Genetic diversity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolates obtained from Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in Slovakia

In Europe, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is diverse, including B.burgdorferi s.s., B.garinii, B.afzelii, B.valaisiana and B.lusitaniae. In this study, we focused on the distribution of the different B.burgdorferi species among Ixodes ricinus adult ticks collected in an endemic area within Slovakia. We compared results of prevalence of B.burgdorferi infection in ticks obtained by immunofluorescence (IF) and by isolation. Isolates were characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the rrf-rrl intergenic spacer genes using MseI. Using immunofluorescence we observed that 56/114 (49%) ticks were infected by B.burgdorferi s.l. Males were found to be more often infected (32/57, 56%) than females (24/57, 42%) but the difference was not significant (p=0.1895). From the same 114 ticks a total of 37 isolates were obtained: 19 from males (33%) and 18 from females (32%). The RFLP identification revealed 25 B.afzelii (68%), 5 B.garinii (14%), 5 B.valaisiana (14%) and 2 B.lusitaniae (5%). The infection in ticks was more often detected by IF than by isolation (p=0.0153) and isolation success was higher when the infection degree in ticks was high (p=0.0397). The infection prevalence observed in this area is among the highest observed in Europe.     

Occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii in the Ixodes ricinus ticks from Eastern Slovakia

A total of 2816 unfed adults nymphs of Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from vegetation in Koice (Eastern Slovakia) from 1994 to 1997. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s. 1. in I. ricinus ticks, detected by dark field microscopy, varied and depended upon the year and the habitat of the collected ticks. The lowest prevalence was observed in 1994 (4.8%). During 1995 it increased to 17.2% and during the next two years decreased to 15.5% and 14.2%. The rate of infection varied from 2.1 to 23.3% within 10 examined habitats of the Koice area. A different value of relative density of ticks was observed in various habitats. It ranged from 9–212 ticks per collecting hour within one flagged area (600m²) which is 1.5–35.5 ticks per 100m². Eight isolates were obtained from the infected ticks. Electrophoresis and immunoblotting with 6 monoclonal antibodies were used for the identification of Borrelia strains. Three tick isolates were identified as B. burgdorferi s. s. and the other three isolates were found to be B. garinii. One strain reacted as a mixed culture of B. burgdorferi s. s., and B. garinii. The strain originated from the Vihorlat Mountains habitat and was detected by PCR-SSCP as B. burgdorferi s. s. with a small amount of B. afzelii. The obtained results emphasize the epidemiological importance not only of B. garinii and B. afzelii but also of B. burgdorferi s. s. in Central Europe.     

The distribution and prevalence of B. burgdorferi genomospecies in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Ireland

Questing Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from six locations throughout Ireland and 638 nymphs, 111 females and 118 males were investigated for infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). The total prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in the ticks was determined as 14.9% by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the spacer region of 5S-23S rRNA genes. Infection prevalence was significantly higher in adult (20.1%) Ixodes ricinus compared to nymphs (13.1%). The prevalence of infection in adult male and female ticks was similar (19.5% and 20.7% respectively). The genomospecies B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii, B. garinii and group VS116 were identified by reverse line blot (RLB) using genomospecies specific oligonucleotide probes. The most prevalent B. burgdorferi genomospecies identified were VS116 (34.6%), B. garinii (24.3%) and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (18.4%). B. afzelii was uncommon (6.6%). Multiple infections were observed in 13.2% of the infected ticks. The distribution of the genomospecies showed geographical variation and also seemed to be influenced by the nature of the habitat. A broad range of genomospecies seemed to be associated with the presence of a wide spectrum of potential reservoir hosts in the habitat and also with a high overall prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l.     

Detection and molecular typing of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks and in different patient samples from southwest Germany

The prevalence of different genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in infected ticks could be a determinant for the risk of acquiring Lyme borreliosis (LB) and its clinical presentation. A total of 7373 ticks and 2761 samples from LB patients from the same area in southwest Germany were analyzed by PCR to assess the frequency of the occurrence of LB-associated genospecies. Fifteen percent of the tick samples and 19% of the human samples were found positive for the presence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato. Further identification of 1106 B. burgdorferi sensu lato positive tick samples by reverse line blotting and 125 positive patient samples by nested PCR using species-specific primers revealed the occurrence of B. afzelii, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii and B. valaisiana. Both single-species and mixed infections were noted and a similar distribution of the different genospecies was found in ticks compared with human samples. It was also the purpose of this study to obtain more information about a possible correlation between the distribution of Borrelia species and clinical syndromes of LB. Skin biopsies of 59 patients with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans and cerebrospinal fluid samples from 78 patients with possible neuroborreliosis were analyzed. In conclusion, the distribution of the different genospecies in ticks is the decisive factor for the occurrence of the different Borrelia genospecies in samples from LB patients. Borrelia afzelii is the predominant genospecies in all kind of samples from the observed area and there seems to be no association of particular Borrelia genospecies with distinct clinical manifestations of LB.     

