Establishment and partial characterisation of a new cell line derived from adult tissues of the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans morsitans.

Background: Insect cell lines play a vital role in many aspects of research on disease vectors and agricultural pests. The tsetse fly Glossina morsitans morsitans is an important vector of salivarian trypanosomes in sub-Saharan Africa and, as such, is a major constraint on human health and agricultural development in the region.

Methods: Here, we report establishment and partial characterisation of a cell line, GMA/LULS61, derived from tissues of adult female G.

Microbiome and mitogenomics of the chigger mite Pentidionis agamae: potential role as an Orientia vector and associations with divergent clades of Wolbachia and Borrelia.

Background: Trombiculid mites are globally distributed, highly diverse arachnids that largely lack molecular resources such as whole mitogenomes for the elucidation of taxonomic relationships. Trombiculid larvae (chiggers) parasitise vertebrates and can transmit bacteria (Orientia spp.) responsible for scrub typhus, a zoonotic febrile illness.

Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis Indicates Potential Cryptic Speciation in the Chigger Mite (Hatori, 1920) Parasitising Birds in Asia.

is widely distributed in Asia, preferentially parasitising birds, and heavy infestations have clinical impacts on domestic fowl. In common with other trombiculid mites, the genetic diversity and potential variation in host preferences or pathology induced by are poorly understood. This study aimed to unravel the geographical variation and population structure of collected from galliform birds in Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand by inference from concatenated mitochondrial-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and nuclear-encoded internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and 18S ribosomal DNA gene sequences, including a comparison with previously published data from southeastern China.

A Multi-landscape Assessment of Leptospira Prevalence on a Diversity of Small Mammals.

Leptospirosis is a major zoonotic disease, especially in the tropics, and rodents were known to be carriers of this bacterium. There was established information on Leptospira prevalence among animal reservoirs in human-dominated landscapes from previous literature. However, there was very little focus given comparing the prevalence of Leptospira in a wide range of habitats.

Molecular Surveillance for Vector-Borne Bacteria in Rodents and Tree Shrews of Peninsular Malaysia Oil Palm Plantations.

Many human clinical cases attributed to vector-borne pathogens are underreported in Malaysia, especially in rural localities where healthcare infrastructures are lacking. Here, 217 small mammals, consisting of rodents and tree shrews, were trapped in oil palm plantations in the Peninsular Malaysia states of Johor and Perak. Species identification was performed using morphological and DNA barcoding analyses, and 203 small mammals were included in the detection of selected vector-borne bacteria.

Habitat and Season Drive Chigger Mite Diversity and Abundance on Small Mammals in Peninsular Malaysia.

Chigger mites are vectors of the bacterial disease scrub typhus, caused by spp. The bacterium is vertically transmitted in the vector and horizontally transmitted to terrestrial vertebrates (primarily wild small mammals), with humans as incidental hosts. Previous studies have shown that the size of the chigger populations is correlated with the density of small mammals in scrub typhus-endemic regions.

Leptospirosis among Dengue-Negative Febrile Patients in Selangor, Malaysia.

In recent years, the number of leptospirosis cases, including the number of deaths, has exponentially increased in Malaysia. From June 2016 to February 2018, blood samples of 321 febrile patients with the presumptive diagnosis of dengue-like illness were examined for possible exposure to Leptospira. Two hundred fifty-five blood samples were tested as negative for dengue.

New Cell Lines Derived from European Tick Species.

Tick cell lines are important tools for research on ticks and the pathogens they transmit. Here, we report the establishment of ten new cell lines from European ticks of the genera , , , and originating from Germany and Spain. For each cell line, the method used to generate the primary culture, a morphological description of the cells and species confirmation by sequencing of the partial 16S rRNA gene are presented.

Comprehensive approaches for the detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei and diagnosis of melioidosis in human and environmental samples.

Melioidosis is endemic in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. The causative agent of melioidosis is a Gram-negative bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei. Its invasion can be fatal if melioidosis is not treated promptly.

Molecular evidence of rat bocavirus among rodents in Peninsular Malaysia.

Rat bocavirus (RBoV) and rodent bocavirus (RoBoV) have previously been detected in Rattus norvegicus; however, these viruses have not been reported in rodent populations in Malaysia. We investigated the presence of RBoV and RoBoV in archived rodent specimens. DNA barcoding of the rodent cytochrome c oxidase gene identified five different species: Rattus tanezumi R3 mitotype, Rattus tiomanicus, Rattus exulans, Rattus argentiventer, and Rattus tanezumi sensu stricto.

Multiyear prospective cohort study to evaluate the risk potential of MERS-CoV infection among Malaysian Hajj pilgrims (MERCURIAL): a study protocol.

Introduction: Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory infection caused by the MERS-CoV. MERS was first reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2012. Every year, the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca attracts more than two million pilgrims from 184 countries, making it one of the largest annual religious mass gatherings (MGs) worldwide.

Tick: A Contextual Review for Southeast Asia.

species are distributed globally with a notifiable presence in Southeast Asia (SEA) within animal and human populations. The species are highly adaptive and have established successful coexistence within human dwellings and are known to be active all year round, predominantly in tropical and subtropical climates existing in SEA. In this review, the morphological characteristics, epidemiology, and epizootiology of tick species found in SEA are reviewed.

Replication Kinetics of in Tick Cell Lines.

is one of the causative agents of tick-borne lymphadenopathy in humans. This bacterium was previously isolated and propagated in tick cell lines; however, the growth characteristics have not been investigated. Here, we present the replication kinetics of in cell lines derived from different tick genera (BME/CTVM23, RSE/PILS35, and IDE8).

