Detection of pathogens in Dermacentor reticulatus in northwestern Europe: evaluation of a high-throughput array

• Published in: Heliyon Vol. 5; no. 2; pp. e01270 - 23
• Main Authors: Sprong, Hein, Fonville, Manoj, Docters van Leeuwen, Arieke, Devillers, Elodie, Ibañez-Justicia, Adolfo, Stroo, Arjan, Hansford, Kayleigh, Cull, Benjamin, Medlock, Jolyon, Heyman, Paul, Cochez, Christel, Weis, Lisa, Silaghi, Cornelia, Moutailler, Sara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2019; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anaplasma marginale; Babesia divergens; Belgium; Coxiella; Dermacentor reticulatus; DNA; Ehrlichia canis; endosymbionts; fever; Francisella tularensis; geographical distribution; Germany; Great Britain; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Molecular biology; monitoring; Netherlands; Northern European region; pathogens; polymerase chain reaction; Protozoa; Rickettsia helvetica; Theileria equi; ticks; Great Britain; Netherlands; Belgium; Northern European region; Germany; Microbiology; Molecular biology; molecular biology; microbiology
• ISSN: 2405-8440; 2405-8440
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01270

The geographic distribution of Dermacentor reticulatus is expanding in Europe. Surveillance of this tick species and its pathogens is desirable, as it transmits pathogens of public and veterinary importance. A high-throughput real-time PCR-based array was used to screen 1.741 D. reticulatus ticks from Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, and Great Britain for the presence of 28 tick-borne bacteria and twelve protozoan parasites. The presence of pathogen DNA was confirmed by conventional PCR followed by sequencing. The array detected the presence of DNA from Borrelia spp. (7%), B. afzelii (0.1%), B. garinii (0.1%), B. spielmanii (0.1%), B. miyamotoi (0.2%), Anaplasma marginale (0.1%), A. phagocytophilum (0.1%), Ehrlichia canis (2%), Rickettsia helvetica (0.2%), spotted fever group Rickettsia (9.6%), Francisella tularensis or Francisella-like endosymbionts (95%), Coxiella burnettii (0.1%), Babesia divergens (0.2%), B. canis (0.9%) B. vogeli (5.6%), and Theileria equi (0.1%). Only the presence of B. canis and spotted fever group Rickettsia could be confirmed by conventional PCR and sequencing. The spotted fever Rickettsia-positive samples were all identified as R. raoultii. We successfully detected and determined the prevalence of B. canis and R. raoultii in D. reticulatus. An high-throughput array that allows fast and comprehensive testing of tick-borne pathogens is advantageous for surveillance and future epidemiological studies. The importance of thorough validation of real-time PCR-based assays and careful interpretation is evident.