, is facing a significant burden of emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases due to rapid changes in primary tropical rainforests and urban landscapes. These vector-borne diseases include the endemic epidemic cycles that occur in the more populated and urbanized areas, as well as the possible transmission through enzootic and sylvatic transmission cycles that occur mainly in the overlapping landscapes or among the indigenous population in the forest. The island will be changed significantly in the future due to the increase in human activities, especially mega events such as the relocation of the Indonesian capital to Nusantara in East Kalimantan Borneo, increasing urbanization, agriculture, hydropower projects, ecotourism activities in Sabah, North Borneo, and Sarawak, Central and South Borneo. Therefore, an overview of the current situation of vector-borne diseases is crucial for the next possible epidemic preparedness. This study conducted the PRISMA-ScR scoping review and formulated a set of research questions to identify current trends in vector-borne diseases in Borneo. These questions aim to identify which diseases have been studied, what geographical areas have been covered by the research, how the One Health approach-encompassing human, animal and environmental factors-is integrated, and what gaps and challenges exist in addressing these diseases. A total of 2241 references were screened for eligibility and 117 articles were selected for review. The majority of the materials focused on mosquitoes and malaria, and the One Health elements focused mainly on humans. This review has identified the most and least studied vector-borne diseases and highlighted some of the gaps in knowledge and research on vector-borne diseases on the island of Borneo. Future studies should particularly focus on other neglected diseases such as Zika, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, filariasis and tick-borne diseases. In addition, advanced surveillance systems will be developed to improve early detection and response specifically for remote regions where vector-borne diseases are endemic or emerging.

Rhipicephalus simus ticks: new hosts for phleboviruses.

Ticks are widespread arthropods that transmit microorganisms of veterinary and medical significance to vertebrates, including humans. Rhipicephalus simus, an ixodid tick frequently infesting and feeding on humans, may play a crucial role in transmitting infectious agents across species. Despite the known association of many Rhipicephalus ticks with phleboviruses, information on R. simus is lacking. During a study in a riverine area in Lusaka Zambia, ten R. simus ticks were incidentally collected from the grass and bushes and subjected to metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) in 2 pools of 5. Analysis detected a diverse microbial profile, including bacteria 82% (32/39), fungi 15.4% (6/39), and viruses 2.6% (1/39). Notably, viral sequence LSK-ZM-102022 exhibited similarity to tick phleboviruses, sharing 74.92% nucleotide identity in the RdRp gene and 72% in the NP gene with tick-borne phlebovirus (TBPV) from Greece and Romania, respectively. Its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) encoding region carried conserved RdRp and endonuclease domains characteristic of phenuiviridae viruses. Phylogenetic analysis positioned LSK-ZM-102022 in a distinct but lone lineage within tick phleboviruses basal to known species like brown dog tick phlebovirus and phlebovirus Antigone. Pair-wise genetic distance analysis revealed similar findings. This study emphasizes the urgency of further research on the ecology, transmission dynamics, and pathogenic potential of LSK-ZM-102022 and related TBPVs, crucial for local and global preparedness against emerging tick-borne diseases.

Lyme borreliosis in Brazil: a critical review on the Baggio-Yoshinari syndrome (Brazilian Lyme-like disease).

SUMMARYLyme borreliosis or Lyme disease is the most frequently reported tick-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. In countries of the Southern Hemisphere, such as Brazil, since the early 1990s, some researchers have argued for the existence of an autochthonous Lyme-like borreliosis, known locally as the Baggio-Yoshinari syndrome (BYS), an alleged "Brazilian borreliosis" supposedly caused by a different strain of Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by hard ticks. Currently, the existence of BYS in Brazil is still accepted by a large part of the human health care workers, scientists, medical societies, and patients. In fact, this alleged "Brazilian borreliosis" has been the tick-borne zoonotic disease with the greatest number of reported cases and published studies in Brazil during this century, second only to Brazilian spotted fever. In this manuscript, we reviewed all manuscripts directly related to BYS that have been published in Brazil during the last 35 years. This analysis included 199 individual human cases that have been reported in Brazil since 1989, plus multiple studies on ticks, domestic, and wild animals. Our revision aimed to provide a critical opinion on whether the current published works allow healthcare workers, public health agencies, and patients to accept the existence of Lyme disease, BYS, or other Lyme borreliosis-related disease in Brazil. For this purpose, we evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of each published study, considering the diagnostic methods used, such as serological, microbiological, and molecular analyses. Based on these evaluations, we conclude that there is not enough evidence to support the occurrence of Lyme borreliosis in Brazil or that BYS (Brazilian Lyme-like disease) is caused by a bacterium of the genus Borrelia. This assumption is based on the inaccuracy, unreliability, and misinterpretation of the different diagnostic methods that have been used in Brazil. Recognizing the lack of technical evidence for the occurrence of Lyme borreliosis in Brazil has highly relevant implications. For example, it becomes imperative to raise awareness among the country's medical profession, as they have adopted unnecessary and extreme therapies recommended for patients with a supposed borrelial infection, including BYS, in Brazil. Finally, the technical analyses carried out in this study could be applied to other countries in the Southern Hemisphere (e.g., Argentina, South Africa, Australia), where cases classified and alleged as Lyme disease have been reported.