Current tools for the diagnosis and detection of spotted fever group Rickettsia.

Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae causes a number of diseases in humans worldwide, which can range from mild to highly lethal. Since the clinical presentations of rickettsioses caused by SFG rickettsiae are variable and may be similar to the diseases caused by other rickettsiae, such as Orientia tsutsugamushi (agent for scrub typhus), Coxiella burnetii (agent for Q fever) and the typhus group rickettsiae (agents for epidemic and murine typhus), the accurate diagnosis of infections caused by SFG Rickettsia remains challenging especially in resource-poor settings in developing countries. This review summarizes the various diagnostic and detection tools that are currently available for the confirmation of infections by SFG rickettsiae.

Isolation of Streptococcus cuniculi from corneal lesion in laboratory-raised mice.

Corneal lesions appearing as white mass beneath intact epithelium, with ocular discharge in one mouse, was observed in a batch of laboratory-raised BALB/c mice (n=9 of 56). The affected mice remained active, well-groomed and had normal appetite. Isolates recovered from swab cultures of the external and internal contents of the eye had partial 16S rRNA gene sequence of 99.

Molecular detection of pathogens from ectoparasites recovered from peri-domestic animals, and the first description of a Candidatus Midichloria sp. from Haemaphysalis wellingtoni from rural communities in Malaysia.

Rural communities in Malaysia have been shown to be exposed to Coxiella, Borrelia and rickettsial infections in previous seroprevalence studies. Further research is necessary to identify the actual causative agents and the potential vectors of these infections. The arthropods parasitizing peri-domestic animals in these communities may serve as the vector in transmitting arthropod-borne and zoonotic agents to the humans.

Isolation and Propagation of Laboratory Strains and a Novel Flea-Derived Field Strain of in Tick Cell Lines.

are intracellular endosymbionts of several invertebrate taxa, including insects and nematodes. Although DNA has been detected in ticks, its presence is generally associated with parasitism by insects. To determine whether or not can infect and grow in tick cells, cell lines from three tick species, , and , were inoculated with strains Stri and AlbB isolated from mosquito cell lines.

Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi among the indigenous people (Orang Asli) of Peninsular Malaysia.

Introduction: Lyme disease has been well-described in the North America and European countries. However, information is still very limited in the developing countries including Malaysia. The Orang Asli (OA), the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia reside mostly in the forest and forest fringe areas abundant with the vector for Lyme disease.

Bacterial communities in Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor and Amblyomma ticks collected from wild boar of an Orang Asli Community in Malaysia.

Ticks are hematophagous vectors of arthropod-borne disease agents globally. In Malaysia, despite seroprevalence studies indicating the presence of tick-borne diseases among the indigenous people, the etiological agents of these diseases are still unclear. These indigenous people, also known as the Orang Asli, still live in forested areas with frequent contact with wildlife.

Serological evidence of DENV, JEV, and ZIKV among the indigenous people (Orang Asli) of Peninsular Malaysia.

Dengue virus (DENV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) are mosquito-borne flavivirus of medical importance in tropical countries such as Malaysia. However, much remains unknown regarding their prevalence among the underserved indigenous people (Orang Asli) living in communities in the forest fringe areas of Peninsular Malaysia. Information on the prevalence of diseases is necessary to elevate the effectiveness of disease control and preventive measures.

An overview of rickettsiae in Southeast Asia: Vector-animal-human interface.

Rickettsioses are emerging, and re-emerging diseases caused by obligate intracellular arthropod-borne bacteria that infect humans and animals worldwide. Various rickettsiae such as Orientia, Rickettsia, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia have been circulated in companion, domesticated and wild animals through bites of infected ticks, fleas, lice or mites. This review summarizes the infections of rickettsiae, including the newly discovered regional species Rickettsia thailandii, Candidatus Rickettsia sepangensis, Candidatus Rickettsia johorensis, Candidatus Rickettsia laoensis, Candidatus Rickettsia mahosotii, Candidatus Rickettsia khammouanensis, Candidatus Anaplasma pangolinii, and other novel genotypes in vectors, humans and animals in Southeast Asia.

Detection of a Borrelia sp. From Ixodes granulatus Ticks Collected From Rodents in Malaysia.

The Borrelia genus consists of spirochete bacteria known to cause Lyme disease (LD) and relapsing fever in humans. Borrelia pathogens are commonly transmitted via arthropod vectors such as ticks, mites, or lice. Here, we report the molecular screening of LD group Borrelia sp.

Seroprevalence of Q Fever Among the Indigenous People (Orang Asli) of Peninsular Malaysia.

Q fever is a disease caused by Coxiella burnetii. It is a disease of public health concern in many parts of the world. In this study, we described the seroprevalence of Q fever among selected populations of Orang Asli (OA), indigenous people, many of whom live within the forest fringe areas of Peninsular Malaysia.

Oral immunization of a non-recombinant Lactococcus lactis surface displaying influenza hemagglutinin 1 (HA1) induces mucosal immunity in mice.

Mucosal immunization of influenza vaccine is potentially an effective approach for the prevention and control of influenza. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the ability of oral immunization with a non-recombinant Lactococcus lactis displaying HA1/L/AcmA recombinant protein, LL-HA1/L/AcmA, to induce mucosal immune responses and to accord protection against influenza virus infection in mice. The LL-HA1/L/AcmA was orally administered into mice and the immune response was evaluated.