Sequences Related to Chimay Rhabdovirus Are Widely Distributed in Ixodes ricinus Ticks across England and Wales

TL;DR

This study found that Chimay rhabdovirus is widely present in ticks across England and Wales, suggesting it is more common than previously known.

Contribution

The discovery of Chimay rhabdovirus in UK ticks expands understanding of its geographic distribution and tick microbiomes.

Findings

Chimay rhabdovirus sequences were detected in Ixodes ricinus ticks from multiple UK locations.

The virus showed high sequence identity with previously identified Chimay rhabdovirus in Belgian ticks.

Phlebo-like and nairo-like viruses were also prevalent in the tick microbiome.

Abstract

Ticks are the main arthropod vector of pathogens to humans and livestock in the British Isles. Despite their role as a vector of disease, many aspects of tick biology, ecology, and microbial association are poorly understood. To address this, we investigated the composition of the microbiome of adult and nymphal Ixodes ricinus ticks. The ticks were collected on a dairy farm in Southwest England and RNA extracted for whole genome sequencing. Sequences were detected from a range of microorganisms, particularly tick-associated viruses, bacteria, and nematodes. A majority of the viruses were attributed to phlebo-like and nairo-like virus groups, demonstrating a high degree of homology with the sequences present in I. ricinus from mainland Europe. A virus sharing a high sequence identity with Chimay rhabdovirus, previously identified in ticks from Belgium, was detected. Further investigations of I. ricinus ticks collected from additional sites in England and Wales also identified Chimay rhabdovirus viral RNA with varying prevalence in all tick populations. This suggests that Chimay rhabdovirus has a wide distribution and highlights the need for an extended exploration of the tick microbiome in the United Kingdom (UK).

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