Review of Lyme Borreliosis in Africa—An Emerging Threat in Africa

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is more common in the Northern Hemisphere. It is endemic mainly in North America, where the vectors are Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus, and in Eurasia, where the vectors are Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus. Both tick-borne diseases and LB are influenced by climate change. Africa and South America are crossed by the equator and are situated in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In Africa, the LB is present on the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean coasts. Borrelia lusitaniae is prevalent in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, such as Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt. Ticks were detected in the Ixodes Ricinus, which are carried by migratory birds and the Ixodes inopinatus and captured by the Psammodromus algirus lizards. The Borreliae Lyme Group (LG) and, in particular, Borrelia garinii, have been reported in countries bordering the Indian Ocean, such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique, transported by migratory birds from North African countries, where the vector was identified as Hyalomma rufipes ticks. This review aims to document the presence of Borreliae LG and LB in Africa.

Deciphering the microbial communities in ticks of Inner Mongolia: ecological determinants and pathogen profiles

BackgroundTicks are vectors of numerous pathogens, with their bacterial composition, abundance, diversity, and interaction influencing both their growth and disease transmission efficiency. Despite the abundance of ticks in Inner Mongolia, China, comprehensive data on their microbial communities are lacking. This study aims to analyze the microbial communities within ticks from Inner Mongolia to inform innovative control strategies for interrupting pathogen transmission.MethodsTick samples were collected from animals and vegetation in multiple locations across Inner Mongolia and stored at − 80 °C. Ticks were identified using morphological keys and molecular biology methods. Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on collected samples. Bacterial community composition and diversity were mainly analyzed using bioinformatic tools such as QIIME, phyloseq, and DESeq2. Alpha diversity was assessed using Chao1, ACE, and Shannon indices, while beta diversity was evaluated using Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrices. LEfSe analysis was applied to identify taxa associated with ecological and biological variables.ResultsA total of 5,048,137 high-quality read counts were obtained, forming an average of 789.3 OTUs per sample. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes were the most dominant phyla. Bacterial community composition varied significantly with geography, with Dermacentor nuttalli showing a higher abundance of Rickettsia in Xilingol League, while other regions had different dominant genera. The microbial community also differed based on the feeding status of ticks. Additionally, the microbiota of engorged ticks showed organ specificity. Pathogen detection efforts revealed the presence of nine pathogens across all three tick species. D. nuttalli was found to carry a significantly higher burden of pathogenic bacteria, making it the most potentially threatening tick species in Inner Mongolia.ConclusionsThe study highlights significant variations in tick microbiomes influenced by geographic location, feeding status, and tick species. It underscores the importance of enhancing tick and tick-borne disease surveillance in Inner Mongolia for early detection and control of emerging pathogens.Graphical

The roles of habitat isolation, landscape connectivity and host community in tick-borne pathogen ecology.

Habitat loss and forest fragmentation are often linked to increased pathogen transmission, but the extent to which habitat isolation and landscape connectivity affect disease dynamics through movement of disease vectors and reservoir hosts has not been well examined. Tick-borne diseases are the most prevalent vector-borne diseases in the United States and on the West Coast, Ixodes pacificus is one of the most epidemiologically important vectors. We investigated the impacts of habitat fragmentation on pathogens transmitted by I. pacificus and sought to disentangle the effects of wildlife communities and landscape metrics predictive of pathogen diversity, prevalence and distribution. We collected pathogen data for four co-occurring bacteria transmitted by I. pacificus and measured wildlife parameters. We also used spatial data and cost-distance analysis integrating expert opinions to assess landscape metrics of habitat fragmentation. We found that landscape metrics were significant predictors of tick density and pathogen prevalence. However, wildlife variables were essential when predicting the prevalence and distribution of pathogens reliant on wildlife reservoir hosts for maintenance. We found that landscape structure was an informative predictor of tick-borne pathogen richness in an urban matrix. Our work highlights the implications of large-scale land management on human disease risk.

