RESUMEN
The importance of Dermacentor spp. in the transmission of tick-borne pathogens is not well recognized in Europe. To investigate the role of Dermacentor spp. in the transmission of tick-borne pathogens, questing ticks were collected in 9 sites from southern to northwestern France (Camargue Delta to Eastern Brittany) where Dermacentor spp. exist and tick-borne diseases had occurred previously. Three tick species were collected during the spring and autumn of 2009. Collected ticks (both males and females) included D. marginatus (n=377), D. reticulatus (n=74), and I. ricinus (n=45). All ticks were analyzed by PCR or reverse line blot for the presence of pathogens' DNA. Pathogens analyzed were based on veterinarian reports and included Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella burnetii, Anaplasma marginale, Borrelia burgdorferi, Bartonella spp., Babesia spp., Theileria spp., and Francisella sp. Francisella tularensis was not detected in any of the analyzed ticks. In D. marginatus, infection prevalence for A. phagocytophilum (3%) was similar to that found in I. ricinus in Europe. Other pathogens present in D. marginatus included A. marginale (0.5%), Bartonella spp. (9%), C. burnetii (12%), F. philomiragia (1.3%), and Theileria annulata/Babesia bovis (0.3%), which were detected for the first time in France. Pathogens detected in D. reticulatus included A. marginale (1%), Bartonella spp. (12%), C. burnetii (16%), Borrelia spp. (1.5%), and F. philomiragia (19%). Pathogens detected in I. ricinus included A. phagocytophilum (41%), Bartonella spp. (9%), C. burnetii (18%), A. marginale (1%), Borrelia spp. (4.5%), and Babesia sp. (7%). This study represents the first epidemiological approach to characterize tick-borne pathogens infecting Dermacentor spp. in France and that may be transmitted by ticks from this genus. Further experiments using experimental infections and transmission may be now conducted to analyze vector competency of Dermacentor spp. for these pathogens and to validate such hypothesis.
Asunto(s)
Vectores Arácnidos/microbiología , Dermacentor/microbiología , Bacterias Gramnegativas/aislamiento & purificación , Ixodes/microbiología , Piroplasmida/aislamiento & purificación , Enfermedades por Picaduras de Garrapatas/transmisión , Animales , Vectores Arácnidos/parasitología , Vectores Arácnidos/fisiología , Secuencia de Bases , Dermacentor/parasitología , Dermacentor/fisiología , Femenino , Francia/epidemiología , Geografía , Bacterias Gramnegativas/genética , Ixodes/parasitología , Ixodes/fisiología , Masculino , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Piroplasmida/genética , Prevalencia , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , Enfermedades por Picaduras de Garrapatas/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
AIMS: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are thought to play a central role in the pathogenesis of diabetes complications. For this reason, a non-invasive tool using skin autofluorescence (AF) quantification that correlates with levels of tissue AGEs has been developed. The present study aimed to assess whether or not skin AF is associated with microvascular complications in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS: All consecutive patients with T1D (n=133) had three AF measures taken on the forearm, using illumination with a fluorescent tube, all on the same day after breakfast or lunch. Potential associations between skin AF levels and microvascular complications, age, diabetes duration and health status were then assessed using a multivariate linear-regression model. RESULTS: On age-adjusted analyses, diabetes duration, retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy were significantly associated with skin AF levels (all P<0.001). AF levels increased significantly with severity in both retinopathy and nephropathy (P<0.001). After adjusting for age, diabetes duration, HbA(1c), smoking, retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy, the association of AF levels remained significant with nephropathy and neuropathy, but not with retinopathy and diabetes duration. CONCLUSION: This study suggests an independent association between skin AF levels and diabetic nephropathy and neuropathy, but not retinopathy, in T1D patients. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the ability of skin AF levels to predict microangiopathy.
Asunto(s)
Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/metabolismo , Nefropatías Diabéticas/metabolismo , Retinopatía Diabética/metabolismo , Productos Finales de Glicación Avanzada/metabolismo , Piel/metabolismo , Adulto , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/diagnóstico , Nefropatías Diabéticas/diagnóstico , Retinopatía Diabética/diagnóstico , Femenino , Productos Finales de Glicación Avanzada/análisis , Humanos , Modelos Lineales , Masculino , Análisis Multivariante , Pronóstico , Piel/química , Espectrometría de Fluorescencia/métodosRESUMEN
DNA extracts from 156 tick pools, 18 blood specimens and 17 spleens from European woodmice (Apodemus sylvaticus) collected in Brittany, France were tested by PCR for the 16S rRNA gene of Anaplasmataceae. Positive amplicons were sequenced and confirmed, either by amplification and sequencing of a second gene, or by a second PCR specific for the P44 and gltA genes of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and the gltA gene of Ehrlichia sp. HF. In addition to A. phagocytophilum, the study detected Ehrlichia sp. HF for the first time in Ixodes ricinus ticks. This organism has only been detected previously in Ixodes ovatus ticks from Japan.