The first record of an established population of Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) in New Jersey, USA.

Amblyomma maculatum Koch, the Gulf Coast tick, is expanding northward from its original range in the southeastern United States. In 2013, its most northern collection was in Delaware. Amblyomma maculatum has since been found in Connecticut, Illinois, and New York. It is the vector of the human pathogen Rickettsia parkeri, the causative agent of R. parkeri rickettsiosis. We report the first finding of an established population of A. maculatum in Salem County, NJ, with a R. parkeri infection prevalence rate of 23.8%. Our finding of A. maculatum is consistent with other recent findings in the northeastern United States in that specimens were found in open areas devoid of tree canopy. This discovery demonstrates the importance of tick surveillance in order to identify expanding tick populations and the pathogens they may transmit.

Rickettsia and relapsing fever Borrelia in Alectorobius kelleyi (Ixodida: Argasidae) from peri domestic bats in the northeastern United States.

The soft ticks (Argasidae) are known vectors of human and animal pathogens around the globe and are relatively understudied. Our aim was to assess the presence of Rickettsia and Borrelia bacteria in Alectorobius kelleyi (Argasidae) parasitizing synanthropic bats in the highly urbanized northeastern United States. By collaborating with parasitologists, bat scientists and wildlife rehabilitators we were successful in obtaining A. kelleyi from five states. Since Argasid larvae will attach to their hosts for many days, most A. kelleyi examined (92%) were larvae collected from sick or injured big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus, undergoing care at rehabilitation centers. In addition, we obtained adult A. kelleyi captured in residential living areas and trapped in attics. An in-depth analysis of a A. kelleyi found to be infected with a spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) revealed a dual infection with a R. belli-like taxon (ancestral group) as well as an SFGR closely related to R. peacockii, likely the same previously found in A. kelleyi from Iowa and Kansas. We found that 36% of the A. kelleyi tested carried the SFGR. Furthermore, we detected a relapsing fever spirochete, likely Candidatus Borrelia johnsonii, in 25% of the A. kelleyi from Pennsylvania. While it is unclear if these bacteria constitute a health risk to either bats or humans, our study indicates that human exposure to ectoparasites infesting peridomestic wildlife should be considered in the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases.

Rickettsia Aglow: A Fluorescence Assay and Machine Learning Model to Identify Inhibitors of Intracellular Infection.

Rickettsia is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria that has for centuries caused large-scale morbidity and mortality. In recent years, the resurgence of rickettsial diseases as a major cause of pyrexias of unknown origin, bioterrorism concerns, vector movement, and concerns over drug resistance is driving a need to identify novel treatments for these obligate intracellular bacteria. Utilizing an uvGFP plasmid reporter, we developed a screen for identifying anti-rickettsial small molecule inhibitors using Rickettsia canadensis as a model organism. The screening data were utilized to train a Bayesian model to predict growth inhibition in this assay. This two-pronged methodology identified anti-rickettsial compounds, including duartin and JSF-3204 as highly specific, efficacious, and noncytotoxic compounds. Both molecules exhibited in vitro growth inhibition of R. prowazekii, the causative agent of epidemic typhus. These small molecules and the workflow, featuring a high-throughput phenotypic screen for growth inhibitors of intracellular Rickettsia spp. and machine learning models for the prediction of growth inhibition of an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium, should prove useful in the search for new therapeutic strategies to treat infections from Rickettsia spp. and other obligate intracellular bacteria.

First Report of the Bat Tick Carios kelleyi (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae) From Vermont, United States.

The soft tick Carios kelleyi (Cooley and Kohls, 1941) is an ectoparasite of bats that can harbor bacteria known to cause disease in humans, such as Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., and relapsing fever Borrelia spp. Human-tick encounters may occur when bats occupy attics or similar dwellings with access points to human-inhabited areas. During May 2021, a partially engorged adult female C. kelleyi was collected from a Vermont home with an attic that was being used as a roost by big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). The source of the blood in the tick was the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris. Subsequently, eight C. kelleyi larvae were collected from a rescued E. fuscus adult. This is the first report of a soft tick species from Vermont and it is unknown how long C. kelleyi has been present in this state. Reports of C. kelleyi are on the rise across the northeastern United States but the implications for the health of humans, domestic animals, and bats in northern New England remain unclear. Bat management plans should consider the importance of bat exclusion in preventing tick encounters with members of the household and should include a tick monitoring component if bats are evicted.

