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J Clin Microbiol 2023 Sep 7:e0070323. Epub 2023 Sep 7.

Life (Basel) 2023 Jul 27;13(8). Epub 2023 Jul 27.

CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Carretera Cuernavaca-Cuautla No. 8534, Jiutepec 62550, Morelos, Mexico.

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is the most common tick-borne disease affecting domestic dogs and other wild canids. It has a worldwide distribution and is associated with the presence of the brown dog tick. Few studies have been conducted in Mexico to identify and characterize genetic variability. Read More

Biology (Basel) 2023 Aug 16;12(8). Epub 2023 Aug 16.

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FAVET), Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiabá 78060-900, MT, Brazil.

This study aimed to analyze the hematological parameters, blood viscosity, and cytokines of dogs infected by untreated and treated with doxycycline. Initially, 47 dogs were examined, and 36 were suspected to have canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, which was confirmed through molecular polymerase chain reaction tests. This study consisted of 25 dogs, with 11 being healthy and 14 testing positive for . Read More

Pathogens 2023 Aug 9;12(8). Epub 2023 Aug 9.

Laboratory of Virology and Rickettsial Infections, Veterinary Hospital, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa 2367, Cuiabá 78090-900, MT, Brazil.

is a tick-borne bacterium that causes human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis, an emerging life-threatening disease in humans transmitted by . Although most studies have reported bacterial isolations and clinical cases in the United States, their occurrence is not restricted to North America. Some studies in the Southern Cone of South America have molecularly detected a close phylogenetic relative of in ticks and wild mammals. Read More

Pathogens 2023 Aug 8;12(8). Epub 2023 Aug 8.

Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ixtapaluca, Carretera Federal México-Puebla Km. 34.5, Pueblo de Zoquiapan, Ixtapaluca 56530, Mexico.

HIV-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is mainly due to infections caused by viruses, fungi, and, to a lesser extent, bacteria, often with fatal results. Case presentation: A 15-year-old pediatric patient from another institution was admitted to our hospital with a fever of unknown origin (FUO). Clinical analysis and laboratory studies diagnosed HIV infection. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2023 Aug 24;16(1):295. Epub 2023 Aug 24.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was marked by an increase in diagnosis and treatment delays for a range of medical conditions. Yet the impact of the pandemic on the management of tick-borne diseases, which frequently manifest as an acute febrile illness similar to COVID-19, has not been well described.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study of patients with suspected tick-borne disease attending the University of North Carolina Health facilities, we compared the timeliness of diagnosis and treatment in a "pre-COVID" period (March 2019 to February 2020) and a "post-COVID" period (March 2020 to February 2021). Read More

Cureus 2023 Jul 23;15(7):e42325. Epub 2023 Jul 23.

Oncology, Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, Saint Luke's Cancer Institute, Kansas City, USA.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, life-threatening condition characterized by the persistent activation of antigen-presenting cells and multisystemic inflammation. Ehrlichiosis is a tick-born infection that primarily infects the white blood cells and can present with a variety of symptoms, including fever, fatigue, and multisystemic complications. Here, we present a 58-year-old female hospitalized for a urinary tract infection. Read More

Infect Immun 2023 Sep 18;91(9):e0000223. Epub 2023 Aug 18.

Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas, USA.

has evolved multiple strategies to evade innate defenses of the mononuclear phagocyte. Recently, we reported the tandem repeat protein (TRP)120 effector functions as a Notch ligand mimetic and a ubiquitin ligase that degrades the nuclear tumor suppressor, F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7, a negative regulator of Notch. The Notch intracellular domain (NICD) is known to inhibit apoptosis primarily by interacting with X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis rotein (XIAP) to prevent degradation. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2023 Aug 14. Epub 2023 Aug 14.

Departamento de Biotecnologia, Laboratório de Imunologia e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil.

The growing contact between men and wild animals, caused by the increase in the population in urban centers and the destruction of the habitat of these animals, has been leading to a greater circulation of pathogens between humans and wildlife. , a tortoise found throughout South America, is one of the animals most rescued from animal trafficking and illegal breeding. Considering this situation, this study aimed to verify the occurrence of hemoparasites in . Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023 Aug 14;17(8):e0011554. Epub 2023 Aug 14.

Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

The South African bont tick Amblyomma hebraeum is a hematophagous vector for the heartwater disease pathogen Ehrlichia ruminantium in southern Africa. During feeding, the tick's enterocytes express proteins that perform vital functions in blood digestion, including proteins that may be involved in E. ruminantium acquisition, colonization or immunity. Read More

Vet World 2023 Jun 5;16(6):1209-1213. Epub 2023 Jun 5.

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Avenue Fernando Correa da Costa, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Background And Aim: Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis is a vector-borne disease caused by the obligatory intracellular bacterium , which is distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Its prevalence within dog populations is high in municipalities located across the Pantanal biome, but it remains unknown in Barão de Melgaço, Mato Grosso, Brazil. This study aimed to determine the molecular prevalence and factors associated with infection in dogs domiciled in Barão de Melgaço. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2023 Sep 11;23(9):458-464. Epub 2023 Aug 11.

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

There are few reports of tick-borne pathogens infecting dogs living in indigenous communities of Brazil. Herein, we aimed to molecularly detect vector-borne pathogens in dogs from two indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon. We surveyed 327 dogs raised in Amazon region at 2 distinct indigenous ethnicities for the molecular detection of tick-borne pathogens (114 from Tapirapé and 213 from Karajá indigenous ethnicity). Read More

Sci Rep 2023 Jul 28;13(1):12237. Epub 2023 Jul 28.

Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL)/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, S3080, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina.

We evaluated the presence of Ehrlichia spp. in unfed capybara ticks, Amblyomma dubitatum, and explored its association with capybaras density, ticks density and environmental variables. We observed that in the Iberá wetlands ecoregion A. Read More

Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex 2023 ;80(Supl 1):12-22

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases.

Background: Ehrlichia chaffeensis is responsible for most cases of human ehrlichiosis, an acute febrile tick-borne disease. This clinical entity is more commonly reported in adults from the United States. Therefore, it is of special interest to characterize this disease in children, given that very few cases in children have been reported outside of this country. Read More

Vet Clin Pathol 2023 Jul 24. Epub 2023 Jul 24.

Laboratory of Virology and Rickettsial Infections, Veterinary Hospital, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil.

Background: Synthetic peptides of tandem repeat proteins (TRPs) have been employed in the serologic analysis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) and used in epidemiological studies in Brazil. Based on molecular studies of TRPs, different genotypes of Ehrlichia canis have been described, but data on their pathogenicity remain unknown.

Objectives: To correlate hepatic, renal, and muscular alterations in relation to different genotypes of E. Read More

J Educ Teach Emerg Med 2023 Apr 30;8(2):SG1-SG14. Epub 2023 Apr 30.

Penn State Health Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Hershey, PA.

Audience: This interactive module is designed for implementation within an Emergency Medicine Residency program. The target audience is post-year-graduate one to post-year-graduate four residents, medical students, physician assistant postgraduate trainees, physician assistant students, and physician assistants.

Introduction: A knowledge of tickborne illness represents a critical component of infectious disease education for Emergency Medicine residents. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023 27;13:1220025. Epub 2023 Jun 27.

Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States.

is a tick-transmitted monocytic ehrlichiosis agent primarily causing the disease in people and dogs. We recently described the development and characterization of 55 random mutations in , which aided in defining the critical nature of many bacterial genes for its growth in a physiologically relevant canine infection model. In the current study, we tested 45 of the mutants for their infectivity ability to the pathogen's tick vector; . Read More

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023 Aug 17;43:100902. Epub 2023 Jun 17.

Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Private Bag 16, Palapye, Botswana. Electronic address:

Heartwater is a tick-borne haemoparasitic disease that can limit agro-business expansion in Botswana. It poses a threat to national food security due to low animal production as well as livestock morbidity and mortality. This report gives a snapshot view of heartwater in the Southern district of Botswana. Read More

Braz J Microbiol 2023 Sep 23;54(3):2497-2504. Epub 2023 Jun 23.

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.

The coinfections by some microorganisms have been related to severe diseases in humans and animals, where immunosuppressive agents favor opportunistic behavior of other pathogens. A 4-month-old, female mixed-breed dog with a two-week history of inappetence, prostration, emaciation, and respiratory distress was admitted at a veterinary hospital in Brazil. Tachycardia, pale mucous membranes, severe respiratory distress, and a large number of ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus s. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2023 Jun 10;16(1):197. Epub 2023 Jun 10.

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.

Background: Vector-borne infections pose significant health risks to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) in the United States may be infected with and serve as sentinel hosts for several zoonotic vector-borne pathogens. In this study, we analyzed the geographical distribution, risk factors, and co-infections associated with infection with Ehrlichia spp. Read More

Arch Razi Inst 2022 Dec 31;77(6):2431-2437. Epub 2022 Dec 31.

