A Comprehensive Hybrid Capture Sequencing Platform for Tick-borne Disease Detection Reveals Zoonotic Emerging Pathogens in a Weather and Vector Transition Zone

Year: 2025

Type: preprint

Abstract: Ticks are vectors of many debilitating pathogens that are transmitted during blood meal acquisition. As both vector and pathogen species continue to emerge, there is a critical need for improved pathogen diagnostic and host remnant identification methods to develop interventions. Current pathogen detection methods are limited in their ability to subtype and detect emerging variants and non-vector borne "look-alike" diseases. Determination of tick blood meal sources is also an elusive step for understanding tick interactions with the biotic community in a given environment, with consequences for environmental management and disease prevention strategies. We have created an accessible hybridization capture next-generation sequencing panel called "TICKHUNTER" to improve molecular detection and subtyping of bacterial and parasitic pathogens in both clinical and tick samples. For disease ecology studies, the panel also detects host blood meal sources of interest. An alternative method for unbiased blood meal remnant analysis is also presented. We find that TICKHUNTER is a promising tool for effective and accurate detection of a variety of tick-borne pathogens, based on comparable linearity, limit of detection, sensitivity, and specificity to real-time PCR. Additionally, it can detect and characterize unexpected pathogens due to the large capacity for multiplexing and flexibility in variant detection.

Source: bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

DOI: 10.1101/2025.06.06.658355

Institutions: Cornell University, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbia University, University of Florida, Oregon Health Authority, Yale University, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Stellenbosch University

Language: English

Topic: Vector-borne infectious diseases

Subfield: Parasitology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Geological Survey

Awards: G2635709692, PIPP Phase II: Community Empowering Pandemic Prediction and Prevention from Atoms to Societies (COMPASS), G6154356385, Center for Transformative Infectious Disease Research on Climate, Health and Equity in a Changing Environment (C-CHANGE)

OpenAlex ID: W4411121821