Ixodes scapularis (Ixodida: Ixodidae) Parasitizing an Unlikely Host: Big Brown Bats, Eptesicus fuscus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), in New York State, USA.

Ixodes scapularis Say is a three-host tick that has been recorded feeding on over 150 different species of terrestrial vertebrates (mammals, birds, and reptiles). This tick is found throughout the northeastern, coastal southeastern, and upper midwestern United States and is considered the most significant vector of tick-borne pathogens to humans in North America. Despite its ubiquity and broad host range, I. scapularis previously has not been reported feeding on bats (Chiroptera). However, during 2019 and 2020, larvae and nymphs of I. scapularis were recovered from big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois), at four locations in rural New York State, USA. All Ixodes infested bats were injured and found on the ground; therefore, parasitism by I. scapularis was likely opportunistic. Nonetheless, the large number of pathogens known to be associated with bats and the frequency with which I. scapularis bites people suggest that this host-tick relationship is of at least potential epidemiological significance.

Bayesian Modeling and Intrabacterial Drug Metabolism Applied to Drug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

We present the application of Bayesian modeling to identify chemical tools and/or drug discovery entities pertinent to drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. The quinoline JSF-3151 was predicted by modeling and then empirically demonstrated to be active against in vitro cultured clinical methicillin- and vancomycin-resistant strains while also exhibiting efficacy in a mouse peritonitis model of methicillin-resistant S. aureus infection. We highlight the utility of an intrabacterial drug metabolism (IBDM) approach to probe the mechanism by which JSF-3151 is transformed within the bacteria. We also identify and then validate two mechanisms of resistance in S. aureus: one mechanism involves increased expression of a lipocalin protein, and the other arises from the loss of function of an azoreductase. The computational and experimental approaches, discovery of an antibacterial agent, and elucidated resistance mechanisms collectively hold promise to advance our understanding of therapeutic regimens for drug-resistant S. aureus.

First Record of Carios kelleyi (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae) in New Jersey, United States and Implications for Public Health.

The soft tick Carios kelleyi (Cooley and Kohls), a parasite of bats known to occur in at least 29 of the 48 conterminous U.S. states, is here reported from New Jersey for the first time, based on larvae collected from big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus. Although thought to be widespread in North America, the ecology of C. kelleyi is not well understood, despite reports of this species feeding on humans and its consequent potential as a disease vector. The association of C. kelleyi with bat species that regularly roost in human-made structures, such as attics and barns, and recent isolations from this tick of pathogens capable of infecting humans, companion animals, and livestock underscore the need for further studies of these bat ectoparasites.

First glimpse into the origin and spread of the Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, in the United States.

Established populations of Asian longhorned ticks (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, were first identified in the United States (US) in 2017 by sequencing the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) 'barcoding' locus followed by morphological confirmation. Subsequent investigations detected ALT infestations in 12, mostly eastern, US states. To gain information on the origin and spread of US ALT, we (1) sequenced cox1 from ALT populations across 9 US states and (2) obtained cox1 sequences from potential source populations [China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ROK) as well as Australia, New Zealand and the Kingdom of Tonga (KOT)] both by sequencing and by downloading publicly available sequences in NCBI GenBank. Additionally, we conducted epidemiological investigations of properties near its initial detection locale in Hunterdon County, NJ, as well as a broader risk analysis for importation of ectoparasites into the area. In eastern Asian populations (China/Japan/ROK), we detected 35 cox1 haplotypes that neatly clustered into two clades with known bisexual versus parthenogenetic phenotypes. In Australia/New Zealand/KOT, we detected 10 cox1 haplotypes all falling within the parthenogenetic cluster. In the United States, we detected three differentially distributed cox1 haplotypes from the parthenogenetic cluster, supporting phenotypic evidence that US ALT are parthenogenetic. While none of the source populations examined had all three US cox1 haplotypes, a phylogeographic network analysis supports a northeast Asian source for the US populations. Within the United States, epidemiological investigations indicate ALT can be moved long distances by human transport of animals, such as horses and dogs, with smaller scale movements on wildlife. These results have relevant implications for efforts aimed at minimizing the spread of ALT in the United States and preventing additional exotic tick introductions.

