Metagenomic Nanopore Sequencing of Tickborne Pathogens, Mongolia.

We performed nanopore-based metagenomic screening on 885 ticks collected from 6 locations in Mongolia and divided the results into 68 samples: 23 individual samples and 45 pools of 2-12 tick samples each. We detected bacterial and parasitic pathogens Anaplasma ovis, Babesia microti, Coxiella burnetii, Borrelia miyamotoi, Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica and novicida, Spiroplasma ixodetis, Theileria equi, and Rickettsia spp.

Toscana virus - an emerging Mediterranean arbovirus transmitted by sand flies.

Toscana virus (TOSV) is an emerging arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) of medical importance that is increasing its range across much of the Mediterranean Basin, Europe and the Middle East. Transmitted by spp. sand flies, it is the most clinically relevant sand fly-borne phlebovirus.

Viral pathogen detection in U.S. game-farm mallard () flags spillover risk to wild birds.

The threat posed by emerging infectious diseases is a major concern for global public health, animal health and food security, and the role of birds in transmission is increasingly under scrutiny. Each year, millions of mass-reared game-farm birds are released into the wild, presenting a unique and a poorly understood risk to wild and susceptible bird populations, and to human health. In particular, the shedding of enteric pathogens through excrement into bodies of water at shared migratory stop-over sites, and breeding and wintering grounds, could facilitate multi-species long-distance pathogen dispersal and infection of high numbers of naive endemic birds annually.

Novel clades of tick-borne pathogenic nairoviruses in Europe.

Members of the Orthonairovirus genus (family Nairoviridae) include many tick-borne viruses of significant human and animal health impact, with several recently-documented pathogenic viruses lacking sufficient epidemiological information. We screened 215 adult ticks of seven species collected in Bulgaria, Georgia, Latvia and Poland for orthonairoviruses, followed by nanopore sequencing (NS) for genome characterization. Initial generic amplification revealed Sulina virus (SULV, Orthonairovirus sulinaense), for which an updated amplification assay was used, revealing an overall prevalence of 2.

Nanopore-based metagenomics reveal a new Rickettsia in Europe.

Accurate identification of tick-borne bacteria, including those associated with rickettsioses, pose significant challenges due to the polymicrobial and polyvectoral nature of the infections. We aimed to carry out a comparative evaluation of a non-targeted metagenomic approach by nanopore sequencing (NS) and commonly used PCR assays amplifying Rickettsia genes in field-collected ticks. The study included a total of 310 ticks, originating from Poland (44.

The expanding range of emerging tick-borne viruses in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region.

We analysed both pooled and individual tick samples collected from four countries in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region, using metagenome-based nanopore sequencing (NS) and targeted amplification. Initially, 1337 ticks, belonging to 11 species, were screened in 217 pools. Viruses (21 taxa) and human pathogens were detected in 46.

Comprehensive Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Human Sandfly-Borne Phlebovirus Exposure in an Endemic Region.

Sandfly-borne phleboviruses are endemic in countries around the Mediterranean Basin and pose a significant health threat for populations, with symptoms spanning from febrile diseases to central nervous system involvement. We carried out a comprehensive cross-sectional screening via microneutralization (MN) assays for a quantitative assessment of neutralizing antibodies (NAs) to seven phleboviruses representing three distinct serocomplexes, using samples previously screened via immunofluorescence assays (IFAs) in Turkey, an endemic region with various phleboviruses in circulation. We detected NAs to three phleboviruses: Toscana virus (TOSV), sandfly fever Naples virus (SFNV), and sandfly fever Sicilian virus (SFSV), while assays utilizing Adana virus, Punique virus, Massilia virus, and Zerdali virus remained negative.

Impact of nanopore-based metagenome sequencing on tick-borne virus detection.

Introduction: We evaluated metagenomic nanopore sequencing (NS) in field-collected ticks and compared findings from amplification-based assays.

Methods: Forty tick pools collected in Anatolia, Turkey and screened by broad-range or nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) and Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) were subjected to NS using a standard, cDNA-based metagenome approach.

Results: Eleven viruses from seven genera/species were identified.

Hepatitis E Virus Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in High-Risk Groups: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Seroepidemiology, risk factors to hepatitis E virus exposure, and prevalence of hepatitis E virus viremia have not yet been investigated among patients under immunosuppression or with liver disease that are high risk for infection in Turkey.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 292 consecutive serum samples from renal transplant recipients, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, patients with acute hepatitis, and patients with chronic hepatitis C were prospectively collected in a ter- tiary university hospital. Sera were tested for hepatitis E virus immunoglobulin G/immunoglobulin M and hepatitis E virus ribonucleic acid using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and in-house nested polymerase chain reaction with Sanger sequencing, respectively.

Metagenomic Investigation of Ticks From Kenyan Wildlife Reveals Diverse Microbial Pathogens and New Country Pathogen Records.

Focusing on the utility of ticks as xenosurveillance sentinels to expose circulating pathogens in Kenyan drylands, host-feeding ticks collected from wild ungulates [buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, hartebeest, impala, rhinoceros (black and white), zebras (Grévy's and plains)], carnivores (leopards, lions, spotted hyenas, wild dogs), as well as regular domestic and Boran cattle were screened for pathogens using metagenomics. A total of 75 host-feeding ticks [ (97.3%) and (2.

West Nile Virus Seroprevalence in Manisa Province: A Population-based Study.

Objective: West Nile Virus (WNV), which causes widespread outbreaks in different parts of the world, is a risk to public health in Turkey, too. Community-based study data are needed to identify measures against possible outbreaks. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of community-based WNV in Manisa and to investigate the relationship between sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables.

A Highly Potent SARS-CoV-2 Blocking Lectin Protein.

The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease-19) pandemic affected more than 180 million people around the globe, causing more than five million deaths as of January 2022. SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the new coronavirus, has been identified as the primary cause of the infection. The number of vaccinated people is increasing; however, prophylactic drugs are highly demanded to ensure secure social contact.

History and classification of Aigai virus (formerly Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus genotype VI).

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is the medically most important member of the rapidly expanding bunyaviral family . Traditionally, CCHFV isolates have been assigned to six distinct genotypes. Here, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Study Group outlines the reasons for the recent decision to re-classify genogroup VI (aka Europe-2 or AP-92-like) as a distinct virus, Aigai virus (AIGV).

Investigation of Dientamoeba fragilis and Blastocystis in patients from Turkey with ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome: Any relation with genotypes?

Blastocystis sp. and Dientamoeba fragilis are two most common protists worldwide, whose pathogenic potentials are a matter of debate since their discovery. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the activation of ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with these protists.

Several Tick-Borne Pathogenic Viruses in Circulation in Anatolia, Turkey.

We screened host-collected ticks for tick-borne viruses, including those recently documented as human pathogens. During 2020-2021, ticks removed form cattle, sheep, dogs, and cats in 11 provinces in 5 geographically distinct regions of Anatolia were identified, pooled, and screened using pan-nairovirus, pan-flavivirus and individual assays for Jingmen tick virus (JMTV), and Tacheng tick virus 1 and 2 (TcTV-1 and TcTV-2). A total of 901 tick specimens, comprising 6 species were included.

New viruses on the rise: a One Health and ecosystem-based perspective on emerging viruses.

Empowered by interdisciplinary collaboration, we now have the tools to identify new viruses, contain future outbreaks and broadly understand natural processes toward a global health.