Distribution and prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks of canton Ticino (Switzerland)

Free-living Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from 12 different sites of canton Ticino, south of the Alps (Switzerland). Each tick was examined for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl), the etiologic agent of Lyme borreliosis using direct fluorescent antibody assay, and isolation of the bacteria. Borreliae were characterized by PCR followed by RFLP. The abundance and infection rates of I. ricinus ticks varied greatly between the areas. Two localities were found free of Borrelia. The prevalence of infected ticks ranged from 5 to 19%. Most ticks (96%) were found infected by <50 spirochetes. Three B. burgdorferi sl species were successfully isolated: B. garinii dominated, followed by B. lusitaniae and B. valaisiana. Additionally, a mixed infection with B. garinii and B. valaisiana was observed. The distribution of the various Borrelia species in the different areas was heterogeneous. This is the first report of the presence of B. lusitaniae in I. ricinus in Switzerland.     

黑龙江林区野鼠伯氏疏螺旋体核酸检测与序列分析

伯氏疏螺旋体共有13个基因种,国内分离到的菌株包括5个基因种[1-3],本研究对黑龙江地区啮齿动物中伯氏疏螺旋体进行分子流行病学调查和分析. 1.材料与方法: (1)样本采集、处理及DNA提取:2009-2011年4-7月从黑龙江林区采用夹夜法采集野鼠,每样点100×2夹次,按5m距离布放鼠夹,晚放晨收.现场鉴定鼠种后,将捕获的鼠放入鼠袋内,乙醚麻醉后,消毒,无菌取脾脏低温保存.采用天根生化科技(北京)有限公司血液/细胞/组织基因组DNA提取试剂盒提取脾脏DNA,-20℃贮存备用.     

从桂黔交界地区中华硬蜱中分离到莱姆病螺旋体

目的从桂黔交界地区捕获的蜱中分离莱姆病螺旋体,以探查广西壮族自治区（广西区）和贵州省莱姆病的传播媒介。方法用BSK-Ⅱ培养基从蜱中分离莱姆病螺旋体。用PCR扩增分离菌株的5S～23SrRNA基因间隔区,将PCR扩增产物克隆后测序,通过将测序结果与基因库中莱姆病螺旋体菌株的5S～23SrRNA基因间隔区进行同源性比较和分析,从而鉴定分离株的基因型。结果从捕获的中华硬蜱中分离出1株莱姆病螺旋体（命名为QLT1）。分离株经鉴定为Borrelia valaisiana基因型莱姆病螺旋体。结论中华硬蜱很有可能是广西区和贵州省莱姆病的传播媒介。     

大兴安岭林区蜱和鼠中莱姆病螺旋体感染及其基因分型研究

目的 了解内蒙古大兴安岭林区蜱和鼠中伯氏疏螺旋体的感染及基因分型情况。方法 应用巢式PCR扩增蜱和鼠中伯氏疏螺旋体5S-23SrRNA间隔区片段，对阳性产物进行限制性片段长度多态性（RFLP）分析和单链构象多态性（SSCP）分析，RFLP分析显示特殊带型的样本测序分析。结果 检测全沟硬蜱1336只，293只阳性，阳性率为21．93％；森林革蜱144只，6只阳性，阳性率为4．17％；嗜群血蜱144只，未发现有伯氏疏螺旋体感染。检测鼠9种145只，感染伯氏疏螺旋体的4种5只，感染率为3．45％；其中检测8只棕背鼠平，2只阳性。RFLP分析及序列分析显示蜱中有B．garinii20047亚型、B．gariniiNT29亚型、B．afzelii基因型以及不同基因型或亚型伯氏疏螺旋体的混合感染；鼠感染的伯氏疏螺旋体包括B．garinii20047亚型和B．gariniiNT29亚型。SSCP分析结果显示带型多于36种。结论 大兴安岭林区蜱及鼠中均存在伯氏疏螺旋体的感染，其中全沟硬蜱的感染率较高；B．garinii型为主要基因型，且该地区伯氏疏螺旋体存在遗传多态性。单只蜱中存在同时感染不同基因型伯氏疏螺旋体的情况，人和宿主动物是否存在不同基因型伯氏疏螺旋体混合感染尚待进一步研究。全沟硬蜱和棕背鼾分别是该林区伯氏疏螺旋体的主要媒介和主要储存宿主。     