Multiple Genotypes and Reassortants of Severe Fever With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus Co-Circulating in Hangzhou in Southeastern China, 2013-2023.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), a tick-borne infectious disease caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV), is becoming a significant public health threat due to its high mortality rate. Knowledge of SFTSV in southeastern coastal China is limited. The whole genomes of 66 SFTSV strains collected from 2013 to 2023 in Hangzhou, a coastal city in China, were amplified and sequenced to elucidate the geography-related genetic and pathogenic diversity. Hangzhou SFTSVs could be classified into five pure genotype groups (A, B-2, D, E, and F); genotype A was dominant, and genotype E was significantly associated with SFTS fatality. An unclassified sublineage of the L segment was proposed as a novel B-4 subgenotype. Seven types of genetic reassortants (abbreviated as B-3B-3B-1, CCA, B-2AB-2, B-2CB-2, DFD, B-4FF, and B-4B-2B-1 for the L, M, and S segments) were identified, including three novel forms. Six recombination events and ten amino acid substitutions were identified in the Hangzhou viruses. Collectively, our results demonstrated that all known SFTSV genotypes co-circulated in Hangzhou, leading to a gradual increase in genetic diversity and the generation of novel reassortants. Increased surveillance is urgently needed in Hangzhou, a critical region for SFTSV genetic exchange.

An Updated Review on the Spatial Distribution of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Across Ticks, Animals and Humans in Northeastern China and Adjacent Regions.

Lyme disease is a tick-borne zoonotic disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and is prevalent in northeastern Asia, particularly in the forested area of Northeastern China. However, a lack of systematic data on the spatial distribution of B. burgdorferi in this region hinders the prediction of its transmission risk across the landscape. To provide an updated overview and establish a comprehensive spatial distribution database, we conducted a systematic review of literature published between 2000 and 2022. We collected and compiled relevant data on B. burgdorferi in Northeastern China and its neighbouring regions, outlining its distribution in ticks, wild animals, livestock and humans. Spatial analysis was performed to identify spatial clusters of tick positivity and host infection rates. From a total of 1823 literature, we selected 110 references to compile 626 detection records of B. burgdorferi, including 288 in ticks, 109 in wildlife, 111 in livestock and domestic animals and 100 in humans. The average detection rate of B. burgdorferi in ticks was approximately 20%, with wildlife, livestock and domestic animal host positivity rates below 50% and human seroprevalence rates varying from 0.94% to 44.18%. The study identified the presence of 17 tick species and ten genotypes of B. burgdorferi in the region, indicating a broad distribution. Notably, B. burgdorferi exhibited notable clustering, particularly in the central and eastern areas of Jilin Province, warranting further investigation.

Public knowledge and awareness of tick-borne pathogens and diseases: A cross-sectional study in Ghana

Public knowledge and awareness of tick-borne pathogens and diseases: A cross-sectional study in Ghana

Conceptual Framework for Community-Based Prevention of Brown Dog Tick-Associated Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a severe tickborne disease that can reach epidemic proportions in communities with certain social and ecologic risk factors. In some areas, the case-fatality rate of brown dog tick-associated RMSF is up to 50%. Because of the spread of brown dog tick-associated RMSF in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, the disease has the potential to emerge and become endemic in other communities that have large populations of free-roaming dogs, brown dog ticks, limited resources, and low provider awareness of the disease. By using a One Health approach, interdisciplinary teams can identify communities at risk and prevent severe or fatal RMSF in humans before cases occur. We have developed a conceptual framework for RMSF prevention to enable communities to identify their RMSF risk level and implement prevention and control strategies.

