Detection of Babesia, Borrelia, Anaplasma, and Rickettsia spp. in Adult Black-Legged Ticks (Ixodes scapularis) from Pennsylvania, United States, with a Luminex Multiplex Bead Assay

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2020 Jun;20(6):406-411. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2551. Epub 2020 Jan 23.

Abstract

Ixodes scapularis, the black-legged tick, harbors multiple organisms and transmits several pathogens to animals and humans. To determine the presence of tick-borne microorganisms carried by I. scapularis in Pennsylvania, 299 adult I. scapularis ticks were collected from across the state and tested with a multiplex bead panel targeting 20 microorganisms. The Luminex bead-based xMAP® MultiFLEX Mega Tick Panel detected microorganisms in these ticks, including Anaplasma spp. (1.7%), Borrelia spp. (45.8%), Babesia spp. (16.1%), and Rickettsia spp. (22.1%) at the genera level and identified Anaplasma phagocytophilum (1.7%), Babesia microti (0.7%), Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (45.5%), Borrelia miyamotoi (0.3%), and Rickettsia parkeri (0.7%) at the species level. Babesia spp. reactivity was found to be due to Ba. odocoilei, and Rickettsia spp. reactivity was mainly due to rickettsial endosymbionts.

Keywords: Ixodes scapularis; Luminex; PCR; Pennsylvania; tick-borne diseases; ticks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anaplasma / classification
  • Anaplasma / isolation & purification*
  • Animals
  • Babesia / isolation & purification*
  • Borrelia / classification
  • Borrelia / isolation & purification*
  • DNA / genetics
  • Ixodes / microbiology*
  • Pennsylvania
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Rickettsia / classification
  • Rickettsia / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • DNA