The global burden of arboviral diseases and the limited success in controlling them calls for innovative methods to understand arbovirus infections. Metabolomics has been applied to detect ...alterations in host physiology during infection. This approach relies on mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to evaluate how perturbations in biological systems alter metabolic pathways, allowing for differentiation of closely related conditions. Because viruses heavily depend on host resources and pathways, they present unique challenges for characterizing metabolic changes. Here, we review the literature on metabolomics of arboviruses and focus on the interpretation of identified molecular features. Metabolomics has revealed biomarkers that differentiate disease states and outcomes, and has shown similarities in metabolic alterations caused by different viruses (e.g., lipid metabolism). Researchers investigating such metabolomic alterations aim to better understand host⁻virus dynamics, identify diagnostically useful molecular features, discern perturbed pathways for therapeutics, and guide further biochemical research. This review focuses on lessons derived from metabolomics studies on samples from arbovirus-infected humans.
Tickborne disease cases account for over 75% of reported vector-borne disease cases in the United States each year. In addition to transmitting the agents of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu ...strict Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae and Borrelia mayonii Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, and the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus collectively transmit five additional human pathogens. By mapping the distributions of tickborne pathogens in host-seeking ticks, we can understand where humans are at risk of contracting tickborne diseases and devise targeted strategies to prevent them. Using publicly available tickborne pathogen surveillance databases, internal CDC pathogen testing databases, and SCOPUS search records published since 2000, we mapped the county-level distribution of Borrelia miyamotoi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), Ehrlichia muris eauclairensis (Rickettsiales: Ehrlichiaceae), Babesia microti (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae), and Powassan virus (Flaviviridae) reported in host-seeking I. scapularis or I. pacificus in the contiguous United States. We also updated recently published maps of the distributions of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Borrelia mayonii. All seven pathogen distributions were more limited than the distributions of vector ticks, with at least one of the seven pathogens detected in 30 states out of 41 total states (73.2% of states) where vector ticks are considered to be established. Prevention and diagnosis of tickborne diseases rely on an accurate understanding by the public and health care providers of where people are at risk for exposure to infected ticks. Our county-level pathogen distribution maps expand on previous efforts showing the distribution of Lyme disease spirochetes and highlight counties where further investigation may be warranted.
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. While Lyme disease vectors are widespread, high incidence states are concentrated in the Northeast, North Central ...and Mid-Atlantic regions. Mapping the distribution of Lyme disease spirochetes in ticks may aid in providing data-driven explanations of epidemiological trends and recommendations for targeting prevention strategies to communities at risk. We compiled data from the literature, publicly available tickborne pathogen surveillance databases, and internal CDC pathogen testing databases to map the county-level distribution of Lyme disease spirochetes reported in host-seeking Ixodes pacificus and Ixodes scapularis across the contiguous United States. We report B. burgdorferi s.s.-infected I. scapularis from 384 counties spanning 26 eastern states located primarily in the North Central, Northeastern, and Mid-Atlantic regions, and in I. pacificus from 20 counties spanning 2 western states, with most records reported from northern and north-coastal California. Borrelia mayonii was reported in I. scapularis in 10 counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin in the North Central United States, where records of B. burgdorferi s.s. were also reported. In comparison to a broad distribution of vector ticks, the resulting map shows a more limited distribution of Lyme disease spirochetes.
The invasive, human-biting Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann, is establishing in the United States. This tick is a threat to public health in its native range in Asia, serving ...as a vector of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus and Rickettsia japonica, the agent of Japanese spotted fever. However, there is a lack of published information specifically for H. longicornis concerning the efficacy of generally recommended personal tick bite prevention measures. We, therefore, evaluated permethrin-treated clothing and formulated human skin repellent products, representing the six repellent active ingredients generally recommended for tick bite prevention by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), against H. longicornis nymphs from a colony established with adult ticks collected in New York state. Reluctance of H. longicornis nymphs to stay in contact with nontreated human skin precluded the use of a human skin bioassay to optimally evaluate repellency. In a Petri dish choice bioassay, all tested product formulations were highly effective with estimated repellencies ranging from 93 to 97%. In addition, we observed strong contact irritancy of a summer-weight permethrin-treated garment against H. longicornis nymphs, with 96% of introduced ticks dislodging from the vertically oriented textile within 3 min. These preliminary studies indicate that personal tick bite prevention measures currently recommended by the CDC are effective against the invasive H. longicornis. However, additional studies are needed to explore the efficacy of the evaluated products against different life stages of H. longicornis, as well as ticks collected in the field rather than reared in the laboratory.
Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States (US), with approximately 300,000 -to- 40,000 cases reported annually. The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is ...the primary vector of the Lyme disease-causing spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, in high incidence regions in the upper midwestern and northeastern US. Using county-level records of the presence of I. scapularis or presence of B. burgdorferi s.s. infected host-seeking I. scapularis, we generated habitat suitability consensus maps based on an ensemble of statistical models for both acarological risk metrics. Overall accuracy of these suitability models was high (AUC = 0.76 for I. scapularis and 0.86 for B. burgdorferi s.s. infected-I. scapularis). We sought to compare which acarological risk metric best described the distribution of counties reporting high Lyme disease incidence (≥10 confirmed cases/100,000 population) by setting the models to a fixed omission rate (10%). We compared the percent of high incidence counties correctly classified by the two models. The I. scapularis consensus map correctly classified 53% of high and low incidence counties, while the B. burgdorferi s.s. infected-I. scapularis consensus map classified 83% correctly. Counties classified as suitable by the B. burgdorferi s.s. map showed a 91% overlap with high Lyme disease incidence counties with over a 38-fold difference in Lyme disease incidence between high- and low-suitability counties. A total of 288 counties were classified as highly suitable for B. burgdorferi s.s., but lacked records of infected-I. scapularis and were not classified as high incidence. These counties were considered to represent a leading edge for B. burgdorferi s.s. infection in ticks and humans. They clustered in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. This information can aid in targeting tick surveillance and prevention education efforts in counties where Lyme disease risk may increase in the future.
Permethrin-treated clothing is available as consumer products to prevent bites by tick and insect pests. We used bioassays to examine the impact of wearing and washing/drying of permethrin-treated ...shirts, pants, and socks, and wearing of treated shoes, on their contact irritancy and toxicity for nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks, the primary vectors in the eastern United States of the causative agents of Lyme disease, human anaplasmosis, and human babesiosis. Pristine permethrin-treated clothing displayed strong contact irritancy and toxicity toward I. scapularis nymphs, with 0–30% of ticks across clothing types and tick sources displaying normal movement 1 h after forced contact for 30–120 s with treated textile. Following 16 d of wear and 16 rounds of machine washing and drying, we recorded reduced concentrations (by 50–90%) of permethrin, compared with pristine treated clothing, from shirts, pants, and socks.This loss of permethrin was associated with reduced contact irritancy and toxicity for ticks after forced contact with worn and washed/dried treated clothing: 31–67% of ticks displayed normal movement 1 h after contact. Nevertheless, the worn and washed/dried treated clothing was still superior to nontreated textile, for which 90–100% of ticks displayed normal movement.Treated shoes, which were worn but not washed, remained as toxic to the ticks as pristine treated shoes. We caution that these laboratory bioassay results should not be interpreted as being directly indicative of the outcome of using washed/worn permethrin-treated clothing in daily life. Although wear and washing/drying did reduce the irritancy and toxicity of permethrin-treated clothing for I. scapularis nymphs more than we had expected, the remaining effect might still reduce the risk of tick bites in a real-life scenario.
The incidence and geographic range of tick-borne illness associated with Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus have dramatically increased in recent decades. Anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Borrelia ...spirochete infections, including Lyme borreliosis, account for tens of thousands of reported cases of tick-borne disease every year. Assays that reliably detect pathogens in ticks allow investigators and public health agencies to estimate the geographic distribution of human pathogens, assess geographic variation in their prevalence, and evaluate the effectiveness of prevention strategies. As investigators continue to describe new species within the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex and to recognize some Ixodes-borne Borrelia species as human pathogens, assays are needed to detect and differentiate these species. Here we describe an algorithm to detect and differentiate pathogens in unfed I. scapularis and I. pacificus nymphs including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia mayonii, and Borrelia miyamotoi. The algorithm comprises 5 TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assays and 3 sequencing protocols. It employs multiple targets for each pathogen to optimize specificity, a gene target for I. scapularis and I. pacificus to verify tick-derived DNA quality, and a pan-Borrelia target to detect Borrelia species that may emerge as human disease agents in the future. We assess the algorithm's sensitivity, specificity, and performance on field-collected ticks.
Abstract
Introduction
Adolescence is associated with sleep regulatory changes that prompt sleep and circadian timing to shift later (delay). Poor quality, insufficient sleep, and misaligned ...sleep-wake schedules increase adolescents’ risk for physical and mental health consequences. Little data exists on potential sleep health risks and sleep-wake environments of juvenile justice facilities. This descriptive study examined the sleep-wake environment and daily schedules at juvenile detention and treatment centers in a Mid-Atlantic state.
Methods
Using our Sleep Justice Observational Checklist, researchers recorded number of windows in sleep and non-sleep areas, and number of beds in sleeping quarters. Illuminance was measured with a light meter during the daytime (standing, sitting, etc.) and averaged. Facility-level 24-hour schedules were obtained to determine youth’s daily routines during the observation period.
