A5050942077- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Plant and animal studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Study of Mite Species
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Meat and Animal Product Quality
University of Antwerp
2014-2024
Hasselt University
2017-2024
University of Oxford
2024
Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde
2020-2022
Princeton University
2018-2022
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
2022
University of Coimbra
2022
University of Lisbon
2022
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
2021
Evolutionary Genomics (United States)
2017
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the etiological agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis in humans and animals. Wild animals ticks play key roles enzootic cycles pathogen. Potential ecotypes A. have been characterized genetically, but their host range, zoonotic potential transmission dynamics has only incompletely resolved. The presence DNA was determined more than 6000 ixodid collected from vegetation wildlife, 289 tissue samples wild domestic animals, 69 keds deer, originating various geographic...
Abstract Ecological specialization to restricted diet niches is driven by obligate, and often maternally inherited, symbionts in many arthropod lineages. These heritable typically form evolutionarily stable associations with arthropods that can last for millions of years. Ticks were recently found harbour such an obligate symbiont, Coxiella ‐ LE , synthesizes B vitamins cofactors not obtained sufficient quantities from blood diet. In this study, the examination 81 tick species shows some...
Neoehrlichia mikurensis s an emerging and vector-borne zoonosis: The first human disease cases were reported in 2010. Limited information is available about the prevalence distribution of Europe, its natural life cycle reservoir hosts. An Ehrlichia-like schotti variant has been described questing Ixodes ricinus ticks, which could be identical to mikurensis. Three genetic markers, 16S rDNA, gltA GroEL, Ehrlichia schotti-positive tick lysates amplified, sequenced compared sequences from Based...
We examined the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato circulation in a tick community consisting of three species (Ixodes ricinus, I. frontalis, arboricola) with contrasting ecologies, but sharing two European songbird hosts (Parus major and Cyanistes caeruleus). Parus had highest infestation rates, primarily due to larger numbers probably because their greater low-level foraging. The prevalence feeding ticks did not significantly differ between bird species; however, P. particular hosted large...
Abstract Background Rodents are considered to contribute strongly the risk of tick-borne diseases by feeding Ixodes ricinus larvae and acting as amplifying hosts for pathogens. Here, we tested what extent these two processes depend on rodent density, which pathogen species rodents synergistically local disease risk, i.e. density infected nymphs (DIN). Methods In a natural woodland, manipulated densities in plots 2500 m 2 either supplementing critical food source (acorns) or removing during...
A major aim of evolutionary biology is to understand why patterns genomic diversity vary within taxa and space. Large-scale studies widespread species are useful for studying how environment demography shape divergence. Here, we describe one the most geographically comprehensive surveys variation in a wild vertebrate date; great tit (Parus major) HapMap project. We screened ca 500,000 SNP markers across 647 individuals from 29 populations, spanning ~30 degrees latitude 40 longitude - almost...
Abstract Birds are hosts for several zoonotic pathogens. Because of their high mobility, especially longdistance migrants, birds can disperse these pathogens, affecting distribution and phylogeography. We focused on Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, which includes the causative agents Lyme borreliosis, as an example tick‐borne to address role propagation at a large geographical scale. collected ticks from passerine in 11 European countries. B . s.l. prevalence Ixodes spp. was 37% increased...
The incidence of tick-borne diseases is increasing in Europe. Sub national information on tick distribution, ecology and vector status often lacking. However, precise location infection risk can lead to better targeted prevention measures, surveillance control. In this context, the current paper compiled geolocated occurrences Belgium, a country where disease has received little attention, order highlight potential value spatial approaches draw some recommendations for future research...
Birds play a major role in the maintenance of enzootic cycles pathogens transmitted by ticks. Due to their mobility, they affect spatial distribution and abundance both ticks pathogens. In present study, we aim identify members pathogen community [Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.), B. miyamotoi, 'Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis', Anaplasma phagocytophilum Rickettsia helvetica] songbird-derived from 11 locations Netherlands Belgium (2012-2014).Overall, 375 infested songbird individuals were captured,...
Summary We investigated to what extent a E uropean songbird ( P arus major ) selectively transmits and amplifies B orrelia burgdorferi s.l. bacteria. ‐naïve birds were recurrently exposed Ixodes ricinus nymphs carrying community of more than 34 5 S –23 genotypes belonging five genospecies garinii , valaisiana afzelii . s.s. spielmanii ). Fed ticks screened for after moulting. found evidence co‐feeding transmission avian possibly also mammalian genotypes. Throughout the course infestations,...
