Microbial population analysis of vector arthropods for developing new control method of vector borne diseases

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K19112
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Parasitology (including sanitary zoology)
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Qiu Yongjin 北海道大学, 人獣共通感染症リサーチセンター, 博士研究員 (00760985)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: マダニ / 細菌叢 / アフリカ / ボレリア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this project was to analyze the microbial population in several arthropod species and detect pathogens in Africa. Soft tick, hard tick, and lice were collected in several area in Zambia and subjected to high-throughput sequencing analysis based on 16S ribosomal RNA amplicons. More than 100 different bacterial genera were detected in each sample. In part of the pathogen detection, soft ticks and their blood host (Bats) were used for isolation of Borrelia. We successfully isolated Borrelia sp. from bats. Subsequent analysis revealed that the Borrelia sp. was belonged to New World relapsing fever borrelia even it was detected old world. We designated that new species of Borrelia as Candidatus Borrelia fainii.

Free Research Field

感染症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、マダニ類を中心に19種258サンプルの節足動物の細菌叢を解析し、アフリカにおける節足動物が保有する細菌叢の情報基盤を構築した。節足動物の共生細菌を利用し感染症の制御方法は現在注目を浴びている手法である。細菌叢解析で得られた知見は、この新しい制御方法を開発するのに重要な情報をもたらす。また、本研究では新種の新世界型回帰熱ボレリアの分離に成功した。本菌は、アフリカ大陸（旧世界）で分離された唯一の新世界型回帰熱ボレリアである。本菌をより詳細に解析することでBorrelia属細菌の分布・進化・系統分類に関する重要な知見が得られることが期待される。