Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens

Abstract submission deadline

31 October 2024

Manuscript submission deadline

31 December 2024

Viewed by

4628

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The TTP conferences have historically convened leading experts and researchers worldwide, focusing on ticks and tick-borne pathogens. This eleventh edition promises to be no different, offering a platform to showcase groundbreaking research, innovative methodologies, and promising discoveries in various facets of tick biology. These encompass tick physiology, microbiome and genomics, taxonomy and the evolution of ticks and tick-borne pathogens, their ecological and epidemiological aspects, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and strategies for control, including immunity and vaccines.

For more information regarding the TTP11 Conference and opportunities to present your research, please visit https://agropecuaria.cigb.edu.cu/ttp11/ or https://zooparaz.net/ttp11/. Furthermore, we invite you to contribute to a Topic in renowned MDPI journals such as Pathogens, Animals, Vaccines, Veterinary Sciences, Arthropoda and Insects.

This Topic offers researchers the chance to publish enhanced and refined versions of their conference contributions, thus extending the impact of their work far beyond the event itself. This proposal represents a valuable opportunity to advance the dissemination of cutting-edge research and foster collaboration within the tick research community—an essential step towards advancing the field. Moreover, this Topic will be a lasting repository of the collective knowledge and insights shared during TTP11. We eagerly anticipate receiving your contributions.

Dr. Alina Rodriguez-Mallon
Dr. Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Animals animals	3.0	4.2	2011	18.1 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Arthropoda arthropoda	-	-	2023	15.0 days *	CHF 1000	Submit
Insects insects	3.0	4.2	2010	17 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Pathogens pathogens	3.7	5.1	2012	16.4 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Vaccines vaccines	7.8	7.0	2013	19.2 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Veterinary Sciences vetsci	2.4	2.3	2014	19.6 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

* Median value for all MDPI journals in the second half of 2023.

MDPI Topics is cooperating with Preprints.org and has built a direct connection between MDPI journals and Preprints.org. Authors are encouraged to enjoy the benefits by posting a preprint at Preprints.org prior to publication:

1. Immediately share your ideas ahead of publication and establish your research priority;
2. Protect your idea from being stolen with this time-stamped preprint article;
3. Enhance the exposure and impact of your research;
4. Receive feedback from your peers in advance;
5. Have it indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Order results

Content type Publication Date

Result details

Normal Extended Compact

Journals

All Animals Arthropoda Insects Pathogens Vaccines Veterinary Sciences

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 457 KiB)

15 pages, 664 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Co-Occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato and Babesia spp. DNA in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected from Vegetation and Pets in the City of Poznań, Poland

by Justyna Liberska, Jerzy Franciszek Michalik, Julia Olechnowicz and Miroslawa Dabert

Pathogens 2024, 13(4), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13040307 - 10 Apr 2024

Viewed by 629

Abstract

Here, we described the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia species found in mono- and double infections among Ixodes ricinus ticks occurring in urban areas of the city of Poznań, Poland. We tested 1029 host-seeking ticks and 1268 engorged ticks removed from [...] Read more.

Here, we described the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia species found in mono- and double infections among Ixodes ricinus ticks occurring in urban areas of the city of Poznań, Poland. We tested 1029 host-seeking ticks and 1268 engorged ticks removed from pet animals. Borrelia afzelii and B. garinii prevailed both in ticks from vegetation (3.7% and 3.7%, respectively) and from pets (3.7% and 0.6%, respectively). Babesia canis and Ba. microti were the most prevalent in host-seeking (2.6% and 1.4%, respectively) and feeding ticks (2.8% and 2.2%, respectively). Babesia microti sequences proved to be identical to the human pathogenic Ba. microti genotype “Jena/Germany”. Sequences of the rarest piroplasm Ba. venatorum (0.7%) were identical with those isolated from European patients. About 1.0% of tested ticks yielded dual infections; in host-seeking ticks, Ba. canis prevailed in co-infections with B. afzelii and B. garinii, whereas Ba. microti and B. afzelii dominated in double-infected feeding ticks. Dual infections, even with a low prevalence, pose a challenge for differential diagnosis in patients with acute febrile disease after a tick bite. The finding of Ba. canis in both tick groups suggests that I. ricinus could be involved in the circulation of this piroplasm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 782 KiB)

20 pages, 2166 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Babesia bigemina Attenuated Vaccine and Virulent Strains of Mexican Origin

by Rebeca M. Santamaria, Karel Estrada, María E. López, Edith Rojas, Grecia Martínez, Yazmín Alcalá, Carmen Rojas, Jesús Antonio Álvarez, José J. Lira, Tomás V. Santamaria, Alejandro Sánchez-Flores and Julio V. Figueroa

Vaccines 2024, 12(3), 309; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12030309 - 15 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1059

Abstract

Bovine babesiosis, caused by the protozoan Babesia bigemina, is one of the most important hemoparasite diseases of cattle in Mexico and the world. An attenuated B. bigemina strain maintained under in vitro culture conditions has been used as a live attenuated vaccine; [...] Read more.

