Molecular-based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identification
As per published literature, the Ixodes pacificus tick is the primary Lyme disease vector in British Columbia (BC), while the Ixodes scapularis tick species is the dominant vector on the East Coast of Canada, with no I. scapularis presence seen in BC. However, a recent publication reported presence...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224424001275 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849733595499855872 |
|---|---|
| author | Isaac Singh Min-Kuang Lee Emily Kon Navdeep Chahil Martin Cheung Catherine Hogan Muhammad Morshed |
| author_facet | Isaac Singh Min-Kuang Lee Emily Kon Navdeep Chahil Martin Cheung Catherine Hogan Muhammad Morshed |
| author_sort | Isaac Singh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As per published literature, the Ixodes pacificus tick is the primary Lyme disease vector in British Columbia (BC), while the Ixodes scapularis tick species is the dominant vector on the East Coast of Canada, with no I. scapularis presence seen in BC. However, a recent publication reported presence of I. scapularis in BC which initiated this study to determine the accuracy of the microscopic identification of ticks received in the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) Public Health Laboratory and compare morphologic methods to molecular methods. Molecular testing uses a real-time PCR assay to amplify the internal transcribed spacer 2 region as a screening method for I. scapularis; while Sanger sequencing tests the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene for species confirmation. Of the 209 ticks tested, 74% were I. pacificus, 3.8% were I. scapularis, and 22% were other genus including Amblyomma. Phylogenetic analysis was achieved through Sanger sequencing, confirming the accuracy of the real-time PCR assay. Notably, 6 of 8 I. scapularis tick’s hosts had clear travel history outside BC, while the 2 remaining have no confirmed travel. Both the microscopic and molecular identification methods suggest that I. pacificus ticks are dominant in BC and ticks identified as I. scapularis have host travel history outside of BC. This study further underscores the importance of tick surveillance as global human travel and sometimes along with their pets facilitate tick migration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-823eaf65b3584093b0a6a17e02ae3ec2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2213-2244 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| spelling | doaj-art-823eaf65b3584093b0a6a17e02ae3ec22025-08-20T03:08:00ZengElsevierInternational Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife2213-22442025-04-012610103110.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.101031Molecular-based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identificationIsaac Singh0Min-Kuang Lee1Emily Kon2Navdeep Chahil3Martin Cheung4Catherine Hogan5Muhammad Morshed6British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4R4, CanadaBritish Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4R4, CanadaUniversity of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, CanadaBritish Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4R4, CanadaBritish Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4R4, CanadaBritish Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4R4, CanadaBritish Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4R4, Canada; University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada; Corresponding author. BC Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Room 3105, Vancouver, BC, V6R 2M7, Canada.As per published literature, the Ixodes pacificus tick is the primary Lyme disease vector in British Columbia (BC), while the Ixodes scapularis tick species is the dominant vector on the East Coast of Canada, with no I. scapularis presence seen in BC. However, a recent publication reported presence of I. scapularis in BC which initiated this study to determine the accuracy of the microscopic identification of ticks received in the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) Public Health Laboratory and compare morphologic methods to molecular methods. Molecular testing uses a real-time PCR assay to amplify the internal transcribed spacer 2 region as a screening method for I. scapularis; while Sanger sequencing tests the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene for species confirmation. Of the 209 ticks tested, 74% were I. pacificus, 3.8% were I. scapularis, and 22% were other genus including Amblyomma. Phylogenetic analysis was achieved through Sanger sequencing, confirming the accuracy of the real-time PCR assay. Notably, 6 of 8 I. scapularis tick’s hosts had clear travel history outside BC, while the 2 remaining have no confirmed travel. Both the microscopic and molecular identification methods suggest that I. pacificus ticks are dominant in BC and ticks identified as I. scapularis have host travel history outside of BC. This study further underscores the importance of tick surveillance as global human travel and sometimes along with their pets facilitate tick migration.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224424001275Ixodes tickLyme diseaseTick-borne diseasesPhylogenyBorrelia burgdorferi |
| spellingShingle | Isaac Singh Min-Kuang Lee Emily Kon Navdeep Chahil Martin Cheung Catherine Hogan Muhammad Morshed Molecular-based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identification International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Ixodes tick Lyme disease Tick-borne diseases Phylogeny Borrelia burgdorferi |
| title | Molecular-based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identification |
| title_full | Molecular-based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identification |
| title_fullStr | Molecular-based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identification |
| title_full_unstemmed | Molecular-based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identification |
| title_short | Molecular-based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identification |
| title_sort | molecular based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identification |
| topic | Ixodes tick Lyme disease Tick-borne diseases Phylogeny Borrelia burgdorferi |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224424001275 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT isaacsingh molecularbasedlaboratorytestingconferaccuracyovermicroscopicaltestingfortickidentification AT minkuanglee molecularbasedlaboratorytestingconferaccuracyovermicroscopicaltestingfortickidentification AT emilykon molecularbasedlaboratorytestingconferaccuracyovermicroscopicaltestingfortickidentification AT navdeepchahil molecularbasedlaboratorytestingconferaccuracyovermicroscopicaltestingfortickidentification AT martincheung molecularbasedlaboratorytestingconferaccuracyovermicroscopicaltestingfortickidentification AT catherinehogan molecularbasedlaboratorytestingconferaccuracyovermicroscopicaltestingfortickidentification AT muhammadmorshed molecularbasedlaboratorytestingconferaccuracyovermicroscopicaltestingfortickidentification |