Literature Study: Babesiosis in Dogs in The Period of 2013-2023

Background: Babesiosis is an infectious disease caused by Babesia spp. with tick vectors Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Dermacentor margniatus (a tick-borne disease). Babesiosis transmission occurs through tick bites or blood transfusions. Diagnostic techniques involve the microscopic examination of blood smears, hematology, blood chemistry, and PCR laboratory analysis. Purpose: To determine the clinical symptoms, confirmation of diagnosis, and therapy used for babesiosis conditions in dogs. Method: Analysis was conducted on 22 literature cases of babesiosis in dogs with a publication period of 2013-2023. The analysis was carried out using the descriptive analysis method, a problem-solving procedure that describes the condition of the subject or object based on facts, characteristics, and any relationships between the phenomena being investigated. Qualitative research methods were used to examine natural object conditions, as a key instrument. Data source sampling was done purposively, the data collection techniques were combined, the data analysis was either inductive or qualitative, and qualitative research results emphasize meaning. Result: Dog patients with babesiosis have the highest prevalence of clinical symptoms, namely anorexia (62.5%), vomiting (33.3%), pyrexia (54.16%) lethargy (45.83%), brownish urination (29.16%), and ectoparasite infestation (29.16%). Confirmation of the diagnosis carried out included the microscopic examination of blood smears (100%), hematology (91.66%), blood chemistry (41.66%), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (20.83%). The therapeutic management used included 3 combinations of antibiotics in 7 cases (31.81%), combination therapy of 2 antibiotics and an antiparasitic in 3 cases (13.63%), and combination therapy of 1 antibiotic and antiparasitic in 3 cases (13.63%). Conclusion: Antiparasitic therapy that can be used is imidocarb dipropionate, which works by inhibiting inositol in the erythrocytes infected with Babesia spp. and diminazene aceturate, which works by disrupting parasite DNA synthesis.

Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors for Severe Japanese Spotted Fever: A Retrospective Multicenter Study in Nagasaki Prefecture, Western Japan.

Japanese spotted fever (JSF) is a tick-borne rickettsial disease prevalent in western Japan, with an increasing incidence and geographical distribution. This retrospective study aimed to describe the clinical features of JSF and identify factors associated with its severe form. We included adult patients with laboratory confirmed JSF in Nagasaki prefecture from 2010 to 2021. Severe JSF was defined by the presence of altered mental status, low blood pressure, or low oxygen saturation. In total, 65 JSF cases were diagnosed. Common symptoms were fever (87%), rash (48%), and fatigue (48%) with eschars detected in 50 (79.4%) of patients. Thirty-eight (60.3%) patients were initially diagnosed with non-JSF conditions. Twenty-one (33.3%) cases were categorized as severe JSF, including one death. Pre-hospital factors associated with severe JSF included age ≥75 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 37.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.03-465.38), male sex (aOR 26.5, 95% CI 4.23-166.00), and a treatment delay ≥4 days from onset (aOR 5.96, 95% CI 1.13-31.60). This study highlights diagnostic challenges of JSF due to its non-organ-specific clinical presentation. Delayed initial treatment, advanced age, and male sex significantly increase the risk of severity. It is crucial to further raise awareness of JSF among clinicians and residents in endemic areas.

Combining Morphological and Molecular Tools Can Enhance Tick Species Identification for Improved Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance Among Pastoral Communities in Kenya.

Background: Ticks are ecto-parasites of domestic animals, rodents, and wildlife living for periods at a time on one or more vertebrate hosts. They are important vectors of viral, bacterial, or parasitic diseases in livestock and humans. Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus and the spotted fever rickettsiae are some of the tick-borne diseases of public health importance reported in Kenya. Their distribution and public health risks among communities, especially pastoralists, remain poorly characterized due to limited surveillance, affected partly by inadequate capacity for tick identification arising from a limited number of skilled taxonomists. Materials and Methods: The aim of this survey was to identify tick species currently circulating in different livestock hosts in northern Kenya. Ticks were sampled from cattle, sheep, goats, and camels in Turkana, Isiolo, Baringo, and West Pokot counties, and differential identification was carried out using morphological identification keys followed by molecular characterization based on the cytochrome c oxidase I gene (cox1). Haplotypes were determined using the DnaSP v6 software and phylogenetic relationships inferred using the maximum likelihood algorithm. Results: A total of 12,206 ticks were collected, from Turkana (45.4%), Isiolo (23.1%), Baringo (22.7%), and West Pokot (8.8%) counties in Kenya. Ten species were confirmed by molecular analysis; H. rufipes, H. impeltatum, H. dromedarii, R. pravus, R. camicasi, R. pulchellus, R. evertsi evertsi, A. variegatum, A. gemma, and A. lepidum. There was no disparity in the morphological and molecular identification of Amblyomma species. However, molecular analysis provided insight into the complexity of morphological identification especially among Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus species. High haplotype diversities (0.857-1.000) and low nucleotide diversities (0.00719-0.06319) were observed in all the tick samples tested. Conclusion: The findings highlight the diversity of tick species in dry pastoral ecologies in Kenya and the importance of confirming morphological identification by molecular analysis thus contributing to accurate mapping of tick-borne disease distribution and risk.

