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  1. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens in animals and humans in the island nations of Southeast Asia: A review
    Sharifah N, Heo CC, Ehlers J, Houssaini J, Tappe D
    Acta Trop, 2020 Sep;209:105527.
    PMID: 32447029 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105527
    Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites and major vectors of pathogens that cause infectious diseases in humans and animals worldwide including mammals, birds and reptiles. Despite the growing scientific effort in the 20th century, there is still limited information on ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Southeast Asia, especially concerning medical, veterinary, socioeconomic and agricultural aspects in the island nations. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of ticks and their pathogens in the island nations of Southeast Asia and peninsular Malaysia. We aim to stimulate further research studies on ticks and tick-borne pathogens of human and veterinary importance in this geographical region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases/microbiology*; Tick-Borne Diseases/parasitology*
  2. Tick-borne viruses: a review from the perspective of therapeutic approaches
    Lani R, Moghaddam E, Haghani A, Chang LY, AbuBakar S, Zandi K
    Ticks Tick Borne Dis, 2014 Sep;5(5):457-65.
    PMID: 24907187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.04.001
    Several important human diseases worldwide are caused by tick-borne viruses. These diseases have become important public health concerns in recent years. The tick-borne viruses that cause diseases in humans mainly belong to 3 families: Bunyaviridae, Flaviviridae, and Reoviridae. In this review, we focus on therapeutic approaches for several of the more important tick-borne viruses from these 3 families. These viruses are Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHF) and the newly discovered tick-borne phleboviruses, known as thrombocytopenia syndromevirus (SFTSV), Heartland virus and Bhanja virus from the family Bunyaviridae, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Powassan virus (POWV), Louping-ill virus (LIV), Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus (OHFV), Kyasanur Forest disease virus (KFDV), and Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus (AHFV) from the Flaviviridae family. To date, there is no effective antiviral drug available against most of these tick-borne viruses. Although there is common usage of antiviral drugs such as ribavirin for CCHF treatment in some countries, there are concerns that ribavirin may not be as effective as once thought against CCHF. Herein, we discuss also the availability of vaccines for the control of these viral infections. The lack of treatment and prevention approaches for these viruses is highlighted, and we hope that this review may increase public health awareness with regard to the threat posed by this group of viruses.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases/virology*
  3. Fulltext Factors Associated with Tick Bite Preventive Practices among Farmworkers in Malaysia
    Ghane Kisomi M, Wong LP, Tay ST, Bulgiba A, Zandi K, Kho KL, et al.
    PLoS One, 2016;11(6):e0157987.
    PMID: 27341678 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157987
    BACKGROUND: Farmworkers are at high-risk for tick bites, which potentially transmit various tick-borne diseases. Previous studies show that personal prevention against tick bites is key, and certain factors namely, knowledge, experience of tick bites, and health beliefs influence compliance with tick bites preventive behaviour. This study aimed to assess these factors and their associations with tick bite preventive practices among Malaysian farmworkers.

    METHODS: A total of eight cattle, goat and sheep farms in six states in Peninsular Malaysia participated in a cross-sectional survey between August and October 2013.

    RESULTS: A total of 151 (72.2%) out of 209 farmworkers answered the questionnaire. More than half of the farmworkers (n = 91) reported an experience of tick bites. Farms with monthly acaricide treatment had significantly (P<0.05) a low report of tick bites. Tick bite exposure rates did not differ significantly among field workers and administrative workers. The mean total knowledge score of ticks for the overall farmworkers was 13.6 (SD±3.2) from 20. The mean total tick bite preventive practices score for all farmworkers was 8.3 (SD±3.1) from 15. Fixed effect model showed the effects of four factors on tick bite prevention: (1) farms, (2) job categories (administrative workers vs. field workers), (3) perceived severity of tick bites, and (4) perceived barriers to tick bite prevention.

    CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of farmworkers, including administrative workers, reported an experience of tick bites. The effectiveness of monthly acaricide treatment was declared by low reports of tick bites on these farms. Tick bite preventive practices were insufficient, particularly in certain farms and for administrative workers. Our findings emphasise the need to have education programmes for all farmworkers and targeting farms with low prevention practices. Education and health programmes should increase the perception of the risk of tick bites and remove perceived barriers of tick bite prevention.

    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases/prevention & control*; Tick-Borne Diseases/therapy; Tick-Borne Diseases/transmission
  4. Fulltext Tick fauna of Malaysian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) in Bangi, Malaysia
    Konto M, Fufa GI, Zakaria A, Tukur SM, Watanabe M, Ola-Fadunsin SD, et al.
    Vet World, 2015 Oct;8(10):1167-71.
    PMID: 27047012 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2015.1167-1171
    The red jungle fowl is generally considered as one of the endangered Asian wild Galleopheasants due to man-made encroachment of their habitats, coupled with the effect of disease and disease causing organisms like ticks and tick-borne infections. This study aimed to determine the tick fauna of the red jungle fowl and their predilection sites based on developmental stages.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases
  5. Molecular detection of tick-borne haemopathogens in shelter dogs and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (sensu lato) ticks from Peninsular Malaysia
    Sipin Q, Mustaffa Kamal F, Watanabe M, Megat Abdul Rani PA, Low VL, Abdul Aziz NA
    Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis, 2020 Dec;73:101563.
    PMID: 33120297 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2020.101563
    Ticks are important vectors in transmitting various pathogens and they could jeopardize the health and welfare of humans and animals worldwide. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of important tick-borne haemopathogens (TBH) in dogs and ticks via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. A total of 220 blood samples and 140 ticks were collected from 10 animal shelters in Peninsular Malaysia. Of 220 blood samples, 77 (35 %) were positive to TBH, of which 20 % were E. canis, 12 % were A. platys, 7 % were B. gibsoni and 7 % were B. vogeli. All ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus with five samples (3.57 %) positive with TBH. Co-infections of TBH (0.45-9.55 %) in dogs were also observed in this study.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases/blood; Tick-Borne Diseases/diagnosis; Tick-Borne Diseases/epidemiology; Tick-Borne Diseases/veterinary*
  6. Fulltext The Tick Cell Biobank: A global resource for in vitro research on ticks, other arthropods and the pathogens they transmit
    Bell-Sakyi L, Darby A, Baylis M, Makepeace BL
    Ticks Tick Borne Dis, 2018 07;9(5):1364-1371.
    PMID: 29886187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.05.015
    Tick cell lines are increasingly used in many fields of tick and tick-borne disease research. The Tick Cell Biobank was established in 2009 to facilitate the development and uptake of these unique and valuable resources. As well as serving as a repository for existing and new ixodid and argasid tick cell lines, the Tick Cell Biobank supplies cell lines and training in their maintenance to scientists worldwide and generates novel cultures from tick species not already represented in the collection. Now part of the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool, the Tick Cell Biobank has embarked on a new phase of activity particularly targeted at research on problems caused by ticks, other arthropods and the diseases they transmit in less-developed, lower- and middle-income countries. We are carrying out genotypic and phenotypic characterisation of selected cell lines derived from tropical tick species. We continue to expand the culture collection, currently comprising 63 cell lines derived from 18 ixodid and argasid tick species and one each from the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis and the biting midge Culicoides sonorensis, and are actively engaging with collaborators to obtain starting material for primary cell cultures from other midge species, mites, tsetse flies and bees. Outposts of the Tick Cell Biobank will be set up in Malaysia, Kenya and Brazil to facilitate uptake and exploitation of cell lines and associated training by scientists in these and neighbouring countries. Thus the Tick Cell Biobank will continue to underpin many areas of global research into biology and control of ticks, other arthropods and vector-borne viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases/microbiology; Tick-Borne Diseases/parasitology; Tick-Borne Diseases/transmission; Tick-Borne Diseases/virology
  7. Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses and Murine Typhus in a Malaysian Teaching Hospital
    Kho KL, Koh FX, Singh HK, Zan HA, Kukreja A, Ponnampalavanar S, et al.