浙江省在鼠形动物中检测到伯氏疏螺旋体

目的了解鼠形动物中自然感染伯氏疏螺旋体的状况。方法用巢式聚合酶链反应扩增鼠中的伯氏疏螺旋体5S--23SrRNA间隔区片段，对阳性产物进行测序。结果在浙江省金华市金东区捕获鼠形动物128只，在黄毛鼠、姬鼠、臭鼬鼯中共检测到阳性12份，阳性率分别为9．68％、14．28％和25．00％，并对其中2份进行测序分析，与伯氏疏螺旋体的法雷斯疏螺旋体相同，基因区间序列号分别为AB091447BvalaiOS115和DQ188933BvalaiQX13P25，相似率达100％。结论初步认为浙江省存在伯氏疏螺旋体病原。黄毛鼠、姬鼠、臭鼠句鼯可能为伯氏疏螺旋体的法雷斯疏螺旋体宿主，尚需进一步调查。     

吉林省珲春地区蜱中伯氏疏螺旋体与斑点热群立克次体复合感染研究

目的了解吉林省珲春地区伯氏疏螺旋体与斑点热群立克次体的复合感染情况.方法运用PCR方法对吉林省珲春地区采集的蜱标本,进行伯氏疏螺旋体5S～23S rRNA间隔区基因与斑点热群立克次体外膜蛋白A（ompA）基因的检测.测序并用PHYLIP软件进行序列分析.结果全沟硬蜱中伯氏疏螺旋体感染率为36.0%,在全沟硬蜱中检测到了斑点热群立克次体的感染,其感染率为2 0%.二者的复合感染率为2.0%;森林革蜱中伯氏疏螺旋体感染率30.9%,斑点热群立克次体感染率29.1%,二者的复合感染率16.8%.伯氏疏螺旋体的序列分析显示吉林地区的伯氏疏螺旋体都属于B.garinii基因型,同源性较高.对斑点热阳性片段序列分析表明新测序列与斯洛伐克新发现的IRS3株和IRS4株核苷酸序列同源性为97%.结论吉林省珲春地区全沟硬蜱及森林革蜱中检测到伯氏疏螺旋体与斑点热群立克次体的感染,并检测到2种病原体的复合感染情况.     

中国六省蜱中莱姆病螺旋体分离与鉴定

目的 了解中国6省蜱中莱姆病螺旋体携带情况.方法 在6省各选取2个采样点捕蜱,采用病原分离培养和巢式PCR方法对蜱进行莱姆病螺旋体检测,通过基因测序确定分型.结果 6省共采集到2200余只蜱,约1000只蜱用于病原分离培养,从吉林省长白县全沟硬蜱标本中分离到13株螺旋体,从贵州省道真粒形硬蜱标本中分离到9株螺旋体.1255只蜱用于PCR检测,从6省的蜱标本中检测到莱姆病螺旋体特异片段,其中吉林省(长白县27.08%、通化县20.41%)、青海省(互助县25.06%、黄南县21.11%)和贵州省(道真县25.63%)蜱中莱姆病螺旋体阳性率较高,山西省(垣曲县4.72%、交城县3.64%)蜱中莱姆病螺旋体阳性率较低.通过序列同源性分析确定吉林、青海、甘肃和山西省蜱中莱姆病螺旋体基因型均为Borrelia garinii.贵州、湖南省的基因型均为Borrelia valaisiana.结论 6省蜱中均带有莱姆病螺旋体,且带菌率有差异;山西省蜱中存在Borrelia ganmi型莱姆病螺旋体,湖南省蜱中存在Borrelia valaisiana型莱姆病螺旋体.     

Prevalence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in forestry workers of Ile de France, France

A cross-sectional sero-epidemiological study was conducted on forestry workers, a high risk population for Lyme borreliosis. The prevalence of seropositive forestry workers (indirect immuno fluorescence assay) is 15.2% (n = 211). Almost 70% of participants reported a history of tick bite. Among districts, high seroprevalences were observed in Fontainebleau and Rambouillet; two sites of high risk for Lyme borreliosis. However, clinical prevalence of the disease is very low. During the investigation no active Lyme borreliosis was observed. Thus, asymptomatic infection predominates.     