New Jersey-Wide Survey of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia (Proteobacteria: Rickettsiaceae) in Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae).

For the last decade, the New Jersey (NJ) Department of Health has reported between 42 and 144 new cases each year of "spotted fever group rickettsiosis" (SFGR), a statistic that reflects uncertainty regarding which rickettsial agents (Proteobacteria: Rickettsiaceae: Rickettsia) are infecting NJ residents. To identify the Rickettsia circulating in NJ ticks, we used a combination of conventional and real time PCR approaches to screen 560 Dermacentor variabilis Say and 245 Amblyomma americanum L. obtained from a 1-day state-wide surveillance in May 2018 and an additional 394 D. variabilis collected across NJ in 2013-2018. We found zero D. variabilis infected with Rickettsia rickettsii, the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and, on average, 1.3% infected with presumed nonpathogenic Rickettsia montanensis. We also found zero A. americanum infected with R. rickettsii, and 20% infected with Rickettsia amblyommatis, a prevalence somewhat lower than in more southern states. Overall, we conclude that it is unlikely that R. rickettsii vectored by D. variabilis is a primary cause of SFGR cases in NJ and discuss our findings in the context of known facts and current limitations. We conclude that understanding the causes of SFGR east of the Mississippi will require collaboration among medical doctors, public health authorities, and medical entomologists to follow up presumptive human cases of SFGR with detailed histories of exposure, species-specific molecular assays, and active surveillance of putative vectors and the pathogens they may carry.

Leveraging the Expertise of the New Jersey Mosquito Control Community to Jump Start Standardized Tick Surveillance.

Despite the rising incidence of tick-borne diseases (TBD) in the northeastern United States (US), information and expertise needed to assess risk, inform the public and respond proactively is highly variable across states. Standardized and well-designed tick surveillance by trained personnel can facilitate the development of useful risk maps and help target resources, but requires nontrivial start-up costs. To address this challenge, we tested whether existing personnel in New Jersey's 21 county mosquito control agencies could be trained and interested to participate in a one-day collection of American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis), a presumably widespread species never before surveyed in this state. A workshop was held offering training in basic tick biology, identification, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for surveillance, followed by a one-day simultaneous collection of D. variabilis across the state (the "NJ Tick Blitz"). In total, 498 D. variabilis were collected from 21 counties and follow-up participant surveys demonstrated an increase in knowledge and interest in ticks: 41.7% of respondents reported collecting ticks outside the Tick Blitz. We hope that the success of this initiative may provide a template for researchers and officials in other states with tick-borne disease concerns to obtain baseline tick surveillance data by training and partnering with existing personnel.

Annotated List of the Hard Ticks (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae) of New Jersey.

Standardized tick surveillance requires an understanding of which species may be present. After a thorough review of the scientific literature, as well as government documents, and careful evaluation of existing accessioned tick collections (vouchers) in museums and other repositories, we have determined that the verifiable hard tick fauna of New Jersey (NJ) currently comprises 11 species. Nine are indigenous to North America and two are invasive, including the recently identified Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis (Neumann, 1901). For each of the 11 species, we summarize NJ collection details and review their known public health and veterinary importance and available information on seasonality. Separately considered are seven additional species that may be present in the state or become established in the future but whose presence is not currently confirmed with NJ vouchers. We compare our list of hard ticks in NJ with those from neighboring states (Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland), discuss the importance of vouchers in tick research and surveillance, and examine the likelihood and public health consequences of additional hard tick species becoming established in NJ.