Hard ticks are widely distributed across temperate regions, show strong variation in host associations, and potential vectors of a diversity medically important zoonoses, such as Lyme disease. To address unresolved issues with respect to the evolutionary relationships among certain species or genera, we produced novel RNA-Seq data sets for nine different Ixodes species. We combined this new 18 obtained from public databases, both non-Ixodes hard tick species, using soft an outgroup....
Abstract Background The majority of the African population lives in rural areas where they heavily depend on crop and livestock production for their livelihoods. Given socio-economic importance, we initiated a standardized multi-country (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia Tanzania Uganda) surveillance study to assess current status important tick-borne haemoparasites (TBHPs) cattle. Methods We assessed pathogen prevalences ( Anaplasma marginale, centrale, Babesia bigemina, bovis,...
1 Little information is available on the ecological interactions between ticks and their hosts under natural conditions, particularly so for avian hosts. To understand this host–parasite interaction it necessary to assess physiological harm can do host. 2 We combined observational experimental (field laboratory) data examine effects of a common tick species with major economic importance, sheep (Ixodes ricinus), health status passerine bird, great tit (Parus major). 3 In laboratory...
Background Climate change potentially has important effects on distribution, abundance, transmission and virulence of parasites in wild populations animals. Methodology/Principal Finding Here we analyzed paired information 89 parasite for 24 species bird hosts some years ago again 2010 with an average interval 10 years. The taxa included protozoa, feather parasites, diptera, ticks, mites fleas. We investigated whether abundance prevalence was related to body condition, reproduction...
Summary B orrelia miyamotoi is a tick‐borne bacterium that may cause relapsing fever in humans. As this pathogen has been discovered Europe only recently, little known about its local impact on human health and spatial distribution. In study, we show the results of PCR screenings for . flagged I xodes ricinus from Belgium Netherlands. was detected nine thirteen, three five locations Netherlands Belgium, respectively. These outcomes indicate more spread than previously thought. The mean...
Summary We investigated the transmission dynamics of a community tick‐borne pathogenic bacteria in common E uropean songbird ( P arus major ). Tick‐naïve birds were infested with three successive batches (spaced 5 days apart) field‐collected I xodes ricinus nymphs, carrying following bacteria: R ickettsia helvetica (16.9%), B orrelia garinii (1.9%), miyamotoi (1.6%), A naplasma phagocytophilum (1.2%) and C andidatus N eoehrlichia mikurensis (0.4%). Fed ticks screened for pathogens after...
SUMMARY Lyme disease is caused by bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi genospecies complex and transmitted Ixodid ticks. In North America only one pathogenic occurs, in Europe there are several. According to dilution effect hypothesis (DEH), formulated America, nymphal infection prevalence (NIP) decreases with increasing host diversity since species differ transmission potential. We analysed nymphs from 94 forest stands Belgium, which part a diversification gradient supposedly related...
Bird song has been hypothesized to evolve, partly, signal health status of males, and features should therefore correlate with parasite load. Immune function, parasitism, secondary sexual characters can, however, differ between age classes, any apparent relationship loads can be the result systematic effects. We tested for an age-dependent sexually selected measures parasitism in a Spanish population barn swallow Hirundo rustica. A comparison across classes revealed that chewing lice load,...
In non-permanent parasites the separation from host should take place in suitable habitats that allow continuation of their life cycle. Furthermore, detachment strategies determine parasites' dispersal capability, a characteristic on which epidemiological dynamics and evolution specificity centre. this study we experimentally investigate laboratory how 2 congeneric tick species, with contrasting habitat requirements, time one current songbird hosts (Parus major). Ixodes arboricola is...
Our study tested whether two European bird-specialized ticks, Ixodes arboricola and I. frontalis, can act as vectors in the transmission cycles of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. The ticks have contrasting ecologies but share songbird hosts (such great tit, Parus major) with generalist ricinus which may therefore a bridging vector. In first phase experiment, we obtained Borrelia-infected ornithophilic nymphs by exposing larvae to tits that had previously been exposed carrying community genospecies...