Department of Internal and Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.

is a pathogen considered a disease in both dogs and breeders, a tropical and non-tropical disease caused by an intracellular pathogen. For the first time, the study aimed at hematological and molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of in dogs in Baghdad, Iraq. Two hundred dogs were clinically examined from April to September 2019 at the Veterinary Hospital in Baghdad. Read More

PLoS One 2023 2;18(6):e0286631. Epub 2023 Jun 2.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Bitgoeul Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea.

Due to environmental and ecological changes and suitable habitats, the occurrence of vector-borne diseases is increasing. We investigated the seroprevalence of four major vector-borne pathogens in human patients with febrile illness who were clinically suspected of having Scrub Typhus (ST) caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. A total of 187 samples (182 patient whole blood and sera samples, including 5 follow-up) were collected. Read More

Vet Sci 2023 Apr 27;10(5). Epub 2023 Apr 27.

Veterinary Medicine College, Basic Unit of Bioscience, Mineiros University Center, 22nd Street s/n, Mineiros 75833-130, GO, Brazil.

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is endemic to Brazil, and studies have verified that dogs have been exposed to different genotypes of . This genetic divergence can influence the clinical response of the animals. We aimed to describe clinical and hematological changes in 125 dogs that reacted to BrTRP36, USTRP36, and CRTRP36 genotypes through enzyme immunoassays and to highlight the current concern regarding infection by the Costa Rican genotype. Read More

Vet World 2023 Apr 4;16(4):681-686. Epub 2023 Apr 4.

Small Animal Research Group, Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand.

Background And Aim: Blood parasite infections such as anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis are commonly found in domestic dogs, which adversely influence their health. Many dogs are infected with multiple blood parasites that cause more severe diseases than a single infection. This study aimed to investigate the effect of multiple blood parasite infections on the hematological profiles of dogs at a shelter in Southern Thailand. Read More

J Vet Diagn Invest 2023 Jul 9;35(4):366-373. Epub 2023 May 9.

Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.

A validated second-generation SNAP 4Dx Plus (Idexx) incorporates new peptides for improved detection of antibodies against and tick-borne pathogens in dogs. We compared the first- and second-generation SNAP 4Dx Plus using dogs naturally infected with or species, or dogs seroreactive by an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). The second-generation immunoassay was more sensitive than the first-generation for dogs infected with (51. Read More

Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023 Jul 28;14(4):102191. Epub 2023 Apr 28.

Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. Electronic address:

In recent years, the incidence of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) has increased throughout the globe. In particular, tick-borne diseases (e.g. Read More

Microorganisms 2023 Mar 28;11(4). Epub 2023 Mar 28.

Laboratory for Human Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.

The extent of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in the United States is largely unknown and underreported. Equitable diagnostic and treatment options may vary by geographic location. Triangulating multi-modal data sources informed by a One Health approach provides robust proxies for human TBD risk. Read More

Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent) 2023 25;36(3):386-388. Epub 2023 Jan 25.

Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.

A 66-year-old immunocompetent man with preceding travel through the Northeastern United States developed Guillain-Barré syndrome. A broad search for infections revealed intraerythrocytic parasites on blood smear and positive polymerase chain reaction for ; elevated IgM/IgG serologies for ; elevated IgM/IgG serologies and qualitative polymerase chain reaction for Epstein-Barr virus; and fecal culture growth of . In this report, we discuss the known or suspected association of these infectious agents with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Read More

Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2023 Mar 23;90(1):e1-e15. Epub 2023 Mar 23.

Department of Immunology, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Pretoria, South Africa; and, Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; and, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria,.

Cowdria polymorphic gene 1 (cpg1, Erum2510, ERUM_RS01380) has been shown to induce 30% and 100% protection in sheep immunised by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) prime combined with DNA boost and DNA prime combined with protein boost, respectively, against heartwater infection via needle challenge. To localise its antigenic regions for inclusion in a multi-epitope DNA vaccine against heartwater, Erum2510 was cleaved into five overlapping subfragments. These subfragments were expressed individually in an Escherichia coli host expression system and evaluated for their ability to induce proliferative responses, Th1 and Th2 cytokines (interferon gamma [IFN-γ] and interleukin 4 [IL-4]) via enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot), quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and flow cytometry. Read More