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) in Ixodes ricinus (L.) populations in France, according to a phytoecological zoning of the territory

Ixodes ricinus is considered as the main vector of Lyme Borreliosis in France. The aim of our investigations was to obtain a comprehensive view of the spatial risk linked to the distribution of the species in our country. Previous studies [1] have provided strong evidence that the species populations are widely distributed, so the objective of the present work was to ascertain the bacteriological infection of the tick by the agent of the zoonosis (Borrelia burgdorferi, sensu lato), over the French territory, whatever the ecological conditions may be. For this purpose, we kept the same framework as that used in our acarological investigation, a phytoecological zoning of the territory into 54 geographically separate and ecologically distinct units distributed into three climatic zones. Batches of ticks, picked up in these different phytoecological units (only two thirds of which were sampled), were submitted for bacteriological investigation. A total of 4,673 ticks were examined, individually, for the presence of Borellia burgdorferi, by immunofluorescence. Percentages of infection according to the various stages of Ixodes ricinus free stages, collected by flagging, were as follows: 4.95% in 3,247 nymphs, 11.2% in 699 males, 12.5% in 727 females. Larvae were ignored. Practically all the tested units harboured the bacterium. The percentage of tick samples (25 ticks or more) absolutely free of Borrelia, wherever they came from, is very low (not exceeding 10 percent of the sampled forests). Our study confirms the assessment of a widespread distribution of the zoonosis in France which was, until now, exclusively based on an approximate distribution of limited human cases observed in the country.     

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, and Borrelia burgdorferi in Ixodes scapularis, southern coastal Maine

Ixodes scapularis (deer ticks) from Maine were tested for multiple infections by polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. In 1995, 29.5%, 9.5%, and 1.9% of deer ticks were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia microti, respectively. In 1996 and 1997, the number of A. phagocytophilum-infected ticks markedly declined. In 1995 through 1996, 4 (1.3%) of 301 were co-infected.     

福建省蜱类和鼠类的莱姆病调查及首次分离出4株莱姆病螺旋体

从福建省北部莱姆病感染率较高及已发现病人的林区捕获一批家、野鼠类,从鼠体收集到一批蜱类(硬蜱、血蜱),取蜱中肠和鼠肾脏分别接种BSKII培养基,结果共分离出4株莱姆病螺旋体——伯氏疏螺旋体(Borrelia burgdorferi)。从粒形硬蜱和社鼠分离出莱姆病螺旋体在国内外属首次报告。     

The Ixodes ricinus tick as a vector of Borrelia burgdorferi in Slovenia

In many parts of Slovenia, the vegetation, climate and animals form an ideal natural environment for the persistence of different tick species. In this study, Ixodes ricinus ticks, the prevalent tick species in our country, are identified as the vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi in Slovenia. Ticks were collected by flagging between May and October 1990. All the ticks collected from different parts of Slovenia were I. ricinus and each one was examined individually. The ticks were tested to determine the presence of B. burgdorferi by indirect immunofluorescent assay. Among the 496 ticks examined for borreliae there were 85 adults and 411 nymphs. Twenty (23.5%) adults and 18 (4.4%) nymphs were found positive for Borreliae. This study discusses the importance of I. ricinus ticks in the role of Lyme borreliosis in Slovenia.     

我国滇西北山区家犬莱姆病螺旋体基因的检测及序列分析

目的了解滇西北山区莱姆病伯氏疏螺旋体的自然感染及基因分型情况。方法以山区农村家犬作为指示动物,使用真空采血管抽取家犬全血,应用巢式PCR扩增犬血中伯氏疏螺旋体5S~23S rRNA间隔区片段,然后对阳性片段进行测序,并将所测序列与GenBank中注册的基因序列进行比较分析。结果共检测贡山、福贡2个县3个乡镇山村63只家犬血液,其中发现9只犬为阳性,阳性率14.29%。基因序列分析结果显示,当地犬感染的伯氏疏螺旋体为Borrelia garinii。结论首次证实云南省西北部山区家犬中存在莱姆病Borrelia garinii型伯氏疏螺旋体感染。     

Tick zoonoses in the southern part of Switzerland (Canton Ticino): occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Rickettsia sp.

The diversity and the distribution of tick species and their infection rates by the pathogenic micro-organism Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the etiologic agent of Lyme borreliosis, and Rickettsia sp., were studied in Canton Ticino (the southern part of Switzerland). Ticks specimens collected from animals and humans were classified and analysed for the presence of both pathogens. In particular, PCR analysis was performed for the detection of Borrelia spirochetes in Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus, and the hemolymph test was done on Rhipicephalus sanguineus for the detection of Rickettsia sp. PCR assays, performed on 424 of the 989 collected ticks, revealed a low rate of infection (around 2%) of both vectors I. ricinus and I. hexagonus by B. burgdorferi sensu lato. These results are in agreement with the modest number of Lyme borreliosis cases yearly recorded in Ticino. Further, through analysis of DNA sequences, the strains carried by the infected ticks were identified as belonging to the genomic group VS116. The widespread finding of the Mediterranean species Rhipicephalus sanguineus in different locations from July 1994 to October 1995 demonstrates its establishment in Ticino. Of the 210 specimens collected, 70 were analysed and one was infected by Rickettsia sp.