Bovine babesiosis, caused by the protozoan Babesia bigemina, is one of the most important hemoparasite diseases of cattle in Mexico and the world. An attenuated B. bigemina strain maintained under in vitro culture conditions has been used as a live attenuated vaccine; however, the biological mechanisms involved in attenuation are unknown. The objective of this study was to identify, through a comparative transcriptomics approach, the components of the B. bigemina virulent parasites that are differentially expressed in vivo, as opposed to those expressed by B. bigemina attenuated vaccine parasites when inoculated into naïve cattle. The biological material under study was obtained by inoculating spleen-intact cattle with infected erythrocytes containing either the attenuated strain or a virulent field strain. After RNA extraction, transcriptomic analysis (RNA-seq) was performed, followed by bioinformatic Differential Expression (DE) analysis and Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment. The high-throughput sequencing results obtained by analyzing three biological replicates for each parasite strain ranged from 9,504,000 to 9,656,000, and 13,400,000 to 15,750,000 reads for the B. bigemina attenuated and virulent strains, respectively. At least 519 differentially expressed genes were identified in the analyzed strains. In addition, GO analysis revealed both similarities and differences across the three categories: cellular components, biological processes, and molecular functions. The attenuated strain of B. bigemina derived from in vitro culture presents global transcriptomic changes when compared to the virulent strain. Moreover, the obtained data provide insights into the potential molecular mechanisms associated with the attenuation or pathogenicity of each analyzed strain, offering molecular markers that might be associated with virulence or potential vaccine candidates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 506 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Serosurvey of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection in Romania

by Andreea Mădălina Panciu, Cristina Alexandra Cheran, Eliza Daniela Militaru, Claudia Doina Rîciu and Adriana Hristea

Pathogens 2024, 13(3), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13030231 - 06 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1036

Abstract

Background: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a disease with mandatory declaration in the EU since 2012. Information regarding the seroprevalence of the disease across Romania is limited, and only sporadic cases are rarely reported. We aimed to identify new areas of TBEV infection in [...] Read more.

Background: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a disease with mandatory declaration in the EU since 2012. Information regarding the seroprevalence of the disease across Romania is limited, and only sporadic cases are rarely reported. We aimed to identify new areas of TBEV infection in different counties of Romania. Methods: We conducted a serosurvey assessing the immune response to TBEV infection in adult populations from rural areas in different counties of the country. Seropositivity was defined by a positive TBEV IgM/IgG ELISA test and confirmed by serum neutralization. Results: We collected 1116 samples from 15 different localities in 10 counties (divided into endemic/border/non-endemic counties) across Romania. Overall, 26 (2.3%) of the samples were tested positive using the TBEV ELISA assay in six counties. In those counties, 3.7% of sera were positive, varying from 1.4% to 6.9% per county. After performing the neutralization assay, seven (0.6%) samples were confirmed positive, interestingly all from one site in Sibiu County, where the seroprevalence was 9.7%. Conclusions: The identification of positive serum samples in serosurveys appears to rely on the discovery of TBEV microfoci. Further serological surveys should be conducted in Romania, especially after the identification of positive TBEV patients presenting for medical care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 744 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia spp. Molecular and Serological Evidence among Colombian Vectors and Animal Hosts: A Historical Review

by Lídia Gual-Gonzalez, Myriam E. Torres, Stella C. W. Self, Omar Cantillo-Barraza and Melissa S. Nolan

Insects 2024, 15(3), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15030170 - 02 Mar 2024

Viewed by 985

Abstract

Spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. (SFGR) are a large group of tick-borne bacteria causing important emerging and re-emerging diseases that affect animals and humans. While SFGR are found worldwide, a lack of surveillance and misdiagnosis particularly affect South American countries. Colombia is a [...] Read more.

Spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. (SFGR) are a large group of tick-borne bacteria causing important emerging and re-emerging diseases that affect animals and humans. While SFGR are found worldwide, a lack of surveillance and misdiagnosis particularly affect South American countries. Colombia is a high burdened country in South America, yet rickettsioses are not deemed a nationally reportable condition limiting disease-specific public health resources. As mortality rates are high for one Rickettsia pathogen species, there is a great need to better understand the epidemiological and ecological factors that increase SFGR transmission risk regionally. This literature review provides an overview of Colombia-based SFGR studies connecting knowledge about both vectors and hosts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

 

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

Displaying articles 1-4