Molecular Epidemiology of Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Ta-Pa Mountain Area of Chongqing, China

To validate the prevalence and biodiversity of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Chongqing, a total of 601 ticks were collected from dogs, cattle, and goats within the Ta-pa Mountain range in Chongqing, China. Five distinct tick species were identified, including Ixodes ovatus (1.66%, 10/601), I. acutitarsus (0.50%, 3/601), Haemaphysalis flava (10.32%, 62/601), Ha. hystricis (9.82%, 59/601), and Ha. longicornis (77.70%, 467/601). A suit of semi-nest PCR and nest PCR primers were custom-synthesized for the detection of tick-borne pathogens. The analysis yielded positive results for 7.15% Rickettsia (Candidatus R. principis, R. japonica, and R. raoultii), 3.49% Anaplasma (A. bovis and A. capra), 1.16% Ehrlichia, 1.83% Coxiella burnetii, and 3.49% protozoa (Theileria. capreoli, T. orientalis, T. luwenshuni, and Babesia sp.) in ticks. Notably, Ca. R. principis was identified for the first time in I. ovatus and Ha. longicornis. These findings underscore the significant prevalence and diversity of ticks and their associated pathogens within the Chongqing Ta-pa Mountain region. This study accordingly provides an extensive dataset that contributes to the epidemiological understanding and disease prevention strategies for tick-borne illnesses in the local area.

Changes in the serum proteome profile of patients with neuroborreliosis, foresters, and patients treated according to ILADS method

ObjectivesThe aim of study was to evaluate the changes in proteomic profile of human serum induced by the development of tick-borne neuroborreliosis (NB), before/after therapy, patients treated with prolonged multidrug therapy according to ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society), and foresters frequently exposed to tick bites. MethodsA proteomics approach was used to analyze the expression of proteins in serum of patients and sex/age-matched healthy donors. The analysis was performed using SDS-PAGE/LC-MS/MS (Q-Exactive OrbiTrap mass spectrometer). ResultsObtained results indicated changes in the serum proteome of patients with NB putting attention to the proteins involved mainly in calcium transport/metabolism and signaling molecules that differ patients before and after classic therapy. Moreover, ILADS treated patients have different protein distribution than patients from other groups, what is the consequence of prolonged antibiotic therapy. In the case of foresters, the most important result is the increased β-secretase level. ConclusionsObtained results may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism of the development of tick-borne diseases, as well as will allow create new opportunities for its rapid and more effective therapy. However, further studies, on larger patients groups, are needed to apply them in clinical practice.

Exploring the dynamic adult hard ticks-camel-pathogens interaction.

Ticks are obligatory hematophagous arachnids, serving as vectors for a wide array of pathogens that can be transmitted to animals and humans. The ability of ticks to acquire and transmit various pathogens depends on their attraction to quality reservoir hosts and the survival of the pathogens in ticks' gut and other tissues. However, the complex dynamics of tick-pathogen interaction and host-seeking behavior remain understudied. This investigation revealed notable variation in tick preference for domestic animals, with camel being the most preferred host. Moreover, our spatial analysis of tick attachment sites showed nostrils are the most preferred sites by various tick species. Our epidemiology data showed variation in the pathogens harbored by camel (host) and vector (Hyalomma rufipes), demonstrating the camel's efficiency as reservoir host and ticks' vector competence for various pathogens. With our behavioral experiment using H. rufipes and its preferred host's (camel) breath and body signature odors, we identified novel attractants for H. rufipes, thus offering new avenues for combating tick-borne diseases. Overall, our study presents novel insights into how multiple factors shape tick-host-pathogen interaction.

Modeling spatiotemporal dynamics of Amblyomma americanum questing activity in the central Great Plains.

Ticks represent important vectors of a number of bacterial and viral disease agents, owing to their hematophagous nature and their questing behavior (the process in which they seek new hosts). Questing activity is notably seasonal with spatiotemporal dynamics that needs to be understood in detail as part of mediating and mitigating tick-borne disease risk. Models of the geography of tick questing activity developed to date, however, have ignored the temporal dimensions of that behavior; more fundamentally, they have often not considered the sampling underlying available occurrence data. Here, we have addressed these shortfalls for Amblyomma americanum, the most commonly encountered tick in the central Great Plains, via (1) detailed, longitudinal sampling to characterize the spatiotemporal dimensions of tick questing activity; (2) randomization tests to establish in which environmental dimensions a species is manifesting selective use; and (3) modeling methods that include both presence data and absence data, taking fullest advantage of the information available in the data resource. The outcome was a detailed picture of geographic and temporal variation in suitability for the species through the two-year course of this study. Such models that take full advantage of available information will be crucial in understanding the risk of tick-borne disease into the future.