A pictorial key to differentiate the recently detected exotic Haemaphysalislongicornis Neumann, 1901 (Acari, Ixodidae) from native congeners in North America.

Until recently, only two haemaphysaline species, Haemaphysalischordeilis (Packard, 1869) and Haemaphysalisleporispalustris (Packard, 1869), were known to occur in the United States, and neither was considered to be of significant medical or veterinary importance. In 2017-2018 established populations of the Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalislongicornis Neumann, 1901, were detected in the eastern US for the first time. Haemaphysalislongicornis has the potential to be a significant threat to human and animal health, and the urgent need to determine the full extent of its distribution and host range requires availability of a straightforward and practical guide to differentiate it from native species. We created a pictorial dichotomous key to all stages of Haemaphysalis spp. known to occur in North America with scanning electron photomicrographs of all H.longicornis life stages, including rarely seen males, to aid researchers in differentiating these species. The largely Neotropical species Haemaphysalisjuxtakochi Cooley, 1946, with established populations in Mexico and sporadic detections in the US on migrating birds is also included.

Multistate Infestation with the Exotic Disease-Vector Tick Haemaphysalis longicornis - United States, August 2017-September 2018.

Haemaphysalis longicornis is a tick indigenous to eastern Asia and an important vector of human and animal disease agents, resulting in such outcomes as human hemorrhagic fever and reduction of production in dairy cattle by 25%. H. longicornis was discovered on a sheep in New Jersey in August 2017 (1). This was the first detection in the United States outside of quarantine. In the spring of 2018, the tick was again detected at the index site, and later, in other counties in New Jersey, in seven other states in the eastern United States, and in Arkansas. The hosts included six species of domestic animals, six species of wildlife, and humans. To forestall adverse consequences in humans, pets, livestock, and wildlife, several critical actions are indicated, including expanded surveillance to determine the evolving distribution of H. longicornis, detection of pathogens that H. longicornis currently harbors, determination of the capacity of H. longicornis to serve as a vector for a range of potential pathogens, and evaluation of effective agents and methods for the control of H. longicornis.

Discovery of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Ixodida: Ixodidae) Parasitizing a Sheep in New Jersey, United States.

We report the discovery of large numbers of Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann (Ixodida: Ixodidae) infesting a sheep in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. All life stages were found on the sheep, which had no history of travel outside the country. H. longicornis is native to East Asia, and there are invasive populations in Australia, New Zealand and several Pacific islands, where this tick is a major livestock pest. It is currently unknown whether the New Jersey collections represent a limited or established population, but because this species could present a significant threat to human and animal health in the United States, vigilance is encouraged.

Novel Pyrimidines as Antitubercular Agents.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is responsible for a global pandemic. New drugs are needed that do not show cross-resistance with the existing front-line therapeutics. A triazine antitubercular hit led to the design of a related pyrimidine family. The synthesis of a focused series of these analogs facilitated exploration of their in vitro activity, in vitro cytotoxicity, and physiochemical and absorption-distribution-metabolism-excretion properties. Select pyrimidines were then evaluated for their pharmacokinetic profiles in mice. The findings suggest a rationale for the further evolution of this promising series of antitubercular small molecules, which appear to share some similarities with the clinical compound PA-824 in terms of activation, while highlighting more general guidelines for the optimization of small-molecule antitubercular agents.

Sensitive Detection of Francisella tularensis Directly from Whole Blood by Use of the GeneXpert System.