    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2016 10 05;95(4):765-768.
    PMID: 27402519
    Limited information is available on the etiological agents of rickettsioses in southeast Asia. Herein, we report the molecular investigation of rickettsioses in four patients attending a teaching hospital in Malaysia. DNA of Rickettsia sp. RF2125, Rickettsia typhi, and a rickettsia closely related to Rickettsia raoultii was detected in the blood samples of the patients. Spotted fever group rickettsioses and murine typhus should be considered in the diagnosis of patients with nonspecific febrile illness in this region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases/diagnosis*; Tick-Borne Diseases/microbiology; Tick-Borne Diseases/transmission
  8. Ehrlichia and Anaplasma Infections: Serological Evidence and Tick Surveillance in Peninsular Malaysia
    Koh FX, Kho KL, Kisomi MG, Wong LP, Bulgiba A, Tan PE, et al.
    J Med Entomol, 2018 02 28;55(2):269-276.
    PMID: 29202206 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx204
    Little information is available on human anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis in Southeast Asia despite increasing reports of the detection of Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia spp. in the ticks. We report herein the serological findings against the tick-borne pathogens in a group of animal farm workers (n = 87) and indigenous people (n = 102) in Peninsular Malaysia. IgG antibodies against Ehrlichia chaffeensis were detected from 29.9% and 34.3% of farm workers and indigenous people, respectively, using commercial indirect immunofluorescence assays. Comparatively, only 6.9% of the indigenous people but none of the animal farm workers were seropositive to Anaplasma phagocytophilum. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the 16S rRNA gene of Anaplasmataceae was used to identify Anaplastamataceae in ticks collected from various locations adjacent to the areas where the serological survey was conducted. In this study, a total of 61.5% of ticks infesting farm animals, 37.5% of ticks infesting peri-domestic animals in rural villages, 27.3% of ticks collected from wildlife animals, and 29.1% of questing ticks collected from forest vegetation were positive for Anaplasmataceae DNA. Sequence analyses of 16S rRNA gene region (238 bp) provide the identification for Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma platys, A. phagocytophilum, and Anaplasma spp. closely related to Candidatus Cryptoplasma californiense in ticks. E. chaffeensis DNA was not detected from any ticks, instead, Ehrlichia sp. strain EBm52, Ehrlichia mineirensis and Candidatus Ehrlichia shimanensis are the only Ehrlichia sp. identified from cattle ticks in this study. Further investigation is required to ascertain the occurrence of zoonotic transmission of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma infections in Peninsular Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases/microbiology; Tick-Borne Diseases/epidemiology*
  9. Fulltext Factors influencing the prevalence and distribution of ticks and tick- borne pathogens among domestic animals in Malaysia
    Mohammed, Konto, Tukur, Salamatu M., Watanabe, Mahira, Abd-rani, Puteri A.m., Lau, Seng F., Shettima, Yasheruram M., et al.
    The Pertanika Journal of Scholarly Research Reviews, 2016;2(2):12-22.
    MyJurnal
    Changes in tick-vector densities and a resultant incidence of tick-borne diseases are
    caused mainly by human activities affecting the environmental ecosystem, especially in tropical
    countries. As one of the most important invertebrate arthropod vectors of disease transmission, ticks
    are susceptible to changes in their environment due to their sole dependence of all their life stages on
    prevailing environment. Upon completion of their lifecycle, ticks depend on the availability of hosts
    and other several factors related to their surroundings to survive. This review discusses the major
    factors that influence the prevalence and distribution of tick-borne diseases among domestic animals
    in Malaysia. It is highly imperative to understand the factors that lead to increase in tick-vector
    populations, infection intensity and hence the spatial distribution of ticks and tick-borne diseases in
    order to prevent their emergence and resurgence as well as to serve as a basis for effectivecontrol.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases
  10. Francisella spp. detected in Dermacentor ticks in Malaysian forest reserve areas
    Koh FX, Nurhidayah MN, Tan PE, Kho KL, Tay ST
    Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports, 2019 08;17:100315.
