Stromdahl Ellen Y, Feldman Katherine A, Nadolny Robyn M, Kennedy Ashley C, Bement Zachary J, Buoni Michael, Rutz Heather, Broyhill James C, Bernick Joshua, Brinkerhoff R Jory, Ayuk-Takor Leslie, Crum David, da Silva Alexandre J, Dotseth Eric, Flammia Lori, Girone Kyle, Gaines David, Phan Anna, Pritt Bobbi S, Wee Siok-Bi, Gaff Holly D, Hynes Wayne L
Defense Centers for Public Health-Aberdeen, DHA Public Health, Edgewood, MD, USA.
Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
J Med Entomol. 2025 Apr 22. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjaf054.
The range of Babesia microti (Franca, 1910)-infected ticks is expanding, resulting in locally acquired human babesiosis cases occurring in new areas: Maryland (2009), the District of Columbia (2013), Virginia (2016), and West Virginia (2017). We collected host-seeking ticks from old fields, ecotones, forested habitats and animal hosts in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, 2010 to 2024. Ixodes scapularis Say, the tick vector of babesiosis, was captured in all 3 states. PCR revealed B. microti in 2.7% (36/1310) of I. scapularis, with site prevalence ranging from <1% to 12.5% infected. The first B. microti-positive I. scapularis was collected in Northampton County, Virginia, 2012. Of the B. microti-infected ticks, 50% (18/36) were coinfected with Borrelia burgdorferi and one was triple-infected with B. microti, B. burgdorferi, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. We collected Ixodes keiransi Beati, Nava, Venzal, and Guglielmone ticks from Delaware and Virginia. We found B. microti and B. burgdorferi in those from Virginia, and B. burgdorferi in ticks from a shrew in Delaware. To our knowledge, this is the first report of B. microti and B. burgdorferi-positive I. keiransi from Virginia, and the first report of B. burgdorferi-positive I. keiransi from Delaware. Ixodes keiransi ticks rarely bite humans but are involved in the maintenance and spread of pathogens when sympatric with I. scapularis. We tested a subset of both tick species for Babesia duncani; none were positive. Jurisdictions in the southern mid-Atlantic region should expect babesiosis cases, and Lyme disease and anaplasmosis coinfections, and healthcare providers should consider these tick-borne infections as part of the differential diagnosis.
微小巴贝斯虫（1910年，弗兰卡）感染蜱的分布范围正在扩大，导致新地区出现本地获得性人类巴贝斯虫病病例：马里兰州（2009年）、哥伦比亚特区（2013年）、弗吉尼亚州（2016年）和西弗吉尼亚州（2017年）。2010年至2024年期间，我们在特拉华州、马里兰州和弗吉尼亚州的旧田地、生态交错带、森林栖息地和动物宿主身上采集了寻找宿主的蜱。肩突硬蜱（Say）是巴贝斯虫病的蜱传播媒介，在这三个州均有捕获。聚合酶链反应显示，2.7%（36/1310）的肩突硬蜱携带微小巴贝斯虫，各采集地点的感染率从<1%到12.5%不等。第一只携带微小巴贝斯虫的阳性肩突硬蜱于2012年在弗吉尼亚州北安普敦县采集。在感染微小巴贝斯虫的蜱中，50%（18/36）同时感染了伯氏疏螺旋体，还有一只同时感染了微小巴贝斯虫、伯氏疏螺旋体和嗜吞噬细胞无形体。我们在特拉华州和弗吉尼亚州采集了凯尔兰硬蜱（Beati、Nava、Venzal和Guglielmone）。我们在来自弗吉尼亚州的蜱中发现了微小巴贝斯虫和伯氏疏螺旋体，在特拉华州一只鼩鼱身上的蜱中发现了伯氏疏螺旋体。据我们所知，这是弗吉尼亚州首次报告携带微小巴贝斯虫和伯氏疏螺旋体的凯尔兰硬蜱，也是特拉华州首次报告携带伯氏疏螺旋体的凯尔兰硬蜱。凯尔兰硬蜱很少叮咬人类，但与肩突硬蜱同域分布时会参与病原体的维持和传播。我们对这两种蜱的一个子集进行了邓肯巴贝斯虫检测；均为阴性。大西洋中部南部地区的司法管辖区应预计会出现巴贝斯虫病病例，以及莱姆病和无形体病合并感染，医疗服务提供者应将这些蜱传播感染作为鉴别诊断的一部分。
