Lukavská A, Kybicová K, Míchalová P, Navrátil J, Lamka J, Schánilec P
Epidemiol Mikrobiol Imunol. 2024;73(3):124-130. doi: 10.61568/emi/11-6352/20240726/138063.
To determine the occurrence of species of Babesia potentially pathogenic for humans in ticks and in the blood of dogs and deer in selected regions of the Czech Republic. To compare the prevalence of Babesia spp. in ticks with that of other tick-borne pathogens, such as Borrelia spp., Anaplasma spp., and Rickettsia spp.
Tick samples were individually homogenized. DNA was isolated from tick samples and animal blood. The detection of Babesia spp. was based on PCR of the 18S rRNA gene, and the identification to the species level was done by sequencing analysis of the PCR products.
In 2014-2016, ticks and blood of dogs and deer collected in various areas of the Czech Republic were analyzed. In a set of 675 Ixodes ricinus ticks, the positivity rate for Babesia spp. varied from 0.0 to 3.3 %. The species Babesia venatorum, Babesia microti (both pathogenic for humans), and Babesia capreoli were identified in ticks by sequencing analysis. The prevalence of Babesia spp. in ticks compared to that of other pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. (29.3 %) or Anaplasma phagocytophilum (4.9 %) was lower and comparable to that of Rickettsia spp. (1.6 %). Co-infection with Borrelia burgdorferi s.l (B. venatorum - Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii, and B. microti - B. afzelii) was found in a third of Babesia spp. positive ticks. Out of 109 dog blood samples, 3.7 % were positive for Babesia spp., specifically Babesia gibsoni and Babesia vulpes. Of 50 blood samples of wild deer from the natural ecosystem, the positivity rate reached 4.0 %. The species Babesia divergens, a major human pathogen, was identified. Out of 80 blood samples from farmed deer, 5.0 % were positive for the species Babesia odocoilei. Nucleotide sequences of the agents causing human babesiosis were deposited in the gene bank under accession numbers ON892053 (B. venatorum), ON892061 (B. microti), and ON892067 (B. divergens).
Using PCR of the 18S rRNA gene and amplicon sequencing, three species of Babesia causing human babesiosis were detected in the Czech Republic: B. divergens, B. venatorum, and B. microti. Babesia spp. pathogenic for humans pose a potential risk especially in asplenic and immunocompromised patients. The detected co-infections with Borrelia spp. can be the cause of a complicated course of the disease.
确定捷克共和国选定地区蜱虫以及犬类和鹿类血液中对人类具有潜在致病性的巴贝斯虫种类。比较巴贝斯虫属在蜱虫中的流行率与其他蜱传病原体，如疏螺旋体属、无形体属和立克次体属的流行率。
蜱虫样本单独匀浆。从蜱虫样本和动物血液中分离DNA。巴贝斯虫属的检测基于18S rRNA基因的PCR，通过对PCR产物进行测序分析鉴定到种水平。
2014 - 2016年，对在捷克共和国不同地区采集的蜱虫以及犬类和鹿类的血液进行了分析。在一组675只蓖麻硬蜱中，巴贝斯虫属的阳性率在0.0%至3.3%之间。通过测序分析在蜱虫中鉴定出了嗜吞噬细胞无形体（对人类致病）和微小巴贝斯虫以及鹿巴贝斯虫。与其他病原体如狭义伯氏疏螺旋体（29.3%）或嗜吞噬细胞无形体（4.9%）相比，蜱虫中巴贝斯虫属的流行率较低，与立克次体属（1.6%）相当。在三分之一的巴贝斯虫属阳性蜱虫中发现了与狭义伯氏疏螺旋体的共感染（嗜吞噬细胞无形体 - 加氏疏螺旋体、阿氏疏螺旋体，微小巴贝斯虫 - 阿氏疏螺旋体）。在109份犬类血液样本中，3.7%的样本巴贝斯虫属呈阳性，具体为吉氏巴贝斯虫和狐巴贝斯虫。在来自自然生态系统的50份野生鹿类血液样本中，阳性率达到4.0%。鉴定出了主要的人类病原体分歧巴贝斯虫。在80份养殖鹿类的血液样本中，5.0%的样本奥氏巴贝斯虫呈阳性。导致人类巴贝斯虫病的病原体的核苷酸序列已存入基因库，登录号分别为ON892053（嗜吞噬细胞无形体）、ON892061（微小巴贝斯虫）和ON892067（分歧巴贝斯虫）。
利用18S rRNA基因的PCR和扩增子测序，在捷克共和国检测到三种导致人类巴贝斯虫病的巴贝斯虫：分歧巴贝斯虫、嗜吞噬细胞无形体和微小巴贝斯虫。对人类致病的巴贝斯虫属尤其对无脾和免疫功能低下的患者构成潜在风险。检测到的与疏螺旋体属的共感染可能是疾病复杂病程的原因。