    PMID: 31303231 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2019.100315
    Limited information is available on tropical ticks and tick-borne bacteria affecting the health of humans and animals in the Southeast Asia region. Francisella tularensis is a tick-borne bacterium which causes a potentially life-threatening disease known as tularemia. This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of Francisella spp. in questing ticks collected from Malaysian forest reserve areas. A total of 106 ticks (mainly Dermacentor and Haemaphysalis spp.) were examined for Francisella DNA using a Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the bacterial 16S rDNA. Francisella DNA was detected from 12 Dermacentor ticks. Sequence analysis of the amplified 16S rDNA sequences (1035 bp) show >99% identity with that of Francisella endosymbiont reported in a tick from Thailand. A dendrogram constructed based on the bacterial 16S rDNA shows that the Francisella spp. were distantly related to the pathogenic strains of F. tularensis. Three Francisella-positive ticks were identified as Dermacentor atrosignatus, based on sequence analysis of the tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. Further screening of cattle and sheep ticks (Haemaphysalis bispinosa and Rhipicephalus microplus) and animal samples (cattle, sheep, and goats) did not yield any positive findings. Our findings provide the first molecular data on the occurrence of a Francisella strain with unknown pathogenicity in Dermacentor questing ticks in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases/microbiology; Tick-Borne Diseases/transmission*
  11. Fulltext Serological screening of Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) among Malaysian encephalitis patients
    Thayan R, Khairullah NS, Ho TM
    Trop Biomed, 2004 Dec;21(2):153-6.
    PMID: 16493408
    Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral infection of the central nervous system and is caused by tick bites, usually after travel to rural or forested areas. The disease is prevalent in Scandinavia, Western Europe, Central Europe and the former Soviet Union and East Asia including Japan. In Malaysia, so far there are no reported cases of TBE. In the present time, many illnesses have been attributed to traveling to other parts of the world. Thus it is important to carry out TBE prevalence study to determine whether the virus is present among Malaysian population. Samples (sera and CSF) from patients admitted to major MOH hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah with a clinical diagnosis of encephalitis but is IgM negative for JE, were tested for TBEV IgM ELISA and TBEV IgG ELISA (DRG, Germany). Out of the 600 samples screened for TBEV IgG, all were non-reactive. In addition, out of the 100 samples screened for TBEV IgM, all the samples were also non-reactive. Our results indicate that currently TBE is not present in the Malaysian population. Among the reasons for this could be lack of the infection agent, absence of the suitable vector or subjects selected for the study did not fit the criteria of possible exposure to TBE infections. Hence we recommend that for any future study, the selection of subjects should include those who returned from tick-infested forested areas.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases
  12. Culturable pathogenic bacteria in ticks parasitizing farm animals and rodents in Malaysia
    Loong SK, Lim FS, Khoo JJ, Lee HY, Suntharalingam C, Ishak SN, et al.
    Trop Biomed, 2020 Sep 01;37(3):803-811.
    PMID: 33612793 DOI: 10.47665/tb.37.3.803
    Ticks are vectors of bacteria, protozoa and viruses capable of causing serious and life threatening diseases in humans and animals. Disease transmission occurs through the transfer of pathogen from tick bites to susceptible humans or animals. Most commonly known tick-borne pathogens are obligate intracellular microorganisms but little is known on the prevalence of culturable pathogenic bacteria from ticks capable of growth on artificial nutrient media. One hundred and forty seven ticks originating from dairy cattle, goats and rodents were collected from nine selected sites in Peninsular Malaysia. The culture of surfacesterilized tick homogenates revealed the isolation of various pathogenic bacteria including, Staphylococcus sp., Corynebacterium sp., Rothia sp., Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Bacillus sp. and its derived genera. These pathogens are among those that affect humans and animals. Findings from this study suggest that in addition to the regular intracellular pathogens, ticks could also harbor extracellular pathogenic bacteria. Further studies, hence, would be needed to determine if these extracellular pathogens could contribute to human or animal infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tick-Borne Diseases
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