Emergence of human infection with Jingmen tick virus in China: A retrospective studyPanel: Research in context
Na Jia,
Hong-Bo Liu,
Xue-Bing Ni,
Lesley Bell-Sakyi,
Yuan-Chun Zheng,
Ju-Liang Song,
Jie Li,
Bao-Gui Jiang,
Qian Wang,
Yi Sun,
Ran Wei,
Ting-Ting Yuan,
Luo-Yuan Xia,
Yan-Li Chu,
Wei Wei,
Lian-Feng Li,
Jin-Ling Ye,
Qing-Yu Lv,
Xiao-Ming Cui,
Yi Guan,
Yi-Gang Tong,
Jia-Fu Jiang,
Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam,
Wu-Chun Cao
Affiliations
Na Jia
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Hong-Bo Liu
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Xue-Bing Ni
State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
Lesley Bell-Sakyi
Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK
Yuan-Chun Zheng
Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang 157000, PR China
Ju-Liang Song
Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang 157000, PR China
Jie Li
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Bao-Gui Jiang
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Qian Wang
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Yi Sun
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Ran Wei
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Ting-Ting Yuan
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Luo-Yuan Xia
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Yan-Li Chu
Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang 157000, PR China
Wei Wei
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Lian-Feng Li
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Jin-Ling Ye
Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang 157000, PR China
Qing-Yu Lv
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Xiao-Ming Cui
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Yi Guan
State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
Yi-Gang Tong
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Jia-Fu Jiang
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
Wu-Chun Cao
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China; Corresponding author at: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, 20 Dong-Da Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, PR China.
Background: A tick-borne segmented RNA virus called Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) was recently identified, variants of which were detected in a non-human primate host and fatal patients with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever. We investigated its infectivity and pathogenicity for humans. Methods: We obtained skin-biopsy, blood and serum samples from patients with tick bites, and used high-throughput sequencing, in situ hybridisation, and serologic testing to diagnose and ascertain the cases of JMTV infection. Findings: A JMTV strain was isolated from the tick Amblyomma javanense into an embryo-derived tick cell line. We obtained sustained passage of JMTV, and revealed that it was able to accumulate in salivary glands of experimentally infected ticks. Four JMTV-infected patients were identified by high-throughput sequencing of skin biopsies and blood samples. The virus replication in skin tissue was visualised by in situ hybridisation. The four patients all had an itchy or painful eschar at the site of tick bite, with or without lymphadenopathy. Immunohistochemical examination revealed remarkable local inflammation manifested as infiltration by neutrophils. Eight patients were identified by serological testing and showed more severe clinical manifestations. Two Ixodes persulcatus ticks detached from patients were positive for JMTV. All JMTV strains identified in this study formed a well-supported sub-lineage, distinct from those previously reported in China.InterpretationThe public significance of JMTV should be highly concerning due to its potential pathogenicity for humans and efficient transmission by potential ticks. Fund: China Natural Science Foundation, State Key Research Development Programme, and United Kingdom Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Keywords: Jingmen tick virus, Pathogenicity, Human infection, Ticks