Results
In comparison to treatment centers, detention centers have earlier lights-on (MDet = 6:07 am, SDDet =:40 vs. MTreat = 6:54 am, SDTreat =:07, p = .04) and lights-off (MDet = 8:42 pm, SDDet =:36 vs. MTreat = 9:06 pm, SDTreat =:19, N.S.) times. Treatment center illuminance levels (M = 296.60 lux, SD = 150.30) were greater (brighter) compared to detention centers (M = 124.00 lux, SD = 60.40, p = .01). Per sleep area, treatment centers had more windows (MTreat = 7.84, SDTreat = 6.70 vs. MDet = 1.73, SDDet = .77, p = .02) and more beds (MTreat = 13.30, SDTreat = 14.00 vs. MDet = 1.46, SDDet = .96, p = .03) than detention centers.
Conclusion
Preliminary results indicate a variation in the sleep-wake environments and daily schedules in this sample of juvenile justice centers. Early lights-on and lights-off times can impose a higher risk for circadian misalignment in adolescents, though schedule consistency may reduce this risk. Ongoing data collection will help to further understand the sleep environment of adolescents in the juvenile justice system.
Support
Kolvenbach Research Grant, Loyola University Maryland
Abstract
Introduction
Increasing attention to the importance of sleep among children raises questions about how to implement accessible, effective interventions. Part of answering those questions ...rests in determining interest in and demand for programming. Pajama Program (PJP), a 501(c)(3), works with nearly 4,000 community-based organizations (CBOs) nationally that work with children exposed to adversity, including: foster care/child welfare; shelters; low-income schools, after-school, and early care and education programs; and social-service providers. Anticipating its launch of sleep health education programs, PJP and its Good Night Advisory Council of sleep experts designed a CBO needs assessment.
Methods
The survey was distributed electronically to staff at 3,911 CBOs; 1,635 organizations responded (42%).
Results
Across respondents, 65% work with children birth to 18 in settings that were non-residential (39%), residential (18%), or both (43%); most (91%) worked with participants for over one month. CBOs included child welfare/foster care (20.6% of respondents); transitional housing/shelter (20.5%); social services (15.6%); and early care and education (12.7%). Interest in sleep health education was high across all program types: 80 to 89% of programs within each type wanted information for staff and/or caregivers, specifically handouts (among 93% of programs), articles (88%), videos (85%), and workshops (70%). At least 90% of respondents who provided early care and education, parenting, and crisis services were interested in sleep health education for program staff. These program types also had high interest in sleep health education for caregivers, as did child welfare/foster care, school/after school, and shelters (all at least 90% of respondents).
Conclusion
The CBOs in this sample recognize sleep is an issue among the children they serve, but most did not have access to information on sleep health. These results establish the need for sleep health education and suggest preferred modalities. The project is a model for partnerships involving researchers, nonprofits, and community-based organizations.
Support
Funding for this project was provided by Pajama Program, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Abstract
Introduction
Children exposed to adversity (e.g., homelessness, poverty) are at risk of poor sleep. Community settings that serve these children, both residential (e.g., foster care group ...homes, shelters) and non-residential (e.g., early care and education, schools), hold important understandings to the barriers to sleep they experience. We surveyed a heterogeneous national sample of community-based organizations (CBOs) in our Pajama Program sample to explore these barriers.
Methods
Pajama Program, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit, administered an online needs assessment in May 2016 to staff at 3,911 CBOs. This poster reports on qualitative responses to the question, What are the primary barriers to sleep and bedtime among children your organization serves? Responses from residential and non-residential CBOs were analyzed separately. Two trained coders independently used the constant comparative method to analyze transcripts.
Results
Survey respondents (1,635) provided services in non-residential (42%), residential (18%) and combined (43%) settings. Organizations provided child welfare/foster care (20.6% of programs); transitional housing/shelter (20.5%); social services (15.6%); and early care and education (12.7%) services. Responses to the target open-ended item were from 127 non-residential and 55 residential programs. Sleep barriers common to both settings included: late/irregular bedtimes; no bedtime routine; lack of sleep education; housing/food insecurity; stress; disrupted/uncomfortable sleep; and adapting to new environments. Trauma was a barrier among residential (vs. non-residential) programs. Non-residential providers noted unstable family situations, bedding insecurity, and poor sleep hygiene.
Conclusion
Our research highlights barriers to sleep among children exposed to adversity, a largely understudied yet high risk group. Barriers reported by residential and non-residential CBOs were more similar than different. was Across program types and settings, CBOs expressed a need for sleep health education interventions for children and caregivers.
Support
Funding for this project was provided by Pajama Program, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit.
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