Francisella tularensis is a potential bioterrorism agent that is highly infectious at very low doses. Diagnosis of tularemia by blood culture and nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests is insufficiently sensitive. Here, we demonstrate a highly sensitive F. tularensis assay that incorporates sample processing and detection into a single cartridge suitable for point-of-care detection. The assay limit of detection (LOD) and dynamic range were determined in a filter-based cartridge run on the GeneXpert system. F. tularensis DNA in buffer or CFU of F. tularensis was spiked into human or macaque blood. To simulate detection in human disease, the assay was tested on blood drawn from macaques infected with F. tularensis Schu S4 at daily intervals. Assay detection was compared to that with a conventional quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay and blood culture. The assay LOD was 0.1 genome equivalents (GE) per reaction and 10 CFU/ml F. tularensis in both human and macaque blood. In infected macaques, the assay detected F. tularensis on days 1 to 4 postinfection in 21%, 17%, 60%, and 83% of macaques, respectively, compared to conventional qPCR positivity rates of 0%, 0%, 30%, and 100% and CFU detection of blood culture at 0%, 0%, 0%, and 10% positive, respectively. Assay specificity was 100%. The new cartridge-based assay can rapidly detect F. tularensis in bloodstream infections directly in whole blood at the early stages of infection with a sensitivity that is superior to that of other methods. The simplicity of the automated testing procedures may make this test suitable for rapid point-of-care detection.

Susceptibility of Select Agents to Predation by Predatory Bacteria.

Select Agents are microorganisms and toxins considered to be exploitable as biological weapons. Although infections by many Select Agents can be treated by conventional antibiotics, the risk of an emerging or engineered drug resistant strain is of great concern. One group of microorganisms that is showing potential to control drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria are the predatory bacteria from the genera Bdellovibrio spp. and Micavibrio spp. In this study, we have examined the ability of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus (B. bacteriovorus) strain 109J, HD100 and Micavibrio aeruginosavorus (M. aeruginosavorus) ARL-13 to prey on a variety of Select Agents. Our findings demonstrate that B. bacteriovorus and M. aeruginosavorus are able to prey efficiently on Yersinia pestis and Burkholderia mallei. Modest predation was also measured in co-cultures of B. bacteriovorus and Francisella tularensis. However, neither of the predators showed predation when Burkholderia pseudomallei and Brucella melitensis were used as prey.

Isolation, structure elucidation, and biological activity of altersolanol P using Staphylococcus aureus fitness test based genome-wide screening.

Bacteria continue to evade existing antibiotics by acquiring resistance by various mechanisms, leading to loss of antibiotic effectiveness. To avoid an epidemic from infections of incurable drug-resistant bacteria, new antibiotics with new modes of action are desperately needed. Using a genome-wide mechanism of action-guided whole cell screening approach based on antisense Staphylococcus aureus fitness test technology, we report herein the discovery of altersolanol P (1), a new tetrahydroanthraquinone from an unknown fungus from the Hypocreales isolated from forest litter collected in Puerto Rico. The structure was elucidated by high-resolution mass spectrometry and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Relative stereochemistry was established by NOESY correlations, and absolute configuration was deduced by the application of MPA ester-based methodology. Observed (1)H and (13)C NMR shifts were well aligned with the corresponding chemical shifts predicted by DFT calculations. Altersolanol P exhibited Gram-positive antibacterial activity (MIC range 1-8 µg/mL) and inhibited the growth of Gram-negative Haemophilus influenzae (MIC 2 µg/mL). The isolation, structure elucidation, and antibacterial activity of altersolanol P are described.

Chemical genetic identification of peptidoglycan inhibitors potentiating carbapenem activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major nosocomial and community-acquired pathogen for which few existing antibiotics are efficacious. Here we describe two structurally related synthetic compounds that potentiate beta-lactam activity against MRSA. Genetic studies indicate that these agents target SAV1754 based on the following observations: (i) it has a unique chemical hypersensitivity profile, (ii) overexpression or point mutations are sufficient to confer resistance, and (iii) genetic inactivation phenocopies the potentiating effect of these agents in combination with beta-lactams. Further, we demonstrate these agents inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis. Because SAV1754 is essential for growth and structurally related to the recently reported peptidoglycan flippase of Escherichia coli, we speculate it performs an analogous function in S. aureus. These results suggest that SAV1754 inhibitors might possess therapeutic potential alone, or in combination with beta-lactams to restore MRSA efficacy.